YSL Rogue Volupte Lipstick: Nude Beige

Hello, lovely friends!

When last we spoke in the Blogosphere, I shared with you my newfound obsession with YSL lipsticks and particularly my favorite holiday shade, Red Muse. Today, I bring you a review of another favorite but this time, one that falls within the realm of nudes and pinks: 001 Nude Beige. I almost didn’t purchase Nude Beige in favor of Ultimate Beige, which I was certain would be a more flattering nude however I underestimated how light my winter skin really is, even for a Florida girl. Of the two nude Voluptes offered at Sephora, Nude Beige is the most flattering nude Rogue Volupte for an NC25-30 skin tone (although I am also convinced that 002 Sensual Silk will pair well too but that one will require a visit to the YSL counter).

As with Red Muse, the formula for Nude Beige is ultra-luxurious. The product glides on with ease and saturates the lips with the desired color in one swipe. For such a light shade, I was fairly impressed with the fact that it wore well in a 12 hour day, requiring a mere 2 reapplications and not because the color had diminished but rather because my lips needed a little moisture and I hadn’t any lip balm on hand. Nude Beige transfers less while eating and drinking than the more heavily pigmented RogueVoluptes like Red Muse and Forbidden Burgundy but it does maintain the lips in that desirable nudey-pink state all day. 

I do however find that this shade in particular accentuates fine lines and creases in the lips far more than the other colors, likely because it is so much paler. That’s a problem I find with many of these light nudes and pinks when formulated into that sought-after, non-drying, not-your-grandma’s-lipstick such as the Too Faced La Crème, Revlon Lip Butters, and Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks. To minimize or eliminate this problem, pamper your lips. Exfoliate and lay down a nice even base (I recommend Too Faced Lip Insurance) before applying. It makes a difference not just with these types of lip products but even the most drying, retro-mattes you can think of!

A quick snapshot of the complete look with Nude Beige before heading out to a Sunday Indian Brunch with the hubby and friends.  On the rest of my face I'm wearing YSL Teint Resist in shade #4 (sand),  Naked 2 for the eyes, NYC bronzer in Sunny, and my Cargo Blush in Key Largo applied with a very, very light hand.

Pros:

• Beautiful packaging, that usual unmatched luxury we come to expect of Yves Saint Laurent
• Non-drying
• Long-wearing
• Pigmented.
• Ease of application.
• Beautiful and very wearable color for light to light-medium complexioned persons. 

Cons:

• Steep price point, even for a prestige brand lipstick.
• Formula tends to settle in fine lines and creases.
• That awful artificial perfumed cucumber scent (this might not be a con for everyone. I personally can't stand the particular scent of YSL lip products).

Bottom Line:

If you can overlook that hefty price tag, this product will no doubt become a cherished addition to your lipstick collection.

Hope you all are enjoying the holiday season! 

Daily Tidbits:

• We went out to Indian Brunch at Copper Chimney in Sunny Isles about a week ago. I can't recall the names of any of the dishes. All I know is that everything was delicious. Highly recommend their Sunday brunch to all you adventurous foodistas out there.  
• I baked a low-sugar, vegan pumpkin pie last night and it's almost half-way gone!
• I unexpectedly achieved VIB Rouge status today at Sephora with the purchase of my Hourglass Immaculate Foundation. Oh well, there are worse addictions.
• It is approximate 12:30 am right now and I just finished packing for our trip to Portugal. Why do I leave things for the last minute?
• Going to Portugal tomorrow! 

YSL Rogue Volupte Lipstick: Red Muse

Hello, friends!

As Cyber Week comes to a close, I've awakened a very dangerous narrow addiction within the scope of a much broader addiction (cosmetics). Having heard a lot of hype about Yves Saint Laurent cosmetics, particularly the lip products, I decided I needed to see for myself what it was all about. I had serious doubts, admittedly, as spending over $30.00 on one lipstick is not something I've ever done. A little over $20.00 is usually as high as I'll go (think Too Faced La Creme and UD Revolution) but what with the holiday Family and Friends discount on YSL's website two weeks ago, I couldn't resist picking up 3 entirely different shades of the Rogue Volupte lipsticks -- the perfect little sampler for a YSL n00b. Stepping out of my economic comfort zone for these products may be the best and worst thing I've ever done...

Yesterday, my husband and I were scheduled to have our holiday pictures taken at Matheson Hammock Park, an enchanting little woodsy place tucked away off of Old Cutler Road in Coral Gables. I, of course, am my own makeup artist and elected to put my Rogue Volupte in Red Muse to the test for a traditional, bold red holiday lip. One swipe of this creamy, luscious formula was sufficient to saturate my lips in vivid red. The formula imparts a lovely sheen for the effect of voluptuous, youthful lips, eliminating the need for a gloss. As the wear time reaches about 3 hours, the color does mattify slightly (but not at the expense of dry lips) and lose some of its original vibrancy; nothing a little touch-up can't rectify. And don't you just want to show off that luxe, show-stopping tube in public anyway? As this is such a wet, hydrating formula, do expect the color to transfer when you eat or drink. Lasting power is still excellent considering that it has so much slip.

Did Red Muse pass the test? Absolutely. I was able to keep my lips red for 12 hours, only having to re-apply twice.

Bottom Line

Pros: 

• Packaging embodies an unmatched sense of glamour and luxury.
• Quality matches the level of effort and detail invested in the packaging.
• The formula is hydrating, youthful, and extremely pigmented without sacrificing at least average lasting power. 
• Red Muse is an all-around flattering shade for many skin tones. 

Cons:

• At $34.00 per lipstick, this is, unquestionably, a splurge and a luxury for the average cosmetics consumer. 
• The description for this particular shade, according to Sephora and the YSL website which describe Red Muse as "a bright orange-red," is inaccurate. The color is a true red with a perfect blue balance. On warmer skin tones, it may appear/photograph warmer than it is.
• The lipstick has a scent approximating perfumed cucumbers. For some it might not be a turn-off, but that's just my two cents.

I will be reviewing my other two Rogue Voluptes next. More to come!

Daily Tidbits:

• I'm going out for Indian brunch this morning. 
• I had the honor of doing my best friend's makeup for her engagement pictures a few weeks ago. It was my first time applying makeup to a face other than my own!
• Our Nespresso machine has been acting up and it is such a nuisance. It's never satisfied no matter how much we descale. Such temperamental coffee makers!
• In less than 2 weeks I will be overseas in Portugal! Going to spend Christmas or "Natal" with the Portuguese side of my family this year. :)

On my way to the holiday photo shoot.