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Monday, July 9, 2012

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.
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45 comments

  1. I kept picking this up and putting it back down yesterday! I wanted it but I thought it might be too similar to revlon lip butters, which I have 15 of...

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    1. To me, based on the lip butters I own, these are more sheer and not as opaque, but the pigmentation of Rose Taffeta is comparable to my lip butters. Hope that helps!

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  2. Great post!! This color looks amazing...a tone right up my alley :) I do not like their lipsticks...to think and drying! I like my lipsticks to be light in texture and moisturizing!

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    1. Sounds like you're really going to like these then, hun! And thank you! :)

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  3. The coloris gorgeous! I need this, for suuuurreee! Thanks for the review G!

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  4. I smelled one of these in the store that was opened and it smelled exactly like the old Shine Delice lipsticks, which is a very fruity smell.

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    1. Whoa *flashback*! I remember going through 2 tubes of Shine Delice in the shade Bubble-ish...it was my fav back around 2000, when I thought they had stopped animal testing...not the case now or then. :(

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    2. Omg, you're RIGHT! My first thought was ”colour juice sticks” but now that I think about it, Shine Delice is a much more accurate comparison!

      PS: I miss the Shine Delice blushes SO MUCH!!!!!

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  5. Interesting. I never used any of the L'Oreal lip products but I do use their Infollible eye shadow. I might try this someday! I tried clicking on the shades link to see what other colors are there but nothing popped up. I might check their site. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for letting me know! I fixed the link. :)

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  6. i have the linen one and i love it! i'm obsessed with loreal lip products with these and the balms. so moisturizing and awesoem

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  7. This sounds and looks perfect! I can deal with the short wear time, so I hope to try some of these soon!

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  8. I have two of these, Blushing Sequin (#172) and Sunset Angora (#176). I absolutely LOVE them. The color on my lips is exactly the color in the tube for both. The Blushing Sequin is a fun bright pink, but not overly obnoxious that some might be ale to get away with it during the day. They are both gorgeous colors and I can't wait to try more.

    Neither one smells that strong. Blushing Sequin smells a tad bit better and more berry. It might just be my imagination, but the Sunset Angora does have a subtle hint of wax in its smell.

    I'm on the lookout for Velvety Fushia next!

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    1. Thanks so much for all the great info! And i'm so glad to hear that the colors of the shades you own are the same colors on your lips!! Yay!

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  9. love these. I have taffeta and bushing sequin. They are lightweight but pigmented ..much lighter than the lip butters

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    1. I totally agree that they're lighter-feeling than the lip butters!

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  10. I seriously need to pick one of these up tomorrow.
    I'm glad I have a part-time job @ walmart. :)

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  11. Replies
    1. I have seen them at Walgreens also.

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    2. No, they're just new, so not yet available everywhere. But eventually they should be everywhere where L'oreal products are sold.

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  12. I have Cotton Pink, Sunset Angora and Rose Taffeta...Cotton Pink is HORRIBLE...dries my lips, looks terrible, sinks into lines...but the other 2 are amazing :). Sunset Angora is the perfect affordable way to enjoy the current Tangerine trend.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you SO much, Tammie!! Good to know about Cotton Pink. What a bummer. :(

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    2. I have Cotton Pink on and it looks just fine on me.Then again it looks different on everyone.Sorry it didn't work out for you.=(

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  13. Thanks for the great review... can't wait to try this product.

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  14. You killed 2 birds with this post, G, by mentioning this lipstick and the No7 lipstick lol We won't get the Caresse line until August, and don't have No7. There's still hope though, right?

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    1. Lol!!! Didn't mean to tease you with BOTH of those! ;)

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  15. I really like their balm l/s, just not pigmented enough, so this sounds like something I would really like! Hoping they are just as moisturizing. (Revlon lip butters are not.)

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    1. Totally agree about the L'oreal balm not being pigmented enough! Well, for my taste at least. These are much more my speed!

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  16. The Rose Taffeta looks beautiful. I may have to try it after all. I wonder if they're at Bed Bath & Beyond because they have pretty decent makeup prices, in the ones that sell makeup, anyways.

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    1. I think i've heard from a few readers that these ARE at BB&B! :)

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  17. Definitely want to try Violet Chiffon - forget orange, I'm all about lilac/purples right now, haha XD

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    Replies
    1. I sooooo wish I could wear lilacs and purples!! They look horrible on me. Boo!!

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  18. I have Rose Taffeta too! I love that color. I also have Sheer linen and Velvety fuchsia. I swatched all three and Rose taffeta was the middle shade. It is very silky and smooth. It isn't as pigmented as Revlon's lip butters but it feels more moisturizing.

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  19. Hello G,

    Can you do a comparison of this lipstick and the revlon lip butter.

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    1. I mentioned this is the comments above, but I think the biggest difference is that the lip butters I own are more opaque, whereas these are sheer (but still very pigmented). Also, these feel lighter on the lips than the lip butters. Hope that helps! :)

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  20. I purchased a few of these and for some reason I had a horrible allergic reaction to them. They dried the heck out of my lips and made them super itchy. I was super sad, because I love the colors I got. I agree they are different than the lip butters, being more on the sheer side.

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  21. Sounds like I have got to pick this one up! That color is divine and I read that the Rouge Caresse lipsticks were a dupe for the Dior Addict lipsticks. Thanks for this great review!

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  22. I saw these the other day, and the colors in the display looked SO vibrant that it kind of scared me and drew me in at the same time, lol. I decided to buy Sunset Angora, and figured that if it looked bad, I could just take it back. Surprise-- it actually looks good on me! I like the texture and feel of it, too. In fact, I liked it so much, I went back and bought Fiery Veil. Judging from the display swatch-label-thing, it looks like it'd be crazy neon orange but it's really wearable and pretty (at least on me)! I think I'll have to buy some more of these. Thinking of trying one of the pink ones next :)

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    1. I also own Sunset Angora and, as someone who is a die-hard vibrant orange matte lipstick girl, Sunset Angora caresse was AMAZING for a change!!! I think I'm the only person in the world who bought 2 Revlon lip butters and gave them away because I hated them so much. I absolutely love the caresse. I'm going to be getting firey veil too :)

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  23. I picked up Satiny Cocoa (a plummy brown) yesterday and I LOVE IT! Finally, a lipstick that has more staying power than gloss but feels light and has all that sheer luminosity that I love about gloss. And NO glitter, shimmer or sparkles!

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  24. Love these! My mom got me one of these and a Le Balm for my birthday last week; the y are the best!!!

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