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When Makeup by Mario launches a new product, expectations are high and waitlists are long. After all, the brand is the brain child of makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, who Kim Kardashian keeps on speed dial. Makeup by Mario’s MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color hit shelves this March, and our WWD Shop editors have thoroughly tested the hybrid lip product in the month since its debut to share an honest testing review.
At first glance, the Plumping Lip Color looks like any liquid lipstick. But true to Dedivanovic’s careful attention to detail and inventive artistry, the product is a multitasker — and not in a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ kind of way. It can stand in for the best lip balms, lipsticks, and lip stains, all in one tube. TikTok users are loving it, with the lip color receiving over 5 million views on the app to date.
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I put Makeup by Mario’s Plumping Lip Color through the beauty equivalent of a stress test during the month I tried it out. I wore it while sipping and snacking, layered it over lip liner, swiped it onto dry lips, and wore it during different weather conditions to test the formula’s feel and wear time. In my opinion, the best lipsticks don’t dry out your lips after wear, apply smoothly, and fade evenly. Makeup by Mario’s Plumping Lip Color ticks those boxes.
Like mascaras, lip products are a beauty product that heavily involve personal preferences. Read on for my full testing review notes to get the details and to decide if you want Makeup by Mario’s MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color in your routine — we’re betting you will.
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How I Tested the Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color
- Product tested: Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color
- Key ingredients: Synthetic beeswax, encapsulated H2O, and glycerin
- Shade range: 13 neutral, pink, and red colors
- Testing time period: One month
- Retailer availability: Makeup by Mario and Sephora
- Pros:
- Buildable medium-to-full coverage
- Pigments apply evenly on your lips
- Feels weightless on lips
- Many neutral shade options for different skin tones
- Contains hydrating ingredients
- Cruelty-free formula
- Shiny, lip gloss-like finish
- Cons:
- Contains fragrance
- May settle into fine lines if your lips are dry
- Best for: Shiny, buildable lip color that doesn’t dry out your lips after hours of wear.
What is Makeup by Mario’s MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color?
Makeup by Mario’s MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color is an extension of one of the brand’s most popular launches, the Plumping Lip Serum. That lip serum launched in January 2022 — and the crowd went wild, with all shades selling out within 24 hours of launch. The product has tallied up 11.2 million views on TikTok to date; shoppers love the lip serum’s subtle color payoff and major hydration. The Plumping Lip Color is designed to deliver the same hydration and plumping effect, but with more color intensity and shine.
Makeup by Mario’s Plumping Lip Color is a water-infused formula with buildable coverage; one swipe gives you a noticeable tint, and two to three coats leave you with coverage that rivals that of the best lipsticks. The finish is intensely shiny — think wet paint — for the look of a great lip gloss.
Although the name suggests that this formula is a lip plumper, it’s a far cry from the tingling, spicy formulas that probably come to mind. Many lip plumpers enhance the size of your lips by slightly irritating them with ingredients like menthol or capsaicin (a hot pepper extract). That irritation dilates your blood vessels, lending a fuller look. But the downside to some of these formulas is the intense tingling and dryness you feel afterwards. Makeup by Mario’s Plumping Lip Color, on the other hand, relies of hydrating hyaluronic acid to make your lips look fuller and healthier without irritation.
Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color Editor Testing Review
For starters, this lip product has phenomenal packaging. The liquid formula is cased in a chubby, matte-finished tube that makes for easy gripping and control during application. The doe foot applicator is big enough to quickly coat your lips, but small enough to detail the corners and cupid’s bow of your lips. The wand picks up plenty of product for a full layer on your lips.
At first swipe, the formula feels super hydrating, similar to what you feel after applying one of your favorite lip oils or a light coat of Aquaphor. During testing, I noticed that the pigments applied slightly unevenly when I dabbed it onto parched lips (on moisturized lips, it goes on like a dream). But because the formula is so watery and light, it’s easy to blend with the doe foot wand for even distribution, even if your lips are dry. You can count on the color and shine to stay put for a full hour at the very least. When the pigments fade, they do so beautifully. The shine fades first, and the residual color leaves your lips looking lightly stained. That leftover pigment lasted on my lips for a full three hours.
As for the shade range, it’s extensive — particularly in the neutral department. Of the 13 shades, seven are neutral beige tones, soft browns, or earthy pinks. You’ll be spoiled for choice if you’re after a you-but-better lip color that doesn’t wash you out. For my fair skin, that’s the Miss Rose shade.
After testing Makeup by Mario’s MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color for a full month, this tube has become the one I reach for the most. I rely on it as a lip balm, lip gloss, and buildable lipstick all in one.
Is Makeup by Mario’s MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color Worth It?
Although Makeup by Mario’s Plumping Lip Color is $24 for 0.11 ounces of product, this is a true hybrid product. You get the shine of a gloss with the hydration of a balm, and the added benefit of a stain-like look when the sheen fades. The little tube has enough versatility to replace two to three of your existing go-to lip products. A little bit of the formula goes a long way, too.
If you’re seeking out a new neutral to wear day and night, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. And the brighter colors, including Poppy, Baby Coral, and Hot Pink, take the guesswork out of selecting a pop of color to wear this spring and summer. They’re sheer enough to let your natural lip color balance out the bright pigments, so the effect is as if a makeup artist custom-made the color for your complexion. And in one way or another, Dedivanovic did just that.
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Meet the Author
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News. She’s spent over five years researching, reporting on, and writing about the beauty industry for publications like Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as a beauty editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the products that make a meaningful difference in your skin and hair. She tested Makeup by Mario’s MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color for a full month, and can’t stop wearing the Miss Rose and Hot Pink shades.