Lips, prepare to be wowed by Ellis Faas…
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When I received a couple of lip products for review from the brand, Ellis Faas, my first thought was Who/What the heck is Ellis Faas? The answer to my question made me very excited to open the boxes. She is a European makeup artist that Vogue Paris hailed as one of the most influential make-up artists of her time. Originally from Amsterdam, Faas trained in Paris and received her big break working with famed fashion photographer Mario Testino. Since being discovered back in 1999, Faas has gone on to work for Karl Lagerfeld, heading the makeup for Fendi and Chanel fashion shows and is in high demand working on international fashion magazines. Ten years after she began making a name for herself in the business, she debuted her own makeup line in early 2009. While Ellis Faas is not a household name in the States yet, judging by her previous successes, it’s just a matter of time.
Ellis Faas dubbed her new collection Human Colours and looked to the human body for her inspiration. Every shade is inspired by colors that exist in the human body. From the tawny peach of a freckle to the vivid red that pulses through our veins. The idea is that because these shades naturally occur within, they are flattering to every skin tone (which they clearly illustrate on the site by showing each lip color on white, dark and Asian skin tones, as shown above from the left. Brilliant~wht) If the concept on color wasn’t innovative enough, all Ellis Faas products, save for the powder, are packaged in somewhat lethal-looking, bullet-shaped click pens that can be kept in the Ellis Faas Holder, a canister that keeps all Ellis Faas products neatly organized in your purse.
We were fortunate to receive an assortment of Ellis Faas lip products to review. Paraben-free and chock full of vitamin E, they are available in three textures: creamy, milky, and glazed. Creamy Lips offers a classic lipstick look in a long-wearing creamy texture. Milky Lips is more of a liquid lip color with semi-opaque, buildable coverage. Glazed Lips is an ultra-wet, glossy look in sheer, long-lasting vibrant colors that can be blotted for a more stained look. With 27 gorgeous shades, you will definitely be coveting these lip colors!
I got to test Creamy Lips in L101 (top row), also known as Ellis Red (their signature color) and the only shade that is available in all three textures. The color is a gorgeous deep, true red that would flatter everyone. It has a sponge tipped applicator and you only need the smallest amount for a perfect application. You can apply it heavily for a creamy feel or apply lightly for a deep, matte stain that lasts all day. Seriously, it really does last ALL day. I put it on at 9 a.m. and I still had a trace of pink on my lips when it was time for bed. I think everyone may NEED this shade. It’s like a Goldilocks shade of red–it’s not too blue, not too orange, but just right.
I also received Milky Lips in L208 (middle row), a cantaloupe nude. This product is like a creamy, thinner lipstick that applies translucently with a brush tip applicator. I think I’ll have to try this in a different shade because nudes really don’t work with my pale coloring and this one was no different (it turns an orangey nude on me). I will say that the product had fairly good longevity for this texture (though not as staining as the Creamy Lips), so if you find the right shade for you, this is a nice mix of gloss and liquid lipstick.
Sadly, I did not get to test Glazed Lips in L304 (bottom row), but based on the gorgeous pop of sheer coral orange in the photos, I think the members of the review panel that did will be singing their praise for this. I can’t wait to hear more about the Glazed Lips texture or this gorgeous shade!
For now, you’ll need to purchase these from their website (where it sells for 25 Euros, which is about $34. Not cheap, but we think they’re worth it!), or in-store at Bergdorf Goodman (who, as you know, carries only the most luxurious lines).
Review team: Do you heart Ellis Faas as much as I’m starting to?
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
Mmmmkay – so I can’t really even tell you how much I love this stuff. I love it enough that I make it the focal point of my outfit more often than not (http://shrimpsaladcircus.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-rock-orange-lips.html). I got Glazed Lips L304, a bold orangey shade, and I rock it at every available moment. Reading up a bit on Ellis Faas made me want the entire line of makeup products. Ellis is ahead of every spring trend, and I love her dearly for it. Let’s just say that this makeup maven has forever sold me on orange…
First of all, hello Packaging Porn. These sleek little pens are so cool looking, you might mistake them for an actual pen. I received creamy lips.
However, I was not impressed with the texture, it just seemed like tinted vaseline and it left my lips feeling really chapped.
Oh no, yet another line of lip products to stoke my gloss addiction! Krista, you did a great job of making me want to check out this line! I think it’s revolutionary that the same color can look good on a wide range of skin tones. Hmm, maybe it’s time to plan a trip to Bergdorf’s…
Oh, that coral is slaying me! And the packaging for their products is SO COOL! Love it, love it, love it! *sigh* I need to use my lip products up faster (I’m doing a lip specific pan 10) so I can snag it!
