Illamasqua Growl Lipstick: Review and Swatches!

Anybody who knows me knows that the Illamasqua winter sale is pretty much the highlight of my year, and this year was no exception. Among the products I purchased was their lipstick in Growl, which I've wanted to try out for quite a while now as I absolutely LOVE a vampy lip. At the price of £9.50 (half of the regular price) how could I possibly refuse?!

I ordered online at Illamasqua's website and my products were delivered within three days, which I thought was great considering that the postage was free. I've always found that Illamasqua provide flawless service - as a brand they really do care about their customers, and it shows. So, my lipstick arrived pictured exactly as above in the usual shiny, chic black packaging. I can't stress enough how much I love the way Illamasqua package their products, it's unique and kind of edgy but at the same time looks super professional and aesthetically it works well in any makeup kit.

On Illamasqua's website Growl is described as a "rich mahogany brown" which is definitely fair to say, however I personally felt that it also had a slight wine-red tinge. I do think that this could just be the way it looks on me, as I've seen this shade on darker skin-tones and it looks more brown, so maybe paler complexions bring out the red tones, especially if you're practically translucent like myself. As with many lipsticks Growl looks much darker in the tube than it does when applied, so don't be terrified if you open the tube and it doesn't look quite like the colour that you were expecting!

Illamasqua are renowned for their intensely pigmented products, and as you can see from the swatch above Growl is highly opaque and gives amazing colour payoff. It's a very strong shade and just the kind of colour I usually wear - by this point I was totally in love! When I initially swatched Growl I thought it was really similar in colour to MAC's Media.

And finally this was Growl applied on bare lips! I love love LOVE this shade! On Illamasqua's website it's described as having a matte finish and this is 100% true. I've often read that people find the formula difficult to apply and very drying but I've honestly never had either of these problems, and I've been using Illamasqua products for about 3 years. In fact, I think they have the best lipstick formula on the market right now. Intense colour payoff, easy application, unbelievably long wear time (seriously, I've been through whole days without having to re-apply, even after eating and drinking) and some really unique shades (Yes Apocalips, I'm looking at you!) ...what more could you want?!

So, my final verdict? Growl is amazing and I can see it fast becoming my new go-to shade. Personally I don't choose the lipstick I wear by what season it is and I would totally wear this in the Summer, but if you're looking for your perfect deep, dark Winter shade you just found it!

You can buy Growl here, it's still on sale and at half price it's an absolute bargain. It's a beautiful shade and really does suit all skin tones. Would I recommend it? Hell yes!

I hope this hasn't been too awful for a first review, feedback would be amazing! Oh, and all of these photos were taken in natural light without flash. Next I'll be reviewing Illamasqua's Multi Facet Palette in Aura, so stay posted!