Obsessive About Your Pout? OCC Lip Tar Stained Gloss Review

As a newbie to Lip Tar, I decided rather than diving right in, I would get some tester size samples to see whether they really were as good as everyone raved about…here is how I got on…

The Company

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) is an American company founded by makeup artist David Klasfeld in 2004. Initially starting out with lip balms and airbrush formulas for television, film and advertising, the company quickly progressed, bringing out their range of nail lacquer and shimmer powders. In 2009 OCC launched their Matte Lip Tar collection. With the success of this range, the original lip tars were shortly followed with metallic and stained gloss versions.

With their products 100% vegan and cruelty free OCC are leading the way in long lasting lip products. The company currently has a store in New York and a website where goods can be purchased.

Where to buy

The OCC Lip Tars can be purchased directly from the Obsessive Compulsive Website, their store in New York, Selfridges or online at the following UK retailers:

Beauty Bay

Cult Beauty

Cocktail Cosmetics

Love Makeup

Cute Cosmetics

The Product

 OCC lip tar comes in three finishes:

• Matte – £13-£14 (10ml tube)
• Metallic – £13 (10ml tube)
• Stained Gloss – £13 (10ml tube)

There are approximately 35+ colours, with the majority of shades in the original matte finish.

You can also purchase Lip Tar sets. These normally come in a pack of three with an application brush. They can be purchased at the normal 10ml size (£32.95) or at the test sample size of 2.4ml (£15).

Perpetually Pink Test Tube Set

I decided to opt for the ‘Perpetually Pink Test Tube’ Stained Gloss Set of 3. Unlike the normal size which is 10ml, these glosses come in 2.4ml tubes, which is handy if you just want to experiment with the colour and formulas.

The set comes with:

• 1 x Stained Gloss in Hedonist (2.4ml) – which is a neon pastel pink
• 1 x Stained Gloss in New Wave (2.4ml) – which is a glassy neon pink
• 1 x Stained Gloss in Rhythm Box (2.4ml) – which is a translucent purpled burgundy
• 1 x Shorted Handled Precision Lip Brush

(Above Image: Hedonist)

(Above Image: New Wave)

(Above Image: Rhythm Box)

How to use

The recommendation for use is that you place a small (and I mean small) bead of the Lip Tar product on the brush and swipe it across your lips. For a more intense look, a second application may be necessary.

Formula, Colour Pigment and Longevity

The three glosses are all shades of pink (as you can tell by the name!), which are highly pigmented and go on with a smooth application. You literally need the tiniest bead of gloss on the brush for it to go a long long way! With that the pigment is brilliant; I can only imagine how amazing the matte shades are!

As for longevity, because they are a gloss finish, they don’t last as long as I would have hope as the colour transfers onto glasses when drinking and fades with food consumption. However, the pigment of the darker colours really does stain your lip, so even if the gloss fades the colour doesn’t.

I would however recommend you exfoliate (see my Glossybox Post for a great lip peal/exfoliator) and moisturise your lips (I love Burts Bees pomegranate lip balm) before application as the product seems to last a lot longer on the days I have done this.

Sometimes I team them up with my Bobbi Brown Lip Tints for a super glossy finish.

(Above Image: Bobbi Brown Peony Lip Tint)

Overall Verdict

My overall verdict is that I do really love these stained glosses and can’t wait to purchase some from the matte and metallic range. I have seen there is a sale on the Cult Beauty website so might just get a cheeky order in before they sell out. If you’re not sure I would definitely recommend ordering the test tube sizes as these are great for getting an idea of the product!

Thanks for reading!