OCC Lip Tar – the most genius lip product ever?
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Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar and Nail Polish
(photos: we heart this)
The word tar isn’t exactly synonymous with cosmetics. However, what are some of the words that spring to mind when you think of tar (besides its deep black color); permanent, heavy duty, a glossy surface. Hmm, maybe it should be? Who doesn’t want a lip product that has a glossy shine and a long lasting formula that stays put? Well, let me introduce you to Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics and their Lip Tar.
Lip Tars ($12.50) are everything you wish a lip stain would be – non-drying and long wearing. But so much more! Not quite a lipstick, definitely not a gloss. They are an intense yet featherweight layer of color that goes on slick and moist, and dries down to a satin finish. If you are a beauty junkie, you’ve heard all the hype about this unique lip product and I’ve gotta say, the Lip Tar is meeting its (high) expectations!
Beyond the extended staying power and unique finish, word was that a little Lip Tar goes a long way, and they weren’t kidding! Lip Tars have “an unprecedented amount of pigment“ and just a tiny dab of color (exact amount shown below) can cover your whole lip. And this is a case where less is definitely not more (over-applying will result in the dreaded bleeding or feathering).
(shade shown: Demure)
The colors are very bold, and incredibly saturated. So if you’re in the market for subtle color, you may want to look elsewhere. Or at the very least, plan on getting crafty. Lip Tar can be mixed to custom blend the dream color of your choice. Or, add the clear Lip Tar to any shade for a more subdued version of the original. Think artist meets mad scientist!
(from left: Hoochie, Demure, Katricia, Vapid, Complex; the amount applied here could cover a whole neighborhood’s lips!)
I got to test three Lip Tar shades and my favorite was Hoochie, a true perfect magenta. The staying power is incredible. I apply a small amount in the morning, and when I look in a mirror late in the day, I still see it going strong. When I go out at night and want to amp it up to a full on magenta frenzy…I add a bit more and boom, unfading pure magenta lips for the whole evening. I’m talking, eating a meal, having a few drinks and having my lips look as magenta as they did before I started eating!
Lip Tar also feels pretty nice on the lips and doesn’t leave them feeling parched like my other ‘fade resistant” products. Ingredients like hemp oil, peppermint oil and vitamin E helps to keep lips moisturized.
I also had the pleasure of testing Vapid, a bubble gum lavender and Katricia, a creamy violet. These two colors are so much fun! Maybe not your average every day colors, but certainly nice to have in the make up arsenal of an adventurous make up connoisseur. Make sure to check out the entire range of 27 remarkable colors from a “pale bridal pink” to a “saturated blue cyan”.
(from left: Dangerous, Spanglemaker, Wasabi, Flatline)
Lips aren’t the only arena OCC has created long-wearing goodness for. They offer airbrush face color, eye color and skin prep products. Not to mention nail color, which the wht team also checked out. Again available in a stunning range of modern, vibrant colors, these nail polishes ($8) “are densely pigmented, quick-drying and super long lasting”
I tried Flatline, an ultra matte, ultra flat, top coat for nails and was again amazed. No matter the color or formula (I’ve tried it with red, pink and purple all of which were super gloss colors) once I applied Flatline, it instantly transforms any nail color into an ultra matte finish that also serves as a chip protector. I went six days without a chip!
This company must certainly be obsessively compulsive when it comes to creating lasting, vibrant and gorgeous products, and I for one am so glad to have discovered them! And all you do-gooders should note that all OCC products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and free of parabens and harsh preservatives.
With prices that are below most high-end cosmetic companies, and what I found to be even longer staying power, plus the fashion forward shades; there is really no reason not to give OCC the attention they rightly deserve. I can’t wait to see if my fellow testers were just as impressed – check the comments for their reviews!
we heartsters and review team – are you down with OCC?
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.
@christy –Great review! Who knew I would be facinated with the concept of ”tar”!
Thanks @hao9703 :) I really loved both products..highly recommended brand!! Five stars from me!
@christy, I would have assumed Lip Tar would be like other lip stains: drying. Thanks to your post, I’m going to check this line out. And six days without a chip? I guess I need Flatline, too!
True confession: I totally misunderstood Lip Tars when we first met. It’s not their fault, it was mine. I saw the cute little squeeze tubes with the slanted tip, thought “lip gloss” and proceeded to apply as I would gloss. Bad idea. My lips were flooded with product which looked way too opaque, bleed around my lip line, then felt hard when dried. I was kind of baffled to all the fuss. But being a diligent tester and not wanting to give up, I did a bit of research as to how to apply them, and wow, what a difference! (I know, I should have did that first. But I didn’t think I’d come across any type of lip product that I’ve never used before. I now have!)
