NYX Havana & Vancouver Soft Matte Lip Cream Review

NYX Havana & Vancouver Soft Matte Lip Cream

This time of year usually calls for bright, glossy lips but I still like to pull out a vampy lip or two every now and then to let them see a little sunshine. Like on rainy days. Or hot, humid nights. Bright pinks and corals are still my world for spring and summer but sometimes it’s nice to take a walk on the dark side with a sexy vampy lip. Even when it’s warm out. That’s why the new NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams in Havana and Vancouver have been in heavy rotation lately. They’re definitely fall/winter shades but I’ve been digging them a lot these days.

NYX Havana Soft Matte Lip Cream

Havana is a little more bold than vampy but when paired with a deep plum liner (like my go to MAC Cyber World) it easily gives an edgy vampy vibe that’s incredibly eye catching. Havana is a bold purple with a cool blue undertone and a soft, creamy matte finish. I have a ton of purple lipsticks in my collection but, surprisingly, I don’t really have a dupe for Havana in my collection. It’s a straight up purple that’s rather unique. Especially for a drugstore brand. Of course, Havana isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea with it’s cool purple exterior but it looks great on all purple lovers from fair to deep skin tones. While I love the color, I think the formula could use a little work. Havana has a cushiony whipped mousse texture that’s easy on the lips but it doesn’t apply as smoothly as I like. The color goes on very patchy making it hard to adhere to the center of my bottom lip for a smooth, even coat. Despite the nice pigmentation, I really had to layer Havana and pair it with a lip liner for it to look and perform its best. Without a good lip liner (applied all over) or a lip primer. Havana loses it’s flair a bit because it’s just too patchy. Once I was able to achieve a smooth, even finish, Havana seemed to perform pretty decently lasting for around 5-6 hours before fading into bold purple stain. Since the Soft Matte Lip Cream formula doesn’t completely dry down I did experience some transferring while eating and drinking but on the upside the formula is pretty comfortable on the lips. I think Havana is an extremely beautiful purple that would make a nice addition to a true blue purple addict’s collection but you definitely need to be prepared to work for it.

NYX Vancouver Soft Matte Lip Cream

Vancouver, on the other hand, easily brings the vamp and the sexy all in one swoop! Vancouver is a deep blackened plum with a creamy soft matte finish that makes me feel like a sultry vampire. I live for the color! Like Havana, I think it looks wonderful on all skin tones. Especially if you love vampy lipsticks. Unfortunately, Vancouver is plagued with the same pitfalls as Havana. It sports the same cushiony, creamy whipped mousse texture and also applies a bit patchy. Vancouver isn’t quite as bad as Havana but I still had to pair it with a lip liner to help the color stick and go on smoothly and evenly. I absolutely adore the color but I am a bit disappointed that Vancouver doesn’t apply as well as I like. On the bright side, it doesn’t seem to dry out my lips much at all and it manages to last for around 6-7 hours (with some slight transferring) before beginning to show signs of fading.

I really wish NYX would have tweaked the Soft Matte formula a bit to really make Havana and Vancouver shine bright like the stars they are as they’re difficult shades to find for under $10. However, I can’t quite knock them for being a little high maintenance. Partly because bold, vampy lipsticks usually require more maintenance than traditional colors. But mostly because they’re just $6 a pop or even cheaper if you catch them on sale at Ulta or use a coupon. NYX certainly dropped the ball a bit with Havana and Vancouver but I have to give them their props for thinking outside of the box and giving us edgy lipstick lovers a cheap thrill. As long as you’re up to a little tweaking I think Havana and Vancouver are worth checking out.

NYX Vancouver, Havana Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Vancouver & Havana Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Havana Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Havana Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Vancouver Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Vancouver Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Havana Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Havana Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Vancouver Soft Matte Lip Cream

NYX Vancouver Soft Matte Lip Cream