Maybelline Superstay 10h Tint Gloss #540 Endless Ruby.

because i was too shy to wear it, right after buying the Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain #1 Violet Edition i went to the drugstore and got this Maybelline Superstay 10h Tint Gloss in #540 Endless Ruby as a transition colour to get used to the bold lip.
i also thought the two products were similar, so i wanted to try this cheaper alternative and compare them.

the Maybelline gloss comes in a bulgy tube, the packaging is really tasteless. the wide oval applicator is flexible and applies relatively precise, i don't find it as precise as the YSL Glossy Stain, but i also didn't need a lip brush to apply. with 10.5ml i think there is quite a lot content, i don't remember the exact price but it must have been something around 7-8€.

1 layer & 2 layers

Endless Ruby is a rich ruby red. the texture is gel-like, thinner and more watery than i expected, this is more a very pigmented tint and less of a gloss.
it has a strong artificial fruity scent of grapes, think grape candy. it applies evenly, a second layer can be added after the first is dried to intensify the colour and add a tiny bit of shine. the overall finish is not too shiny, maybe only like a creamy lipstick. the lip colour dries slightly sticky but not uncomfortably. my lips don't chap wearing this although there is no balmy phase to it like the Glossy Stains. wearing time is remarkable for a lightweight lip product like this, i had to retouch after about 4 hours to keep the intense colour. it fades down gradually when eating&drinking are involved because there's no glossy layer like in the YSL Vernis à Lèvres to keep the colour from dissolving when it comes in contact with liquids. that's my main complaint with how this stain wears - the colour fades mostly in the center of the lips and since this shade is so dark, i end up with a funny contrasting lip and its upgrade version: the "dark-lipliner-only" pout - if i focus on my beverages and cocktails too much and on my outer appearance too little ;)
all in all a really beautiful bold lip stain from the drugstore. i swatched them all and this might be the best in intensity and colour. it's not so much a dupe for the unique texture of YSL Glossy Stains (very excited to try the new L'Oreal Shine Caresse - these should be the perfect dupes), but one of the acceptable alternatives.
now that i'm uploading i notice that i don't have close up lip swatches. if you want to see them, please let me know so i will do some ;)

tihilw

Le Métier de Beauté Crème Fresh Tint in Tenné.

i want to show you Le Métier de Beauté Crème Fresh Tint in Tenné, one of 5 available shades of these cheek&lips creams. for comparisons and more reviews of them and other Le Métier blushes, check my overview post. these cream blushes come in rubberized plastic screw pots which contain 5g each. they retail for 28$/£24 and are available at usual suspects like Nordstrom, Saks 5th Ave., Bergdorf Goodman, etc. in the US and on zuneta.com for Europe.

the shade Tenné is a caramel brown with strong rose tinge. it looks so boring in the pot but is such a beautiful, natural blush colour on the cheeks so please don't ditch it by the first impression. in this case, i'm quite happy that my skintone plays up the pink in each blush colour, making this a soft nude blush for me. it doesn't contain any shimmer but the creaminess creates a slight dewy sheen. the texture is quite soft compared to other cream blushes (not as soft as Illamasqua, though), but a bit more compact and drier than the other Crème Fresh Tints by LMdB. i apply my creamy cheek products with the Hakuhodo G5552 duo fibre brush, it applies and blends out effortlessly with the fingers, too. although these are so creamy, i don't have any problems with the staying power. on my oily skin, the colour doesn't melt off or become blotchy and starts to fade gradually after about 6-7 hours. this shade applies evenly and looks nice on my lips. it feels a bit dry but is not drying. Tenné looks lighter on my pigmented lips and appears as a beige nude on me, slightly too pale but ok to go with smokey eyes. i don't have similar shades in my cream blush arsenal, so i don't have comparisons for you. if you wish to see comparison swatches with particular powder blushes, please let me know.

Le Métier de Beauté Crème Fresh Tint in Tenné, swatched heavily and blended out

tihilw

bare lips

Tenné on my lips

without & with Tenné on cheeks and lips

Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine.

i bought two of Shu Uemura's Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine lipsticks last fall, Maureen helped me to pick them up during the Black Friday Sale.
the lipsticks come in a clear plastic packaging with silver metallic inner tube so you can see the colour well, they contain 3.4g of product and retail for 30$.
these are glossy lipsticks with medium pigmentation. both shades i chose contain very fine multicolour shimmer that doesn't feel gritty at all. the shimmer isn't too visible in normal daylight, it just adds to the shine, but it's sparkling in the sun. the formula is creamy and soft, it's melting like butter on your lips. the pigmentation of both can be sheer with 1 layer or medium when built up, the result is a very shiny, non-goopy and non-sticky finish. these lippies are free of scent, a relieve for those with a sensitive nose. lasting time is quite short as usual with these shiny lipsticks, i get about 2-3 hours out of them before the shine wears off. but even then, a thin film of balm and shimmer remains for a few more hours, keeping the lips moisturised and looking extremely velvety.

