The Tale of the Broken Military Red

Well, if you have read yesterday’s review, you’d know something terrible happened.

My Burberry Lip Velvet Military Red is broken.

Lo and behold,

I didn’t expect it at all, I mean, who would?!

It all happened when I was swatching this on my hand for the purpose of the review. I was just doing things as usual and then.. I felt it.

It was a split-second between realizing it had broken and the bullet had leaned sideways instead of stayed centered. So, I twisted the whole thing up and there it is.. It didn’t completely went off of the base, but when I touched and wiggled it, I can see the base was cracked.

I was pretty bummed. But I was determined to fix it. After I got home, I investigated the breakage a little more. As you can see, it’s not exactly a clean cut. I had to decide which side that I’m going to melt. Ultimately, I chose to melt the bottom of the full-ish bullet.

I prepared a stove/candle lighter and getting myself ready.

I have never melt any lipsticks before. I didn’t know what to expect. As much as I’m trying to be gentle, this melts so easily upon contact with the lighter. I was literally just passing the fire through back and forth until it’s runny enough and pop it back onto the base.

So, I waited for a few minutes afterwards then got a little creative perfectionist. I tried to smooth out the sides as well. Might burned one side just a little *oops*

Ta da.

The whole process was considerably pleasant because the bullet is dry. So, no excessive dirty, smudgy fingers here. This, of course made me confused as to what caused the breakage. Because it is obviously not melted, but it’s not that dry either. I didn’t twist the bullet too high up because I never do anyway.

Hmm.

Turned out, a few of my friends encountered the same experience. One in the same Military Red, one in Peony Rose and one in Union Red (Lip Cover). Production mishap, perhaps? My Bright Poppy is still fine by the way, crossing fingers and toes that it will stay so.

Looking pretty good…

I left the bullet cooled down and let it sit for a couple of days. During that time, I did the wiggling test and it seemed to hold up pretty nicely. But I can see the bottom is not fully covered and smoothed out. In the back of my mind though, I don’t think it’s going to work. But hey, an ounce of hope wouldn’t hurt anyone.

I gathered up my courage to test it out, just a swatch on my hand.

Yeah, hmm. The two piece weren’t completely melded together. At this point I don’t think I’m going to be able to melt both sides without burning the lipstick and ruining the whole formula. So, I’m just going to do the same thing: melt one side, stick it back together, let it be and use a lip brush. Last resort would be depotting it, but that’s yet to be decided.

This event justifies for purchasing a well-made lip brush, because I have this cheap one and it’s giving me so much trouble and effort. No precision and the bristles are so rough. Ergh.

Yeah right, some alibi I got there *HA*. No, seriously though, I could really use a fine lip brush. So that I can use this to apply my other broken lipstick. I’m looking straight at you, Pink Party!

That finish, though.

So what can I learn here..

Was I upset? Yeah.

Was I really that upset? Not really, my By Terry Pink Party came in a far worse condition I don’t even know how the original formula feels like. It ranks as my most regretted purchase of the year. This Military Red came in a perfect condition (as you can see in the review) and I do believe the formula was intact.

Once bitten, twice shy? Nope! Burberry remains to be one of my favorite makeup brands. I am aware that they are on the expensive side and I should have high hopes and expect great quality. And it hasn’t disappoint me, until now. That being said, I’d rather have a beautiful-though-broken lipstick rather than the ones that peel my lips and make me like I’ve been picking away my lips to no end.

Shits happen and I’m not immune to it.

Besides, Military Red is worth fighting for. Come on, look at that finish and that red. Decadent.