Modernity meets classical with Yves Saint Laurent (YSL). Founded in 1961 by French Algerian-born Yves Henri Donat Mathieu- Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, this 58-year old French fashion house is best known for creating the first women’s tuxedo; a garment set that went on to display the powerfulness and freedom associated with of a good pair of pants. In retrospect, the design was most likely a call to the cultural change that took place during the creator’s childhood- a time when the style was becoming increasingly common on women. The brand may not be quite as old as some of its counterparts but still managed to make a name for itself with its mature haute couture take on prêt-à-poter pieces.
From clothes and shoes to purses, jewelry and makeup, YSL’s original values of comfort and functionality remain in all it produces today. So if you’ve been wandering around any lux fashion avenues or simply strolling past the makeup counter, you have probably caught your eyes wandering towards that interesting intersecting logo. To help ease your curiosity, here are my own personal thoughts on two of the high-end items: The YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-in-Stick ($40) and the Volputé Tint-in-Balm ($30).
Packaging: The first thing anyone probably notices about this product is its packaging. The 7 ½ inch golden bullet sports a very glitzy-looking wrap around YSL monogram in a contrasting metallic. The tube is a flat-topped cylinder that has a notch under the cap to ensure the lid stays on and you never have to experience a lipstick stain anywhere except your lover’s neck. A necessary perk, considering these little items have a price point of up to $40 USD, so they better be sturdy.
YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-in-Stick
Color: This particular collection features 50 colors in total across neutral/mauve, red/coral and pink/plum color ranges. I feel that this great deal of options makes this line fairly inclusive to all skin tones. I personally have this item in the shade 12- Corail Dolman, a “bright Cajun coral” that comes off as pinkish red-orange. As a medium brown girl, I have never been able to wear coral because it usually clashes against my skin tone, but I purchased this product because it was the ONLY coral I have found that seemed to look fresh and warm-weather ready without being too dramatic. This particular color leans a bit more reddish pink than orange when applied. I have swatched the other colors on my hand before and they all seemed to have the same concentration of beautiful pigments.
Side note: I believe the name of this lipstick was changed. The original name was ‘Corail Incandescent’, and some online sources may still display this.
YSL Volupté Tint-in-Balm
Color: This collection features a smaller shade range with only 12 color options, however, each stick features a different colored center that blends together with the primary color upon application for a perfectly natural tint. I have the first color in the collection, Dream Me Nude, a neutral mauve that is the perfect nude for me.
Texture/Application: First and foremost, I want to say that these lip products are not lipsticks. They are oil-based lip conditioners and because of this, all have a very sheer and buildable; but unfortunately short-lived, color pay off. However, these lip products are smoooooooooth. Along with the wide range of color options, this is probably the most defining characteristic about them as a whole. I find myself sometimes applying these absent-mindedly just because of how soft they make my lips feel. I do wish that the tint lasted a bit longer because of the price but I must admit that they are very comfortable and seem to stick to the brand’s value of being both elegant and ready-to-wear. The high-shine is perfect for those perfectly dewy natural glass skin type of makeup looks but don’t expect it to hold up against any passionate kisses or glasses of wine.
Scent: Unfortunately, I have to give this category the lowest of all the ratings. I say that it is unfortunate because when I first purchased these products, I thought it was one of the best characteristics! Upon being opened, these lip tints smell delectable. They give off a pleasing fruity tropical scent that was to die for (the scent is supposed to be pomegranate, according to the YSL website.) Sounds yummy, right? Well, it was for about a month. After the first month of owning these two products, they began to give off that weird chemical smell that is present in many cheap cosmetics. It was strong enough to deter me from wearing them in very hot weather as the heat only amplified the scent. While I am still able to wear these if I will be in an air-conditioned room or outside of the direct sun, please keep this tidbit in mind if you are sensitive to smells.
Final opinion: Overall, I am pretty conflicted about these lip tints. On one hand, they have more great qualities than bad ones, but on the other hand, the scent and fleeting color payoff are enough to make me think twice about if I would purchase another one. I believe that if I were to buy another, I would stick to the nude-colored YSL Volupté Tint-in-Balm because I find the sheerness of a more natural color to be more appropriate for multiple occasions.
Overall score: 4.00
