Review: Tom Ford Lip Color in Bruised Plum

I’ve been hearing people rave about Tom Ford lipstick long enough now that I finally decided I had to at least give it a try. I was in the market for a fall lipstick anyway (how did I not have any dark colors?) so Tom Ford Bruised Plum was the obvious choice.

Packaging

The lipstick tube is consistent with the other products in the Tom Ford Beauty lineup – all clean lines, mahogany & hold, just a little bit of a masculine feel. And of course it has the TF logo engraved on the top. It’s a little on the large side (similar to a Givenchy Le Rouge, but square) and the shape keeps it from fitting comfortably into very slim clutches. The lid snaps on firmly though, so I’m not nervous about putting it in my purse. The TF logo is also impressed on the end of the lipstick, and it will be a shame to mess it up.

Color

Top: Two swipes
Bottom: One swipe

The color isn’t actually as deep and vampy as I thought it would be, but it’s a very nice deep plum color that’ll work nicely through the colder months. It’s a buildable color, so you can apply it sheerly or build it up for more depth. For example:

The first photo is one layer applied with a brush. For the second one I added one swipe straight from the tube. An important thing to note is these photos were all taken in indirect sunlight; the color does appear a bit deeper in dim lighting. This one isn’t shimmery, but it does have some shine to the finish. Bold color + shine = really glam-feeling.

Formula

Yes, I can definitely see why everyone loves these lipsticks. The texture is creamy but not slippery or sticky. It applies evenly from the tube but I prefer to use a brush for most lipsticks, including this one, to get a nice clean line. It didn’t bleed/feather/smear all over my teeth/etc; no wear problems at all. It only lasts around 4-5 hours on me which is kind of on the short side, but it fades evenly and leaves a really nice stain that does last all day. Plus I feel so fancy using it that I don’t mind reapplying! It’s definitely not a drying formula. Even with my lips feeling like I’ve spent a week in the desert lately, this one is very comfortable to wear.

In Short: This is a great lipstick and I think I’ll get a lot of wear out of it. Considering the price, future shades will probably be reserved for ‘treat yo’ self’ occasions.

Tom Ford Lip Color in Bruised Plum ($49) is available at neimanmarcus.com.