MaxFactor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick – Passionate Red

I stumbled across this Giant Pen Stick lip pencil completely by accident in Boots. I was casually swatching red lip products, telling myself I was just window shopping; and then this. One look, and I knew it was coming home with me. I now wholeheartedly believe in love at first sight – all thanks to this little lip pencil!

The thing that really impresses me about this Giant Pen Stick is the formula. It’s so incredibly thick, creamy, glossy and pigmented I’m surprised they managed to get it in a pencil! It just slides onto the lips, easily gliding over any niggly dry patches. And the sheen on it; it looks like a combination of lipstick and lip gloss! It doesn’t even feel sticky, it feels . . . juicy. Which is all very impressive, I thought, but it doesn’t feel like its going to last. But it does! It stays a deep, glossy colour for hours. It even survived a food!

I’ve added two swatches – one to show the colour, and the other to show that glossy goodness!

Having said that, just from swatching some of the others in the range, some of them didn’t seem to have anywhere near such an impressive formula as Passionate Red. Although Vibrant Pink looked amazing, it had more of a matte finish (from what I remember). Also, I felt like the other red, Designer Blossom, was just completely lacking in pigment. I will have to investigate further (any excuse to buy something new!)

This Giant Pen Stick reminds me a lot of my Maybelline Color Drama Lip Pencil, with its black casing and dip of colour at the end. Is it possibly another NARS dupe? (I can’t confirm this; I still can’t bring myself to spend £20 on a lip pencil when there are frankly brilliant ones around for half, or even quarter, of the price!)

I love a lip pencil, and I still regularly wear my others; but the gloss in this one just puts it on a whole different level. On a whole different planet, even! For an uber-glam evening look, this Passionate Red Giant Pen Stick has become my first choice. I feel like Marilyn Monroe when I wear it!

Have you tried any of the MaxFactor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Sticks? What did you think?

Panda Eyes xx