Review: Laura Mercier Lip Stain in English Rose

Ok, so this review is for the Laura Mercier Lip Stain in English Rose, which is a Limited Edition shade I actually acquired through a swap. I went through a lip stain phase last summer after trying Benefit's Benetint. Combine this with my addiction to mauve-y lip colors, and you've got a hit!!! Well, almost...





Here's a swatch on my hand:

As you can see, you can go really really sheer, or you can layer it on for a deeper, more done look.

Here is a very thin coat on my lips:


And here it is layered on:


Firs off, I am absolutely loving this shade. I don't know how well you can see the shade on my swatch, but there's a great one from KarlaSugar here. I'm really loving this shade! It's mauvy but not grandma-ish. Anyhow, I should start off by telling you that these aren't really lip stains. They are more moisturizing lipsticks than lipstains, as they do not stain your lips. They do, however, last longer than your average lipstick. The reason I think they do is that they are a bit thicker and more moisturizing, so you won't rub your lips as much, wearing away the color.

The actual formula is great. One of the reasons I do not wear lipstick often is that it tends to dry out my lips, leaving them looking all crumbly and peeling (ewwww!), but I do not have the same problem with these lip stains. Also, they don't have much of a smell or a taste, so if you are one of those people who hate scented/flavored lip products, you should definitely check these out! One more major pet peeve: it is packaged in a pot. Now, I do have a lip brush that I carry with me, but come on, be honest: how often are you in a hurry and just dip your finger in? Most of the time I do not have the time to stop, find a mirror, break out a lip brush and apply the product, so even if dipping my finger into the product grosses me out, I'll still do it. The size of this thing is also a plus. You get a nice looking/feeling glass jar that holds 0.21 oz of product!!!!! Usually, lipsticks are somewhere in the vicinity of 0.12 0z, so if this is a substitute for a red lipstick, for instance, it really will last you a lot longer as you get more product, and a little bit really goes a long way.

Tip: Try applying this OVER a clear gloss. I know this sounds weird (over? why not the opposite?),but it really does make a difference in the look. If you lightly apply it to you lips over a clear gloss, gently blending it in with a brush, you get a much lighter looking application than the other way around, but with the same color. One of my pet peeves is how when you wear lipstick under a gloss, it tends to look goopy, like you're wearing too much. If you apply this product (or any tubed lipstick-just use a brush) over a gloss, the look is much more flattering.

Anyhow, check out these babies if you're in the market for a long lasting lipstick. If you're looking for a real lipstain, however, beware!!!

Info:

Price: $20 (retail, o.21 oz)

Ingredients: Polybutene, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Triethylhexanoin, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Dicalcium Phosphate, PEG-7 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Candelilla Cera, Octyldodecanol, cera Microcristallina, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Mica, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylcellulose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylparaben, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Achillea Millefolium Extract, BHT. May Contain (+/-): (CI 77891), (CI77491), (CI 77492), (CI 77499), (CI 75470), (CI 15850), (CI 45410), (CI 19140), (CI 15985), (CI 42090), (CI 73360), (CI 45380).

Disclosure:The product featured in this post was bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.