Before the liquid lipstick market exploded, the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams were one of the only products that actually delivered as a matte lip product. Even after the liquid lipstick craze, they still remain relevant, mainly because they’re affordable and have decent quality. NYX recently released several brand new shades, and I figured I’d give my two cents on a few of them: Rome, Budapest, and Vancouver.

Overview

I bought the new NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams from the Canadian NYX website for $9 CAD each. While NYX isn’t carried consistently in drugstores around Canada (if they do, they don’t carry the full line), I’ve heard through the grapevine that NYX will be expanding soon. I’ve seen some displays coming up in some Shoppers Drug Mart stores, so hopefully these new shades will be more accessible. As for the product itself, the formula is more or less the same as the original SMLCs. They are somewhat matte, but not ultra matte like the more popular liquid lipsticks. They also transfer very easily and therefore are not very long-lasting. However, the shade selection is quite large and diverse. They also smell like cupcakes, so that’s also an added bonus.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Rome

NYX SMLC in Rome on NC40 skin

Rome is described as a “medium nude with a red undertone”. This shade was very comfortable to wear. It went on very smooth and opaque, and I found it to be a flattering dusty rose shade on me. I would expect this shade to show up more brown on individuals with fairer skin tones.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Budapest

NYX SMLC in Budapest on NC40 skin

Budapest is described as a “deep mauve with red undertones”. It’s definitely more rosy than Rome, however this shade went on slightly patchy. It took a few tries to get it opaque enough on my lips.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Vancouver

NYX SMLC in Vancouver on NC40 skin

If you’ve ever tried any of the darker SMLC shades, you would know that they are notoriously patchy on the lips. Vancouver was no exception. It’s described as a “deep purple”, which I would say is spot on; definitely on the warmer side. It’s a beautiful shade, however the formula was just too difficult to work with. It took a good 5 minutes to get my lips to look opaque enough to photograph. I also imagine that it would not wear well throughout the day given that it transfers so easily. As nice as the shade is, I recommend giving it a pass because of its disappointing formula.

Dupes

I found a few dupes in my collection, which means that these new SMLCs may be some affordable alternatives to any of the ones I found. Keep in mind, these are just shade dupes, not formula dupes. The SMLCs will not outlast KVD or Colour Pop liquid lipsticks – those are basically bulletproof.

The ones I found to be the closest dupes are:

• Rome: KVD – Lolita. They’re extremely similar. I would say Rome is the tiniest bit rosier, but apart from that, it’s a pretty close.
• Budapest: Colour Pop – Tulle. Tulle is slightly more brown and a hair darker.
• Vancouver: MAC – Cyber. Vancouver is the tiniest bit more warm, which would make it a better alternative for individuals who have warmer undertones.

Have you tried any NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams?

Which ones are your favourites?