Guerlain Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick: Betsy, Bianca, Blondie

Rouge G de Brilliant ($46.00 each) launched earlier this spring with ten shades (all permanent). Like the original Rouge G line-up, there is a theme–all of the names begin with a B. Brilliants different from the traditional Rouge G formula, because they are sheerer with more shimmer and a glossier finish. These are touted as a more natural lipstick. It feels lighter than Rouge Gs, but it looks considerably lighter on lips as well. These have a kind of “wet” look to them, so you may not need a gloss to give you that glossy sheen.

While the formula itself feels amazing on lips, without the wear (I only get about three to four hours as compared to four to six on regular Rouge Gs) and the rich pigmentation of the traditional Rouge Gs, I still prefer the original Rouge Gs over these, if I’m shelling out $46 a shade. But keep in mind that these were designed to be sheerer and glossier, so Guerlain hit the mark there. But for me, since I like my lipsticks pigmented, they’re not my favorite when I know the pigmented Rouge Gs exist!  These are, however, not ultra sheer–they do pack some color and change-up my natural lip color.

• Betsy is a softened berry plum with subtle gold shimmer. Applied, it has this wet, shimmering look–very pretty and a color I’d slick on in a rush during the fall.
• Bianca is a semi-sheer pink-coral with barely-there shimmer. This is one of the more pigmented shades of Brilliant that I’ve tried–this is more semi-opaque than semi-sheer–and it imparts a healthy color to my natural lip color.
• Blondie is a subtle nude beige with champagne shimmer. On my lips, it actually does a fair job of giving my lips enough color, but it’s still sheer enough where your natural lip color can greatly affect how the color shows up on your lips. I see this turning much pinker and less nude on those with more naturally red lips.

Packaging wise, these have the same fancy-pants packaging as Guerlain’s Rouge Gs, which is luxe, heavy metal. It’s a very solid piece of makeup, but I’ve always felt that a lot of the price tag of Rouge Gs goes towards that indulgent packaging (which is nice, but I’d happily pay less for regular packaging!).

Much of the value gets eaten up by this packaging, because this is a formula that I’d pay $30-35 for (which is typical for high-end lipsticks), while at $45-46, it’s more about finding those perfect shades you’ll wear over and over again.

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• Product: 29/30
• Value: 7/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: If you like softer, sheerer lipstick color that goes on and feels almost like a thin yet creamy gloss, Rouge G de Brilliant hits the nail on the head. Colors are easy to wear, the formula feels fantastic on lips, and it is all housed in space-age packaging.

Availability: Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue

See photos & swatches!

Guerlain Betsy Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Betsy Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Betsy Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Betsy Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Bianca Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Bianca Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Bianca Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Bianca Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Blondie Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Blondie Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Blondie Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick

Guerlain Blondie Rouge G de Brilliant Lipstick