While nude lipsticks and lipglosses rule Chanel’s Spring 2009 Bohemian Fantasy Makeup Collection, Coco and company did include a few rich, colorful lip shades for good measure.
Like the new Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Colour lipsticks ($34 each) — both of them deliver long-lasting lip drama.
- Alexandrite: shimmery brick red
- Opal Rose: shimmery rose gold
The double-sided wands come with a separate lipstick (base coat) and a clear gloss (top coat) designed to be worn together.
Coco wasn’t kidding about the “long wearing” part
These babies are the Terminators of long wear lipsticks. They last all day and don’t stop for nothin’! One morning I applied a layer of Alexandrite, and six hours and several cups of coffee later, my lips were still a rich brick red.
There’s always a catch…
These have mad pigmenation and staying power, but there’s a catch, or at least there was one for me. They aren’t the easiest lipsticks to apply. My first attempts left me with blotchy, streaky lips. Totally gross.
After a few dreadful attempts, I found a few application techniques that seemed to work.
1. Start with smooth lips
When my lips weren’t completely smooth, these lipsticks settled into the cracked and peeling areas, resulting in uneven color. Applying a lip conditioner or lip balm overnight helped a ton. I slicked on a layer of Philosophy Kiss Me before I went to bed and in the morning my lips looked smooth and felt soft.
2. Use a thin base coat
Thick layers resulted in heavy streaking (a little went a long way!), but applying a super thin base coat with the doe-foot applicator coat seemed to help.
3. Press those lips together
Even with a thin coat, I still saw some streaking, but pressing my lips together and rubbing them back and forth a few times helped to distribute the color and remove the streaks.
4. Go thin with the top coat, too
Less was best when it came to the top coat. I applied a very thin layer of the clear top coat gloss with the brush and then pressed and rubbed my lips together again to distribute it evenly.
5. Keep oil-based eye makeup remover handy
To clean up my mistakes I used Q-tips dipped in an oil-based eye makeup remover (I like Lancome Bi-Facil) to quickly and thoroughly clean up any mistakes around my lips.
What do ya think of these colors? I think I’m partial to Alexandrite. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Definitely like the Alexandrite but I’m not sure I could pull it off.
I LOVE Opal Rose. Very very pretty, Karen.
Indian Girl´s last blog post..The Body Shop Shimmer Body Lotion and Body Polish : Review
I love both! Not sure if I could pull either off though, but I guess this Spring collection will give me a real reason to go to the Chanel counter and try all the colours out! =)
o.o;;
Opal Rose…must be mine! But damn…$34 is steep for a nerdy ass like me. That’s foundation money! *whew*
sarahPUFFY!´s last blog post..Blogs Of 2008: Puffy’s All Time Favourites
I especially liked the Opal rose…I’m crazy about pink shades. Thanks for the tips I think they will be very helpful to me. Good that is so resistant cause usually not so many can manage to be on your lips after 6 hours.
Tavia´s last blog post..Clinique Turnaround – 15 Minute Facial mask- Review
Hi Karen. Both colours are beautiful, but I love Opal Rose a lot more! These aren’t available here. The MAC long wear double-end combo was also not sold here. Maybe my authority disapproves of the formula. Never mind, I get to see them here! 😉
Alexandrite sure is pretty, but I think Opal Rose is a little more my style. Not sure I’d make enough use out of Alexandrite to justify the funds!
Tiera´s last blog post..Last Day: 25% Off Bobbi Brown Holiday
Hi Karen,
Alexandride is such a fantastic shade. If brick red lipstick made a comeback, I’m all for it.
P.S. I love your videos 🙂
Alexandrite is definitely the winner out of these two. The other is just too pink for my taste.
Gah, so much Chanel you got me drooling over.
Karen B´s last blog post..Feel the love!!!! wheeee!
I never seem to like pinks in long-lasting formulas, they look really fake to me somehow. It must be the opacity, because normally I never have issues with “fake-looking”! Alexandrite is very pretty, and I love a red long-last! For years, long-last formulas were the only way I would wear red lipstick!
Thanks for the Chanel-licious posts! 🙂
I really want to try these because I never got any of the MAC longwearing line. Do you recommend these over MAC?
Rouge Double Intensite are my favorite long-last lipsticks! An application tip that really worked for me is applying the color with a concealer brush — makes it go on SO smooth! Also, you can layer glossimers over it without messing up the color =)
i linked this review and the joues contraste review to mine. they look fabulous on you and i love the tips. you are awsome!
jojoba´s last blog post..Review/Swatch: Chanel Spring Collection 2009
I have this in “Rose Garnet” and I love it (even have my mother-in-law addicted now!). It’s a deeper red with some purple hints and a bluer tint… It matches my lip color more naturally so it is wearing off it wears off without horrible streaking and is less noticeable. This truly stays on all day… and I am totally with you on the tips about having smoother lips before application and reapplying any lip gloss/balm over it for smoother finish and lasting power. I sometimes even wear this matte, too, but it doesn’t last as long. I’m all for a natural finish where it looks like my lips are naturally colorful. This works. 🙂
I think I might try Rose Opal, I like the pink! 🙂 I don’t think I could ever pull off the red! But it’s awesome you love it! 🙂 I also like how it looks on your lips!
I have BEEN loving this product for years. I agree with your pointers. It will last up to 16 HOURS if you don’t eat anything oily/greasy. It is worth the old price of $30 for that endurance. But my favorite shade, Tourmaline, is nowhere to be found! Come one, makeup girls, any ideas?