Hello everyone!

In case you haven’t been doing any offline shopping lately, a new makeup brand has just landed at local Guardian stores in the form of Palladio. And believe me, even though it’s been barely a month since its inception here, I guarantee the groundbreaking range of tones Palladio has got to offer for your face, eyes and lips are going to put you in awe and other drugstore brands displayed around it to shame.

Renowned for its own line of colour cosmetics enriched with herbs and vitamins such as Ginseng, Green Tea, Gingko Biloba, Vitamin E and natural humectants and skin soothers such as Aloe Vera and Chamomile, the American beauty brand prides itself on delivering high quality and innovative products for all skin types at an affordable price point to give popular low-cost beauty brands like NYX a run for their money. Although unfamiliar to the Singapore market, Palladio has technically been in existence for over 25 years with virtual shop spaces on trusted US-based sites like Ulta and Beauty Bay so it is definitely an established brand you won’t go wrong with 🙂

With over 150 Palladio products (yup) brought to our shores, don’t be surprised to find yourself overwhelmed by the vast choices available! To help ease you into this new brand, I have specially picked out six breathtaking Velvet Matte Lip Color shades to talk about because you know, lipstick is life. Coincidentally, these velvet mattes are also one of Palladio’s bestsellers (apart from the Dual Wet & Dry Foundation and Rice Paper, which be reviewed on a separate post) so this review should render a rather accurate representation of the overall quality.

As always, being a sucker for design meant that I would also pay considerable attention to the packaging, regardless of cost. The clear tube is made of sturdy plastic (kinda reminds me of the lipsticks from the MAC Charlotte Olympia collection) and the contents of the lipstick stored in a separate tube shaped like a lipstick bullet within. While some may find the design a little juvenile, it actually appeals visually to me because it’s very different from what I usually see at drugstores.

On top of that, the doe-foot applicator that comes with it is comparable to those of branded liquid lipsticks I have. It’s soft, fluffy, of the right size and is able to hold quite a bit of product. It’s pretty obvious that much thought had been given to the packaging of these lipsticks despite the affordable price. Awesome, Palladio is off to a good start!

#1 Angora

I picked Angora, despite not being a fan of vibrant lip colours, because I figured that everyone needs a red lipstick in their life for at least an occasion. Angora – a vivid orange-red with yellow undertones – delivers intense pigmentation and colour with a slight sheen to give an impression of a healthy and more luscious lips.  The texture is so smooth and rich, it feels like you’re applying raw poster colour on the lips. It leaves a tacky finish and fades to a stain over time. Somehow, it makes me skin appear sickly yellowish But it could just be poor lighting..

Having used numerous sweet-smelling liquid lipsticks from other brands prior to Palladio, I had expected this range of lipsticks to be scented as well. But my nose picked up virtually nothing when I wore these lipsticks. There’s perhaps a very slight plastic smell but it’s so negligible you probably wouldn’t even notice it.

#2 Cashmere

Break away from the conventional reds and pinks and opt for a blend of both instead, such as this gorgeous cool-toned coral right here. Infused with more reds to help adjust beginners to the colour, Cashmere is a perfect match for fair skin with some hints of orange in it. The application leaves a mostly opaque satin finish while still allowing my natural lip colour to peek through. As with other Velvet Matte Lip Colours, this lipstick does not dry down completely, hence causing it to be extremely transfer-prone. It will definitely fade over time and vanish after meals, so do expect to touch up very often. The slippery formula is not all negative, though, as the wet texture of the lipstick also meant that removal would be a walk in the park – no rubbing or scrubbing required and all you’d need is just a piece of wet wipe!

Swatch comparison after Sateen.

#3 Raw Silk

If you’re looking to hop on the brown lip bandwagon without spending a fortune and at the same time, don’t want a lipstick that would suck the moisture out of your lips, look no further. This warm mocha brown is a pretty neutral I reckon would go with many skin tones. Apart from that, the wear is nice and comfortable. Upon application, Raw Silk leaves a thick and buttery texture which remains moist (but not glossy) even after several minutes. The wet finish allows for the easy distribution of the colour across the lips which makes blending and creating ombré lips a lot more feasible.

