Sephora Primal Instinct & Polar Lights #Lipstories Lipsticks Reviews & Swatches

Primal Instinct (77)

Sephora Primal Instict (77) Lipstories Lipstick ($8.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep yellow with strong, warm orange undertones with a hint of brown paired with a cream finish that had a moderate shine to it. The color was between orange and yellow, but it was lighter and yellower than most oranges… and there aren’t that many yellow lipsticks out there to compare it to.

The texture was creamy, smooth, and lightweight without being too slippery, so the color applied comfortably but didn’t slide around while worn. The color applied fairly evenly and didn’t emphasize my lip lines, though there was a smidgen of product that sank into my deeper lip lines that I could see in the close-up photo. It wore nicely for four and a half hours and felt lightly moisturizing while worn.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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MAC Gold Xixi (P, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
Bite Beauty Porcini (LE, $26.00) is darker, more muted (85% similar).
MAC Nifty Neon (P, $20.00) is lighter, brighter, less glossy (80% similar).
Dose of Colors More Creamer Please (LE, $16.00) is lighter, more muted (80% similar).
Fenty Beauty Pumpkin Rose (P, $18.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy (80% similar).

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Formula Overview

$8.00/0.14 oz. - $57.14 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be "lightweight" with "full-coverage color in one swipe." The majority of shades were pigmented with semi-opaque to full color payoff in a single layer, as described. The more shimmery shades tended to be a bit sheerer overall, while the mattes and creams were usually closer to opaque in coverage.

The textures were typically creamy, lightweight, and not too thin or too thick on the lips, so they were comfortable to apply and to wear. There were some shades where the color pulled into my deeper lip lines upon application, and it was more or less noticeable just depending on the color and finish of the particular.

Some shades seemed hydrating and others were non-drying. They lasted anywhere from three to over six hours on me. There was a subtle, sweet, fruity scent (I couldn't detect it on, just in the tube), and I haven't noticed any taste after wearing them.

Browse all of our Sephora Lipstories Lipstick swatches.

Ingredients

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Octyldodecanol, CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), Polyethylene, Diisostearyl Malate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polybutene, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Disteardimonium Hectorite, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Parfum (Fragrance), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 15850 (Red 6), BHT.

Primal Instinct (77)

LELimited Edition. $8.00.

A-

Product

9.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

92%

Total

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Polar Lights (78)

Sephora Polar Lights (78) Lipstories Lipstick ($8.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep purple with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. It had good pigmentation in a single layer, but it would need a lip pencil underneath to get to full, even coverage.

The texture was smooth, dense without being so firm that it became stiff to apply, and covered my lips fairly evenly. There was some slip, which resulted in the product separating a bit along my lip lines, but the higher coverage helped to camouflage imperfections in the application. It applied better than some other shades in this shade family, but it’s definitely the kind of product that benefits greatly from a lip primer or lip liner. It stayed on well for six and a half hours, left a pinkish stain behind, and was lightly hydrating over time.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Bite Beauty Black Truffle (DC, $24.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
NARS Nancy (LE, $34.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Bite Beauty Damson (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Bite Beauty Black Truffle (DC, $26.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
MAC Midnight Breeze (LE, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Colour Pop Hutch (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Pat McGrath Deep Void (LE, $40.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Urban Decay Spellbound (LE, $18.00) is lighter, cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
NARS Madura (LE, $34.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Colour Pop Feminist (LE, $6.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$8.00/0.14 oz. - $57.14 Per Ounce

Browse all of our Sephora Lipstories Lipstick swatches.

Ingredients

Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Polyethylene, CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera (Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax), CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Synthetic Beeswax, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Nylon-12, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 45410 (Red 28 Lake), Disteardimonium Hectorite, Parfum (Fragrance), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate.