I must confess – the Avon Flat Velvet Lipstick didn’t immediately catch my eye when it launched back in October. At first glance, it seemed quite ordinary and understated compared to the products I’ve been using lately to rock a bold lip. When I took a closer look at what this lipstick has to offer, though, I found that I couldn’t be more wrong!
People are abuzz about this product’s unique shape and formula. Customers are posting photos of themselves looking STUNNING in these shades. Seeing all this, I decided I had to try it for myself. Would this hyped-up lipstick be my new go-to, or simply a dud? Keep reading to get the full deets!
UPDATE 2021: Flat Velvet Lipstick is discontinued as of 12/8/21.
About the product
The Avon Flat Velvet Lipstick is part of the new Avon x The Face Shop line. For those who don’t know about The Face Shop, it’s a South Korean skincare and cosmetics brand that is currently at the forefront of the K Beauty scene. This particular lipstick is designed for smooth application and coverage, with a velvet matte finish.
According to Avon:
“The unique flat-and-square tip on our Flat Velvet Lipstick lines, contours and fills lips effortlessly with brilliant color and a velvety finish–all in just one stroke. The silky texture glides over lips filling up fine lines and creating a smooth, wrinkle-free finish. Plus, the innovative tip prevents colors from feathering or bleeding.”
In addition to the unique shape, this lipstick is also formulated with several different nourishing oils:
• Calendula Oil, which has medicinal benefits
• Jojoba Oil, which keeps the skin moisturized
• Argan Oil, which has nourishing and hydrating effects
• Olive Oil, which acts as an antioxidant
These oils are meant to really take care of the lips, leaving them healthier than before.
The Flat Velvet Lipstick comes in 7 luscious shades:
UPDATE JUNE 2021: This article has been updated to reflect the discontinuation of 3 shades of Flat Velvet Lipstick including Rosé Pink – the shade that tried for this review in 2019.
As you can see, there is a wide range of shades so you can achieve anything from a subtle/neutral look to a daring, bold lip.
My experience
Click on the video below to see me demo the Flat Velvet Lipstick in Rosé Pink.
Application
Applying this lipstick was easy enough, but I personally did not find that the flat tip made application much easier than a regular pointed lipstick tip. This was interesting to me, because advertising materials made it sound like the flat edge would CHANGE MY LIFE and save me so much time.
The instructions say to “Use flat edge to define Cupid’s bow and line lips“, which made total sense until I actually tried it. The flat edge is actually pretty thick, so I wasn’t able to find an angle that would allow me to get such precise definition. I opted for a more blended cupid’s bow, which is what I normally like anyways.
So – all in all, it felt about the same as applying a regular pointed lipstick. Satisfying, yet average.
Appearance/Finish
I was really happy with the way the product looked! To be honest – I was posing in front of the mirror for MUCH longer than I’m proud of. I chose Rosé Pink because I don’t have many pink lipsticks and wanted to try something different. I find that most pink lipsticks clash with my skin tone. However, Rosé Pink ended up being a slam dunk!
It should be noted though, that the color looks brighter in person than it does online. I was expecting a slightly darker, paler pink color than what I ended up with. Even though I love the real shade, it’s something to keep in mind when you make your color choice!
The finish is matte, but it is also is a bit silkier than I expected. I found that it struck a nice balance in this way. I often have to be wary of matte lipsticks because my lips dry out very easily. I could definitely feel the nourishing oils when the product was first applied.
Staying Power
I was impressed with the staying power of the Flat Velvet Lipstick, keeping in mind that this product is NOT advertised as long-wearing. The first test came about 2 hours after I applied the product, when I got super hungry! Below is a photo of the lipstick right after application, followed by a photo of my lips after greasy Thanksgiving leftovers (plus a large cup of coffee).
As you can see, there is still quite a bit of pigment left. Although I would still reapply at this point, I was very impressed. I also wore this lipstick to a party the next day, and it looked great even after 4 hours (until I dug into those party snacks).
Sensitive lips update
As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, I have extremely sensitive lips that are prone to chapping.
The Flat Velvet Lipstick actually DIDN’T chap my lips, which I found both exciting and surprising. However, my lips did start to feather a bit after a couple hours because of the dryness. I simply applied a bit of chapstick over the lipstick, and it looked great again!
All in all, I find myself extremely satisfied with the Avon Flat Velvet lipstick in Rosé Pink. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve been turning to it more and more as a go-to shade. At the same time though, I can’t help but wish the marketing materials out there were a bit less hyperbolic. I don’t find this lipstick to be particularly game-changing, even though I love it so much.
Have you tried out this K Beauty favorite yet? Let us know how you like it in the comments below!