Welcome to Cosmo HQ Review, the corner of the internet where our team of beauty-obsessed editors shares their unfiltered, honest thoughts on the latest and greatest launches in skin, hair, makeup, and fragrance...just for you.
Mikayla Nogueira first introduced her beauty brand, Point of View, back in March with a lineup of skin-first formulas, including a lip balm, two primers, a serum, and a moisturizer. It was a unique move, tapping solely into the makeup prep market rather than releasing hero products like blush or eyeshadow.
Now, nearly seven months later, she’s back with her sophomore launch for POV Beauty—the Amp It Lip Kits. I chatted with Mikayla ahead of the lip kit launch on November 4 to learn all about the new collection, plus Cosmo got exclusive early access to the lip products to give our full HQ review.
"I look at Point of View's brand timeline like a meal. The skin prep was the appetizer, so you were served that first," Mikayla explains to me. "Now, rather than giving you the entree, because the main course takes the longest to cook, we're skipping to dessert, which are the lip kits." She knew we were starving for more, so she fed us these lip products to hold us over. "Next year is when I'm going to be serving all of our entrees," she assures me.
The new Amp Kit comes in six different shades, each complete with a lip ampoule and lip pencil. The lip ampoule is not just super pigmented, but also infused with argan oil, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides to nourish and moisturize the lips as you wear it. "I almost think of it as a lip lacquer because it's that tinted," explains Mikayla.
When it came to formulating the lip ampoule, her non-negotiable was extreme pigment. "The color launches are going to be focused on bringing back the appearance of actually wearing an impactful makeup product," she says. "There are a bunch of hydrating and sheer lip treatments out there already, so I wanted to make something that was different, so I decided to punch up the pigment to the maximum amount."And spoiler alert, she absolutely did.
Now it’s time to share our honest thoughts on the brand’s first foray into color—keep scrolling for team Cosmo’s full review of the POV Beauty Amp It Lip Kits.
Our reviews:
Jasmine Hyman, assistant beauty editor
There’s nothing I love more than a hydrating, glassy lip product, and that’s exactly what Mikayla gave us with this one. I loved the OG clear formula, but the pigmented versions are genuinely the most tinted lip oils I’ve ever tried (and as someone who tests beauty products for a living, that says a lot). The applicator is a clear silicone tip, making it super easy to glide the formula across the lips. The tip itself is pretty long, so it takes a second to squeeze out the product, which I actually appreciate, since all of my other lip oils get messy from sticky applicators and caps.
The shade range is expansive, with each kit featuring its own unique flavor and eponymous scent. I first tried the pink duo, with the ampoule Strawberry Shortcake that smells (and tastes) exactly like a sweet dessert. I wore it to the Sabrina Carpenter concert, where I can assure you I was singing my heart out, and I didn't find myself continually needing to reapply the liner or ampoule throughout the night. Then I reached for the deep purple shade, Plum Cider, at the office, which instantly reminded me of a juicy, ripe fruit. Mikayla told me she wanted to base the line on childhood desserts—and she did not lie when she said we were getting fed. Feed us, she did.
As for the contour lip liners, they all matched the coordinating glosses perfectly and were super easy to apply. They glided across my lips without tugging as I traced them. Overall, I found that the ampoules lasted a bit longer than the liners—but I think that speaks more to the longevity of the gloss formulas than the lack thereof in the pencils.
Beth Gillette, beauty editor
I really loved the O.G. lip balm formula from POV Beauty. It was rich and decadent on my lips, filling in all the lines and softening them for hours. But I wasn't quite sure how a tinted version would fare. With such a thick, creamy base, would that be too intense with a hint of color? But that's precisely why it works. Called a 'lip ampoule,' not a lip balm, the formula is so much more hydrating than anything else I've tried. The consistency makes this way more than a tint, also. The formula is mega pigmented, probably the most I've tried (and I've used basically every tinted lip balm on the market). When paired with a lip liner (which I'm also loving—it's easy to apply, creamy, and blends out if I need to smudge the edges), it looks more like a vinyl, liquid lip than a chapstick—but feels just like a moisturizing balm.
And it stays on—a long time. I swiped on the lightest, beige shade at around 10 a.m. before heading into the office, and it stayed on through all my coffee and water-bottle-drinking, well into grabbing lunch.
I'm obsessed with the Vanilla Latte shade—it instantly gives me a 90s-esque ombré lip look. But I love that there are so many deep shades. Most tinted lip balms may offer dark tones, but they appear nearly clear on deep skin. These will show up, regardless of your lip color or skin tone.
Final thoughts:
The pigmented lip ampoules are truly the star of the show, impressing even two seasoned lip care-obsessed beauty editors. The color payoff lasts for hours, and we especially appreciated the deeper shade range. Our only qualm is that because they’re so pigmented, the darker shades may cling to any chapped areas—but over time, the hydrating ingredients should help smooth and soften the lips. POV Beauty clearly understands the assignment when it comes to the first step of your beauty routine (skin prep) and the last (your lip combo).
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
