Looks like a certain well-loved drugstore brand is taking a leaf from Kat Von D's edgy colour palettes: meet the new Maybelline Loaded Bolds lipstick collection. Right?? And the 16-shade (in Canada) range doesn't just feature a couple of token "weird" shades – in addition to a black and a white, there are two blues, one shocking violet, three vampy berries (okay, one is a deep wine), and three definitely-browns. For the most part, the shades are statement, vivid and direct – not a rosy pink in sight. Let's look.

maybelline loaded bolds lipsticks

Part of the Maybelline Color Sensational family, The Loaded Bolds collection is cleverly surfing in the wake of Kat Von D's hugely sucessful non-conformist lipstick shades, and are set to sail onto drug-shore shelves this July in Canada (probably May/June in the US). Look at these colours, lovelies! So. much. fun. And they're so loaded with pigment that what you see in the tube is what you'll see on your lips.

Here's how Sapphire Siren, one of the two blues (the other is Midnight Blue) looked on runways and backstage at Toronto Fashion Week. (UPDATE: Sapphire Siren isn't in the Canadian lineup after all.)

Okay, we agree that blue is tricky for many of us to pull off, despite how wonderful it looked on Delphine with this frothy Stephan Caras frock. 

Less alternative/more wearable are the deep berry, wine and chocolate hues.

Midnight Merlot is gonna be hot this Fall, doncha think?

For one show, Maybelline New York Canada Lead Artist Grace Lee went for wine and chocolate. 

This is a pairing of Chocoholic and Midnight Merlot for a modern, not-quite Goth effect. "We used the Master Strobing Stick to highlight the inner corners of eyes, the bridge of the nose, and the cheekbones to avoid that 'Walking Dead' look," she says.

UPDATE: Sadly, Chocoholic isn't crossing the Canadian border.

I wish I had more swatches for you, but it didn't feel right to swipe the only spare backstage set of lippies on my bare arm before fashion week was over.

The US promotional material for the Maybelline Loaded Bolds promises 20 shades; at the moment I'm not certain which four are bypassing Canada. (UPDATE: Now I know Canada will only have 12 shades; eight are bypassing Canadian drugstores. Pooh! See list at end of post.)

Here are 15 of the 16 Loaded Bolds we are getting: (from back row, left to right) Sapphire Siren, Blackest Berry, *Rebel Pink, *Violet Vixen, *Smoking Red, Nude Thrill, Chocoholic, Greyed Over, *Midnight Merlot, *Pitch Black, *Fiery Fuchsia, *Midnight Blue, *Berry Bossy, Wickedly White, Rebel Pink (again – oops), and Orange Danger.

UPDATE: *Available in Canada. (Four shades not shown; see list at the end of this post.)

Here, more photos:

Obviously I'm a tad obsessed with this range of lipsticks. And I'm not surprised that it's from Maybelline – they kind of rule when it comes to lip colour at the drugstore, don't you think? And have you seen the new Color Jolt Intense Lip Paint shades??

By the way, if you're still wary of vibrant lip shades, you can train yourself to wear bright lipstick in five easy steps – they work!

UPDATE! I now have 19 of the 20 shade names, as well as a revised – and sadly, shorter – list of the shades Canada will have. Only 12, not 16. SAD FACE. The list is below – names* will be available in Canada; names** will be available in Canada, but aren't in my photos so far.

Dynamite Red**
Raging Raisin**
Gone Greige**
Mauve It**
Midnight Blue*
Pitch Black*
Fiery Fuchsia*
Smoking Red*
Berry Bossy*
Midnight Merlot*
Violet Vixen*
Rebel Pink*
Sapphire Siren
Chocoholic
Orange Danger
Nude Thrill
Greyed Over
Wickedly White
Blackest Berry

I'm very sad that Orange Danger and Blackest Berry won't be in Canada. *sniff*

What's your impression of this Loaded Bolds collection? Do you have #grabbyhands for more than one? More than three? More than 14? US friends, do you know what that last mystery shade is?

Backstage Toronto Fashion Week photography by Norman Wong unless watermarked.