Everyone has their makeup weaknesses. Some girls go gaga for mascara, others are obsessed with foundation, and yet even others go crazy for eye shadows. For me? It's lipsticks and lip stains! Last year when YSL's Glossy Stains came out, they literally rocked the makeup world. Opaque as a lipstick, with the finish of a gloss, and the staining power of a lip stain, glossy stains were everything they advertised and more. I, too, fell under their spell, but I always had a bit of a hard time choking out $36 dollars for .2 oz of product. So when the blogosphere blew up again, this time for L'oreal's Colour Caress Wet Shine Stain (Whew! What a mouthful...), I had to see what the hullabaloo was about.
YSL Glossy Stain
I have three of YSL's Glossy Stains (from Left to Right): Rose Pastelle, Rose Vinyl, and Corail Aquatique. I'm very happy with all of them, save for Rose Pastelle, but I'll get into that in a little bit. This is going to sound overly dramatic, but YSL's Glossy Stains led the charge in a new trend of lipstick technology opaque, liquid lipsticks and their unique formula remained my first choice and I would always shell out for YSL's quality and color. I tried to find a cheaper dupe, but they never really stood up in terms of quality or color range.
The "spade" like applicator evenly applies and distributes the thick formula very well. However, out of all the luxury brands that I've been compelled to dabble, I've found YSL's packaging on their glossy stains and lip glosses to be "cheap." It's light and plastic-y, compared to the hefty metals of Guerlain or even YSL's own Rouge Volupte Lipsticks.
My statements here reflect the Glossy Stain range as a whole, so I'll save you the repetition and I'll just leave my thoughts here. YSL Glossy Stains are amazing.Their color range is expansive and they're incredibly moisturizing. I've heard that some people have complained about the "feel" of the the product on the lips, as it feels a bit like a thin layer of vinyl on the lips, but I think that the sensation is something akin to wearing false eyelashes: even though it feels a bit weird putting them on, you'll get used to them over time and eventually forget all about them. The YSL Glossy Stains' lasting power, on most colors, is amazing and I really do feel that they stand up to the claims that YSL advertises.
The only qualms I have with the Glossy Stains are the packaging and the smell. The bulky packaging makes it difficult to slip it into a small clutch or purse and the plastic lends itself to be a little cheap. Although the smell doesn't bother me, it smells a bit like chemicals, I've seen many complaints about the off putting smell. My third problem is this:
The only qualms I have with the Glossy Stains are the packaging and the smell. The bulky packaging makes it difficult to slip it into a small clutch or purse and the plastic lends itself to be a little cheap. Although the smell doesn't bother me, it smells a bit like chemicals, I've seen many complaints about the off putting smell. My third problem is this:
Leaking. Unfortunately, only my favourite color, Rose Vinyl, leaks. I think for a luxury lip gloss this is a huge, huge faux pas. First of all, you're only given .2 oz of product and half of it leaks out and picks up small particles in your purse. I was dumb and didn't take advantage of Sephora's return policy, but if anyone gets a dud package like this, I strongly, strongly advise you to return it or exchange.
The first color that I bought was number 15, Rose Vinyl, and it is da bomb. It's a beautiful fuchsia, with very subtle shimmer, and a fantastic color on any skin tone. As I've said before, I've always had a problem with pinks and my skin tone. If I go too bright or too pale, pinks always have a tendency to make me look like a hooker. Hahaha. However, this is not so for Rose Vinyl! It's a bright color that actually reads modern, modest, and chic.
The second color that I bought was number 7, Corail Aquatique. For a Coral color I feel that it leans more on the "red, orange" side of the color spectrum. With its subtle gold shimmer, I would say that Corail Aquatique almost even reads a bit "adobe." I really enjoy wearing this coral out, as it doesn't clash too badly with the yellow tones in my skin. It's subtle and completes any summer/spring look.
The third color I bought, since I had such a good reaction to the first two, was number 18: Rose Pastelle. This is the color that's actually my least favorite, not for the beautiful pale, baby pink color itself, but simply because it doesn't apply opaquely. You get these odd patches of opaque color, usually focused around your outer lips, and the light color and formula seem to sink into cracks on your lips super easily. Honestly, the photo speaks for itself. *cough cough* Jizz lip.
The third color I bought, since I had such a good reaction to the first two, was number 18: Rose Pastelle. This is the color that's actually my least favorite, not for the beautiful pale, baby pink color itself, but simply because it doesn't apply opaquely. You get these odd patches of opaque color, usually focused around your outer lips, and the light color and formula seem to sink into cracks on your lips super easily. Honestly, the photo speaks for itself. *cough cough* Jizz lip.
L'Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain
Honestly, when I heard about the L'oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain, I was really excited. I think the rest of the world was excited as well! When you google "YSL Glossy Stain Dupe" the first page is absolutely filled with blog posts, youtube videos, and webpages dedicated to comparing the two. They're right! L'oreal's Colour Caresse Shine Stain is the best dupe there is on the market.
I purchased 184, Rose On and On, and 187, Infinite Fuschia, and love them both. Although L'Oreal's packaging is more reminiscent of Lancome's La Lique Fever Lipgloss, the quality of the product inside is more similar to YSL's Glossy Stain. However, the small difference in YSL's Glossy Stain and L'Oreal's Colour Caresse Shine Stain is a matter of opacity. Although the Shine Stain's color is buildable, it's more like a "watercolor" compared with the Glossy Stain "oil paint" where you can usually get an opaque wash of color in one swipe. As for the overall aesthetic, the packaging is small, compact, and cute.
The applicator is very similar to the YSL applicator, but the only difference is that it has a small "divot" in the center. I really dislike this small detail, simply because I feel like product gets lodged in there and you don't get quite as even an application as you would get with the YSL Glossy Stain. However, that's a small detail that can easily be overlooked.
The first color, Rose On and On, is beautiful. Ever since I've purchased it, I've been wearing it on the daily. It's a beautiful light pink that gives your lips a flushed healthy glow. It really is a a color that can easily go with everything. Honestly, whenever I put this on I feel like a model. It gives your lips a very youthful shiny, glow!
The second color, Infinite Fuchsia, is true to its namesake and is a very, very bright Fuschia. I find that it's a shade too intense for me when applied directly, but I do enjoy dotting it on my lower lip and blending it out with my finger. It's a very bright color, and very luscious, especially with the inherent shine that it promises.
I hope you guys enjoyed this post!
Rose On and On looks beautiful on you! I will keep my eye out for that one. I really liked Corail Aquatique too, but you are right about the price being a bit high. Maybe there will be a good coral in the L'Oreal line too.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Thank you! Glossy stains are really addictive...and costly. I'm so pleased with L'oreal's Dupe!
ReplyDeletethanks for this! i came across your post here as i was googling about the 2 formulas. i really want to try out these gloss/stain hybrids and think i'll go for loreal first to save on the cost :)
ReplyDeleterachel
www.blushandbrunch.com
Wow Infinite Fuchsia is such a beautiful color. Thank you for your helpful post ;)
ReplyDeleteBisous,
http://rouge-gossip.blogspot.ae