L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain Review & Swatches
L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain, quite an exciting Spring 2013 launch for L’Oreal don’t you think? These have everyone in an absolute uproar at the moment and I can easily understand why considering word on the street is they are a cheaper dupe of YSL Glossy Stains.
I have tried both the L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains now and the YSL Glossy Stains so I feel confident comparing the two products. I even went ahead and hauled out my YSL Glossy Stains and revisited them to make accurate comparisons between the two.
Shall we have a look?
These are available in 12 shades for $7.49 at Harmons. I’m hearing a variety of different prices from reader’s depending where you buy but from what I have heard it seems CVS and Walgreens the price stands at around $10.49-$11. YSL Glossy Stains are 0.20 oz in size and $32 each and L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains are 0.21 oz in size and run anywhere from $7.49 to $12 depending where you buy.
The formula is indeed exactly the same as YSL Glossy Stains. L’Oreal is YSL’s parent company so it isn’t any great surprise the formulas are identical. They even share the same perfume-y fruity taste.
The only major difference between the two formulas is I noticed some of L’Oreal’s shades are a bit sheerer and less opaque than ones from YSL. I think it’ll really depend on the pigment of your lips to determine whether or not a shade will be completely opaque. Out of the eight shades I purchased only four produced opaque coverage where as the others had a very sheer barely there look. My lips are a rosy reddish pink. They aren’t completely pale nor are they super pigmented so some of the sheerer shades were barely visible on my lips. If you have pale lips the lighter shades might work for you. If you have medium or deeply pigmented lips avoid purchasing lighter shades, it’s a waste of money, they won’t show up on you.
The formula can potentially dry lips out when worn over the course of the day. They start out as a watery, hydrating texture but begin to dry out very quickly and get drier as the day progresses. It’s the type of lip product that will make you want to rub your lips together in order to get more moisture to the area. Gloss on top might solve the problem but I wouldn’t recommend balm prior to use as it’ll hinder application and make the stain slip and slide around your mouth unevenly.
Scroll over the image to see the name of the color!
Pink Resistance, Infinite Fuchsia, Eternally Nude, Endless Red�
Coral Tattoo, Everlasting Caramel, Rose On and On, Lilac Ever After
They apply very smoothly and evenly. Darker shades only need a single application for opaque coverage however, lighter ones may require up to five layers to see even the tiniest bit of tint. You’ll notice below I didn’t do lip swatches of a few shades as they really didn’t show up on my lips. They have a brief dry down period to set but once they set they wear quite strong. I can drink through the darker shades and not have an issue with the color fading. I can’t eat through the wear through as they seem to lose a bit of there intensity however, they do leave a stain behind. Color intensity lasts for about three to four hours before it begins to fade. As it fades it leaves behind a nice staining effect.
“Shine Stain” is a confusing title and implies they’ll either have a shiny or glossy finish or act as a stain and a gloss and that simply isn’t the case. The texture is a water-y gel same as YSL’s version. It isn’t glossy or shiny but does have a certain sheen at first application. On dry down the texture begins to go semi-matte. Dry down takes about 20-30 seconds, after that the product is set to go for the next few hours of wear.
As I mentioned above they have the same taste and scent as YSL’s version however, it seems a bit stronger all around here. I don’t personally like it but it’s something you can get used to. Peppermint, some sort of fruit would be pleasant but this strangely perfume-y fruitiness isn’t very pleasant to my mouth. If you’re sensitive take this into consideration prior to purchasing.
Overall, L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains are a great product all around. If you liked YSL’s version it’s a given you’ll like L’Oreal version because the products are identical formulations. The lighter shades will prove disappointing as they lack pigment and won’t work on pigmented lips. The drier texture and wear won’t be loved by all especially those prone to chapped or dry lips however, clear gloss on top might make things a little more bearable.
I didn’t like these at first as they had a strange silicone-like feel I wasn’t in love with. After using them for a few days I’ve finally come around to enjoying them. They have a few quirks which prevents them from getting a full Muse Approval but if you find them in stores I do recommend checking them out. Particularly the darker shades which look wonderful!
Rose On and On
Lilac Ever After
Infinite Fuchsia
Everlasting Caramel
Endless Red
Coral Tattoo
Available now at drugstores.
Tried ’em?
I’d love to hear your thoughts!