Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick Berry Much

I made a huge mistake when I did a blind buy of this shade, but I really wanted to try at least one of these lipstick pencils. Berry Much is nothing like I imagined it'd be based on online swatches, however, the texture of this is marvellous, so I really regret not going with another colour. 

Colour: Berry Much is a deep plum shade with an intense purple tone, while I expected it to be a classic burgundy shade, so something like L'Oreal's Laetitia. Unfortunately for me, purples don't suit me well and it doesn't help that this has a hint to greyness in it, so it's a draining colour on me, but of course that doesn't mean it won't suit you. I don't know why, but when freshly applied this colour makes my lips look a bit bee stung and overdrawn (it's clear on the picture bellow that I didn't overdraw my lips, but on most full-face shots it looked just ridiculous). By that I mean obnoxiously pouty-looking, you may notice that on the last picture (top lip), though I deliberately chose one where I don't look like a douche as I hate pouting.

Texture and staying power: Despite the shade being a miss for me, the texture is fantastic. It's like someone took the best formula of a classic lipstick and put it into a pencil form. It's so pigmented and creamy, so it applies very smoothly without any dragging or tugging of the lips. The finish is creamy or creamy-matte once it sets a bit. It's similar to Revlon's Matte Balm pencils, but with a better staying power. The size and shape of the pencil is a hit as well as it enables a very precise application meaning there is no need for an additional lip pencil. It does require frequent sharpening if you want a super precise edge every time (by the way it fits into Essence' sharpener). The staying power impressed me as well as it lasts several hours (though admittedly darker shades last long almost by default) and it also fades so nicely into this lovely even stain. 

Price and availability: It was  £4.99 on Boots International. These haven't reached Slovenia yet, but I hear they're already available in most European countries including our neighbour Croatia.

I should have just bought Red Essential and I really regret buying a miss shade because the texture is amazing. I just assumed that it'd be a nice berry shade, which usually suit me very well and I tend to wear them constantly in colder months. It's not awful, but I'd prefer something less purple and more red (I have tried mixing it with a red on top, but it doesn't look that good). Maybe next time.

Have a great day!