With the constant stream of new releases in the beauty world, it's easy to neglect former favourites. They may have hit the market a couple of years ago, but I still adore the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers, especially during the latter half of the year. I'm not one for buying whole ranges straight away in case I'm not a fan of the formula, but over time, I've amassed quite a collection of these lip gloss/lipstick hybrids.

Initially, Rimmel only released a glossy version of the Apocalips Lip Lacquers. The original formula packs a powerful punch in the pigment department, has a smooth, creamy texture and a vinyl-shine finish that eventually dries down to a satiny stain. Unlike some highly-pigmented glosses, these lacquers don't leave your lips coated in a gloopy, sticky mess, but you need to be wary of smudging when the gloss is still wet. The sponge, doe-foot applicator makes application an absolute dream. Following the lipline is easy as the wand has a rounded tip, so there's no need to arm yourself with a lip brush or liner for precision. With a well in the center of the applicator, to collect the lacquer, there's always plenty of product to finish the job without needing to re-dip into the tube.


As you'd expect, the darker the shade, the stronger the tint of colour the lacquers leave behind. Most of the colours in the range give opaque coverage in one coat, but it depends on how dark your natural lip colour is to begin with. A couple of the lighter shades take more work to look perfect as they can apply quite streakily, so layering them up is necessary for a full-coverage result. The beautiful high-shine finish lasts for a couple of hours maximum, depending on how much you eat, drink or smooch. Fortunately, the intense staining keeps the colour in place once the gloss has waned and only starts to fade in the middle of the lips after around four hours, on me. Another quick coat of the lacquer is all you need to give the colour and shine a boost, without the lips being weighed down or dried out. I just wish Rimmel would stop pumping that cheap, cherry fragrance into all of their lip products, as it makes me gag!


Although the Rimmel's initial release only featured eight shades, there's now thirteen on offer, ranging from subtler nudes to intense brights to cater for everyone's taste. Of those, I have five.

A year or so after the lip lacquers were released, the matte version hit the shelves, with four shades on offer. Again, the pigmentation of the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Velvets is just as strong as the glossy versions, but the formula is that little bit thicker to allow for the drier consistency to blend easily. Once applied, I find that the colour lasts for a respectable five hours, before showing signs of wear and needing a top-up. Strictly, these lacquers couldn't be classed as 100% matte, as they have a slight sheen to them. But, they feel more comfortable to wear as a result and it prevents the lips from looking completely flat or too thin, giving a more flattering look. Rather than having a dry, powdery feeling to them, the lip velvets have a silky finish and feel totally weightless, but they aren't hydrating and will probably feel irritating if you aren't used to wearing matte textures.