YSL Spring Look 2009 Collection Review, Swatches

Gloss Pur: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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