Of Toys and Co: Opera Lip Tint and Lip Tint N Part V

Monday, April 14, 2025

Opera Lip Tint and Lip Tint N Part V

Here's me trying to catch up with something I've long lost track of: my last Opera Lip Tint was five (yes, 5!) years ago! Which is to say it's been a few years now since I acquired and have been using the below lippies: the original Lip Tint LE 08 Burgundy Kiss, the newer Lip Tint N 09 Terracotta, 10 Bordeaux Brown, 11 Fig, and 12 Plum Pink, and Lip Tint N LE 103 Garnet Gem, 104 Clear Amethyst, 105 Lucent Red, 107 Orange Lily, and 203 Brown Fig. Quite a post I've been pickling in the draft folder, right?

Let's start with the original Lip Tint in the LE 08 Burgundy Kiss. I had my eye on this color since it was first released in 2018 (or 2019). However, at the time it was sold out everywhere and I could only find the LE 07 Pink Fraise released in the same collection. Then fast forward a couple of years, I stumbled upon this LE 08 Burgundy Kiss along with Opera Sheer Lip Color 204 Pure Coral and snatched them both up.

Opera Sheer Lip Color 204 Pure Coral and Lip Tint LE 08 Burgundy Kiss. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

- Lip Tint LE 08 Burgundy Kiss: transparent and shimmer-free wine and fades to a violet stain. I totally see why folks went crazy for this LE color and why it was sold out everywhere--it's gorgeous! And flattering on too. Even the violet stain is pretty.

Opera Sheer Lip Color 204 Pure Coral and Lip Tint LE 08 Burgundy Kiss swatches (stain in right photo).

Of course I have to compare the original LE color with the newer 08 Burgundy, which was brought back and incorporated into the permanent lineup of the revamped Lip Tint N, all thanks to the popularity of the LE 08 Burgundy Kiss. That said, even this newer 08 Burgundy was eventually discontinued as well :(

Original Lip Tint LE 08 Burgundy Kiss (left) vs. newer Lip Tint N 08 Burgundy (right).

From left to right: Opera Sheer Lip Color 204 Pure Coral, the original Lip Tint LE 08 Burgundy Kiss, and the newer Lip Tint N 08 Burgundy. See how the LE 08 Burgundy Kiss has more violet and the newer 08 Burgundy has more red?

Moving on to the newer Lip Tint N with more colors added to the permanent lineup (top row). I also picked up some LE colors too (bottom row)!

Here are the newish colors: 09 Terracotta, 10 Bordeaux Brown, 11 Fig, and 12 Plum Pink. I said newish because the lineup has since expanded up to color 21 Dusty Rose, with the current LE color being 123 Shimmer Tangerine. Among the new colors, some are marked as "Pearl" having fine shimmers for a pearly finish and some as "Glitter" having bigger sparkles in a translucent base. Even then, some of those new colors have already been discontinued (12 Plum Pink, 14 Mellow Pink, and all of the LE up to 122 Luminize Beige). See why I lost track of them?

And honestly, all the colors old and new are beginning to blend together and look the same. The few that caught my eyes, I did pick them up: 17 Peach Glow, 18 Amber Orange, LE 115 Mystic Red, and LE 121 Night Red. Will post these (hopefully not 5 years) later.

There are also two new lines of products, a Glow Lip Tint, basically an entire line of "Pearl" Lip Tints in different colors which I skipped as I don't love shimmers in my lippies to begin with, and a Sheer Matte Lipstick which I totally dig and did buy a few colors. Will post these later as well.

From left to right: 09 Terracotta, 10 Bordeaux Brown, 11 Fig, and 12 Plum Pink.

- 09 Terracotta: transparent and shimmer free. This is supposed to be brick red but it somehow both swatches and applies a coral red on me, and is actually pretty and flattering. It leaves a warm pink stain.

- 10 Bordeaux Brown: transparent and shimmer-free. A deep brown-red. Interestingly enough, this color leaves the faintest stain of the bunch, a barely discernible nude.

Below I'm comparing the original Lip Tint LE 08 Burgundy Kiss, the newer Lip Tint N 08 Burgundy, and this 10 Bordeaux Brown. I'm pretty impressed that despite all three bullets appearing so similar, the two burgundies are indeed burgundy, as in they both swatch and apply with more violet, and the bordeaux is indeed bordeaux, as in it swatches and applies with more brown.

- 11 Fig: translucent and shimmer free. An orange-red with brown undertone and is more pigmented than the two above. This one is also interesting because the stain is surprisingly pink!

Here I'm comparing the original Lip Tint 06 Pink Red versus the newer Lip Tint N 11 Fig, because the bullets also appear pretty similar. As you can see, they swatch distinct from one another, with 11 Fig visibly more pigmented. However, the stains are pretty similar, with 11 Fig slightly more red.

- 12 Plum Pink: translucent and shimmer free. This color swatches and applies more like a neutral red to me. It's slightly more pigmented than 09 Terracotta and 10 Bordeaux Brown, although less so than 11 Fig. However, the brighter pink stain it leaves behind is the most pigmented out of the bunch.

From left to right: 09 Terracotta, 10 Bordeaux Brown, 11 Fig, and 12 Plum Pink.

Here are the Lip Tint N in LE colors: 103 Garnet Gem, 104 Clear Amethyst, 105 Lucent Red, 107 Orange Lily, and 203 Brown Fig. These have all been long discontinued, but you might be able to find some of them on E(vil)bay still.

- 103 Garnet Gem: transparent and shimmer free. Somehow, this color swatches and applies more of a brick red on me. It leaves a faint reddish stain.

Of course I have to 09 Terracotta and this LE 103 Garnet Gem! Is it me or these two colors are super similar? 09 Terracotta has a smidge more orange-coral and 103 Garnet Gem a smidge more pink-red. Even their stains are similar as well.

Here are 09 Terracotta versus 11 Fig versus this LE 103 Garnet Gem, because their bullets are so close in color. 11 Fig stands out here with more pigmentation and is visibly redder and browner.

- 104 Clear Amethyst: transparent and shimmer free. A pretty lotus pink that leaves a bubblegum pink stain.

- 105 Lucent Red: transparent and shimmer free. A juicy red with pink undertone but leaves a reddish stain. These colors are totally my jam--just look at that juicy red bullet! I can almost see through it but not really. Perfection!

Here are the original Lip Tint 01 Red side by side this Lip Tint N LE 105 Lucent Red. Next to 01 Red, this 105 Lucent Red is decidedly pink--wow! That said, their stains are indistinguishable.

- 107 Orange Lily: here is a "Glitter" variety, with chunky glitter in a transparent base. A bright tangerine with gold glitter that--drum roll please--don't show! Ha. Why did they even bother? Leaves a coral stain.

Here I'm comparing the original Lip Tint 04 Orange and this Lip Tint N LE 107 Orange Lily. Despite the 04 Orange bullet appearing slightly more coral, it's the 107 Orange Lily that swatches with a coral undertone. Interesting, huh? Their stains are pretty similar though, both are orange-coral.

- 203 Brown Fig: transparent and shimmer free. Woah, this one looks identical to 10 Bordeaux Brown, a deep brown-red, both in the bullet form and in the swatch! It leaves a similar-looking nude stain too.

So here it is, comparing 10 Bordeaux Brown and LE 203 Brown Fig. It's official: they're identical in swatches and stains. If you really want to split hair, 203 Brown Fig has a smidge more purple in it, but you'd have to stare at both swatches for a while to discern that.