MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30 - "Coats lips in rich, vivid pigments; lasting formula resists fading for hours; delivers a waterproof-effect for color, so it stays on even when you eat or drink; light fruity fragrance." via beautymnl.com
Hey again people. I'm rather energized to test out products for review lately so I will be busting out more in the coming days. Here's to hoping I will make a dent in my to-review mountain of makeup and skincare. Today, I have a lip product from Chinese brand MeNow. Here's a brief description about the company via beautymnl.com:

Say hello to MeNow, a cult-fave cosmetic brand from China known for its on-trend and affordable makeup. New to Now? Bestsellers include their long-lasting lip gloss and flawless flick-creating eyeliners.

MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30

MeNow calls this a long-lasting "lip gloss" which confused me because this is nowhere near glossy. I guess there was something lost in translation when they named this. *_* I've been seeing these liquid lipstick everywhere but I was concerned about the safety of using these that's why I held off buying and testing these out. After much research, I stumbled upon a reddit thread talking about these (ingredients are mostly safe, except for the presence of parabens). It took a bit of self-convincing and I finally gave in when I saw beautyMNL selling them.

Swatch: MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30,  No Flash

Swatch: MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30, With Flash

I bought two shades and first up for today is shade #30 (they don't have names, just numbers) which I can describe as a grey beige nude. The formula is cream-to-matte and as I've mentioned earlier, nowhere near a lip gloss. The finish is a true matte, with no shininess nor glitters. Regarding the shade, this is similar to Colourpop Trap (more grey and cooler) and MAC Taupe (more brown). *I will update with comparison swatches.

On lips: MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30

This lipstick comes in a long plastic tube packaging with a (very) long slanted doe-foot applicator. I find the applicator to be too long for my liking. It makes for an awkward and messy application. I have to be very slow, careful and precise in applying because any mistakes would be difficult to correct. You also get a lot of product (4.4g) for dirt-cheap price (more or less $1 online, Php 120 at beautyMNL).

Packaging: MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30

The formula is smooth and creamy and slightly thick. It takes a couple of minutes to fully dry so before that, you should avoid touching/disturbing the product. After it sets, it's pretty much budge- and smudge-proof and even water-proof. The only way you can remove this lipstick is with micellar water or an oil-based makeup remover.

On lips: MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30

This feels heavy and tacky on the lips while it dries. But once it sets, it actually feels lightweight and I barely notice that it's on my lips. There is still a slight stickiness when you put your lips together but that doesn't smudge or disturb the lipstick and it's basically transfer-proof. It's very easy to spread (except for the tricky application) and is almost a one-coater. I put on two thin swipes for full coverage.

On lips: MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30

This lipstick is seriously pigmented and rivals that of the more expensive brands. I also didn't notice any flakiness and it applied evenly without any patches. Of course, proper prepping needs to be done before applying any matte lipstick (lip scrub + lip balm).

LOTD: MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30

This lipstick lasts and lasts (and lasts). It will not move until you decide to remove it. It takes some wrist action and micellar water to remove this lipstick. I tested this out for a full day, with a couple of meals and it still looked good after several hours. I would not recommend reapplying this since when I did, I noticed that it didn't apply as smoothly and evenly and caused flakiness.

MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30

Pros:
- Flattering greige nude shade
- Smooth and even texture
- Lightweight, comfortable formula
- Smudge- and water- proof
- Decent packaging
- Long-lasting
- Super cheap

Cons:
- Applicator is awkward to use
- Longer drying time
- Slightly drying
- Flakes if reapplied
- Chemical smell (fades after a few minutes)

MeNow Long Lasting Lipgloss in #30