YSL’s Spring Look 2009 Collection is fun to review, because it is so different from many of the other spring launches this season. Do you remember how we had a lil’ sneak peek a few weeks ago of what was to come? Sure, you have some pastels typical to spring, but then you have such an intense, vivid black that totally negates how spring it is!

Temptalia Recommendations:

Must-haves: Gloss Pur in Pure Raspberry, Pure Lipstick in Romantic Pink, Ivory Beige/Deep Black
Nice-to-haves: Glosss Pur in Pure Fuchsia, Pure Lipstick in Silky Apricot
Skip: Collector Powders (Complexion and Eye), Oatmeal/Petroleum Blue

See a review breakdown of each product AND swatches…

Gloss Pur ($29.00)

Gloss Pur are supposedly like YSL’s Golden Gloss (love, love, love!), without the shimmer (but that’s what makes Golden Gloss so phenomenal!). Gloss Pur is a creamy, non-sticky formula with a high, glossy shine scented with mango. I find Gloss Pur lasts a good three or four hours on my lips, and it doesn’t leave any faded ring around my lips like some glosses do.

• N 1 Pure Nude is a creamy, milky pale beige-peach color. It’s very pale, and on me, probably would wash me out. On someone more porcelain or paired with a shamelessly dark smoky eye, it could be stunning.
• N 2 Pure Rose is a milky, warm-toned pink. I’d actually really love to see this one on!
• N 3 Pure Coral is an orangey-coral color that is just borderline coral, as far as I could tell. It had a lot of orange to it, which made me not fall head over heels in love with it. (C’mon, me and corals? There is no better relationship!)
• N 4 Pure Raspberry is almost a hot pink, but not quite. It’s toned down in its depth, so it’s not really a fuchsia or overly bright. I’d say it’s a more wearable take on a bright pink gloss.
• N 5 Pure Fuchsia is a deep raspberry-fuchsia color. I think this is the one next on my list to buy.
• N 6 Pure Plum is a brownish, reddish plum color. It’s very burgundy plum, versus mauvey plum. Since it’s so dark, this gloss is no doubt the most pigmented of the six released.

Palettes

• Collector Powder For the Complexion ($62.00) is a semi-matte peachy shade, when they’re all brushed together. I find that the easiest way is to wear it that way, because the strips of color are not wide enough to make it all that practical to use one at a time. I wasn’t in love with this, and with the price, you’re better off getting one of YSL’s blushes and somethin’ else.
• Collector Powder For the Eyes ($62.00) features those springy pastels I mentioned earlier, though they’re more subdued than some other brands’ launches. I found the yellow shade to be a little chalky, and it’s almost a greenish yellow than a yellow, yellow. The pink is a soft, cool pink, while the dark purple stripe turns into a soft plummy burgundy shade. The last strip is a gray-teal shade–not really a color I see often, but it wasn’t worth getting the whole palette for.
• Coral Sand Blush ($44.00) is a soft, mostly matte peach shade with subtle golden sheen. It’s very light, and while I know it would look stunning on warm tones, it doesn’t grab me at as a must-have.

Pure Lipstick ($30.00)

Pure Lipsticks are pretty much without shimmer, but they are most certainly not without shine and sheen. All of the lipsticks from the spring launch are ultra pigmented (even the nudes) and irresistibly creamy. If you felt Rouge Volupte was a bit too creamy, these might be more to your liking.

• N 143 Blazing Red is a bright pop of creamy red. It looks like a blue-based red to me, just FYI.
• N 144 Silky Apricot is a golden, peachy color. This would look absolutely fabulous with Pure Coral! But if you want a cheaper dupe, think Ravishing by MAC.
• N 145 Paradise Pink is a bright, cool-toned pink with fuchsia undertones. It’s pretty, but I have plenty of these shades in my collection already, so I found it skippable.
• N 146 Romantic Pink is one of the most gorgeous pinks I have ever swatched! Talk about a great mix of softness and brightness. It’s not an in-your-face pink, but it isn’t too cool or too warm either. It’s not quite neutral, but I can’t determine which way it leans! I imagine it may lean more towards whatever you are when you wear it. I’m pretty sure I’ll be going back for this one.
• N 147 Hazelnut is a browned-down peach color. It’s not super brown, but it’s got some terracotta to it.
• N 148 Tea Rose is a soft, nude pink color. It reminds me al ittle of MAC’s Hug Me, but more pigmented.

