Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil

A few weeks ago, I was invited to take part in the YSL x Google Glass experience (you can read about it here) and while that in itself was pretty amazing, for a beauty aficionado like myself, seeing the YSL Spring 2015 Collection up close and personal, was an even bigger thrill. The latest innovation from YSL Beauté and the first of its kind in the beauty world, is Volupté Tint-In-Oil (CAN $35.00, available in 8 shades), a unique new lip oil that is infused with tint that provides all the nourishing benefits of a balm, but with the beautifying effects of colour.

Housed in sleek chrome tubes belted with the YSL ‘Cassandre’ logo (this band also displays the colour of each individual shade for your convenience), the contents are kept cocooned away from light in order to preserve their integrity. The ‘bouche à bouche’ diamond-shaped & angled applicator with its soft texture and mini-reservoir at the centre, has been designed to help dispense a perfect hit of product in one simple swipe, almost making it intuitive in terms of application ease – no mirror required. Adding to the sensorial experience, is a delicious mango scent (although it reminds me more of watermelon candies), which is so uplifting mood-wise.

According to the brand, there are two facets to this unique new formula:

COLOUR LINK INF– USER

Although oil and tint naturally repel each other, YSL Beauté has conceived of a way for opposites to attract – compelling these two ingredients to work effectively as one. COLOUR LINK INF– USER is an ultra-stabilizing technology developed by YSL Beauté for its ability to disperse and homogeneously solubilize colour particles in oil to create a hybrid formula. The colour pigments are captured within the oils to dispense an ever-evolving burst of liquid lip colour. The oils slowly disappear but the pop of colour stays true.

5 PRECIOUS OILS

Apricot Kernel Oil, Macadamia Seed Oil, Coriander Fruit Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Passion Flower Oil

The precious Passion Flower has been well-documented as having invaluable nutritive properties. Historically cultivated in the Majorelle Garden in Morocco (a place so dear to M. Yves saint Laurent’s heart and one of his prime sources of inspiration), this flower blooms only in daylight and fades by nightfall, waiting for the energizing light of the sun to come again.

Another interesting feature of the Volupté Tint-In-Oil, is the ‘bitten-lips/stain’ effect they leave behind, a colour that will be unique to each and every user. The colour tint that is parcelled within the oils, awakens on contact with the lips and then proceeds to interact the the lip tone, in effect creating one’s own bespoke colour finish. The tint itself evolves with the wearing, becoming more vibrant minutes after initial application, enhancing your lips with a natural glow.

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil

From start to finish, it’s LOVE; to begin with, the packaging is über-elegant and just begs to be taken out in public. The applicator truly is goof-proof and as the Tint-In-Oil formula is not colour saturated, you really don’t need a mirror for application (as well, the tint of each shade does not stain surrounding skin, in the event you ‘colour outside the lines’, so to speak). The magic begins immediately upon application, starting with a rich nourishing sensation of the oil upon the lips, a feeling that’s neither oily, too slick, or sticky – just ultra comfortable and hydrating, and one that seems to fill in lip lines as well (my lips are quite lined, and I was amazed to see how diminished said lines appear). Within a few minutes, you can see and feel a few other changes; there’s a slight tingling I sense which is not unpleasant for me (anyone with sensitivities, should definitely test these out at a counter first) and then the colour begins intensifying. Lasting power is on par for a gloss (I get between 2.5 – 3.5 hours), although that is also affected by food, drink, etc. and even when the glossiness has faded, I am still left with a slight stain on my lips (intensity of stain will vary with each individual shade), along with a completely hydrated feel.

N°2 Oh So Gold – the lightest of the 3 shown, warm-leaning with a light apricot tint and iridescent gold shimmer (non-gritty)

N°4 I Rose You – carnation pink, perfect mix of cool & warm undertones making it wearable by a broad range of skintones, iridescent pink shimmer

N°5 Cherry My Chérie – lush true pink, the most intense of the 3, leaves behind a hint of shimmer along with tint upon the lips. According to my press sheet, this is the ‘Star Shade’ of this collection, iridescent pink shimmer

“Volupté Tint-In-Oil is ultra-comfortable with a soothing feeling on the lips. It’s more like a liquid lip balm than a gloss or a stain. It creates volume and erases texture on the lips with a beautiful shine.

It’s great for people who might be afraid of colour, as it’s super natural. Balms, glosses and stains generally tend to achieve only one effect rather than several effects together. Volupté Tint-In-Oil perfectly combines colour, shine, and absolute comfort”

Lloyd Simmonds, Creative Director Makeup YSL Beauté

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil swatches

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil, swatches after 10 minutes of wear (*Please note that the above swatch at left should be N°2 and not N°1)

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil N°2 Oh So Gold swatch

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil N°4 I Rose You swatch

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil N°5 Cherry My Chérie swatch

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté | Volupté Tint-In-Oil N°5 Cherry My Chérie swatch after 10 minutes of wear

Mark my words, you’re going to start seeing all brands – from luxury to mass market – begin releasing their own version of YSL Beauté’s Volupté Tint-In-Oil, although I sincerely doubt anyone can match the utter gorgeousness seen here. In general, I enjoy the convenience of using lipgloss, but reapplication is a chore and more often than not, my lips wind up feeling parched after it’s worn off. That being said, I experience none of these issues with any of these Tint-In-Oil shades, although N°2 Oh So Gold only left a mere whisper of a stain to my lips – perfect for fans of a more natural looking mouth. As pink lip shades fall out of my comfort zone, I was stunned by how much I loved the look of N°5 Cherry My Cherie; both upon application, and again with the stain it left behind – reminded me of the way my lips would look after devouring a pink PopSicle. Come to think of it, one reason I used to love those treats, was exactly because of the way they stained my lips – early signs of a budding beauty fiend, perhaps?

How perfect are these for Valentine’s Day? Even the applicator seems to be in on the theme! ♥

Available now at Sephora, Sephora.ca and The Bay stores throughout Canada.