[unpaid/sample] I think now we are really starting to see the full signs of Guerlain’s route to updating itself and appealing to a wider audience while celebrating the house’s heritage. There are three reds that go as far back as 1840 in creation but given a modern finish of either satin or velvet matte.
I mean look at the sharp edge on that! I have two of the Velvet Matte finishes so can’t tell you about any shade variations between the satin and matte – what I can tell you is that I’m wearing Roi Des Rouges from 1925 (the brighter shade) right now with a dot of Biossance lip balm over the top and I like it. It’s got some warmth to it that is more of a complexion lifter than a drainer (which on me, any blue toned reds can be). Guerlain lipsticks date back to the 1830s, two years after Pierre-Francoise-Pascal Guerlain created a liquid lip and cheek product called Bloom of Rose (interpreted as Rouge de Tigre for this collection). Fast forward to today and Violette is Guerlain’s Make-Up Creative Director (the make up artist also has her own range, Violette, that’s not too far away from Glossier but much smaller HERE) breathing new life into the colours while respecting the heritage. And, never a person more suited to a red lip than Violette!
The deeper, more burgundy laced red is Rouge Imperial from 1870. It’s a shade that I’d say is soft-vamp – not quite the stereotypical deep toned colour drainer – but edging towards something more dark and severe.
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You can see from the swatch the blurry effect they have – actually, Guerlain Rouge G Legendary Reds are more or less weightless on the lips and a truly easy wear, even for those who aren’t keen on mattes. If you’re not a matte fan, I’d suggest trying the satin although I am quite happy in this matte formula with a dot of balm over the top (which hasn’t eroded the colour much at all).
The new cases, as you can see, are a selection of velvets – four of them. If a hotel could be twinned with a lipstick, then I’d take you to the Hotel Costes in Paris HERE where the low lighting and use of opulent fabrics and variants of red make them ideal companions. It’s taken Guerlain a long time to find its place in the modern world of social media – casting Violette as their creative director is genius because her understanding of heritage and how to place it in this digital landscape without losing its dignity is clever and seamless. The lipsticks are £27 and the cases are £32 HERE.
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