Eyeshadow Duos

• Ivory Beige/Deep Black is beyond delightful. Deep Black is exactly that–a RIDICULOUSLY dark black. I always thought Carbon by MAC was black, but I was wrong. THIS is the black I’ve been looking for all my life. When YSL launches at my local Nordie’s, I’m definitely picking this up. (I swatched everything 30 minutes away at Neiman’s, and I didn’t want to chance any returns!) Even the Ivory Beige shade is appreciable, for its soft peachiness and matte texture. It’s not like it’s a bum shade, and Deep Black has to carry it.
• Oatmeal/Petroleum Blue is similar in texture to the other duo, but it’s just not as fab. It’s pretty hard to compete with Deep Black, to be honest. I found Oatmeal to be too pale, cool-toned gray and a little on the chalky side. Petroleum Blue is very intense and it’s almost black, but you can still see the blue tone to it, which I was impressed by.

Coral Sand (1st swatch); Eyeshadow Powder (last four swatches)

Blazing Red, Silky Apricot, Paradise Pink, Romantic Pink, Hazelnut, Tea Rose

Blazing Red, Silky Apricot, Paradise Pink, Romantic Pink, Hazelnut, Tea Rose

Ivory Beige/Deep Black; Oatmeal/Petroleum Blue

YSL’s Spring 2009 Collection

GLOSS PUR / Pure Lip Gloss ($29.00)

• N 1 Pure Nude
• N 2 Pure Rose
• N 3 Pure Coral
• N 4 Pure Raspberry
• N 5 Pure Fuchsia
• N 6 Pure Plum

NEW LIMITED EDITIONS

• PALETTE D’ARTISTE / Collector Powder For The Complexion ($62.00)
• PALETTE D’ARTISTE / Collector Powder For The Eyes ($62.00)

BLUSH VARIATION / Variation Blush ($44.00)

• N 18 Coral Sand

OMBRES DUOLUMIÈRES / Eye Shadow Duo ($41.00)

• N 17 Ivory Beige / Deep Black
• N 19 Oatmeal / Petroleum Blue

EVERLONG MASCARA / Lengthening Mascara ($28.50)

• N 7 Ever Steel Blue

EASY LINER FOR EYES / Eyeliner Automatique ($33.00)

• N 2 Easy Brown
• N 3 Easy Blue

FARD À LÈVRES ROUGE PUR / Pure Lipstick ($30.00)

• N 143 Blazing Red
• N 144 Silky Apricot
• N 145 Paradise Pink
• N 146 Romantic Pink
• N 147 Hazelnut
• N 148 Tea Rose

NAIL TOUCH / Nail Lacquer Brush Pen ($26.00)

• N 5 Tender Pink Touch
• N 6 Coral Touch

On-Counter: February 2009

Learn more about the artistry behind the collection, plus another promo photo!

Inspired by the artists of his time, Yves Saint Laurent created his very own language in fashion and beauty: a language of color in its purest state. His unique approach sets the stage for a woman who enjoys dazzling her audience with the power of seductive colors.

The SPRING 2009 Collection is an artistic look at the visionary contrasts invented by Yves Saint Laurent: a shock of colors in vibrating harmonies of yellow and pink, orange and fuchsia, green and violet, ochre and blue.

VIRTUAL HORIZONS
Under the talented hand of Yves Saint Laurent Artistic Advisor for Make-Up, Val Garland, Coco Rocha interprets an optimistic, futuristic Yves Saint Laurent woman with her eyes firmly fixed on the horizon.

