For some time now, the most popular trend in lip color has been the high sheen gloss. Unlike the regular old lip glosses of yore, these new varieties boast a dazzling wet look, and often claim extra features like ultra glittery finishes and super lip plumping action. Two of the best varieties of these new and improved lip glosses are Sally Hansen’s Diamond Lip Treatment, and CoverGirl’s Wetslicks Crystals. Both are available for affordable prices at mainstream stores like Target and Wal-Mart, but which brand boasts more shimmery bang for your buck?
For comparison purposes, I purchased the Diamond Lip Treatment in the shade of “Diamond”, and the Wetslicks Crystals in a “Bubble” shade. The CoverGirl Wetslicks in Bubble has a bit of a pink tint, whereas the Sally Hansen Lip Treatment is merely a frosted white color. Bubble was the lightest shade I was able to locate in a CoverGirl variety, and although the container looks a frothy cotton candy pink, the actual makeup is only barely colored. There is little difference between the shades of the Sally Hansen and CoverGirl lip gloss varieties, but if you’re looking for a gloss with slightly more tint, the Wetslicks Crystals is the way to go.
Also similar is the pricing of the products. The Diamond Lip Treatment I purchased was $5.49 for .22 oz, while the Wetslicks Crystals was $4.99 for .27 oz. These prices were comparable between every store I visited, and were significantly less than other similar lipsticks, such as Revlon’s Long Wear, which cost upwards of 9 dollars. It’s clear that with these lip glosses, both Sally Hansen and CoverGirl are offering popular products for great prices. Though the CoverGirl Wetslicks Crystals is slightly less expensive than its Sally Hansen counterpart, the real difference is in the quality and packaging of the two products.
The CoverGirl Wetslicks Crystals gloss comes in a hard plastic tube with with a sponge applicator. The long sponge doesn’t quite reach to the bottom of the tube, and it’s completely inflexible, making it difficult to retrieve the gloss once the tube gets low. By contrast, the Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment features a similar plastic tube, but a soft brush is in place of the sponge. The brush adds a bit of length to the applicator, and is far more bendable than the stiff sponge. This allows the Sally Hansen lip gloss to be removed more easily. Additionally, while the Wetslick Crystal’s dense sponge soaks up the gloss, the Diamond Lip Treatment’s brush allows it to sit comfortably on top of the bristles, much like paint on a brush. This makes it much easier to spread the Sally Hansen lip gloss onto your lips, as the CoverGirl gloss’ sponge is a far less delicate applicator.
In terms of the products themselves, an edge has to go to the Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment, although the CoverGirl Wetslicks Crystals gloss is quite nice in its own right. The CoverGirl lip gloss adds a decent level of shine, accented by some iridescent glitter. It’s relatively thin, and wipes off extremely easily. The Sally Hansen makeup is about three times as thick as is the CoverGirl, and features a far higher concentration of glitter. Although it isn’t terribly difficult to wipe of the Diamond Lip Treatment, its thicker texture makes it stay put a bit better than the thinner Wetslicks Crystals.
While on the lips, the Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment gives the look of a high intensity, wet gloss. It’s instantly noticeable, and quite pretty without being gaudy. Additionally, the Sally Hansen product boasts of “lip plumping technology. Although this product does not appear to actually plump the lips, it does make them appear a bit fuller due to the high-shine nature of the gloss. Comparatively, the CoverGirl Wetslicks Crystals adds a light shimmer and gloss, and while it is attractive, it doesn’t have the highly perceptible shine of the Sally Hansen gloss. Additionally, because it is not as intense, the CoverGirl does little to make your lips appear plumped.
The Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment wins in packaging as well. The tube is in a rectangular shape and features a shiny silver cap, and delicate black lettering on the front, accented by a shimmering faux crystal gued to the tube. It’s a rather elegant presentation. The CoverGirl Wetslicks container isn’t unattractive by any means, but its dull plastic cap, paper label and numerous stock stickers do little to distinguish it from the innumerable other lip glosses on the market.
Because lip gloss has recently gained favor with modern fashionistas, it’s a pleasure to find quality versions for low prices. Both the Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment and the CoverGirl Wetslicks Crystals lip glosses guarantee a high intensity shine with an extra bonus of glitter. Each of the products delivers on its promise, but the Sally Hansen variety does so a bit better. Though I would recommend either product to a thrifty trend setter, the Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment definitely delivers the most bang for its buck.