__________PK 340__________

swatched directly from the bullet, 1 swipe and 3 swipes

shade PK 340 is described as soft pink with warm undertone on the official website. it contains gold and pink microshimmer. this is an easy-to-wear happy pink.
i've worn this shade for a girl's night out, when i came home at 3am or so i went to remove my makeup and was shocked by the sexy lip i suddenly saw in the mirror. my pout looked soft and lush thanks to some remaining colour and the shimmer wrapped around my lips to give them a faint balmy shine. this is a true bedroom lip, ladies! even i wanted to kiss them ;D
now, i often wear these lipsticks blotted to get the look right away...

comparison

Calvin Klein 215 Retro - Chanel RC Shine in 57 Aventure - Shu Uemura PK 340 - Dior Addict in 564 Model

Calvin Klein 215 Retro - Chanel RC Shine in 57 Aventure - Shu Uemura PK 340 - Dior Addict in 564 Model

tihilw

bare lips

2 layers

blotted

 

__________BG 395__________

swatched directly from the bullet, 1 swipe and 3 swipes

BG 395 is described as beigey pink with cool undertone on the website, it contains mainly pink and champagne microshimmer. it's a flattering beige-rose on me, i can't do paler "nudes".

comparison

Calvin Klein in 201 Luxe - SUQQU Creamy Glow in 06 Umegasumi - Shu Uemura BG 935 - Chanel RC Shine in 54 Boy

Calvin Klein in 201 Luxe - SUQQU Creamy Glow in 06 Umegasumi - Shu Uemura BG 935 - Chanel RC Shine in 54 Boy

tihilw

bare lips

2 layers

blotted

YSL Vernis à Lèvres / Glossy Stain #1 Violet Edition.

the Yves Saint Laurent Vernis à Lèvres or better known as Glossy Stain in #1 Violet Edition (6ml/~30€) is my latest conquest of these. i've already shown you #8 Orange de Chine and #15 Rose Vinyl some time ago and still have a few on my "to-do"-list.
since early this year i wanted to sport a really really dark vampy lip, but never found the right tone or formula for me. so when YSL came out with their shiny lip stains, my hopes were up to find a suitably dark colour that would actually be effortless to wear due to its long-lasting quality.

the day i graduated from med school (June 5th ;D) i single-mindedly headed out to the counter to get my statement lip. it's really funny and childish now that i think back, but that day i felt like i would make my point and everybody shall see it from 1 mile afar hahaha. like chopping your hair off after a break-up - and, in some way, it felt to me like i would end a long relationship at that moment. and i felt free and mature and proud of myself and as a matter of fact brave enough to display a lip as dark as a black hole. but not black.

2 layers - remaining stain

i picked up #1 Violet Edition after a quick hand-swatch and carried it home with a big smug grin. i was dedicated to wear this colour out as soon as possible. well, many occasions later and it still hasn't seen the light of day or heard the beats of the night. and my smirk has quickly faded also.
it's a vibrant fuchsia pink stain with a dark aubergine purple gloss and that's the problem - it just doesn't work. as you can see from my lip swatches below, it appears very patchy and settles into my lip lines, making them look quite creepy.  even the stain left behind is uneven. i tried my best application-wise, tried to layer thinly and thick, tried exfoliating and hydrating, tried blotting and then applying, but nothing helped. still a patchy result. i refrain from using any base underneath as i believe a stain can only last its best when applied directly on bare skin.

to analyze the problem: 1. the stain is too light for a result this dark. 2. the gloss is dark, but too sheer. 3. the gloss isn't self-levelling and lets the lighter stain peek through unevenly. 4. the dark gloss settles in the lip lines. 5. the super reflective quality of the gloss makes the result seem even more patchy.

i do really love the intensity and the tone (it's darker than in the top pic & first comparison photo, those are overexposed), but i'm so irritated because of the overall result. looking at it from 1-2m away it seems fine, but if i look closer, i feel bothered.
i couldn't even test the staying power, but the stain is pretty strong.
i want to wear this colour so much, i think it would look phenomenal on fair skin. it would be such a great A/W shade as well.

but you tell me now: is it tolerable? what could i do to improve it?

i only held on to it since it has a meaning to me and i haven't given up yet. bummer! i didn't plan to be disappointed by any of the Glossy Stains!

oh yeah, don't forget to check Drivel about Frivol for her "perfect vamp". i slightly like the idea of vamp shade in classic lipstick, but i'm too clumsy to keep it neat for long and too lazy to reapply...

tihilw

girly - vampy

and lastly the obligatory Kristen Stewart face for a lip this dark.