Limited Editions: Abstract works of art
Icons of the collection are two Limited Edition palettes inspired by abstract art: each one offers an original, graphic interpretation of luminous, soft colors, and the poetry of vibrant harmonies that invite women to become the artists of their own beauty.

PALETTE D’ARTISTE | COLLECTOR POWDER FOR THE COMPLEXION
Four radiant shades form a graphic pattern that remains intact to the very end. This refined presentation stimulates creative application for a dazzling spring look. The palette has everything it takes: a pale, sunny earth shade to warm and sculpt the face, vibrant orange and tender pink to brighten and heat up the intensity, and light pink to highlight and illuminate prominent features with a satiny sheen.

Silky and intensified with Ampli Light + pigments, these powders capture the light and enhance the skin with beautiful transparency. Apply the shades one by one using a brush, or sweep the brush over them all to create a personalized, always unique shade of blush.

PALETTE D’ARTISTE COLLECTOR POWDER FOR THE EYES
This quartet, the second part of this exceptional diptych, offers a poetic vision of the eyes.
The long-lasting, silky, satiny powders are pure, luminous, perfectly matte and richly pigmented.
The intensity of their shades makes the eyes dance with pure color. Perfectly adjustable, easy to apply and blend, they are ideal for personalizing the eyes every day, to reinvent them as an original work of art. Pale yellow, tender pink, gray-green for the eyelids, and a trace of deep purple to apply along the lash line to structure and intensify the overall effect.

GLOSS PUR
Fall’s trend-inspiring success of Limited Edition GLOSS PUR Black redefined the codes of seduction by brandishing the designer’s favorite color – black – on the lips. Today, GLOSS PUR celebrates color in its purest state: no sparkles or demi-tones, just extreme shine and infinite comfort.

The applicator precisely deposits a flash of colored light. The supple, translucent texture is ideal for creating gorgeous effects, from a subtle veil to a mirror shine. Worn alone or as a top coat with ROUGE PUR lipstick, this supremely fashionable gloss boasts a collection of nude shades like flesh-colored N 1 Pure Nude and soft pink N 2 Pure Rose, and intense, fruity shades like raspberry N 4 Pure Raspberry, fluorescent orange N 3 Pure Coral, burnt sienna N 6 Pure Plum and the essential N 5 Pure Fuchsia, the iconic Yves Saint Laurent shade.

The pure expression of color by Yves Saint Laurent, GLOSS PUR pairs perfectly with Fard à lèvres ROUGE PUR to endow each woman with her own unique radiance.

THE HARMONIES: OVER THE RAINBOW

In the visual with make-up created by Val Garland, Coco Rocha becomes the central figure in a boldly colored painting.

Lashes sheathed with new EVERLONG MASCARA N 7 Ever Steel Blue are blended with indigo to bring out the purple and pink shades on the upper eyelids. The eyebrow arch is brightened with pastel yellow. Under the eyes, the green in the palette is mixed with EASY LINER FOR EYES N 3 Easy Blue for a vibrant contrast. The complexion is fresh, smooth and matte. Lips are tangy and fruity with a refreshing, ultra shiny orange shade.

HARMONY #1 BLUE LINE
A perfect pairing of blue and beige for a woman who, above all, expresses her beauty through purified, balanced intensities. For outlining eyes, blue is the new black, to be combined with beige for a new, timeless look.

The eyelids are enhanced with OMBRES DUOLUMIÈRES N 19 Oatmeal / Petroleum Blue and EASY LINER FOR EYES N 3 Easy Blue together with the coordinated EVERLONG MASCARA N 7 Ever Steel Blue shade. Deceptively demure lips are incomparably shiny with GLOSS PUR N 1 Pure Nude.

HARMONY #2 PINK DELIGHTS
A play of shadow and light finished with a velvety effect. Eyes are rimmed with OMBRES DUOLUMIÈRES N17 Ivory Beige / Deep Black. Lips are raspberry pink with GLOSS PUR N4 Pure Raspberry. The sensual woman indulges her passion for Pink with delight, giving it an intensely brilliant, vibrant shine.