Just when we thought that the battle for the best makeup line by a Filipina celebrity is over, a new contender has stepped into the spotlight! Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo recently joined the beauty roster which includes the likes of Nadine Lustre, Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda, and Kris Aquino.
Armed with a unique style of merging both her love for beauty and music for her “popsters” (name of her fan base), POP Studio consists of makeup essentials that you’ll need in your kit. However, for this review, let’s take a close look at the complete lipstick set called Choir 1 first. POP Studio Choir 1 is a 6-piece matte lipstick + lip balm set that ranges from nude hues to a dark red violet shade.
PACKAGING
All 6 lipstick tubes in the Choir 1 set look the same in terms of packaging. The only difference is the color and number indicated in the sticker below, which shows the shade of the lipstick inside. Other than the Pop Studio branding, there’s nothing much to see around the red tube cap. It’s so easy to hold due to the matte texture, easy to twist, and the lip balm below has been strategically positioned to save up space in your makeup bag.
The only downside for me is that the tube is quite hard to clean especially if other makeup products accidentally stick to it. The lipstick that I’m using now looks a bit messy because of a few lipstick stains within the white body. You just need to be careful in using it (don’t let it touch your lips) if you don’t want to clean the tube over and over again. It also gives me a vibe that it’s a cheap buy because of how simple it looks like and it’s easy to mix up the shades that you want to bring with you because they all look the same! These won’t be much of an issue for other people, though.
In terms of the box that comes with the lipsticks, it’s very colorful and it perfectly symbolizes the different sides of Sarah Geronimo. You can find her photo inside the box and her signature on every tube.
SWATCHES
There are 6 shades, labelled as Studio Hits 1-6. Studio Hits 01 is a deep red shade, Studio Hits 02 has a brown tint, Studio Hits 03 creates a nude lip effect, Studio Hits 04 has a carnation hue, Studio Hits 05 has a coral-like shade, while Studio Hits 06 has a deep red violet color.
Each has a matte effect that tends to make your lips look dry after a re-touch in the afternoon. Putting on lib balm before applying lipstick helps, though!
CONTENTS + WEARABILITY
I’ve been using Studio Hits 01 and 06 for a week now and it’s evident that these lippies have good pigmentation. It has a faint vanilla-like scent but you won’t really notice once you apply it on your lips. The lip balm smells like vanilla as well! It’s not too sticky and doesn’t feel runny, which makes it fit to be applied for moisturization before putting on a layer of lipstick. It keeps your pouts pretty hydrated, too.
On an ordinary work day, I re-apply Studio Hits on my lips usually after lunch. The lippie easily budges when you’re eating something oily for lunch and you’ll need to do a bit of retouch, especially on the inner parts of the lips. It’s not transfer-proof so expect to see lipstick stains on the lid or rim of your cup of coffee.
After at least 2 retouch applications, my lips tend to look very dry already so I erase everything and put on lip balm again before applying the lipstick. It doesn’t feel heavy or uncomfortable on the lips, though.
PRICE
The 6-piece Choir 1 set costs P1,199 on Shopee. You can also buy the Studio Hits Lipstick + Lip Balm separately at P249 each. Everything – from the eyeliner, foundation, to every shade of lippie – is currently available at the official Pop Studio Cosmetics page via Shopee Mall. The price is honestly super affordable for a 2-in-1 product! Buying a decent matte lipstick and lip balm separately will cost you around P350-P500, so a P249 total is already a steal.
VERDICT
Overall, it’s a good buy if you have time to re-apply lipstick throughout the day. It’s super affordable for a 2-in-1 product and the shades are very flexible for day-to-night looks. It’s something I’d wear on chill days and it’s also something I’d give as a gift to my teenage nieces who are just starting to explore the use of makeup. Maybe I’m just not part of the target market as I’m seeing that it’s inclined towards her younger fans, but good job to their team on the first try!
It honestly reminds me of Careline products, which Sarah used to endorse during her early years in showbiz. You can look up that TVC of her singing about beauty product.
Fun fact: Pop Studio by Sarah Geronimo was launched on May 31, 2019 at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City, where Sarah performed live with other celebrities.
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