I’ll be honest, when I heard that Zelens was launching new lipsticks, in my head I thought, oh they’ll be really lovely tinted balms. How many serious skincare companies produce serious colour?

Well let’s find out shall we?

Zelens Extreme Velvet Lipstick Review

Zelens is founded by Dr Marko Lens, a renowned plastic surgeon and skin cancer expert. So it’s no surprise that the ingredients list for this lipstick reads more like a serum. The ingredients are a mix of synthetics and botanicals – not one for strictly green beauty babes.

Aside from an array of emollients and waxes other actives include phytol – extracted from the Bidens Pilosa plant extract from the which increases the production of collagen and elastin as well as stimulating lip skin renewal in a similar way to retinol; tripeptide which also stimulates collagen production and makes lips look fuller; purslane a plant extract which boosts the production of hyaluronic acid and skin elasticity; hyaluronic acid itself in a low molecular weight which boosts lip moisture and fills out lip lines; shiso leaf which has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. What this all means is a ridiculously comfortable to wear matte lipstick.

Zelens states that clinical trials with one month of daily use showed results including an increase in lip volume of +20.5%, +10.2% increase of the lip volume curve and +12.8% increase in softness. I have no idea how I would test those myself! I personally didn’t notice any dramatic difference increase in volume in my already fairly voluminous lips but then I wasn’t wearing it every day.

Available in a range of 9 very wearable colours. I would love to see a wild purple in there but I know that’s not the Zelens style!

The lipsticks are housed in a metallic tube with a screw on lid so less chance of handbag mishaps. I can’t be the only one who’s found lipstick smeared on their bags before? #messy

Zelens Extreme Velvet Lipstick Swatches

My my these were love at first swipe.The Zelens lipstick formula is exquisite. It’s got a luxury price tag and doesn’t disappoint. It reminds me a lot of the Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope but a tiny bit more moisturising. Velvetty opaque colour glides on like silk in one swipe. I was not prepared for the level of pigment. Nothing tinted about these babies. We’re talking full-throttle resplendent colour. On my lips, I had to blot the paler colours to make more wearable for my dark skin.

There is a caramel smell to the lipstick. It’s not sickly sweet and doesn’t linger so don’t be put off if you haven’t got a sweet tooth. Unlike many mattes where your lips have to be in perfect condition to wear, these are very forgiving thanks to all those ingredients. As per the name – Zelens Extreme Velvet duh, the finish is like velvet rather than a flat matte. The deeper colours were particularly long lasting.

So top marks to Zelens on these pigment packed lovely lippies. Which colour is your fave?

Zelens Extreme Velvet Lipstick, 5ml, £32 zelens.com and exclusively in-store at John Lewis.