These look SO great! I love that they fit on every skin color, it reminds me of mood lipstick I used to have in junior high! (You know…the color changing kind that supposedly fit your mood and your skin tone? Am I the only one who had this?)
That Ellis Red looks super sexy. And I’m not a coral fan by any means, but I think this could convert me. Great review, Krista!
Ok, “Love” is simply not a big enough word for my feelings about Ellis Faas lip products. I’m just gaga for every aspect of them! I’m going to break it down because I’m sure I could ramble on forever about these…
-Scent & Smell: Nothing, hooray!
-Formulas: Amazing, absolutely amazing. Creamy Lips is like no lipstick I’ve ever worn. Krista is so right, it lasts ALL day. You put it on and you don’t have to mess with it once. It’s like a stain/lipstick hybrid (more staining than the Glazed formula even, which they say acts as a stain).
And Glazed Lips is just gloss perfection. Everything I look for: a rich and dense, almost billowy texture, just enough stickiness so that it wears well, but not so much that it feels sticky and high impact shine.
Shades: I can not speak highly enough about these colors! Ellis Red is hands down, the prettiest red I’ve ever seen. EVER! No wonder it’s their signature color. Krista is right, you need this (especially if your a red fan, but I think it may even convert those who insist they can wear it.) And because we got it in the Creamy Lips texture, it wore forever!
Glazed Lips L304 is like an intense orange popsicle. Bright, fun and very on trend right now. Love.
I’m going to gift my Milky Lips L208 to Pamela Irene. I think the color may work better on her than me. Cantaloupe nude is a perfect description, it’s a neutral that leans very far to peach. Pretty, but not as stellar to me as the other 2 (lovely creamy formula though).
And how great that they show the shades on different skin tones?!
-Packaging: Oh. My. Who wouldn’t like to whip out a sleek silver bullet to apply their lipstick? It’s beautiful! Functional as well. They chose the tips wisely; brushes for some, sponge tips for others. It all makes sense with the formulas.
My only complaint? Colors are named by number, so on the bottom of the tube is L304 (L for lips) and it’s colored to match the shade within. But, it’s very tiny. And I never remembered if my shades were a milky, creamy or glazed formula. I appreciate the minimalism, but the lack of descriptions on them had me confused. I can’t imagine if I had face and eye products too. But, I’m sure you learn eventually.
I wish I could give the line more than 5 stars! I’ve got my fingers crossed that we’ll be seeing more of the line in the US soon.
.-= stef´s last blog ..tarte Smooth Operator and Provocateur review =-.
Bring it on Stef!!! Milky Lips L208 looks like it will work for me! I can hardly wait to get my mits on it! You will be hearing from me soon! :)
Melissa—get thee to Bergdorf’s!
Alyssa—I had mood lipstick, too! I was always a bubblegum pink. I don’t know what mood that meant I was in, but I know that bubblegum pink is a wrong shade on me, so I guess my mood was bummed I spent money on mood lipstick :) I’m loving that coral, too. You should definitely check out the red. Your cowboy hubs is gonna be calling you ornery for completely different reasons…
Katie—this totally is packaging inspiration. My hubby saw me pull that tube out of my purse, and was like “Don’t stab me, I’ll be good, I promise!”, which made me crack up, but the packaging really is just sooo sleek. Sleek and lethal :)
I totally agree with Stef’s assessment that it could be problematic with other products from the Ellis Faas line because if all the pens look alike, you really can’t get away with a quick application, you need to turn it over, have good lighting and keen vision to try to read the tiny number and just let me say, I HATE colors with number names. Give me a “Golden Rose” or a “Chocolate Cherry” or something that tells me kind of what shade I’m working with. Numbers tell me nothing.
That being said, now I want to try their blush (of course). :)
The Ellis Faas lipcolor that I received was the L101: that creamy, lusty, long-wearing red. It really is all of those things: creamy, lusty and long-wearing.
The color is, as said in the review, buildable. A quick swipe gives a natural stain; more layers provide a pin-up girl meets film noir femme- fatale look.
I can’t begin to tell you how many people–strangers and acquaintances–commented on how spectacular it looked on me. I don’t know about you all, but I can’t remember anyone ever zeroing in on my lips in such an obvious way. Women asked me what I was wearing on my lips, men told me how flattering the shade is for me. Unsolicited compliments on my lipstick from strange men? Seriously.
Now take all that and add the most fantastic silver bullet lipcolor casing ever and I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t always want this in your purse. The bullet is LONG (about 6 and a quarter inches) and truly lethal-looking (werewolves beware). This is no retro lipstick bullet (a la Julie Hewett’s noirs which I do, by the way, love), but a modern, brilliant design housing a modern, brilliant product. No way I could POSSIBLY give Ellis Faas less than 5 stars.
