Review: L'Oreal Colour Caresse by Colour Riche Lipstick in Rose Taffeta

Available in sixteen shades, the new Colour Caresse by Colour Riche lipsticks from L'Oreal have been getting lots of buzz lately in the blogosphere. So when I spotted them at Target a few weeks ago, I decided to pick one up and give it a whirl.

 L'Oreal Colour Caresse by Colour Riche Lipstick in Rose Taffeta

(retail: around $9.99, 0.10 oz)

The first thing that made me very happy about this product was the SAFETY SEAL! Granted, it's not bullet-proof from wandering hands, but the sticker is powerful and you can definitely tell if it's been peeled or broken. This is such a major thing for me because many of L'Oreal's other lipstick lines don't have seals and I've grown very tired of opening lipsticks and inspecting them for evidence of swipes before making a purchase. So thank you, L'Oreal, for eliminating that hassle (and I do mean hassle) for us!

The ingredients are not listed on the tube, but you can view them here. I can confirm that these lipsticks are paraben-free and I was surprised to see that they contain jojoba butter (which is probably one of the reasons why this lipstick feels so hydrating on my lips).

These lipsticks fully retract into their cases, and the width of the sticks is a little more narrow than most traditional lipsticks (just like the Colour Riche Balms).

For literally the past 25+ years (that's how long I've been buying L'Oreal lipsticks), I've owned VERY FEW Colour Riche lipsticks that ended up being the same color on my LIPS vs. how they look in the tube. So you honestly can't imagine my surprised when Rose Tafetta turned out to be EXACTLY what I had hoped it would be, based on the color in the tube. It didn't turn orange on my lips, it didn't turn magenta on my lips--it's actually the same soft, rose shade that you see in the tube.

Color, finish, consistency and pigmentation: This is, by far, one of the smoothest, silkiest lipsticks I've applied to my lips in a long time. Not quite as silky and creamy as a Boots No7 lipstick (if you've tried one of their lipsticks you know what I mean), but it's close. Rose Taffeta feels almost weightless, and it glides across the lips effortlessly with no tugging or pulling. The consistency of this product feels like the softest, lightest, most sheer lipstick you can imagine, and I love how it doesn't just sit on the lips--it conforms to the lips. It's quite hydrating and feels almost balm-like the longer it's on my lips, which is nice. The finish of Rose Taffeta is what I would call a sheer creme. If there's any shimmer to it, it's not perceptible to my eyes, but it has a nice glossy look to it--I would definitely not call it a matte. For being a sheer lipstick AND a lighter shade, Rose Taffeta is impressive when it comes to pigmentation. I thought I would have to really layer it on, once I saw how sheer it was, but two swipes to each lip and I'm totally happy with the level of pigment this color delivers. This is such a lovely, universally-flattering pink; think of it as a Your Lips But Better shade with just a hint more pink than your actual lips, if that makes sense.

Staying power: With all the wonderful qualities I stated above, you knew there would have to be a catch, right? I'm afraid that, because of the sheer, weightless nature of this lipstick, the staying power is not fantastic. I can get about three hours of wear before this color is completely gone from my lips, and that's about par for the course for me when it comes to most sheer lipsticks. I would like to note though that this lipstick fades evenly and it does leave a nice, subtle stain behind before it completely vanishes. No ring-around-the-lips for me, which is always appreciated.

Fragrance and flavor: Compared to the original Colour Riche lipsticks, the fragrance and flavor of Colour Caresse is quite mild. Is it fragrance-free and flavorless though? No. Rather, it feels like a softened, or maybe watered-down, version of the original Colour Riche lipsticks. The rose note is not as strong, with maybe a little extra berry fragrance thrown into the mix. In fact, the fragrance kind of reminds me of the old Colour Juice Sticks, if you remember those. The flavor is also like a watered-down version of the original Colour Riche. I detect a little bit of a rose note there, but after about five minutes on the lips, the flavor seems to fade considerably.

FINAL VERDICT: If you find the original Colour Riche lipsticks too heavy or thick for your liking, the new Colour Caresse lipsticks might be just the thing you're looking for. Rose Taffeta has an incredibly weightless feel to it, and I find it quite hydrating as well. The color of this shade is one of those universally-flattering pinks that would work nicely on both warmer and cooler skintones. If you don't care for the fragrance or flavor of L'Oreal lipsticks, you might have a little bit better of an experience with these, because they seem softer and more mild in both fragrance and flavor. I wouldn't recommend these to you if your main concern with lipstick is staying power though, because the sheer nature of this lipstick almost guarantees it'll be gone a few hours after application. However, if you don't mind reapplying throughout the day, and you're a sheer lipstick lover who's looking for a new Your Lips But Better shade, I think you might be quite pleased with Rose Taffeta.

Do you already own any Colour Caresse Lipsticks? I hear that there's some variation in quality from color to color in the range, so if you own a different shade and have had a different experience, I would LOVE to hear about it.