E.L.F Cosmetics Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen ($8) is a new, affordable 3-in-1 lip plumper, gloss, and balm that launched for Spring 2024 in eight shades. This formula is an obvious nod to the very popular Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump but I promise if Tarte does anything right it’s create a fantastic glossy lip balm and E.L.F., sorry but yours is not a dupe nor can it compare to how great the Tarte formula is. We’re going to see a few dupes like this as we head into Spring and of course, the Summer 2024 season. We already have NYX Fat Oil Slick Click Lip Balm which launched for Spring 2024. I suspect a few drugstore brands like Maybelline and perhaps Covergirl might introduce a version as well.
Regardless, of my dislike for this formula they’ll likely be a big hit because this economy is hard and everyone is looking for a dupe of a more expensive product. And at $8 bucks it’s a heck of a lot more affordable than Tarte’s version at $24 each.
E.L.F Cosmetics Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen are $8 each and 0.07 oz each. Tarte’s version is $24 for 0.095 oz and the travel size is 0.045 Oz for $13. Both products come in the same packaging which is a slim click-up pen. However, E.L.F.’s are black and not as pretty as Tarte’s metallic pink barrel. Remember, click only the amount you think you’ll use as these don’t swivel down. Also, I just wanna say, don’t toss your boxes out if you’re planning to reference the shades. They have a very tiny little itty bitty label on the head of the clicker that has the shade name (or I THINK it does but I’m not sure because it’s so small I can’t read it) that I can’t see. I wear glasses to drive as I have a touch of Nearsightedness but my vision is good otherwise. I cannot see this label AT all. At first, I didn’t even realize it was there at all! The top of the clicker portion of the barrel looked blank. That’s how light the label is. I stupidly got these delivered to my office so I took them out of the box and tossed the boxes into the recycle bin. When I got home I couldn’t tell which shade was which.
I think the color range sucks. I got three of the lighter nudes and one of the brighter shades (Red My Mind) but overall, it’s sort of a boring and uneventful range of shades and the nudes aren’t as pretty as one would think as they all have a rather white base giving them a chalkier look on lips. I wish the shade range was a bit better. I will say if you’re purchasing these go with the darker versus the lighter ones. I just think the darker one I got applied better and was more flattering than the nudes.
They are very much like Tarte in the fact they immediately melt upon contact with your lips and become this beautiful hydrating consistency with a highly glossy finish. It’s the reason I love the Tarte version so much! That melty, hydrating, glossiness is divine. E.L.F. nailed that part of the formula quite nicely. They hydrate like a balm, have the shine of a gloss, and the pigment of lipstick. However, they taste awful. Tarte’s version tastes like minty gum these have a hint of mint and some sort of weird rubbery plastic flavor. Not good. They aren’t like the NYX formula at all. NYX is more of a lightweight balmy consistency and isn’t as melty.
E.L.F Pout Clout Lip Plumping Swatches in Just Peachy, Toasted, Pinky Out, and Red My Mind
E.L.F Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen in Pinky Out
E.L.F Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen in Toasted
E.L.F Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen in Just Peachy
Well, that’s the good. The bad is I thought all three of the lighter shades I got applied were patchy as hell. They just applied so damn streaky and the color fell into the natural lines of my lips. Not to mention they migrate all over my lip line and outside of it. It was just a very messy application. I had to smooth a finger over it or apply a clear gloss on it for a smoother finish. I noticed a lot of people on Tiktok were raving about how good they looked but they weren’t showing applications on camera. I do wonder if they doctored them with a clear gloss to look better. I just couldn’t get them to look smooth without a little help from my finger or gloss. They wear for around three hours but during that time they migrated around my lip line. The exception was the shade Red My Mind. I got a nice smooth application with no migration or patchy issues. All four of the shades I got were super glossy and very pigmented! As far as plumping goes there’s a little tiny itty bitty tingle with these but nothing major. The formula is thicker so it will give that volumized look to your lips but the actual formula isn’t plumping in my opinion!
E.L.F Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen was a bit disappointing in my opinion. The shade range just isn’t it and the formula is just ok. I’ve seen E.L.F. do way better dupes than this. It was a good try but I think I’ll stick with Tarte.
Have you tried E.L.F Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen? What did you think?
E.L.F Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen are available now!
Where to buy
ELF Cosmetics Ulta
E.L.F Cosmetics Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen is a new lipgloss/balm/lipstick hybrid available in eight shades. These are 0.07 oz each and $8 each. The formula is a lot like the Tarte version but not at all like the NYX one with a thick, melty balm consistency that’s quite hydrating, pigmented, and has a super shiny finish. I thought the darker shades performed better than the lighter ones as the lighter applied streaky, patchy, and migrated. The darker one I got applied was very smooth and wore nicely compared to the lighter nudes. I wasn’t a fan of the flavor. These had an odd rubbery plastic flavor with a hint of mint. I wouldn’t say they plumped but the consistency of the product will give lips a fuller appearance.
Pigmented.
Super glossy.
Affordable.
Weird taste.
Lighter shades apply streaky and patchy.
Migrates and bleeds.
Lighter shades tend to fall into natural lip lines.
