Axiology Lipstick Review & Swatches

I’ve been eyeing off Axiology for a long time. Everyone raves about them, so let’s see how they stack up!

I have since added some more shades to my swatch collection: Axiology Lipstick Swatches – Attitude, Noble & Vibration

I placed my order through their website as the Australian stockists didn’t have the colours I wanted. It took a little while for them to arrive, almost 2 weeks, but that’s standard when waiting for packages shipped from America.

When they did arrive I found a neat little bundle with a few extras. They added 2 samples and I also received a lip balm as part of the offer they had at the time.

From what I know about the company they are very focused on creating very clean and safe lipstick colours, as well as being sustainable and cruelty free.

We’re Unabashedly Beauty-Conscious. That means we obsessively craft our cosmetics with vegan ingredients that dazzle on every skin type and complexion—while leaving no trace on the planet

While their ingredients are organic, I haven’t found official certification on their website. They do have membership with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA’s) “Beauty Without Bunnies” program as well as being a financial supporter of the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI).

Ingredients:

I couldn’t find an expiration date on either of the packaging or the box.

Each lipstick costs $28.00 US for 0.14oz or 4g. Some online Australian retailers also stock them for $40.00 AUS.

The triangle boxes have been thoughtfully created. Used paper is collected from around Bali, processed and then turned into the cardboard, which is decorated by hand. As it’s a business run by a local woman, all proceeds go back to her and her family. She further helps the community by providing employment and reducing waste on the island.

The packaging is also very unique. The brushed gold finish on the cap looks so classy. It has their logo on top. You push in the bottom, the tube clicks and is released. The tube has a beautiful high shine, gold finish. The shade name is on the bottom.

The smell is really noticeable, the moment I open the tube. I can’t describe it very well. There’s something sweet, fresh and a hint of citrus. Although I don’t like scented products, it’s not offensively sweet so I can get past it. I feel that applies quite thin and it’s a quite slick, much more like a gloss than a matte lipstick. No matter how much you build up, it doesn’t feel tacky and a couple of the colours will feel quite glossy.

All shades start off with light-medium coverage and most of them can be built up to medium-high. I don’t think they’d layer enough to end up completely opaque. Apply straight from the bullet. A word of caution though: I received mine when it was really hot. I could give the bullet a light squeeze and it gave way. If you put any type of pressure on it, it has the potential to break off completely.

Swatches:

Virtue, Devotion, Infinite, Instinct & The Goodness

Virtue

Virtue is a luminous, sheer spark of golden orange that’s great for balmy summer nights. With a glimmer of red, this lipstick possesses a quiet, fiery glow that’s sure to light up the room

The description is pretty spot on. Though the bullet looks quite dark, it applies very sheerly at first but can be built up to a medium coverage at the most. There is very fine micro glitter in the formula that will give it a tiny amount of golden sheen. It feels very light on and much more like a balm than a lipstick. The finish is quite glossy. Orange was a colour I’d avoid at all costs but I don’t have a bad thing to say about this shade. Even with more opacity it’s still wearable and looks so summery.

Devotion

With a burnt-sugar base and an echo of rose quartz, Devotion is the girl-crush of natural-look lovers. Its buttery luster keeps lips flawlessly moisturized and supple.

A mix between a light pink, with gold sheen that makes it a little peach. It’s a hard colour to describe. It’s very warm toned and feels a slightly more matte than Virtue. It also doesn’t wear as glossy but the shimmer is very noticeable, not that it’s chunky. It makes the colour burst instead of looking flat. This has better opacity, as it starts off light-medium and can be built up to medium-high. I did find that it’s very hard to take off. The shimmer really sticks and will probably leave a stain. It still feels as light as a balm.

Infinite

Flirt without words wearing Infinite’s rich mulberry stain. The intense dark violet base is cheered with a subtle layer of black, making it the perfect hue for complexions of all shades.

A light layer will start off very sheer. It improves my lips, emphasizing the colour, giving a little sheen and making them plumper. Heavily applied, it ramps up the opacity to give a deep, dark plum with brown undertones. It never feels heavy and wears quite glossy. I love how vampy it looks. It’s so versatile though because of how it changes with more layers.

Instinct

Stripped of all pretensions, Instinct is an understated nude with a sandcastle glitter. Flaxen like a metallic meadow, Instinct’s shy sparkle stays mysterious and gifts your lips with lasting moisture. This versatile hue works well day or night, no matter where your fanciful spirit takes you.

This nude has a strong brown undertone and is borderline too light for me. I would have to counter it with strong eye makeup so that I don’t look pale. This one probably has the best opacity as it starts off medium and can be layered to high coverage. The gold shimmer in it becomes really noticeable when you layer. I personally don’t like how gilded my lips look.

The Goodness

The Goodness dances on the lips in a playful, sea-shell shimmer that stays all day. The blush-pink base has a creamy finish highlighted with an added dimension of silvery sheen.

This swatches as a light lilac with pink undertones on me. It doesn’t come up as much in the photos but the silver shimmer is so strong. It also feels much more like a balm and even a gloss with more layers. It was by far the hardest to remove as the shimmer stuck fast. I don’t know how it would wear off, as it bunched a little around my dry patches. Silver doesn’t suit me as it looks frosty.

PROS:

Vegan
Great ingredients
Beautiful packaging
Light, no matter how many layers you apply
Doesn’t feel like a heavy lipstick
Very versatile shades as they all start off sheer or light coverage

CONS:

Bullet doesn’t hold up in the heat. Make sure you keep it cool otherwise applying pressure will snap the lipstick
Not unscented
I don’t like the strong shimmer in some of the colours
Shimmer is hard to remove

Final Word:

If you enjoy makeup, not only to change your appearance, but for the experience, then these won’t disappoint. It’s lovely to open up beautiful packaging, to find the product itself is just as special. Every time you click the bullet, you’ll be reminded of how unique these colours are. The fact that they are formulated with such nourishing ingredients and the company behind them are so invested in helping the environment, tops it off.

The three colours that I picked, I loved, all for different reasons. Virtue really does give your lips a spark for summer. Devotion would work year round and Infinite is a versatile shade that can change your look.

The sample colours I just don’t think suited my skin tone. Both were too light and both leaned too far on the gold or silver spectrum. I think that The Goodness would be look amazing for those with a cooler skin tone.

It was just bad timing that these lipsticks arrived in Australia at the start of some hot weather. Being in Australia though, there’s going to be many more hot summer days. Due to the fact that it melts so easily and the bullet softens to the point that it breaks with hardly any pressure, I’d hate to take this in my hand bag if it were too hot.

These are the only lipsticks that I’m nervous about leaving out over Summer, so I will have to remember to keep them in the fridge for the blistering hot days.