Review: YSL Glossy Stains

There's been quite a bit of a buzz about YSL's new formula of liquidlipstick-lipgloss-stain lip product. Even Lisa Eldridge is swooning.

Deservedly so.

YSL has produced one amazing formula. The Glossy Stain applies like a cross between a liquid lipstick and a gloss, with the shine and slight stickiness --it's not excessively sticky though!-- that can be found with a gloss as well as the opacity of a lipstick. And then, just as you thought it's run out of tricks in its bag, you eat and drink, and blot, only to realise the colour remains as a stain.

This makes it quite a versatile product. One layer, and you have something semi-sheer and delicate, add a second layer and it becomes opaque and strong. Or you can even blot most of the colour off, leaving a pretty and more muted stain behind.

The applicator is quite unusual in that it's bent. It applies quite well with the doe foot applicator but I'm a lip brush girl. I use a whole bunch of lip brushes every week and find it quite easy smearing product on my hand and applying from there on with a brush. However, I'd say to keep a wipe on hand, because once you're done applying -- even if it only took you two minutes -- your hand is going to be stained.

It's that powerful.

The one thing I don't like about the selection YSL has put out is... the colours. I find that there just isn't enough range for me, with too many colours leaning towards the strong dark side. I would really like to see more delicate colours that don't aren't too pale -- as the ones in this lineup tend to be for me.

Reviewed here is no. 5, a raspberry-like shade.

I'm not one for very dark colours but I love two layers of this followed by a shimmery gloss to tune it down somewhat. The colour on the left is one layer, which provides a lovely healthy rosiness to lips while the second is the amount of product you get with a hard swipe on the hand. I usually find it enough for two layers on my lips --it also shows you what colour you get with two or more layers.

I also purchased numbers 4 and 6 and will review those at some point. I'm currently tempted to get no. 3.

Check out Rae's very helpful swatches here and here.

You can find this at most counters at large department stores like Debenhams, John Lewis, Harrods, for £22.50 for 6ml.