YSL Glossy Stain in #07 Corail Aquatique

| 7 Comments


When YSL's Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres (I'll call it Glossy Stain for the rest of this post) first launched, I wasn't all that interested.  Firstly because it is a gloss, and secondly to be honest, because the packaging is ugly.


I finally gave in and swatched them a few months after the launch.  I wasn't impressed at first - when I swatched them they looked and felt like they would be quite sticky.  However I liked the colours so I went back to various YSL counters over a few weeks to swatch them again.  Curiosity killed the cat and I finally caved when there was a bonus points event at Debenhams - I picked up Corail Aquatique and Corail Fauve (I couldn't decide on the colour).


The Glossy Stains are housed in what I would call retro 80s inspired packaging - it's like the equivalent of Trump Tower - flashy and ostentatious (in my opinion).  There's a bit too much gold and the logo is just a bit too big.  It's not helped either by the clunky size either.  The clear window, although useful, makes it look like a nail polish bottle.


Now onto what I do like about the product.  Firsty, the flat and angled applicator is excellent - it allows you to apply a very precise line and reaches the corners of your mouth without making a mess.

The sticky feeling I got when I swatched the Glossy Stains at the counter was because I didn't let the product dry down and settle.  After application, at first the products stays sticky for about 30 seconds, and afterwards it is considerably less sticky.


Corail Aquatique looks quite bright and corally peachish here but applies more like a 'your lips but better' pink on my lips.  I did a very scientific test to try out the staining ability of Corail Aquatique - I applied it to only one half of my lips and left the other half bare.  I tissued off the product after an hour and surprisingly found there was a very natural stain.  I wasn't really expecting to anything on my naturally pinkish lips (because I've never noticed it when I've worn Corail Aquatique and the product has worn off).

One very unfortunate thing about these Glossy Stains is the scent - I always feel a bit queasy after I apply it on my lips and can't wait for it to disappear.  It's a very artificial, saccharine sweet rose syrupy sort of smell and taste.


My feelings about Glossy Stains are mixed - love the product but hate the smell/taste and the packaging.  If the scent was less in your face and the packaging revamped, I would probably buy a lot more of them.

7 Comments

  1. Hmmm, comparing this packaging to a Trump Tower is award worthy! I agree that they look like nail polish bottles though - and that doesn't work for me either.

    Thanks for the review. I'm still not sold these - I'm worried the fact that you have to layer this product to get more of a stain worries me - I don't want to spend that much time on my lips!

  2. I remember when you were debating on twitter about this! I like the formula and I don't mind the packaging. I dislike the normal YSL lip product scents, and I felt like this was slightly better... but wearing it for a long period of time might make me queasy too! Do you dislike the other ysl lip scents too?

  3. I personally don't mind the packaging. Although I am not a big fan of this glossy stains too, I still don't mind wearing this :)

  4. I like the packaging and the product, but I was very surprised by the scent (I thought it was raspberry!). I got 4 & 5 and found that 5 stains better. I too bought mine on Debenhams points, it felt rude not to......

  5. Annick - :) You don't need that many layers to get a stain, it's more to do with the colour you choose I think - the brighter/darker colours stain a lot better

    Bronzerbunny - I have a Rouge Volupte from a few years ago...now that you mention it I didn't like that scent either :/ But the glossy stains are x100 worse

    Memoiselle - I think most people don't mind the packaging, I'm just very particular about aesthetics :)

    Imperfectionist - Great minds think alike - I love Debenhams Beauty Club! To think I only discovered it this year :o Like I said above I'm just really picky about makeup packaging

  6. I think your assertations here are pretty spot-on! I picked up this shade a while back, and I love the color and the way it wears, but I'm not a huge fan of the scent (don't hate it, but it's not really my thing) and the packaging leaves something to be desired - it really is quite clunky, isn't it? I'm running off to read your review now on the 'Fauve' shade, as I was torn between the two!

  7. Toyarosie - Exactly, I think the scent and the packaging ruins it for me. Otherwise it would be perfect - although it doesn't seem to bother a lot of people, so maybe we're just really picky? :D

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