Westman Atelier's First-Ever Lipstick Is Low-Maintenance Without Sacrificing Color

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, the TZR team is testing Westman Atelier’s Lip Suede Matte Lipstick.

As a celebrity makeup artist with over 20 years of experience, Gucci Westman knows a thing or two about lipsticks. Specifically, which matte formulas offer color payoff, longevity, and feel like a soft cashmere throw blanket on the lips. However, finding a bullet that checks off all three boxes and is void of controversial makeup ingredients has proven to be a tall order for the Westman Atelier founder. So she chipped away until she landed on a formula that lived up to her stringent requirements. Now, Westman is introducing the Lip Suede Matte Lipstick, her brand’s first traditional lipstick product.

“I have wanted to create lipstick since we launched Westman Atelier [in 2018], but it was really important to me that we wait until we perfected the formula without compromising clean ingredients,” Westman tells TZR. “For this product, I wanted to create an edit full of joy.”

Lip Suede comes in 10 shades, which Westman says were inspired by the colors she has custom mixed to suit various skin tones on sets over the years. Spanning from moody berry to vibrant true red, there are options for every lipstick preference and complexion.

Given matte lipstick’s status as a holy grail product for legions of makeup-wearers, everyone has strong opinions on what makes a good bullet. And TZR editors are included in the bunch. Ahead, the team tries various shades of Westman Atelier’s Lip Suede Matte Lipstick, and share their honest reviews.

Fast Facts

• Price: $50
• Size: 100 ml/3.38 fl oz
• Clean/Cruelty-Free: Yes
• Best For: Anyone after a long-wear matte that doesn’t feel heavy on the lips
• Ingredient Highlights: Vitamins C and E, peptides, Hydro Suede Technology
• What We Like: Luxe packaging; magnetic mirror cap for on-the-go touchups
• What We Don’t Like: Pricey
• Rating: 5/5

How TZR Keeps Score: 1/5: Making a return; 2/5: Keeping as a backup; 3/5: Finishing to the last drop; 4/5: Recommending to my group texts; 5/5: Already on auto-replenish

The Formula

Matte lipsticks are favored because they offer high-pigment, full-coverage color. The catch is that many formulas are dry, which prevent them from going on evenly and can get flaky with wear. Westman set out to solve this common pain point by formulating Lip Suede with a bevy of nourishing, plumping ingredients that you’d find in your favorite hydrating facial serums. The lineup includes peptides to volumize and help soften fine lines, meadowfoam extract to nourish and seal in moisture, hyaluronic acid to plump and smooth, and vitamin C and E for antioxidant protection and conditioning.

“In my experience, matte lipsticks can be uncomfortable and dry, so I never loved how most of them felt on my lips,” Westman shares. “For Lip Suede Matte Lipstick, we created a technology that’s called Hydro Suede Technology to replace parts of the powders that are normally included in matte formulations and will suck up oils from your lip’s natural oils. The Hydro Suede Technology has Kaolin Clay which mattifies and prevents feathering or smudging but it also has hyaluronic acid to hydrate your lips and meadowfoam extract to lock in that moisture.”

The lipstick comes in 10 shades, all designed to bring joy to one’s makeup routine. “I wanted to bring something different to the table that would be a daily mood booster to people when they apply their lipstick,” Westman says. The range spans rich brown to poppy orange-red, and every staple shade in between. Lip Suede’s pale pink tubes were also designed with intention. The magnetized cap has a built-in mirror for effortless initial application or mid-day touchup.

Our Experiences & Results

Jessica Fields, Beauty Writer, Wearing Lou Lou

"Though I’ve been wearing a lot of glosses recently, matte lipsticks have a strong place in my heart. I especially love them in a deep, dark hue that gives me a bold look, but I’ve found some formulas to be too drying for longtime wear. I tried the shade Lou Lou, and let me tell you, this lippie lived up to its claims. It glided on smoothly and felt super hydrating as I was applying it. The color payoff was also top-tier tier. Just a few swipes delivered maximum coverage. Still, longevity is my ultimate test. When it comes to lipstick, I really hate having to do several touchups throughout the day to maintain the look. To my surprise, this one stayed put hours into the day. Given the suede finish, I was worried it might slide off, but thankfully, it did not."

Erin Lukas, Deputy Beauty Editor, Wearing Je Rêve

“I’ll admit, I often expect matte lipsticks to have a thick, cream cheese-like consistently, so I was pleasantly surprised this formula glided on my lips like an oil or serum. However, despite its featherweight texture, Lip Suede doesn’t hold back on color payoff. A single swipe of Je Rêve fully saturated my lips with its blush-nude pigment. Since I typically wear a muted cool-toned rose lipstick every day, this shade was right up my alley. I was impressed with its staying power – I drank copious cups of coffee right after applying it and it held up. Plus, the built-in mirror in the cap is extremely handy – now I don’t have to use my iPhone camera as a mirror when I do touchups in Ubers.”

Kathy Lee, Editor In Chief, Wearing Ma Biche

“From the instant moisture and creaminess I felt on my lips at first swipe, I knew I was going to love this lipstick. While I tend to associate this consistency with not much of a long wear, as I perfected the color going over each area, the lipstick settled into the tiny grooves and lines of my lips, rather than that feeling of something sitting atop them. The color payoff is significant, so if you’re like me and prefer a subtle stain, I recommend using a lip brush and dabbing it on. Even one swipe is enough color to fill your entire lips.”

Angela Melero, Executive Editor, Wearing Minx

“I consider myself quite the lipstick aficionado. It takes a lot to truly impress me. However, from the jump, this lipstick did just that. In addition to a great color payoff – the pigment comes on strong with one coat! – it feels creamy and moisturizing on the lips. I expected such a soft balmy finish to wear off quickly, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the color maintain vibrancy for hours after application. Even after a meal, a nice worn-in peachy pink stain was left on my lips, sans drying them out. Consider me converted."

Is Westman Atelier’s Lip Suede Matte Lipstick Worth It?

While the look of a bold, matte lip is a powerful (and timeless) beauty statement, these products can often be drying and/or require multiple touchups to stay in tact. As a product that addresses these common hangups head on, Westman Atelier’s Lip Suede Matte Lipstick is undeniably worth splurging on. Not only does it deliver impressive color payoff, it’s extremely comfortable on the lips. Essentially, this bullet is as low-maintenance as matte lipsticks come. And as a bonus, the chic tube would look great on any vanity.