Why do we love Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC)? Their products are 100% Vegan and PETA-Approved, OCC pledges not to use animal-derived ingredients such as lanolin, beeswax and carmine in their products, to raise the bar on what is considered a cruelty-free cosmetic brand. “Beyond our personal ethics, we simply believe that it’s unnecessary when there are non-animal derived alternatives that are as readily available and equally effective in the formulation of our products,” says company founder David Klasfeld.
OCC Lip Tar is brilliant because it is like pure pigment in a smooth, perfectly mixed medium. It really reminds me of fresh oil paint, straight from the tube. A little bit goes a long way. If you are into vibrant colors, OCC has everything from Crayola primaries to rich floral and fruit hues. I tried the Lip Tar in Memento, described as a “coquettish pink/plum” and to my astonishment it came out looking something in between Pepto-Bismol and Calamine lotion, but deeper, brighter, better. I have very light skin and pinks are usually lost on me, but I noticed that this stayed true-to-hue all through the day. The color is livelier than it looks on the website, with the plum tones really taking over. This is a very cool pink that seemed nearly electric in the sunlight and subtle in low light situations. If you are even thinking of dabbling in purple makeup this is at least one step closer without upsetting your grandma. If grandma was around in the 60’s she’d probably like it even more because it can look a little bit frosted, in a good way.
It’s really easy to use and can be applied full-force for a bold, graphic look or blended with other products for something slightly subtler. I recommend the full-force application, which starts with the tiniest dot blended with a brush or finger. If you go straight from the tube to your mouth you might end up with a sticky mess that will take a really long time to dry. Something about the nature of this stuff, on a molecular level, doesn’t allow the color to separate from the base like other lip glosses or lipsticks, so you can apply it in a thin layer while maintaining the opacity. This also means that it’s difficult to achieve a stained look without losing the color (might as well save your $12.50 and powder some eye shadow over your Burt’s Bees if that’s what you’re thinking to do).
It dries matte and once it does it’s there for good, which I can really appreciate as a girl who likes to ruin fresh makeup with cups of coffee and endless, spontaneous snacking. On a separate but eerily related note, it has a nice, fresh, minty smell. Pretty amazing stuff.
Guest review by Kate Stewart, a painter and macrobiotic fanatic. Kate lives in Downtown LA.
LOVE this stuff! Great review! 🙂