Guerlain Holiday: Guerlain Gems Rouge G Lipstick
Guerlain Gems Rouge G Lipstick
($45.00 for 0.12 oz.) is the second new, limited edition shade of Rouge G from Guerlain’s Holiday Collection. (The other new, limited edition shade is Grace, which I reviewed last week.)
Gems is a beautiful shade of slight subdued pink-coral with a fiery gold shimmer laced throughout. It’s hard for me to call it a coral, because there is a very pink color base to it, yet the brightness of the rising sun shimmer makes it pop. For me, this was love at first swatch — this is a shade I could see myself wearing all the time, no matter the occasion.
It’s just one of those shades that suits me well and makes me feel great wearing it. I’ve always considered makeup more than just utility — it’s about the feeling and experience and joy I get from using it. This just makes me happy! Even outside of my makeup haze, I really do think this is a very flattering shade that a lot of people could wear and find work well for them.
The Rouge G formula is fantastic — smooth, silky, wears and fades well, and goes on opaque overall. The only real detractor is the wowza price tag. When it comes to Rouge G, I really do believe you’re paying mostly for the packaging. I just can’t deny the formula rocks — I just wish they’d make the formula available with some cheaper packaging!
By the way, Gems looks amazing with Guerlain’s Perle de Lune KissKiss Gloss (also from this collection) layered on top.
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- Product: 30/30
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: If you love slightly coral-pinks or shimmery shades, you may want to check out this limited edition holiday shade if you can take the splurge!
Availability: Nordstrom
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Guerlain: Grace Rouge G Lipstick
Guerlain Grace Rouge G Lipstick ($45.00 for 0.12 oz.) is one of two new, limited edition shades of Rouge G from Guerlain’s Holiday Collection. (The other shade is Gems.)
If you’ve been following my coverage of various permanent shades of Rouge G, you’ll know the formula is smooth, luxurious, and often, shades are opaque. The lipstick contains a smoother, softer shimmer that’s not frosty or glittery. Wear time is about four or five hours, though it’s not a long-wearing lipstick, so it won’t last through dinner and drinks.
Grace is a soft, beige-y pink with a soft pink-peach shimmer. On my lips, it does look a lot like a subtle enhancement of my natural color and doesn’t really pack a punch as far as color goes. Depending on your tastes/needs, you may l ike the subtly and softness of this holiday shade, while others may find the muted color too bland for their liking.
Bottom Line: It’s a nice shade, and it’s something you can easily wear any time–not just the holidays–and for any occasion. The price will always be a sticking factor for some, and Rouge G isn’t for everyone (I’m pretty sure Guerlain was well aware of that fact when they priced these at $45 a pop), but they are very nice splurge items, particularly when you find just the right shade for you.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: Grace is a fitting name for this shade, because it’s perfect for wearing everyday or with a smoky eye — it’s a versatile shade even though some may find it’s too bland to warrant the splurge.
Availability: Nordstrom
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Guerlain Giovanna Rouge G Lipstick
The Scarlet Season: Guerlain Giovanna Rouge G Lipstick
Guerlain Giovanna Rouge G Lipstick ($45.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a sensational limited edition shade of coppery ruby red, which was launched as part of Guerlain’s Fall 2009 Collection (so it may still be available in-store). It’s got the smooth, silky feel of Rouge G lipsticks with a punch of pigment and the subtle, sparkling coppery shimmer that really just makes this red glow. This is definitely one of my favorite shades of Rouge G that I’ve tried out, and I wish it was part of the permanent line-up! The Rouge G line isn’t for everyone, since it is a particularly pricey lipstick, but the formula is divine (though you do pay a good bit for the packaging) and worth the splurge for the lipstick fiend.
The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!
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Guerlain Gala Rouge G Lipstick
The Scarlet Season: Guerlain Gala Rouge G Lipstick
Guerlain Gala Le Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick ($45.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a stunning shade of blue-based red. It’s a vibrant shade of rich ruby red with soft ruby red shimmer and sparkle. It’s creamy, opaque in just one layer, and wears well on my lips (I get about five or six hours of wear). The subtle shimmer is lovely, a nice way to accent a slightly glossy, but very rich red. It should be worn with a lip liner (clear or matching), though, to give lips a more defined and precise look. This is probably one of my favorite shades of Rouge G lipsticks, actually!
The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!
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Guerlain Gemma Le Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick
Guerlain Gemma Le Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick ($45.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a dazzling confection of medium pink with a golden glimmer. It applies opaque in one to two layers, and it looks natural yet still more color pop than a my-lips-but-better (MLBB) shade. I’m really a big fan of how smoothly and evenly the Rouge Gs apply, and Gemma is no exception. I think this color is universally flattering, because it’s a nice, neutral medium pink. The gold shimmer adds a little oomph to the color, too. This is a shade you could wear year-round, so this is definitely going to make its way into my everyday lip color stash.
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: This is one of my favorite shades that I’ve seen from the Rouge G lineup — it’s a very pretty in pink shade with just the right amount of shimmer.
Availability: Nordstrom
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Guerlain Gipsy Le Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick ($45.00 for 0.12 oz.) is like a summer orange-based coral. It has just the slightest hint of pinkness to it to keep it from being overwhelmingly orange, but it still packs quite an orange punch. When I saw it in the tube, I wasn’t sure it would work, since it seems so orange-tastic, but on lips, it’s more subdued and wearable.
It’s like an orange-coral base color with orange-copper shimmer. It applies opaque in about one layer or so, and it wears well through the day (about four or five hours of wear-time). Like all Rouge Gs, the shimmer is fantastic — subtle, soft, but utterly dazzling. I think it’s ruby dust or something fancy like that, but it’s lovely. Personally, I’d love it if there was more pinkk to it, to make it more of a true coral, since orange and I don’t always get along well!
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: Not my first choice in the Rouge G shade line-up, but if you like orange-based lipsticks, this shade may be more up your alley than mine.
Availability: Nordstrom
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