Lancome Lip Lover- #334 Corail Cabriole & #332 Beige Adage

My set of posts on Lancome's new Lip Lover line need to come with a disclaimer- long, picture-laden posts ahead! I hope that they're helpful because this is such a new product.  I've swatched most of the line in person, and try to offer up alternatives throughout the post as well. Overall, I am in love with Lip Lover- although my experiences will vary with each shade.

I hesitate about doing these in groups due to length, but who wants a shade per day?

Today is the first of three posts in which I'll be showing you my initial seven selections from the new Lancome Lip Lover line.  There are several ways to purchase these at the current time:

• Pre-sale of 5 shades via Lancome's website
• VIB-only sale at Sephora (14 shades) 
• Select Nordstrom locations (18 shades)

This post contains the two lightest shades that I selected.  Please see this post for comparison swatches of all seven shades. These two shades are available via both Sephora and Nordstrom (some of the shades I'll be showing in subsequent posts are only at Nordstrom right now).

First, let's talk basics.  Lancome Lip Lover is described on Nordstrom's site the "Lancome Lip Lover Dewy Color Lip Perfector."  That's a bit of a mouthful.  Their text refers to it as a 3-in-1 (lip balm that hydrates, lipstick, and lip gloss).  This is a brand-new product being rolled out by Lancome for Spring 2014; I have no information on whether these are permanent or limited edition. I suspect it's the former.  Each Lip Lover contains 0.14oz of product and retails for $23.  For comparison, that's $4 cheaper and 0.06oz smaller than Lancome's Gloss in Love line.

It is essential to note the color numbers rather than focusing on the names; Lancome reps will stare at you blankly if you ask for a specific color rather than shade number in my experience.  There also seems to be some disagreement among brand reps as to whether this is a lip gloss or a hybrid lipstick.

Lancome Lip Lover- #334 Corail Cabriole was a shade that I felt that I needed after seeing my first set of purchases. My initial set of Lip Lovers skewed heavily pink and dark; with spring around the corner and loving coral lips right now, I felt I needed a coral shade.  Up front, I'm going to say that this might not be the ultimate coral in the line for anyone looking for a statement lip.

Corail Cabriole is described on Sephora's site as "pink."  That's exceptionally helpful and descriptive, right? In reality, it's a soft coral peach a la Dior Spring Ball.  This is the lightest shade that I selected.

Here's a good look at the tube (note the button; you push it to release the applicator):

And of the applicator:

Although this is a foamy applicator, this product is much thicker and generally more opaque than regular lip glosses, so it doesn't bother me (for once). I generally prefer a brush with a gloss like Dior Addict. However, I think Lancome was right in this particular applicator.

I think these swatches will better illustrate the color.  First, outside (no flash):

Outside, with flash:

Inside, no flash:

Inside, with flash:

On my pigmented lips (for reference, I see no difference in lip tone when applying NARS lipstick in Dolce Vita):

I think the lip shot shows my slight disappointment with this particular shade.  Although highly pigmented, it's not enough to overcome my lips and looks like a nice but nearly clear color on me.  I suspect that #336 Orange Manege will be a brighter color and pop on my lips more than Corail Cabriole did.  It's on my list for my next round of purchases.

I think Corail Cabriole is a lovely shade that will appeal most to fair ladies and/or those who can pull off lighter lip colors.

In terms of wear, I tested this for one day.  One of the reasons why I love Lip Lover is that it doesn't wear like a normal gloss.  It's not a hair magnet (amen!), and isn't mirror-like shiny.  The shine fades gradually after several hours and settles into a lovely lip stain with a satin-like finish.  I don't know if I felt additional hydration, but I wasn't reaching for lip balms while I wore it, and my lips didn't feel parched once I took it off.  In that regard, it's spot on in being a 3-in-1.  I wish I hadn't started my series of reviews with the one I liked the least, but I'm trying to stay in color order. The color didn't do much for me, but the formula is perfection. I'll keep this around for times when I want a hint of something but no true color.

Lancome Lip Lover- #332 Beige Adage was an "out-of-the-box" type of purchase for me. Anyone who has read this blog for more than a few days knows that I steer clear of beige and nudes due to my hyper-pigmented lips. Turns out, this is a perfect MLBB shade and more of a rosy nude than true beige.  Spoiler alert: out of all seven shades, this is unexpectedly my favorite.  Yes, I'm as shocked as you are. 

Sephora's site describes this shade as "light nude."  I respectfully disagree. I'd call it rosy nude, but note the rich, pigmented formula.  This isn't a formula that will disappear on the lips like Corail Cabriole did.  If you're looking for more of a nude nude lip in this line, I'd recommend #314- Casse Noisette.  I swatched and thought hard and Nordstrom but knew I'd never be able to pull it off. It's a lovely nude though.  It looked awful on my lips until I blended, at which time it became a shiny nothing in terms of color on my lips.  Luckily, Beige Adage is nothing like that!


Here's a shot of the tube:

And of the applicator:

What hooked me is the coverage on this one.  Look how opaque it is!

Outside, without flash:

Outside, with flash:

Inside, without flash:

Inside, with flash:

Here's the shock of the century: Look at it on my lips:

Outside, no flash:

Outside, with flash:

Inside,with flash:

Now that, dear readers, is truly neutral lip love. This is going to be my new go-to when I need a neutral lip to balance some crazy eye makeup or have a super-serious work meeting.It's such a lovely rosy pink that looks like it could be a natural lip color that I'm head over heels for this shade.

In terms of wear, I tested this for one day.  I wanted to play with it more than that, but I have seven total shades to test!  I will be reaching for Beige Adage frequently. It's lovely, and a perfect nude lip.  It adds just a hint of shine and rosy tint to my lips while toning them down.  I love it so much that it will be taking up permanent residence in my makeup bag as a perfect neutral that I can always rely upon.  Only Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Boy and Dior Serum de Rouge- Rosewood have that honor right now.

I mentioned the flawless formula above. Beige Adage is the same.  My hair remained out of my gloss, and the shine was natural looking.  This shade is truly a MLBB for me, and I think it would work for just about any skintone as such.  The shine fell off after a few hours to reveal a lovely, natural-looking lip with satin finish.  I didn't need additional lip  balm, so I'll take their moisturizing claims as such.


Bottom Line: Go and play with these. Immediately. These two shades will suit just about any skintone, and I think I've found my ultimate nude lip with Beige Adage.  Corail Cabriole was a bit disappointing in terms of color payoff, but will be lovely for most ladies who can wear these types of shades with ease.