October 28, 2010

Hard Candy Plumping Serum Lip Gloss Review, Swatches, Photos

New shades of Hard Candy Plumping Serum Lipgloss have hit Walmart. Wahoo for cheap plumping lip gloss eh? New shades include pinks, fuschias, and nudes plus a formula that contains optical brighteners that brighten your teeth. Yup, plumps, whitens, walks the dog, it does it all baby!

No seriously though….

I hadn’t tried this gloss when it originally launched but got curious to have a go with the new shades so I picked one up!

Let’s have a look!


A plumping gloss that gives lips a fuller look while optical brighteners make teeth appear brighter!


I’d say it’s somewhat like MAC Lipglass but the formula runs a tad thinner with alot less tack and stick. I only got one shade which is Nude Beach, quite a nice shade of nude pink that give lips a natural, fresh look.

The gloss is of medium texture without a tacky, sticky feel that wears comfortably and decently long. The shade I got doesn’t have a ton of pigmentation but it does give a nice my lips but better look. It has a very tiny zing but nothing as dramatic as say DuWop Lip Venom so sensitive types can easily use this without having a problem I’d say. It applies a bit dry at first but I noticed if I pump the applicator a few times up and down in the tube that you’ll get better results.

Presentation wise the packaging is quite nice for a $6 buck lipgloss. It has a silver top with a brushed scroll design and the Hard Candy emblem on the tube in script. It’s not something you’d be embarrassed to pull out of your purse.


I wouldn’t call the formula bad by any means but it is uneventful in a sea of cheaper glosses. It doesn’t really plump and it’s not thick enough to make lips look fuller nor did I notice my teeth appearing any whiter. I wanna lean towards saying it’s a fair gloss but I’ve seen much better in terms of budget lip gloss from Milani. The formula feels nice enough but I’m less than thrilled with it overall.

  • Anyone seeking a hip lipgloss (the packaging really rocks and the gloss formula is fairly good for this price range).
  • Anyone looking for a nice touch up gloss (if you’re a chronic gloss application girl this is a great one to toss in your purse).

  • Anyone wanting fuller lips (I felt the formula wasn’t thick enough to make lips look fuller nor does the entire “plumping” serum deal work for me).
  • Anyone who wants a gloss with alot of fanfare and awesomeness attached (this felt a tad boring).


I love a good gloss budget find and I think that Hard Candy is a great selection in terms of price and overall cuteness packaging wise however this gloss itself felt a tad boring to me and didn’t really have a wow effect on my lips. Overall, it’s nice but I’m not all that impressed. I will say I like that Hard Candy has taken the initiative to not only introduce new items but also new shades in existing products.

Anyone try it?

What did you think?

Share it!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • peri

    if anything says lip plumping on it, i stay away lol. danger! i put one on my lips at sephora one night and there was fire! FIRE! i wiped it off pretty quick but my lips tingled and burned for like an hour afterward. my lips are full enough though, i dont need plumpers.

    • the Muse

      LOL peri I don’t mean to laugh but it’s funny the way you say FIREZZZZZZ! ;-D

  • deb

    I was just at Walmart and saw these! I did pass, but only because I keep telling myself I must use up at least one of my glosses before buying another!

  • Stephanie L.

    Thanks for your Hard Candy reviews. I just went today and got the cheek stains that you reviewed a while back. LOVE!!! The baked blushes are rivaling my Mac MSFs, too. Thanks, again =D

  • Emilie

    I was just at walmart and saw this but passed up buying it since my lips are sensitive :(. I do like a lot of the colors they have available though.

    I did however pick up the glamoflage concealer. it’s not a bad concealer for $6. it include a really nice concealer pencil and the entire thing reminds me of kat von d’s tattoo concealer system. the pencil is much softer and creamy though.

    and is it just where the walmart here but every time i go the hard candy section is all plundered through. there was this pretty eyeshadow i wanted to try and the last one left and it was broken in the packaging. so disappointed :/

    • the Muse

      Emilie I don’t think it matters hun, hardly a pinch from it, very mild even for sensitive types. I liked Glamoflage so far but a bit drying eep! that stinks 🙁

  • Christina

    Have you seen the new color called “Jellyfish?” I’ve been dying to see this shade in person, or swatched. I hear it’s a DazzleGlass dupe. Please let us know if you are able to review it. I’m also quite curious to see how opaque “Girl Next Door” is. I have pretty pigmented lips…

    • the Muse

      I don’t have either of those Christina sorry. I can’t verify if it’s a dupe and sadly I’m not interested in purchasing more of these since I didn’t like the one I did buy. Perhaps head to Walmart and have a look???

  • Ellie

    I got it in Dunes because the color fascinated me… like a dark rosy nude with tiny bits of blue shimmer in it. But when I put it on it was 100% sheer, no color whatsoever. grr. -.-

  • Makeup Floozy

    I got this in the clear gloss, just to try it and see. I love gloss, but I have
    always gone for the higher-end deals just because they seem to work better.
    I was excited for this because HC was HUGE when I was in school and I
    remember thinking that I was the biggest thing because I had the HC
    nail polish AND the ring.

    Like you, I wasn’t too impressed. It left a nice little tingle on my lips and the
    gloss went on really even and smooth. It lasted for about 3 hours and I
    had to reapply it. That’s where my gripe comes in. I was reapplying it and
    it just seemed to gloop up on my lips and it didn’t go on near as smooth as
    the first time. I would have been better off using my Blistex Medicated/Cherry
    Splash Lip Infusion for the same shine and better benefits.

    All in all, it’s a nice little gloss to have in my makeup bag for emergencies,
    but other than that, I will stick to my MAC LipGlass.

  • Destiny

    it doesnt work with plumping? oh that sucks. maybe it was my imagination but i thought i could feel my lips starting to tingle. i thought my teeth looked whiter too but maybe all my whitening toothpaste finally paid off. oh well, all in all, its a good lipgloss and easy to use before school. i noticed thaat the life preserver shade went on really pink and noticeable but then sorta sank into my lips and faded a bit. seeing as it doesnt work, i might not buy it. but the free sample i got was pretty so maybe i will 🙂

  • Christi

    I would LOVE to write a true review, however, I cannot. I purchased this today for myself and upon getting home decided to go ahead and try it out. I pulled the applicator from the tube and applied to my bottom lip, reinserted the applicator and when I pulled it back out, POP! The applicator tip disconnected from the stem and remained in the bottle. The stem is useless for applying gloss so I’m going to have to try to dig out and clean up an applicator from and old gloss that I no longer use.. I was just too tired to do that today so here I sit, with a glossless top lip wishing I had spent my $6 on new undies, or socks or something like that… Ah well, on a positive note, my bottom lip looks GREAT! I love the color, the tingle, and how smooth it feels without being sticky. I sure hope they improve the packaging in the near future.