Maxfactor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick in 'Subtle Coral'

Let's get serious - we're all partial to taking shortcuts, especially when it comes to make up. With that in mind, the new Colour Elixir Giant Pen Sticks from Maxfactor were naturally on the top of my 'to try' list. Claiming to eliminate the need for a lip liner due to its sculpted lip and strong pigmentation, the chunky pencil has a smooth 'glide on' effect which enables quick application without having to go over the lip repeatedly.

 

'Subtle Coral' is a gorgeous creamy coral, potentially the most effortless out of the six shades. When I try out new products and formulas, I tend to gravitate to safer shades (A habit I need to break, I know!) making this a perfect shade for me. This product is a little strange at first glance because the product has the same texture as lipstick, but it must be sharpened like an eyeliner pencil .. odd. 

 

 First of all, i'm sorry for the bad quality of the photo, my camera doesn't take close-up's very well so i'm relying on zooming in which hinders the overall quality. However, you can clearly see that the end result is a lot stronger than first anticipated. It was certainly a lot easier to apply due to its sculpted lip, however I would still prefer to use a lip liner for an even stronger pigmentation (But that's just a personal thing!).

I'm not too big of a fan of the idea of having to sharpen it, I much prefer the mechanical pens that distribute product with a twist or a click, as when I went to sharpen it after first application the nib completely snapped off because of it's soft lipstick-like texture. 

Overall I love the end result, its understated yet perfect for pulling together a natural, every day makeup look. I found my lips needed minimal touch-ups and being able to refine them easily gave the illusion that my lips were a lot bigger than they are - added bonus! I will certainly use this again but with the idea of practicality in mind when creating something that could double as a liner, you would think Maxfactor would also introduce a function that's slightly more advanced and convenient than having to physically sharpen. I'm looking forward to trying stronger, more daring colours - I just need to invest in a decent sharpener and be a bit more careful! 

You can purchase Maxfactor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick's for £6.99 at your local Maxfactor counter.