Swatch comparison after Suede.

#4 Plush

For the more adventurous, Plush is a brightened purple with blue undertones and is the most long-lasting of all six lipsticks here. The formula applies creamy but has mediocre coverage as it appears a tad streaky on my lips. Probably because it is slightly more smear-resistant, it does not run into the creases around the lips. But even so, it still budges. The topmost moist layer of the lipstick gets rubbed off instantly when comes in contact with anything and, like Angora, fades to a muted violet (but still visible) tint. Not kiss-proof, definitely.

#5 Sateen

Sateen is another bright shade vastly similar to Cashmere but it leans more towards pink. This brightened salmon-pink with blue undertones leaves a moderately tacky and satin (no pun intended) finish which feels especially moisturising and gentle on parched lips. Prone to movement because of its runnier texture, it has the tendency to stain the teeth and will also need to be retouched every few hours.

#6 Suede

Of course, Palladio doesn’t just cater to fair-skinned maidens, definitely not in a racially diverse country like Singapore which is also blessed with a sun-kissed climate (so tanning is pretty much inevitable). Ladies endowed with darker complexion can go with vampy lipstick shades like Suede, which I consider to be the lightest among the three dark shades in the Palladio Velvet Matte collection. If you’re in the mood for something bolder, you can amp up your lipstick game with Tapestry (or Boucle, if you’re not yet ready to go all dark plum).

Suede is a warm darkened brick-red which gives incredible pigmentation and rich colour. It renders an even and thick consistency in just one sweep and hence, allows for more precision and flexibility in application. Although it doesn’t quite dry down to a matte or velvet finish, it does its job as a lipstick and fills the lip lines to make it appear plumper and fuller. I also noticed that my complexion appeared fairer while wearing this lovely shade 🙂

With all things considered, I would think that Palladio makes decent lipsticks in an irresistible array of colours that no other local drugstore brands are ambitious enough to carry. Furthermore, you won’t feel much of a pinch from purchasing many different shades to experiment with since these lipsticks are unbelievably affordable.

In general, these Palladio Velvet Mattes provide a nourishing and hydrating wash of highly pigmented colour for the lips. But when it comes to beauty products (especially lipsticks), longevity ranks high on my list of priorities because my day job requires me to be constantly on the go. These lipsticks, however, don’t last beyond my first food and drink intake as they would have transferred onto cups, straws, utensils or basically everything that touches my lips in the midst of it (oh, the embarrassment!). You could try setting it with powder but I doubt it would make any difference. Personally, I feel that the adhesive quality is severely lacking in the lipsticks.

Moreover, despite being emphasised as “velvet mattes”, I thought the lipsticks were neither of both because the texture is simply too wet and sheeny to offer that suede appearance typical of a matte liquid lipstick. Rather, they were more of a glossy and slight-creamy finish. Granted, everyone has a certain perception of “matte” but as a considerably seasoned liquid lipstick user, I do not consider these mattes at all 😦

Do you agree with my opinions? Respond to the poll or chime away below if you have other views to add! 🙂

Psst.. want to lay your hands on a Palladio product (possibly a Velvet Matte liquid lipstick)? Here’s your chance!

I will be sharing more on other mention-worthy Palladio products in the upcoming post, so stay tuned!

Once again, thanks so much for reading, lovelies! ❤

Palladio Velvet Matte Cream Lip Color is now available at all local Guardian outlets for S$8.90 each. For updates on upcoming events, please visit Palladio Beauty Singapore on Facebook.

DISCLAIMER: ALL PRODUCTS FEATURED ARE PRESS SAMPLES BUT OPINIONS, AS ALWAYS, ARE MY OWN.