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Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color & Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color ($49.00 for 0.10 oz.) is vibrant, warm red with orange-brown undertones and a luminous finish. This is very nearly the same as Marc Jacobs Beauty Showstopper (134) (P, $30.00), which I reviewed just yesterday–at the most, Rouge Fatal is slightly redder/not as brown. Givenchy Grenat Initie (307) (P, $36.00) is darker, less brown. NARS Golshan (P, $25.00) is more matte, lighter. NARS Majella (P, $25.00) is similar but more matte. Milani Cherry Crave (P, $5.49) is metallic. MAC Viva Glam I (P, $15.00) is more matte. Buxom Provocateur (P, $21.00) is brighter, less brown. See comparison swatches.

Rouge Fatal is richly pigmented and fully opaque on lips in a single stroke. The consistency is light-to-medium-weight, creamy, and comfortable to wear; it doesn’t slip around, but it doesn’t cling either. It lasts and lasts for a long six hours and leaves behind a red stain.  The Tom Ford Lip Color formula is supposed to “deliver pure color with just the right balance of luminosity,” while also being hydrating and applying smoothly. The formula lives up to all of those things–great color payoff, moderately glossy/luminous, and it gives lips a smoother, healthier appearance. It is lightly scented with sweet vanilla but has no discernible taste. It was somewhat hydrating while worn.  The biggest drawback to the Lip Color range is really that most colors are more basic, so they are more easily duped by comparable formulas at a lower price point (case in point: Marc Jacobs’ Showstopper for this shade).

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer ($32.00 for 0.34 fl. oz.) is pink-toned red with cool, bluish undertones and a cream finish. Chanel Rouge Rubis (P, $27.00) is a touch brighter. Chanel Cinema (P, $27.00) is darker. MAC Touch of Red (LE, $16.00) is slightly redder. MAC Russian Red (LE, $16.00) is similar. MAC Flaming Rose (P, $16.00) is darker. L’Oreal The Queen’s Might (LE) is pinker. Guerlain Champs-Elysees (P, $23.00) is similar. Chanel Suspicious (P, $27.00) is a bit pinker. China Glaze Hey Sailor (LE, $8.00) is similar. Essie Silken Cord (LE, $8.00) is also similar. See comparison swatches.

The quality of the formula was very nice with rich, fully pigmented color in almost one coat (but the swatches are with two). It had a consistency that was balanced between thick and thin, so it didn’t accumulate along the edges or shift while drying. Even the dry down seemed slightly quicker than the average polish, and when it dried, there was a moderate shine left behind. If you want a plush, glossy finish, you’ll still need a top coat. I get about a week of wear out of Tom Ford’s formula with minor tip wear but no chipping, which is normal for me across most polish formulas (so take that with a grain of salt).

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal Lip Color

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer
Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer
Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer
Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer
Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer
Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer
Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer
Tom Ford Trophy Wife Nail Lacquer

35 Comments

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Ade Avatar

Ah finally….
I’ve been waiting for your review about Rouge Fatal since I read your review about Vampire Kiss, I only trust your unbiased opinion! 😉
I have medium-dark/tan skin with strong golden-olive undertones, usually I gravitate towards blue-based reds because oddly enough, it looks better on me than the warmer-toned one. But seeing you said that it’s warm but not orange-y, now I’m in torn between this or Vampire Kiss (I might wanna give warm red a try since I’ve been hoarding cool-toned red lip products mercilessly lately) .

Ade Avatar

Oh one more thing, I know you love Guerlain, but formula-wise, which one you love best:
Tom Ford Rouge Fatal;
Marc Jacobs Showstopper;
Guerlain Garconne;
Guerlain Luxure;
Givenchy Grenat Initie; or
NARS Majella?

My lips are dry and chap really easily even though I exfoliate religiously. I’ve heard people complaining Tom Ford being drying on them (I only have last year Diabolique and I love it despite it really is super matte, but hey, it didn’t dry my lips!).

Christine Avatar

Hey Ade,

Guerlain Garconne, but that’s going to be partially because I love the color so… Generally, I would say that Grenat Initie and Showstopper are going to be more moisturizing for most at least in terms of feel as they are more emollient (slicker/wetter) than the others. I find Guerlain to be most hydrating both during and after wear I would say, but that is close with Givenchy’s Le Rouge formula.

Alex Avatar

I have a question about Givenchy, and nude/lighter lipsticsk in general — I have Givenchy Le Rouge in Beige Plume, and it not only settles into my lip lines, it cakes up, disappears in two hours — but not before it dries me out to the point where my lips start bleeding! I can’t even wear it with lip balm because the color bunches up. Is this a thing with nudes, or did I get a dud? 🙁

Ade Avatar

Ouch…, I’m sorry Beige Plume dries your lips…. I have Givenchy Le Rouge in 205 Fuchsia Irrésistible, it didn’t dries me up. I guess they didn’t create each shade with equal formulation of hydration.
I have the same problem with some lip products (e.g. Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick, Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy, Chanel Rouge Allure, NARS Pure Matte Lipstick, etc.).
Lipsticks that I feel created equally moisturizing are Burberry (both Lip Cover & Lip Velvet, Guerlain (Rouge G & Automatique), Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro and Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick (oh why it comes with such a hefty price tag?!).
Well…, that’s why I need formula/texture comparisons between those lipsticks, I’m afraid I was just lucky with Tom Ford Diabolique formulation but not so much with the rest of his lipsticks.

Ade Avatar

Thanks Christine, then I’d go with Grenat Initie or Garconne instead (both Givenchy and Guerlain are available on my city, while Tom Ford is not, yay!) 😀

Tuss Avatar

Hi Christine! I’ve read this blog for many years, and I have always wondered what you do with all this makeup? You must have sooo much makeup… what do you do after reviewing a product? Do you keep it, sell it, give it away?

anna marie Avatar

omg. this is beautiful… but it’s hard for me to compare this, to vampire kiss, to crimson noir, to scarlet rouge… all these reds! what do you think?

Rashmi Avatar

thats gorgeoussss on you and its Tom Ford 🙂

i would loveeee to spend some money on these next year 🙂 am eyeing Wild Ginger , i badlyyyyy want that color , i picked true coral after seeing your review and seriously thats my fav shade so far 🙂
and if i finish the tube i would be so proud of myself 😀
4 MAC lipstick unused is better then 1 Tom ford squeezed from top to bottom 🙂

Tori Avatar

This red pulls too warm for me but I think that it’ll be right up my mom’s alley so I guess I’ve found her Christmas present. Thanks Christine! 🙂

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