YSL Rouge Volupte Collection + Swatches

So every girl has her own type of cosmetic that she just can't get enough of, whether it's eyeshadow, blush, bronzer etc. Every girl has the one she falls back on and probably hoards ungodly amounts of. For me that particular type of item is lipstick. I admit it, I absolutely love lipstick. I cannot go to a cosmetics counter without buying one and I usually don't leave the house without at least lipstick on! I feel like lipstick can completely change your look. You can go light and demure or bright and daring!
My particular favorite brand of lipstick is YSL. At first I did not believe the hype and one afternoon while shopping with my future mother in-law at Neiman Marcus I just mentioned in passing that YSL has this type of lipstick, Rouge Volupte, that gets absolutely rave reviews online and is apparently THE BEST lipstick money can buy. So we went over the YSL counter and tried a few colors on, and that was the moment that I knew I could never turn back. We each purchased a lipstick and over the past two years my collection has slowly grown. Now I don't wear YSL exclusively, I do indulge in MAC every now and then, but I tend to wear YSL the most. YSL has an amazing selection of reds, darks and brights and those are the colors I wear on a regular basis. I personally don't wear light pinks or nudes. The only two nudes that I own are from YSL.

YSL Rouge Volupte has distinct packaging that I'm sure everyone in the beauty world is familiar with. I'm not a sucker for packaging I strictly buy for quality, but Rouge Volupte does have a signature look that is quite striking. Rouge Volupte is packaged in shiny gold, previously with a mirror on the cap, and with a band of the lipstick shade and the YSL logo around the middle. The case itself is pretty sturdy and feels like its made of a thin metal, but unfortunately the YSL logo around the middle is made of plastic and can move around a bit, I have yet to have one break or fall off. Rouge Volupte comes in many different colors, from lights to darks, and there is a shade for every skin tone. The lipstick has a distinct smell that most describe as melon. It does have a soft, fruity scent that is not overpowering, although the smell does linger on the lips. The lipstick itself is extremely creamy, so much so that you can barely twist the lipstick up when applying it or it will break off. The lipstick is very easy to apply because of the creaminess and texture. Rouge Volupte lipsticks last ages because the texture is so smooth and blend-able that you barely need to swipe it across your lips to get the full color. Since the lipsticks are so creamy, they don't apply well if you have dry or cracked lips. The lipstick will settle in all the dry places and just emphasize your dryness. The texture can also make some of the lighter Rouge Volupte shades to look chalky and opaque. The staying quality is not very good unless you wear a gloss over them and the darker shades will stain your lips, which can be both an upside or a downside depending on how you look at it. YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks retail for $34 at most luxury department stores such as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, but you can also order them online.

My YSL Rouge Volupte Collection consists of four lipsticks. From left to right: #112 Spellbinding Violet, #11 Rose Culte, #2 Sensual Silk and #7 Lingerie Pink. All photos were taken in natural daylight.

#112 Spellbinding Violet- is a Rouge Volupte Perle, so its not as opaque at the regular Rouge Volupte and has more of a chapstick feel on the lips. This color is very light on the lips and almost looks like a tinted lip conditioner. I personally like to intensify the color by filling in my lips with MAC Half Red lip liner and putting #112 over the top.

#11 Rose Culte is an almost neon pink and looks more hot pink than the swatch. The color on the lips is very true to how it looks in real life. This color is very high maintenance and stains your lips bright pink, which I personally like. You definitely have to use lip liner with this one and carefully apply it because it will also stain your skin.

#2 Sensual Silk is a nude shade that has hints of peach and pink in it. I have very fair skin and this is one of the only nudes that doesn't make me look ill. It can be extremely chalky if you apply too much, applying a gloss really helps smooth this color out.

#7 Lingerie Pink is probably my least favorite. It's an extremely bright, cotton candy pink. I purchased this lipstick when I had a tan and find that I can't use it when my skin was back to its normal color. This one is the chalkiest Rouge Volupte I've ever used and I always have a hard time making it look presentable. I tend to use it by mixing it with other colors. Again, like #2 a gloss really helps improve the appearance of this one.

*All of these products were purchased by me, with my own money!*