Illamasqua Exquisite Sheer Lipgloss ($24.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is described as a “pink oyster.” It’s a milky, warm-toned pink with an iridescent pink-to-peach sheen. Chanel Songe (191) (LE, $29.50) has a lesser duochrome that shifts to more of a green-ish-mauve. bareMinerals Heartbreaker (LE, $18.00) has no duochrome. Giorgio Armani #700 (P, $29.00) is lighter, less pink. Revlon Orchid (P, $7.49) is similar on but has no duochrome. Bobbi Brown Pink Gold (P, $24.00) is similar, less duochrome. Bobbi Brown Firefly (P, $24.00) is lighter. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

It looks more like a duochrome at times, but often, it just looks like a light pink. I always get excited for these types of glosses but find they have a very limited range of viewing/angles where it really looks as cool in person as it does swatched on your arm/hand (probably because you can really move and angle your arm/hand a lot more than your face!). It has a light-to-medium-weight consistency that feels creamy and comfortable to wear without being tacky. It had semi-sheer color coverage where the natural lip color is visible and will alter how this looks if you have more pigmented lips. It lasts for four and a half hours, and I never felt the shimmer while applying or as it wore away. It was lightly hydrating. The gloss is on the milkier side, so there is a little bit of settling, and if you press your lips together, it can create “lines” as the product moves around.

Again, it appears that Illamasqua is no longer available at any U.S. retailers, which means the only way to purchase their products is through their website. The press release I received for the Once… collection is for the US, and the pricing reflected what we saw in stores, but converting to “$ USD” on their website changes the price on this to $26.77 (but you will pay in £ at checkout). On non-polish and fragrance orders, shipping is free over £50.

See more photos & swatches!

Illamasqua Exquisite Sheer Lipgloss

Illamasqua Exquisite Sheer Lipgloss

Illamasqua Exquisite Sheer Lipgloss

Illamasqua Exquisite Sheer Lipgloss

Illamasqua Exquisite Sheer Lipgloss

Illamasqua Exquisite Sheer Lipgloss