Encased in a glossy pewter tube embossed with the brand’s name, Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Crème Lipstick in Nocturnal is a chic makeup item to own. The case adds heft to the product but I do appreciate its aesthetic value.
The lipstick’s angled plane featuring an hourglass effortlessly shapes and defines my lips. I’m one who wear my lipsticks down flat (no curves and odds indents for me), thus I quite like its nib shape.
With its plummy rose-pink tone, Nocturnal is a lipstick to rival MAC Plumful, a popular MAC lipstick in the Lustre formula. However, it pulls cooler than the latter and is more pigmented too.
Like MAC Lustre lippies, it has a certain shine but it is much creamier and doesn’t glide on as smoothly – it doesn’t have the easy MAC Lustre slip. It does go on much more intensely to impart a plush, velvety appearance, as you can see in the swatch. One layer is enough to deliver rich colour, really; two layers will give a decidedly opaque and lustrous finish that lasts.
Happily, this lipstick smells good (unlike some pigmented ones that I’ve come across) – it has a lovely whiff of vanilla (♥!) reminiscent of MAC lipsticks.
I received this press sample from Hourglass USA but Hourglass lipsticks are available at Sephora Singapore and retail at S$38. In the States, Femme Rouge lippies are refillable – the range has lipstick refill cartridges that are sold separately. Unfortunately, they are not available here in Singapore.
