Let me just say right now that this is my HG lipstick. It tops every other lipstick I have in my collection, hands down. I was intrigued by this lipstick for ages, and I finally broke down and bought it over the summer. I'm so, so happy I did. It's the perfect sheer red that fades excellently. It just glides on and it's..well, it's heaven. I love this stuff. It's more like a balm than a true lipstick, which I like, because regular lipstick can get a little weird-feeling after wearing it too long. This wears great, too. It just lasts and lasts, through meals and multiple beverages and everything. I don't want to call it a stain, because it's not as annoying as most stains. But it does leave a lovely hint of red on your lips even after it's faded. Oh, and it has Vitamin E, and that's always a plus. Now, Medieval is going to look different on everyone. My lips are naturally somewhat dark red, so this color is perfect for me. According to the Lipstick Queen site, though, this color is flattering on all skin tones, since it's sheer and buildable.
It comes in a pretty brushed dark red metal tube with gold lettering.
The color looks slightly intimidating in the tube, but it's not that dark when it goes on. Unless you want it to be that dark! Like I said, it's buildable.
I applied it just as I would any other lipstick or lip balm, meaning I covered my lips once or twice and then smoothed it out with my finger. I love this color. I really do.
I also love the backstory behind this lipstick. Poppy King, the creator of Lipstick Queen, wanted to recreate the look that medieval women got when they put lemon juice on their lips to stain them blood red (They had to do this since wearing lipstick was considered a sin.).
The packaging is pretty spectacular, too. It's this awesome tarot card. Each image symbolizes something, and if you go to the Lipstick Queen site, you can read what each image means. (And yes, the images are supposed to be upside down.)
(I don't know what's up with the coloring. It got all wonky for some reason.)
It's 20 dollars, which I know is a bit pricy for a lipstick, but, trust me, it's worth it. I bought my tube from the Lipstick Queen website, but it's also available at Barney's, QVC, Blackbird (blackbirdballard.com), and possibly a few other online stores.
