Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coffee Command Review

Lakme Office Stylist Range 9 to 5 Lipstick in Coffee Command

 

If I remember correctly, this is my first lipstick from Lakme. I’ve tried their clear gloss ages ago (which was sticky as hell :confused: ) and I love their eye pencils but their lipsticks never appealed to me primarily because of their packaging. I guess I started ignoring Lakme ever since they had their hideous green & gold lipstick tubes and then changed them to tacky maroon & gold. :-/ Yes, things did change with the Lip Love range and Absolute range, but the shade selection still needed room for improvement. Then recently, these pretty things stepped in and I simply had to take a closer look. Am I glad I did? You’ll soon find out… :cute:

 

 

About Lakme Office Stylist Range 9 to 5 Lipstick in Coffee Command

Lakme Nine to Five brings you a range of shades that sit on your lips all day long. Enriched with Vitamin E; it conditions your lips & softens them with wheat germ oil. So, perk those soft, smooth lips with a touch of matte.

Key Features

• High performance color fix formula
• Shades suited for office wear
• Soft and smooth texture
• Matte Finish
• Vitamin E
• Wheat germ oil
• Travel friendly packaging

How to Apply

• Step 1: Stretch the lips and start at the center, putting on the lipstick to the corners.
• Step 2: Blot the lipstick with a tissue. Make sure the lipstick has not smudged over the line of your lips
• Quantity: 3.6 gms
• Price: INR 400.You can buy it online.
• Shelf life: 2 years from mfg date
• Ingredients:Not mentioned

 

 

Packaging:

It comes in a beautiful rose-gold tinted, plastic tube that appears to be of good quality. It is quite sturdy and the cap fits so tightly that the chances of this opening up in your bag is next to impossible. Both the outer carton and lipstick case color is exactly similar to Lotus Herbals Purestay range.

 

Shade Description:

Coffee Command is a lovely peachy nude that is completely devoid of shimmer. Although it appears pure caramel brown in the tube, it takes on a more peachy hue on the lips. If layered heavily, it turns into brick brown (brown with a hint of orange) that will look lovely on those with yellow undertones. A lot of nudes washout most skintones and make one look dull and lifeless. Not this one! This looks good both with smoky eyes as well as with absolutely no makeup. :yes: It’s a gorgeously versatile shade that will suit just about anyone. :yes: It would make a great MLBB shade for medium skintones. I’m not much into browns and almost ALWAYS pick pink-based shades. But I’d made a resolution to resist pinks for a change and try a purely brown-based shade and am soooo glad I did. :yippee:

 

 

Comparison with other shades:

This new 9to5 range from Lakme has 15 shades comprising primarily of muted pinks and browns and a single matte red shade. For a change, Lakme has NOT released any mind-boggling maroons :hypnotized: or vampy violets :vampire: in this range :yippee: There’s a biyooootiful coral called Blush Work :heart: but it is loaded with shimmer that completely spoils the color. :no: Oak Table is similar to Coffee Command since it is a peachy brown too but is lighter in tone. But what really sets Oak Table apart is again tons of gold shimmer. :confused: Toffee Nexus and Coffee Command may look similar when you look at the bullet but Toffee Nexus has an unmistakable hint of pink. I actually went to get Toffee Nexus but didn’t opt for it only because I have many similar pinky browns. Red Chaos is similar to Toffee Nexus since it’s a pinky brown but it is more pink than brown.

You can view the swatches of other shades in this range here

Texture & Finish:

It glides smoothly without tugging and the finish looks creamy-matte immediately after application. Once the color settles on the lips, the finish is no-nonsense matte! By that, I mean there’s no hint of gloss or shine and matte lovers are going to go crazy at the ultra-sultry finish. But… (yes, there’s always a “but” isn.t there? 😛 ) the color tends to settle into fine lines and accentuates dry patches. Although you won’t require a lip balm before application, those with dry lips may find their lips feeling a bit taut and stretchy after a while. A dab of balm over the lippie should take care of that.

But by no means should you reapply this or touch-up when your lips feel overly dry. The application will turn out patchy and bits color will cling to dry patches. For best results, wipe off existing color and freshly apply the lipstick to get an even, non-streaky finish.

 

 

Pigmentation:

The pigmentation is oh-wow! A single swipe gives almost opaque coverage even though this shade is more of a nude. Two swipes will cover every bit of lip discoloration (if any). Even dabbing the lippie to use as a stain gives good color pay-off. Another great feauture is that it feels absolutely weightless and you won’t feel like you have anything on.

Fragrance:

This is one area that concerns me a lot since I have a pretty sensitive nose. The lipstick does have a citrus scent but is thankfully mild and does not linger. Aah thank you Lakme! :-*

Lasting power:

On my dry lips, I get a wear time of about atleast 6 hours. If blotted and re-applied in two layers, it lasts easily through sips of water and survives light snacks and sometimes even an entire meal. The color does fade after a heavy meal but it does not completely disappear the way regular lipsticks do. I do feel its unfair to expect a lipstick to stay put and look fresh after gobbling down a banquet ( unless you blend in a bit of Fevicol :silly: ). So, the 9to5 claim is not too farfetched.

 Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coffee Command Swatches:-

 

 

What I like about Lakme Office Stylist Range 9 to 5 Lipstick in Coffee Command:

• Attractive, sturdy, travel-friendly packaging
• Glides on without tugging
• Neutral peachy brown shade that will suit all skin tones
• Intensely pigmented. Conceals 90% lip discoloration in a single swipe
• Gorgeous matte finish
• Lightweight feel
• Fragrance is mild and not overpowering
• Lasts for about 6 hours or more
• Survives light snacks and sometimes even meals
• Does not smudge or transfer once it sets
• Water-resistant
• Reasonably priced for the quantity and quality
• Easily available

What don’t I like aboutLakme Office Stylist Range 9 to 5 Lipstick in Coffee Command:

• Requires proper exfoliation since the color tends to cling to dry patches and accentuates them.
• Settles into fine lines, and when this happens, it fades a bit unevenly
• Cannot be used for touch-ups or re-application on dry lips as it gets patchy. You’ll have wipe off existing color and  start over to get an even finish
• Although it lasts long on my dry lips, those with normal lips (ok am not implying mine are abnormal 😛 ) may get lesser wear-time since the color adheres better to dry lips :shy: Also, wearing a lip balm over or under the lipstick tends to interfere with the staying power.
• Complete list of ingredients is not provided
• Although this range has a lovely selection of shades, they are very repetitive and confusing. Also, some gorgeous ones have an overdose of shimmer that not only spoils the color but is also not work/office appropriate.

Rating: 4.1/5

As is the case with most online swatches, the shade is a tad deeper than what is shown here. Don’t worry if it looks a bit pale in a few pics, it is actually more pigmented and will not wash you out.

 

 

Final thoughts:

Gloriously-matte finish, intense pigmentation and great lasting power make this range a sure winner form Lakme. :yes: The formula is not the best out there and there are some application issues involved, but I do feel the entire package and quality is worth the price tag. Coffee Command is a lovely neutral that is perfect for Indian skintones and will suit dusky as well as fair skintones well.  Unless you’re someone who likes only sheer, glossy, moisturizing lip colors, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t check out this fab range :lipstick: Totally recommend it and am dying to pick more shades! :cute:

Have you tried Lakme Office Stylist Range 9 to 5 Lipstick in Coffee Command?