I don’t know about you but I don’t feel like myself if I don’t have some kind of beauty product on my lips, almost like I’m naked. So it only makes sense for me to review one of my favourite, holy grail even lip products. I bring you YSL Glossy Stains or if you wanna be all fancy Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE PUR COUTURE Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain.
YSL Glossy Stainsfrom left to right:17 Encre Rose, 13 Rose Tempura
The packaging is true to YSL form. Luxurious, gorgeous and classy. AKA it makes you feel like a million bucks when you use it and you feel like you’re an “it” girl. The clear rectangle on the product allows me to easily see what shade I am using and how much I have got left.
YSL claims these offer “a lightweight texture, which immediately melts onto lips” and that they deliver “intense glossy color for an extremely long-lasting shine” can I stand by those claims? Oh yes I can.
The formula is everything you want in a lip product and it is a perfect hybrid of a gloss, stain and lipstick. Just the right amount of gloss so your lips don’t look dry, just the right amount of stain so that it lasts all day and the perfect amount of lipstick so that the colour looks rich and luxurious. The formula isn’t sticky or drying which means ultra comfortable wear.
YSL Glossy Stain lip swatches from left to right: 17 Encre Rose (a cool toned, baby pink) and 13 Rose Tempura (the most beautiful and unique shade ever, falls somewhere in-between a red, coral and pink)
In terms of application these apply evenly…well sort of. The brighter, bolder shades apply beautifully, no uneven patches of colour, no clinging onto dry patches and no fault of any kind. The lighter, more natural shades however seem to apply quite unevenly which is a let down. Shade number 17 (Encre Rose) is a baby pink which I’d been wanting to try for ages but the application is no where near as great as 13 Rose Tempura.
To some people the shade range might look a little odd, not your typical lip colours but to me that is a good thing. The shades are unique which means some of them flatter you like no other and if you are a beauty addict like me it means you won’t have too many similar colours in your collection. I’ve noticed that every country has a different number of shades some of which are limited edition so lets just go with saying there is a decent selection of colours.
YSL Glossy Stain swatchesfrom left to right:17 Encre Rose, 13 Rose Tempura
In terms of pigmentation, again it is sort of a hit and a miss like the application. The bolder shades seem to have gorgeous, intense pigmentation in just one coat. The lighter, more natural shades are quite sheer and usually require around 4 applications until you get a good amount of colour pay off which to me is a lot of effort for one lip product.
The staying power is fantastic and to be perfectly honest I’ve never found a lip product which feels so comfortable on the lips yet still has great staying power. The glossy finish eventually starts to wear down after a few hours but you are left with a gorgeous stain so the colour is still visible. Great for the low maintenance girl who still wants a beautiful lip.
These didn’t dry out or irritate my dry and sensitive lips (which is a common occurrence unfortunately) I do however like to use a lip balm before application of these because I don’t apply anything else onto my lips when I’m wearing these for the day.
YSL Glossy Stain applicator, 13 Rose Tempura
The applicator to me is the tip of the iceberg, it just makes this product all that more great. It is a doe foot applicator (which I usually hate) but these have these small little soft bristles which means the product glides on with absolute ease (no tugging or dragging here!) plus the slanted applicator means a perfect application every-time.
As for the scent I can’t quite put my finger on it but it is basically identical to the LO’real Color Caresse Wet Shine Stains (which by the way are totally not a dupe for these) except a touch stronger. It’s almost like an expensive wine scent that makes you feel like you’re attending a black-tie dinner party.
The verdict: BUY THEM ALL except the paler, natural shades of course!
These retail for $50 in Australia at YSL counters in select pharmacies, David Jones and Myer stores. $34 in America at Sephora and YSL counters. £23.50 in England at Boots and YSL counters. As you can see these don’t come cheap but in my opinion they are worth it and I have found myself wearing shade 13 for seven days in a row!
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*This post contains a product/sample which was sent to me for editorial consideration in accordance with my disclosure policy. This does not alter the honesty of this review or this blog, all opinions stated are honest and my own.I purchased shade 13 Rose Tempura and was sent shade 17 Encre Rose for review.