April 3, 2013

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge Review & Swatches

PR Sample
This was provided to me by a brand for review but all opinions expressed are my own

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge 5

I’m feeling like I’m committing makeup suicide when I admit to not liking Shiseido Lacquer Rouge. I mean there isn’t anything Shiseido makes that I don’t like so there must be something wrong me if I don’t like Shiseido Lacquer Rouge right?

Maybe I have a fever?

Maybe I’m sick?

Is it me? Or does everyone feel this way?

As a long time fan and supporter of all things Shiseido I was a little shocked when I recently tried out their Lacquer Rouge for the first time. I expected a pigmented, yet lightweight full color cream rouge of some sort. I mean it’s Shiseido right? It’s safe to assume that they are going to make it pigmented, that it’ll be light and comfortable to wear, and it’ll probably have awesome moisturizing properties…all safe assumptions.

But for me Lacquer Rouge isn’t really all that I thought it would be. They market it as a rich liquid lipstick that leaves lips smooth as lacquer….

I expected shine, tons of color, and something that felt moisturizing. Mostly what I got was fairly good pigment but a really dry formula. There’s no shine here, application feels kinda like I’m tugging to get this into place, and it has an odd almost rubbery texture on my lips.

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge Swatches

Did Shiseido really create this? Can’t be.

The wear time is excellent as it’ll wear fresh for good five hours however, the formula isn’t terribly forgiving and seems to accentuate even the smallest little line in your lips so it virtually adds ages to your mouth. I mean I don’t have a finely lined lip area but this just takes any little cranny in my mouth and zooms in on it. And boy, don’t apply it on dry lips because it looks very patchy so I do suggest exfoliating prior and making sure any and all flaky areas are removed.

The plus side is the wear and the pigment. The shade I tried PK310 does offer opaque coverage so pigmentation is good.

I love you Shiseido. However, I’m so sorry to say I don’t like your Lacquer Rouge. Even a long wear and pigmented color doesn’t make me a believer in such a hard to apply uncomfortable to wear lipstick.

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge FOTD
No likes.

Tried it?

Would love to hear your experience.

Perhaps it’s just this color and I need to try another shade!

PR Sample
This was provided to me by a brand for review but all opinions expressed are my own

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • The Beauty Alchemist

    Wow, such a different experience from me. I love these . I Find the pigment payoff huge and not that dry. They do dry down some on me but nothing what you seem to feel. It feels good on my lips and wears so long. I did have some coverage issues on the inside ara of lip but that was it. Here’s my post (but no pics of it on my lips ) –

    http://www.beautyalchemist.com/2012/10/shiseido-lacquer-rouge.html

    • the Muse

      hey you! sorry delayed reply 😀 I think it might be the shade I tried! for some reason it felt awful on my lips! gonna try another one! crossing fingers it works! PS disliked the Bells of St John :-/ not that great an eppy and you’re right he’s way too smitten with her!

    • Ruthless

      Yeah I loved them, agree. No problems with drying at all and like the finish. Didn’t dry matte on me at all, more satin?

  • TK

    That’s funny! Usually I tend to agree with your opinion muse, but this time I can’t. I got the lacquer rouge in Nocturne (the deep red) and I absolutely love it! It was super glossy for me and wears really long! Maybe it’s the particular color? I’m not sure but I’m someone who has fairly dry lips (they peel like crazy…) and the lacquer rouge seemed moisturizing to me. Oh well. Win some lose some. Although on another related topic I recently got the shiseido luminizing eye trio palette in beach grass. The color combination was unusual to me but it works somehow! Although the gold color has the most payoff it is still a favorite of mine. Definitely my go to palette for spring/summer!

  • Michelle Teixeira

    It is funny to me that you dislike this because I love it. However, you have the newest color so maybe it has been altered from the original.I have RD203 also called Portrait. I absolutely despise Hourglass Opaque Rouge. It is drying, and peels on the lips. Also, it doesn’t last and ages my lips.

    • the Muse

      i feel like I might have gotten a fluke with this shade def have to retry michelle. I do however, love the opaque rouge…they are pretty matte (don’t like mattes) but for some reason I really loved them! but I can def see why you felt they were dry, honestly, all mattes feel REALLY dry 🙂 so hard to find a good matte lippie formula!

  • Kathleen

    I got the sample size of the classic red from sephora, and felt it was too glossy and watery to wear without checking a mirror every 30 seconds. I didn’t like it either so you’re not alone!

  • Nat

    Muse, your colouring looks AWESOME with that shirt! You should wear red more often! 😀

  • Rachel

    It’s too bad it’s not a good product, this color looks really nice on you.

