Top 10 of 2012: Lipsticks

There were actually a lot of fantastic lipsticks released this year! I already pulled up twenty that to consider for the top ten, and I had only reached August (I go backwards). There were 52 pages of lip product reviews to sift through (that’s 312 posts!), and these were the ones that made the cut:

• OCC Metallurgy Lip Tars — Triptych pictured above
• Cle de Peau Comtesse de Cayla — light coral
• Guerlain Orgueil — berry-red
• NARS Dragon Girl — matte, blue-based red
• Laura Mercier Raspberry Sorbet — muted rosy pink
• Maybelline Very Cherry — cherry red
• Shiseido RD 320 — creamy magenta
• Tom Ford Violet Fatale — iridescent berry purple
• Burberry Pink Amber — matte perfection
• Giorgio Armani #400 — rich red

What was your favorite lipstick from 2012?

Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick

Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick ($60.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a light-medium coral with a hint of pink and soft rose micro-shimmer. Guerlain Jicky is sheerer and a bit darker, less coral. MAC Mellowarm is a darker, browner version. Chanel Chalys is a bit more orange and darker. Chanel Libertine is similar. Lancome Stylista is slightly pinker. MAC Razzledazzler is pinker. Burberry Devon Sunset is pretty close, creamier rather than shimmery. MAC So Vain is a touch pinker and lighter.

The texture of Comtesse de Cayla is soft, creamy, and very lightweight–for such a creamy consistency, it’s surprisingly light on the lips. There’s opaque color payoff with a single pass of the lipstick, which is easily applied as it glides on like softened butter. The shimmer is very fine, so it doesn’t look frosted or metallic on the lips–it is a more forgiving finish and texture on lips with more lines, dryness, and the like.  When I tested this shade for wear, it wore for five hours and lost some of the glossiness in the natural finish after three and a half.  It was in need of a full reapplication after six and a half hours.

Cle de Peau advertises that there are “skincare benefits” in the formula, and while I can’t attest to that, given that I cannot commit to a single formula for six weeks to trial it, I can weigh-in on the short-term benefits like de-emphasis of lip lines (softened after ten to fifteen minutes of wear) and intense hydration. There are a lot of lipsticks that keep lips hydrated while you wear them to the point where your lips are no worse for the wear after they’ve faded, but there are fewer formulas that leave your lips feeling more hydrated than they were when you first applied the product.

One of the more frequent questions I’ll receive from readers whenever I post about a luxury product is, “Is it worth it?” The answer is really going to depend on you: your preferences, budget, and how much you love what you already have. My answer is always yes and no; yes, it’s absolutely worth it if it’s going to be a shade that you reach for, wear, and love every time you apply it, but no, not if you buy it and never wear it. I just repurchased Cle de Peau’s #2 Lipgloss (my all-time favorite gloss color), which is beautiful and lovely in every way, suits my coloring, and is one of the few glosses I’ll wear alone. What I can tell you is that the Extra Rich formula is fantastic–you are, at the very least, getting a high quality product.

The Glossover

	Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick Review, Photos, Swatches A
	It's every bit a luxury product--it feels lightweight, silky soft, and applies beautifully with rich color payoff, flattering undertones across skin tones, and is one of the most hydrating formulas on the market. Whether it's worth it is part of each individual's justification/rationalization process, but I can at least tell you that you're getting a high quality product.
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick

Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick

Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick (Diffused Flash)

Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick (Studio Lighting)

Cle de Peau R9 (Comtesse de Cayla) Extra Rich Lipstick