YSL Rouge Volupté Shine: Review

I bought this in a Feel Unique haul, which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, because I had heard really good things about the Rouge Volupté Shines, and because the packaging was so irresistible. I bought the colour Fuchsia in excess which, as the name suggests, is beautiful bright fuchsia colour. I wanted a nice colour to take me from summer to autumn, and I think that this does the job perfectly. Rouge Volupté Shines are glossy, moisturising lip sticks (sort of like the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, but also a bit different; more later) which claim to seal in moisture for up to 8 hours, and protect the lips from free radicals. Big talk from YSL right there.

The Packaging

I don't really think I need to say much here. Look how luxurious this is! YSL definitely know how to do their packaging. I particularly love how the band around the middle indicates the colour of the lipstick, which is going to be very handy when I get hold of some more of these! It also feels very heavy and luxurious in the hand, which is great because I think when you pay £24 for a lipstick, you're paying for the full experience.

The Product

As I believe the experience of applying lipstick needs to represent the price tag, I feel it's important to say here that this lipstick smells like peaches. I love it, it's like eating sweets and it makes you beautiful at the same time. Hats off to YSL on this one. The smell is quite strong, so if you don't like peaches, you might not enjoy applying this, although, the taste doesn't linger for hours. The texture of this is also an absolute joy, it has a very similar melty texture to the Chanel Coco Shines, but is slightly more creamy and viscous. This might be because the YSL lipstick is definitely more pigmented. When I say this, I don't mean to say the YSL a better product, because sometimes I prefer a wash of colour to a full on lip. The lasting time of the YSL lipstick is definitely superior to the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine. I'd say that the glossy finish can last up to 4 hours if you don't eat or drink anything. When that dissipates, the stain it leaves will probably last for up to six hours if you're lucky. 

Vis à vis the claims about protecting against free radicals, there are antioxidants in the formula, but they are pretty low down on the ingredients list, I remain dubious about this statement. On the other hand, the formula is packed full of emollients, so I don't doubt that this keeps your lips moisturised.

The Verdict

If you want a pigmented, glossy lipstick, this is the one for you. I really can't find anything wrong with this at all. It's just a gorgeous product, and I feel really posh when I get this out in public. There are plenty of colours available, so you'll be able to get something that's suitable for any occasion.

Artificial lighting. Old, French apartments are very dark....