Blueberry Stained Lips: Pacifica Devocean Natural Lipstick in Beach Goth*

Growing up, I always loved the summer season in my mom's kitchen, because it meant all kinds of delicious lunch pairings of pasta/ dumplings + fresh fruit: pierogi with blackberries, knedle with strawberries or plums (which I made a few weeks ago and bragged about on Instagram here), and then possibly my absolute favorite, łazanki (small pasta squares) toppped with wild (low bush) blueberry sauce and lots of whipped sweat cream. I would devour that dish in minutes and then lick the plate clean, giving myself a purple mouth that remained stained for the rest of the day. This is exactly what Pacifica's Devocean Natural Lipstick* ($10 for 0.07 oz/ 2g, available at pacificabeauty.com as well as Ulta and other green beauty retailers) in the shade Beach Goth reminds me of - those strange blueberry lips of summer.

(By the way, don't you find the name Beach Goth a little amusing? Just imagine that poor goth girl clad all in black being absolutely miserable and sweating her eyeliner off on a sandy ocean shore. Or maybe I just have a twisted sense of humor :)

Pacifica Beauty describes their Devocean lipstick range as 'highly pigmented color [that] glides on smoothly, will not feather and lasts for hours'. Devocean lipsticks contain coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba esters and vitamin E, and like all Pacifica products, are vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free. The lipstick is packaged in a lightweight slim plastic tube with the color of the outer box loosely corresponding to the shade inside, and a label on the bottom of the tube specifying the shade name (thank goodness!). I quite enjoy Pacifica's design aesthetics: colorful, whimsical, somewhat bohemian - it definitely stands out from other brands. The lipstick has a beautiful sweet coconut scent when being applied to the lips, but it doesn't linger for very long afterwards.

Beach Goth is definitely not for the faint of heart - I mean, what did you expect with a name like this? It's PURPELH. I was admittedly a little intimidated when I first opened the tube but game to try it out anyway. As I expected, it swatches a lot different from what it looks like in the tube: what looks like an intense dark purple in the tube applies more like a wash of cool purple with a mauve undertone. The finish is a jelly/cream (crelly?), no shimmer whatsoever.

L-R: Pacifica Devocean Lipstick in Beach Goth, Lancome Color Design in Wine Party, Revlon Superlustrous in Black Cherry

The texture of the Devocean lipstick is very creamy but thin; in fact, despite Pacifica's product description, I would say the pigmentation and formula in between a lipstick and nicely tinted balm. In terms of feel, it's definitely not as thick and onctous as standard cream finish lipsticks (say, Revlon Superlustrous or YSL Rouge Purs) and instead reminds me of something like Guerlain Rouge Automatiques. It feels hydrating and comfortable on the lips but it's prone to wearing off easily on teacups and the like and would require frequent reapplication to retain the intensity of color. I can live with that though - can you see how full and luscious it looks on my lips? You can still see vertical lip lines but they're softened and there's no product gathering in there. The lips look smooth, even and natural, not like they're covered in a thick layer of product.

In general, I really enjoy somewhat sheerer lipstick textures, so it's no surprise that I really enjoy my new Devocean lipstick. However, the shade Beach Goth - like that blueberry stain of my childhood - is a combination of strange and wonderful on me. My fair cool-toned coloring makes it difficult for me to wear neutral/ cool purple blushes and lipsticks without looking bruised/ chilled to the bone but Beach Goth somehow walks the line without pushing me too much into the undead territory. I have nothing like it in my stash, and it takes some guts to wear it outside the house - but makes me feel cool and a bit different. I also really like Beach Goth in smaller doses, lightly patted on or layered with another warmer lipstick, lip liner and/ or gloss.

If you're looking for a moisturizing, lightweight lipstick, I think you'd love the Pacifica Devocean range - and if your skintone is warmer than mine (or you simply like unusual shades), you'd certainly look killer in that Beach Goth purple. For a more classically flattering color choice, I'm also eyeing the MLBB Tenderness or peachy pink XOX shades. What is your experience with natural lipstick lines? What is your favorite sheer lipstick/ tinted balm formula?

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured was purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!