See that tiny bit of Lip Tar on the brush above? Seriously, it’s ALL that you need. Plus, using the brush to apply it allows for very precise application. Once this dries, it’s really not going anywhere for a LONG time. The wear on these is nothing short of amazing. My lips felt a teeny bit dry, nothing horrible though (and way less drying than a stain).
The color selection is fabulous. Very adventurous! Plus primary colors that you can mix. Want a more blue based red? Add a dot of blue! I can hardly wait to play around with these.
I got to try Demure, that beautiful fuschia shown above on my lips. It’s incredible. The hottest hot pink ever. Also Complex, which they describe as a pale greyed violet, and I describe as corpsey nude (which I mean as a compliment!) If you are a true nude lover (you know, the kind of person who sometimes uses concealer on their lips) you have met your match. I plan on getting the clear tar to sheer this up a bit.
Lip Tars are really like nothing I’ve ever tried before. And after being a makeup reviewer for almost 5 years, that’s really saying something. 5 stars, I can’t wait to try more!
The middle arm swatch (the pink color) is gorgeous! If only I wore fuchsia more! I’m the person who puts focus on the eyes, not lips.
And the whole “not a lip gloss thing” would totally not work with me. I’m the person who’s obsessively slathering on lip products as I can’t stand dry lips or lips that even feel dry. 10 years of speech therapy has wired me to apply lip products to the point of obsessiveness. I could never go to therapy with the speech therapist slathering petroleum jelly on my lips.
My favorite line of your post @christy, is “lip tars are everything you wish a lip stain would be!” Now I have to check these out, because I still mourn my expectations of lip stains (the whole non-drying and long-lasting parts). I will totally get these if they have a good red…but will that require me to mix two or more of the colors – I feel like I’m seeing more of a purple/blue thing going on.
I seriously heart OCC! While I’ve only gotten to play around a little with the Lip Tars (and it’s been some great playtime!) this time I got to try out the OCC Nail Polish in Dangerous.
Gray is the IT color of the season, we all know this, and the latest Vanity Fair cover with Lady Gaga confirms this fact. Like any good Little Monster I HAD to repaint my nails as soon as I saw the cover, and I knew that Dangerous would be the perfect taupe-y gray to do the trick!
The color is amazing, it only took 2 coats to have the perfect opaque cover. The formula is a tiny bit thick, if I do the job too quickly I do get little bubbles, but simply slowing down and using less polish over longer time takes care of that problem. It started to chip around day three, but only minor chips, nothing too major. Overall, I’d say it’s a serious star on the polish front. 4 Stars from me!
Ooo, I love products that do new and fun things like this! I’m really into applying lip stain and then going over it with a gloss right now; I’d love to try the exact opposite, a gloss that dries into a stain!
Plus it’s call Lip Tar, that just SOUNDS cool….
Oopsy, I post too soon, because I also wanted to say that I looked at their website and they do something I LOVE; describe their colors and shades in terms that you get a sense of what they look like in real life. (Not that I’ve seen them, but if you read that Divine is a “PALE, VIVID PINK FLAMINGO”, you totally know what you’re getting into if you order online.)
Beauty blogs do this regularly, but it’s really great to see a company do this on their own website. I’m halfway in love already…
I got to try Spanglemaker, a metallic silver polish. And I do mean metallic! It’s so opaque and shiny, it looks like I silver coated my nails when I wear it! It’s a really cool effect. I found it slightly challenging to work with, it wasn’t as forgiving as a more sheer polish. But it’s worth the work. I didn’t use a top coat first time and chipped right away. Next time I did, and went 4 days without a chip. Good stuff! Really wild colors too, love ’em. 4 stars.
But OMG, am I dying to get some lip tar now!
Tried lip tar at a beauty event in Los Angeles and have to confirm that this product is incredible…but you need to be ready to commit :) I tried Demure because I wanted a pop of color and was shocked that the product lasted all night. I took make up remover to it that night after the event and I still had a gorgeous magenta stain that lasted the whole next day…I LOVED IT (luckily)!!
That’s true @Colby – the Lip Tars are a commitment! Luckily the colors are so fab and true to the tube. Glad you loved your first brush with them and welcome to we heart this!