CHANEL Rouge Coco | 424 Edith, 450 Ina, 456 Erik

Press samples provided for my unbiased consideration

CHANEL has reformulated and relaunched their range of Rouge Coco lipsticks, and has added several new shades to the lineup, all named after people/friends/lovers who were a source of inspiration to Gabrielle Chanel. I was recently sent 424 Edith, 450 Ina and 456 Erik (CAN $42.00) to try and after having fallen immediately in love with Arthur (a hot red hue which also happens to be the shade I’m constantly reaching for these days), I was excited to test these latest additions and see how they matched up. I must say, that all three surprised me with their application … but I happen to like {good} beauty surprises.

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 424 Edith, 450 Ina & 456 Erik

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 424 Edith, 450 Ina & 456 Erik swatches

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 424 Edith

424 Edith | What appears to be a warm and understated nude-pink in the tube, turns out to actually be a soft pink once applied. The formula on Edith is semi sheer with quite a bit of slip, but one which still gives good coverage without any bald patches left behind. Glossy and with no overt shimmer, there is a strong moisturizing feel that is not only immediately felt upon application, but even after the colour wears off. Staying power (not factoring in eating and/or drinking) is about 4 hours, with a hint of a rose stain left behind upon the lips. With its good balance of both warm and cool undertones, this is a shade that should suit a variety of skin tones – but will certainly appear darker or lighter, all dependant on the natural pigmentation of your lips (on me, this looks more light pink).

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 424 Edith

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 424 Edith swatch

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 450 Ina

450 Ina | Even though it’s clear that this is a hot pink shade, I was still unprepared for how colour saturated Ina appears once applied. Bearing the best opacity and coverage of the three, this shade has a bluish undertone with some violet flashes seen under certain lights, lending it a more fuchsia-like hue and a cool-leaning vibe. Super glossy and with visible shimmer (which feels ultra smooth upon the lips), I am able to easily get 5 hours worth of wear (again, not factoring in eating/drinking) with a nice rosy flush left upon the lips once the majority of colour has worn off, combined with a well-hydrated feel.

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 450 Ina

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 450 Ina swatch

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 456 Erik

456 Erik | A classic case of “don’t judge a book by its cover”, Erik – a deep raisin hue with slight plummy undertones and visible, but non-gritty shimmer – obviously appears super vampy/dark in the tube but as it turns out, this is actually the sheerest of the three – as well as needing a bit more effort for an even application. Personally, I’m not disappointed with the sheerness of the formula, as this turns Erik into a totally wearable (and surprisingly work-friendly) deep lip shade, with the added bonus of a sultry stain left behind once the colour has worn away. Alternatively, you can blot this shade down until you have just a hint of colour on the lips (as shown in the swatch below) for a ‘bitten effect’ – although some shimmery bits get left behind as well. Determining the staying power is a little difficult because even though the colour is on the sheer side, Erik still leaves the most visible stain behind, but I’m able to get about 4-5 hours of solid wear.

TIP: in order to achieve the most even application with this shade, you can either fully line and fill in your lips with a matching liner shade first – although that will result in a stronger look to this colour, or blot between applications to ensure lips are dry and the colour is able to adhere better overall, eliminating any patchiness.

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 456 Erik

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 456 Erik swatch

CHANEL Rouge Coco | 456 Erik swatch, blotted

Unlike their predecessors, these newly reformulated Rouge Coco lipsticks have a luxurious and moisturizing feel upon the lips, and that hydrated sensation stays with you long after the colour has worn off. From the four shades I currently have, it’s obvious that pigment saturation (and application) differs significantly one from the other, and my suggestion is that you test these out at the counter first before buying – as looks can be deceiving. While Edith is the type of shade that sits well within my comfort zone, my favourite turned out to be Ina to my complete surprise, especially considering that I’m not particularly fond of bright pink – but there’s something so sophisticated about this version … an intensity that keeps it from looking trendy or juvenile. Erik (still not used to seeing a man’s name on a lipstick), is was another surprise, but one I’ve totally embraced – despite its quirks. Or perhaps because of them?

The Rouge Coco range of lipsticks are available now at all CHANEL counters nation-wide. Find more information at chanel.com