The Ellis Red just looks so pretty. I’m afraid it’s a bit too dramatic for anywhere I’ll be going anytime soon.
Oh yeah, I want more from this line! It was the first thing that caught my eye when my WHT package arrived a couple months ago, and I couldn’t wait to write my review on it since. This is just so much fun – fun to use with the click pen, fun to pull out of the purse and see people’s reactions, fun to see the truly blood red color going on (I also tested L101, the creamy red). It is like a creamy stain – staying power is great through time, drinks, and food. By the afternoon, it does wear down from shocking red to a light pink, but there is some color. It goes on so easily, yet doesn’t bleed off my lips and onto my skin or my teeth, like most reds do. The creamy texture lasts a decent amount of time, but I do have to agree with Katie a little – after it wears off, my lips do feel a little chapped, too. If I reapply, or add some balm, no problem. It is universally flattering, too. Looks good on my fair skin and my mom’s olive skin alike – what a cool concept she has with the body colors – the biology teacher in me is loving that and thinking it makes a lot of sense. Please come to the US more readily – I want more from this line!!
I thought this was going to be something dirty when I pulled it out of the review box! But once I took off the lid I saw it was an awesome lip color. I tried the L304 the very cool and edgy orangey color. It has the click to dispense and a brush tip. I really like both of those. I did notice that you should only click once or twice to get the perfect amount of color. Any more and then you’ll have a mess. Color just kept coming up and I couldn’t get it all on my lips. The orange color is really nice. I’m not real courageous yet but I did wear this on nights out. One time I went to the store with a friend and told em I wasn’t going to get all pretty. I just put on some powder and this lip gloss. Once they saw me they said, “I thought you weren’t going to put any make up on.” They thought I had done all my makeup because of the gloss. :)
While the color is great, it made my lips dry out. I have really dry lips any way so maybe if i put on some balm or chap stick first it might feel better. And I agree with the others, I would rather have a name like macaroni orange rather than the number.
Wow, I’m really surprised a few of you had problems with your lips feeling dry afterward. I didn’t have that…But maybe I was just so entranced with the packaging and color!
This sounds fab..and I love me some Red. I am adding this to my must have red list :)
Yes, I was one of those ooohing and aaahing at the delightful packaging when I saw Mel pull it out of her purse! The Creamy Red she tested, I thought, looked very flattering on!
I’m definitely with Stef – I didn’t have any drying issues with this one, and I’m totally addicted!! Though I’d like it to stick around a bit longer, I love the way it feels, and even when it wears off, it leaves my lips feeling smooth.
Got my Milkly Lips L208 on and love them.. Ellis Faas is plain old WOW! Yes, creamy and smooth and like how it lasts so long. What a cool looking lipstick too.. It almost looks like a weapon! Weapon of lip take over! This is a pretty color of cantaloupe nude for sure. Twisting the amount out to the brush tip applicator that you need is a neat feature. This product is creamy yet slightly thinner than lipstick when applied. A very big THANK YOU to dear Stef! xoxo
How is this for going the long way around? I live in New York City. Bergdorf Goodman is, of course, in New York City. So where did I go for my first taste of Ellis Faas wonderfulness? London, of course, by way of the EF website. The thing is — and this is often hard to explain to non-New Yorkers — I don’t drive. I get around in my city just fine, thank you, on buses, the occasional subway, taxis and my preferred means of travel, walking. And no matter whether I am at my office or my home, BG is not at all easy to get to and still be home in time to make dinner or better still, dress for dinner out. The only time I am close to the store is when I get my hair done, which is generally once every six weeks. So. website. My oral glaze lipstick and mulberry-y eyeshadow arrived a mere month after I ordered them. I got an apologetic email from the company stating that every order placed on the same day as mine was lost in a computer meltdown on their server. So they expressed the package to me and within two days, voila!
Reader, I love these. The glazed coral color is immensely flattering, easy to apply and, best of all, when the glaze wears off during the day the color remains. Yet it is not at all drying. The eyeshadow is excellent, again very easy to apply (once you learn to keep turning until you become convinced there is no color inside) and it stays, stays, stays all day without creasing or bleeding. The packaging, as has been described in loving detail above, is wonderful, and although the cylinders are large and long, they fit into my little makeup bag with no problem.
So. I will gird my loins (probably in Spanx’s new spring- colored shapers) and make that trek to BG and try me the Ellis Faas foundation. For that I need a strong light and a consultant, none of which were included in my overseas package. It’s time for Lydia to do my roots anyway, so here I come.
.-= justjoan´s last blog ..Stef and nutty amanda are now friends =-.