YSL Glossy Stain (Review and Swatches)

YSL Rouge Put Couture Glossy Stain, £22.50 | House of Fraser, Selfridges, Harrods, Debenhams, Boots

About 8 months ago I bought my first YSL lipstick (review here) and I knew there was no turning back from that point on. Despite being put off by the brand’s hefty price tags, the quality and presentation of YSL products are pretty much as good as it gets. So last month, on my way back from Brazil, I made two more YSL purchases: Touche Eclat (review here) and another lipstick (review to come!). But the shopaholic inside me had to go and buy some more, and last week I spotted the super hyped Glossy Stains… I couldn’t resist!

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain is a lip stain with the texture and shine of a lipgloss. The collection comprises of 19 shades ranging from nudes, corals and pinks to reds, mauves and violets. Texture-wise, it’s sticky and moisturising and super hydrating on dry lips. I suffer from really dry and chapped lips, and this product completely camouflaged any dry patches I had.

I chose shade #15 Rose Vinyl, a bright rose pink colour on the swatch, but when blended the colour is softened to subtle rose shade which is much more appealing to my taste. With one coat on the lips, the first thing I noticed was that after a few seconds the gloss sets into the lips like a proper stain, leaving an awful acetone-like strong smell and feeling. Having said that, the smell does go away, and with a second coat the stain revealed a sticky, glossy finish that stays put on the lips. Granted, this product won’t last you an entire day, but it does last a good few hours without loosing the shiny texture, which I thought was pretty impressive.

To me, the selling point of the Glossy Stain is the shiny effect that lasts a lot more than any other lip gloss I’ve owned. Does it justify the price tag? I’m not sure, but I have reached for it almost every day since I bought it, and it sure makes me feel special and pampered in a way only YSL knows how to do. For now, I won’t go crazy buying shade after shade, but maybe in the future when I have lots of money to spare.

Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Rouge Put Couture Glossy Stain is available NOW from House of Fraser, Selfridges, Harrods, Debenhams and Boots, priced at £22.50 (but Harrods charges an extra 50p, just because they can!).

Au revoir!

Ysis