The internet can’t shut up about Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s minimal style — everything about her was understated and classic, from her musky perfume to her barely there makeup (save for an occasional red lip). But lest you forget, there was a whole other side to ’90s beauty that involved frosted lipstick, dark lip liners, and smoky eyes (think Pamela Anderson).
Those are the looks that interest celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes, who’s bringing the spirit of that decade (and the ’80s!) back with her eponymous brand’s latest launch: the KJH.Brand Prism Lite Lip Crayons. Our beauty editor, Asia Milia Ware, and I put the formula and colors to the test and spilled our thoughts below.
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Tell me about the shimmery shades
There are four shades in the line, and they’re all pearly, grungy, and mucky in the best way. Somehow, they look amazing both on deeper skin like Asia’s and fair skin like mine. “That made me an instant fan because it’s rare that we can both try a shade and fall in love,” Asia says. “They look so different on both of us but still give a flawless pout that doesn’t look too ashy or harsh.” Here, we tried them on.
Enigma is a light nude peach that features silver shimmer. As you can tell, it looks more pink on me and icier on Asia — and we both like using it to highlight areas on our lips like the Cupid’s bow and the center. “Building it out by lining my lips with the deepest KJH Precision Sculpture Stylo adds a contrast that had me completely sold,” Asia says.
Illusion is a warmer terra-cotta with a gold pearl that neither of us mind wearing alone or lined, although Asia is also wearing the KJH Precision Sculpture Stylo here. “I’ve even played with wearing that shade on the outer corners of my lips while wearing Enigma in the middle,” Asia says. I’ve also been layering it over Make Up For Ever’s new shimmery liners in Wherever Walnut and Anywhere Caffeine.
Mirage is a burgundy with a hint of brown, and if you take a really close look, you’ll see copper shimmer. I think this could be the most universal everyday shade for any undertone. Asia likes wearing this by itself.
Phantom is the deepest and coolest of them all, and it reminds me of moody lipsticks my mom wore in the ’90s. Worn with a dark-brown liner, the gold-and-silver pearl-infused formula creates a lip that makes me feel bold and powerful.
What’s so special about the Prism Lite Lip Crayons?
Beyond how beautiful the shades are, the lip crayon is just creamy enough to swipe on your lips without much effort. No matter how many times you swipe it across your lips, the formula doesn’t look or feel cakey. It’s addictive to apply. “When I first tried the Prism Lite crayon, my initial reaction was that it feels like nothing is on my lips, but when I looked in the mirror, there was no need for a reapplication,” Asia agrees.
If you’re like Asia and me, crayons aren’t your go-to format for lipsticks. “It’s rare that I reach for a lip crayon, mostly because I’m either wearing a glossy balm or building a lip around one of the hundreds of lipsticks I own (no one should own that many, I know),” Asia says. “I’ve never had anything against them, it’s just been personal preference, but leave it to Hughes to change my mind.” All of them start sheer but build up to your desired level of coverage, which means they all layer seamlessly without much effort. And while Prism Lite Lip Crayons are capable of giving full coverage like a regular lipstick, the packaging is slimmer and more lightweight. As Asia says, “Ease is an understatement” — I find that the design of the product makes both precise application (including overlining) and mirrorless reapplication foolproof.
Finally, the shimmer gives your lips more dimension and a beautiful sheen; I’ve never seen anything quite like the finish of these in another lip product. The pearliness also means that it can accentuate lines or flakiness, but as long as you exfoliate and hydrate your lips properly beforehand, you should be fine. Confession: I think lipsticked lips with visible vertical lines look extra sexy, so I don’t mind that the sparkles enhance them.
Where can I get KJH.Brand’s new lipsticks?
They’re available starting today at kjhbrand.com. Each lipstick retails for $26.
Do I need KJH.Brand’s new lipsticks?
If you like the look of the shades, want to bring metallic lips back, and like a hydrating satin finish, it’s a hearty yes from us. On the other hand, those who like matte finishes or formulas that are highly pigmented from the jump should probably skip them, unless you feel like stepping out of your comfort zone. I’d say it’s worth it for this lip crayon — it’s that good.
