You’ll remember how recently, I fell in love and lust with MAC Ronnie Red from the Archie’s Girls Collection. (It was my first real red lipstick.)

Since then, I’ve been itching to try out more red lipsticks because I love how they ‘wake up’ your complexion and can look classy.

Well, Milani came to the rescue like a beauty caped crusader!

I’ve been test-driving one of the new Color Statement Lipsticks by Milani – the Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick to be exact!

It’s very different from MAC Ronnie Red in terms of colour and finish, but I’ve found this to be an easy-to-wear red lipstick for my skin tone as well! YAY!

Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick Pictures

Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick Swatches

Bare Lips Photo (for reference)

Note: I’m still shy and a newbie when it comes to taking photos of my lips. But, as with anything, I hope to get more comfortable and I hope to improve my photography skills with time.

Natural Light Photos

Flash Photos

Claim: TRUSTED

√ Metallic

Key Notes

• Name: Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick
• Press Release: Click here to see the Milani Color Statement Lipstick press release
• Colours Available in the Milani Color Statement Lipstick Orange & Reds Collection: Cherry Crave, Sweet Nectar, Orange-Gina, High Voltage, Red Label, Best Red & Ruby Valentine
• Amount: 3.97 g (0.14 oz.)
• What I Paid: Nothing! (This was provided by PR.)
• Where to Buy: Milani website, Cherry Culture website (affiliate link) & some drugstores or grocery stores

Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick Review

Colour

The Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Cherry Crave is a deep type of red that has a mature personality…at least on my lips, I thought so.

It’s a rich enough lip shade that seems to light up your entire face and warm up your complexion.

Finish

What sets Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick apart is that the finish is on the metallic/high-shimmer side. But it’s not to the point where you get an outdated 1980s frost. The result is actually sophisticated, and because the shimmery metallic finish is so subtle, on the lips, it’s very minor.

Since the shimmer/metallic quality was so fine, it was hard for me to pinpoint the exact colour, but to me, it looked golden, which I think is very flattering for a red lipstick.

Application & Formula

I was surprised by how light the Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick is. It goes on so lightweight that you hardly even feel it. And the pigmentation is quite good – it adds a lot of beautiful colour.

Without reapplying, and if I didn’t eat, drink, or talk a lot, Cherry Crave lasted around 4 to 5 hours on me without any noticeable fading. If I ate something, it lasts up to 4 hours, which is still pretty good. Lipsticks, in general, tend to last a good amount of time on my lips, though. (It wasn’t as long-lasting on my lips as MAC Ronnie Red, however, Ronnie Red has a matte finish, so it’s not really fair to compare different finishes, I suppose.)

As you can see in my above photos, Cherry Crave is the type of red lipstick that would greatly benefit if I used a lip liner to define the shape.

Truth be told, I’ve never used a lip liner before, and I like to review lipsticks without lip liner so that you can always see what it looks like applied straight out of the tube.

Milani’s PR is amazing, and they actually provided me with lip liners to use. But I want to review those separately, if possible. (If I choose to take photos of Cherry Crave with a lip liner, I can always edit this review to add a photo or two, but I always like to see how a lipstick performs solo.)

Fragrance

It’s a little tricky for me to pinpoint the scent that this lipstick has. To me, it has an artificial-fruit scent. I can’t say that I really love it the way I love how MAC lip products smell like vanilla-cake batter. However, the scent isn’t overwhelming.

Yes, it’s noticeable. And it seemed to be the type of scent that transfers to create a ‘taste’ as well, even if you don’t lick your lips. But…it wasn’t a horrible deal-breaker for me.

I’m very sensitive to fragrances, and although I didn’t love the way it smelled, it wasn’t enough to deter me from using this product.

Value

The obvious selling point for Milani products is the affordable price! This lipstick runs for about $5.49 USD. (I haven’t seen it in Canada yet, so I can’t say how much it is here.)

Although I do love my MAC lip products, I must say that they are very expensive, and I always have to save up to splurge. With Milani, it’s a horse of a different colour because for a very economical price, you can still enjoy a really beautiful shade.

Pros Mature colour is a deeper red with what looks like a gold high-shimmer that creates a metallic finish Wears well Pretty pigmented Affordable

Cons Has a scent that some may not be crazy about Scent creates a ‘taste’, even if you don’t lick your lips I haven’t seen it in physical Canadian stores yet, so unless you place an online order, it may be tricky to track down. (However, maybe it’s just hard for me to find in my neighbourhood. Try looking at Loblaw Superstores…)

Final Verdict: 7.5/10

The Milani Cherry Crave Color Statement Lipstick is the first Milani lip product I’ve ever tried, and because I had a good experience with it, I’m excited to try more colours.

The new Color Statement line is full of diverse shades, so there really is something for everyone!

Have you tried any Milani Color Statement Lipsticks? What kind of reds flatter your skin the most? Which finishes do you prefer for red lipsticks?