High pigmentation and shine? Yes, oh yes. Drying and not that long-lasting? Also unfortunately true.

Thanks to requests from readers, I’m going to do more makeup reviews! In addition to reviewing ingredients, I will also evaluate the following in each product:

• Color.  I will give higher marks to products that match the company-provided swatches!
• Durability.  It has to last!
• Moisturization.  For instance, I won’t use products that contain sulfates on my lips, which are known to irritate the skin (Acto-dermato venearologica, 1996). I prefer products with a slew of hydrators.
• Pigmentation.  A matter of personal preference, I like a medium-pigmented formula that builds easily.  Some prefer sheer, whereas others prefer very pigmented.
• Finish.  I like shiny, others prefer matte.
• Blendability.  I don’t like formulas that don’t blend in easily, but again, this is a choice.
• SPF.  Very few lipsticks and lip glosses contain SPF, but the skin on the lips is some of the thinnest on the face, and one of the fastest places to show signs of collagen loss.  In fact, according to at least one study, lip height is one of the subconscious ways we determine a woman’s age, with a distinctive decrease in lip height with age.

Sephora is wrong!

This very rarely happens, but the Sephora website currently reads that Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Stain is sulfate-free, when in fact, it is not.    It contains sodium lauryl sulfate.  While this is less of a concern when used in conjunction with hydrating  dimethicone and cetyl alcohol, I’m still not a fan of sulfates in Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Stain.

Color/Pigmentation: 5/5

Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Stain comes in an assortment of 18 colors, all of which match the swatches pretty closely (yay!).  It is highly pigmented – only one layer of product is needed, and I don’t recommend applying more than that.

Durability: 4/5

Stains with propylene carbonate, like CoverGirl Outlast, are the most long-lasting lipsticks on the market. Next comes stains, like Yves St. Laurent’s.

Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Stain is not like all-day long-last lipsticks with propylene carbonate.  These products, which include CoverGirl Outlast and Max Factor Lipfinity, last all day through eating, drinking, and, yes, even kissing.  0:-)  On the other hand, Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Stain will need to be reapplied every four hours, more often if your lips are busy!

Moisturization: 2/5

Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Stain is one of the most dry lip products I have used.  To its benefit, it is a stain, and I’ve tried very few lip stains I feel are hydrating (tarte LipSurgence is probably the best in this respect, and I’d still only give it a 3/5 for moisturization).

Texture:  4/5 (Smooth) + Finish: 4/5 (Glossy)

Could I see Jennifer Lopez using this? Absolutely. The shine and high pigmentation are NOT for wallflowers.

This is the kind of lip stain I could imagine bombshells like Sofia Vergara and Jennifer Lopez using – you can’t be afraid of using color or having shine on your lips.  Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Staindefinitely grabs attention, from the ultra-classy packaging to the smooth, shiny finish on your lips.  The only problem is, it can be a bit drying, which takes away from the “smooth shine” we all desire after a few hours.   A better solution:  apply a moisturizing balm underneath.

SPF:  0/5

No SPF here, folks. 

Bottom Line

Yves St Laurent Vernis A Lèvres Glossy Stain is rather drying for the lips, particularly with regular use.  It is highly pigmented and shiny, but surprisingly does not last throughout the day and does not contain SPF.  I personally would not buy it again!

Product Rating:  7/10

Ingredients:  Octyldodecanol, Aqua / Water, Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone, Ethylcellulose, Sorbitan Stearate, Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silica, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Calcium, Sodium Borosilicate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Alumina, Benzyl Benzoate, Anise Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Tin Oxide, Fragrance. May Contain: Ci 77891/ Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Ci 15850/ Red 7, Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 / Iron Oxides, Ci 17200 / Red 33, Ci 15985 / Yellow 6, Caramel, Ci 42090/ Blue 1, Ci 19140/ Yellow 5, Ci 75470/ Carmine.

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