  • Fuu

    I’m a Shiseido make-up lover too and did not like this Laquer Rouge. I thought it was just be as I am not a lip gloss person (I have BareMinerals cupcake lip gloss..that is it). The Perfect Rouge is still amazing.

  • Tegan

    I actually did a review on this one a few months ago, but I really loved it. I bought ‘Drama’ which is quite a dark, vibrant red and it takes ages for it to dry out on my lips 🙂

    • the Muse

      tegan, I feel like maybe the shade was a fluke! need to dry another one 🙂

  • IM

    These came out around the time I gave up on ever finding a lip product that I could pull off. It was either that colors didn’t look good on my dark lips or the product would dry my lips out horridly. I’m one that always has chapped/discolored/cracked lips and I LOVE the lacquer rouge line! I suggest maybe applying a little more product and not having the brush feel like it’s pulling at the lip (if that makes sense?) because, when applied too sheer, I find the same problems as your review. I’m one that either likes a ton of color or none at all, mainly because of my horrible lip discoloration, but I know that not everyone will love having a ton of this stuff on their lips. It’s moisturizing for me, and I have lips that will only be rid of chapping if I use Chanel’s lip cream. The formula is nice and thick, and I love the finish because it’s not as dewy as a gloss, but still has a nice shine without feeling too heavy like a lipstick. I use this on days when I don’t want to risk my chapped lips appearing obviously chapped. This product changed my life, along with Dior Addict lipsticks, and I know that this is one of my HGs for sure. I’m sad that you don’t agree, but I know that this product isn’t for everyone. But I’m glad that you love Shiseido in general–I do, too 🙂 (P.S. I’m new to your blog and LOVING it! I spent almost an entire day going through your old posts!)

    • IM

      Oh, for reference I’m NC30 and own shades RD702 (nearly a nude for me) and RD305 (a nice pink for my skin tone) 🙂

  • blueraccoon

    Oh, boo, I’m sorry you don’t like this. I personally love it–I have two shades, one a rich dark red and one a more nude. The red’s more dramatic than I usually wear but it looks SO good on me I couldn’t pass it up. I didn’t find it patchy or dry, although it’s not as hydrating as I usually like my lip products, and it does wear a long time. I thought it was pretty comfortable, honestly. I don’t wear the formula often but I wouldn’t avoid it.

    • the Muse

      I think it might be the shade blue! seems a fluke 😀 must try another one lol!

      • blueraccoon

        I hope you like a different shade! I have Nocturne (RD607) which is this amazing dark deep vibrant red, so so lovely, and I *think* I have either Portrait or Nymph and I can’t remember which, plus my stash is packed so I can’t access it atm. But I like both those shades. They also have an orange which I don’t remember the number/name of, but you might like it…?

        • the Muse

          I went ahead and hauled a few more blue! I must see of those are better ;-D I purchased RD607 btw on your post ;D

  • dtan0914

    Did you stir the product around with the wand before application? A Japanese Shiseido MUA taught me that trick and it definitely helps out with the wear and feathering issues. I have it in RD607 Nocturne and it’s my power red. <3

  • muffingrl

    hey muse! i think the color looks lovely on you. i have the lacquer rouge in the dark red color and it is amazingly long wearing and smooth. i do agree that the texture is a little sticky, but i don’t think it would be nearly as long wearing with a more moisturizing texture. you give a little, you get a little! 🙂

    • the Muse

      thanks muffingirl! 🙂 I really need to try another shade as for some reason this one was dry!

  • katzkann

    I have several of the lippies. I found that 310 is a bit drier for me, but the other colors not so much. Some of the colors have microscopic shimmer and I believe 310 is one of them. I adore these!

  • Kai

    I got PK310 (Amethyst but it’s actually a petal pink lol) from duty free and kinda fell in love with the formula…which is kind of shocking because the things i really hate about lipglosses are stickiness, stickiness, and stickiness! I think i know what you mean about it being kinda dry and almost like it tugs when you apply, but once it’s on (if you dip like 3-4 times), it’s very pretty with a gloss to it. It’s definitely less glossy and shimmery than typical Japanese lip glosses tho (I’m thinking typical japanese drugstore brands such as Integrate etc.), i find it more like a toned down classy level of shimmer and gloss? However while it’s sticky, i like that it’s not nearly as sticky as a lot of the uber gloss glosses from Japan. It also wears surprisingly comfortable, lasts freakin forever (because of the stickiness), doesn’t really loose color while wearing down, and for once my lips feel so damned good afterwards. I know it’s not what typically “hydrating” but this thing somehow ends up being hydrating even when it doesn’t seem like it should.

    in any case, I bought one thinking i’m gonna hate it (but still willing to try), and now i want more so badly LOL

    • Isabella Muse

      hey kai so glad you love this 😀 believe me I know the feeling well of buying one and end up wanting all the shades ;-D