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Available in 30 shades and two finishes, the pigmented formula contains a mix of hydrating and conditioning silicon-based polymers to keep lips from drying out.

The Product

Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipstick, $21 at Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart and Urban Decay stores (www.urbandecay.ca).

The Promise

This velvety, intense and long-wearing liquid lipstick is waterproof and life-proof, meaning it won't budge until you decide to take it off.

How it works

Available in 30 shades and two finishes (matte and metallized), the highly pigmented formula contains a mix of hydrating and conditioning silicon-based polymers to keep lips from drying out. The brand incorporated new proprietary technology that allows the shimmering ingredients to float to the top when applied for maximum shine in the metallized finishes.

How to use it

Line the lips with the tip of the applicator then apply one coat all over lips with the flat edge and let it dry without pressing lips together afterwards. Apply a second coat if more coverage is needed.

The bottom line

Urban Decay has a cult following among serious beauty junkies, perhaps because founding partner Wende Zomnir has been passionate about pushing for innovation and performance since launching the unconventional line in 1996 (its first campaign asked, "Does pink make you puke?"). I decided to really put this one through the ringer, because "long lasting" seems to mean different things to different people. I applied it around 1 p.m. before heading out for the day and, when I got home about seven hours later, I was surprised to find it still perfectly in place – no fading, no bleeding, no dryness and no unsightly ring around my lips. In the interim, I'd drunk two cups of tea, eaten dinner and participated in the toughest spin class of my life, without any reapplication. The shade I tried was a bright red with flecks of gold; it's definitely not something that I would normally gravitate towards as a workout accessory, but the high octane glamour did fit the pounding pace.

Toman Sasaki, a model and pop band member who goes simply by Toman, does not regard his manicured and made-up look as feminine, so much as genderless. As one of a small but growing group of “genderless danshi” — “danshi” means young men in Japanese — he is developing a public identity and a career out of a new androgynous style.

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