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YSL Gloss Volupte Reviews, Photos, Swatches

YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte
YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte

YSL Gloss Volupte ($32.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is a new, recently released gloss formula that’s supposed to be “lightweight, non-sticky” with a unique applicator for “intense glossy colour.” The gloss is available in three finishes: Golden, Iridescent, and Pure, with Pure being the most difference as it has no shimmer, whereas the differences between Golden and Iridescent are much smaller–Iridescent has more iridescent/more prominent shimmer. YSL describes the Golden shades has having a “warm glimmer of gold flecks,” while the Iridescent shades have “tone-on-tone, pearlescent flecks.” The Pure finish is described as “sheer, mirror-like.”

The gloss is lightweight, smooth, and comfortable to wear. It really glides and smooths over the lips effortlessly but doesn’t feel too slippery, a little gel-like but not a full-on gel texture. They wear two and a half to four hours on me, depending on shade, color, and texture. I notice the texture of the sparkle about two-thirds of the way into wear, as the gloss begins to fade, but it is subtle and not to a bothersome level. The color coverage varies quite a bit from shade to shade, and I wouldn’t describe the Golden shades of them as “intense glossy colour,” but Pure seems to have the right level of color (“sheer”).  They’re not all super sheer, barely-there glosses, but they aren’t opaque glosses either. They have a sweet, mango-scent and are nicely hydrating. Golden Glosses have larger and more prominent sparkle, and the texture is a little thicker.

Grenade Pepite (No. 15) Gloss Volupte ($32.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is a brightened, pink-coral with gold sparkle. It had semi-opaque color coverage; noticeable, rich color but not fully opaque so the natural lip color will come through. It had some sparkle but was not over-the-top or loaded with it. It wore well for four hours. Chanel Sonate (178) (P, $29.50) is warmer. Maybelline Celestial Coral (010) (P, $8.99) is less shimmery. Chanel Reflexion (71) (P, $32.00) is more shimmery, warmer. Giorgio Armani #519 (P, $29.00) is less shimmery, more pigmented. MAC Kiss & Don’t Tell (LE, $15.00) is lighter, less shimmery. MAC Star Quality (LE, $20.00) is warmer, less shimmery. See comparison swatches.

Nude Carat (No. 20) Gloss Volupte ($32.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is a peachy-beige with gold sparkle and warm undertones. It had semi-sheer color coverage with some sparkle. It had a tendency to settle into lip lines somewhat, and though it applied more evenly than a lot of similarly-colored glosses, it wasn’t completely even. On me, the gloss lasted for three hours. NARS Bimini (P, $26.00) is more shimmery. MAC Softly Lit (LE, $20.00) is lighter. MAC Flair for Finery (LE, $20.00) is lighter. MAC Calypso Beat (LE, $20.00) is warmer, more opaque. MAC Boundless Beige (P, $19.50) is more shimmery. MAC You’ve Got It (LE, $20.00) is similar. MAC Paper Lantern (LE, $20.00) is also similar. Hourglass Imagine (P, $28.00) is more shimmery. See comparison swatches.

Corail Trapeze (No. 204) Gloss Volupte ($32.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is a muted, orange with a creamy, glossy finish–no shimmer/sparkle. It had semi-sheer, even color coverage, and over my natural lip color, it looked more like a warmer, pink-coral but not an orange-y shade at all. This shade lasted three and a half hours on me. Chanel Sonate (178) (P, $29.50) is slightly pinker. MAC Drawn in Chic (LE, $15.00) is brighter, lighter. Marc Jacobs Beauty Paint It (202) (P, $28.00) is brighter, more pigmented. MAC Fever Isle (LE, $20.00) is more shimmery, brighter. Revlon Papaya (P, $7.49) is more shimmery. NARS Viva (LE, $26.00) is slightly darker. MAC Ravishing (LE, $15.00) is more muted. MAC Star Quality (LE, $20.00) is pinker. Guerlain Candy Stripe (P, $30.00) is warmer, slightly darker. See comparison swatches.

YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte
YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte

YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte
YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte

YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte
YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte

YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte
YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte

YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte
YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte

YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte
YSL Grenade Pepite (15) Gloss Volupte

YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte
YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte

YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte
YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte

YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte
YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte

YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte
YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte

YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte
YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte

YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte
YSL Nude Carat (20) Gloss Volupte

YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte
YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte

YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte
YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte

YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte
YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte

YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte
YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte

YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte
YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte

YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte
YSL Corail Trapeze (204) Gloss Volupte

64 Comments

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Audrey Avatar

My favorite of the bunch is Corail Trapeze, but I don’t think I’ll be buying any of these. For the price I think there’s more interesting stuff out there. My next gloss purchase will be Chanel’s Merveille-I got Reflexion for Christmas and I love the formula so much that I can’t wait to try another.

Eileen Avatar

I bought 15 Grenade Pepite and 49 Terriblement Fuchsia. Everything you said about Grenade Pepite–except for the color description, of course–could also be said about Terriblement Fuchsia. They’re both fresh, vibrant springtime shades with a hint of sparkle that makes them look particularly pretty outdoors. I’m also a fan of the semi-opaque level of pigmentation. The two I bought provide plenty of color, but they blend easily with the natural rose color of my lips. When I wear a gloss on its own, I value a bit of transparency. Fully opaque, super shiny lips always look a bit “hookeresque” to me–a look I want to avoid at my age! 😉 The only thing I don’t like about the glosses is the sent, but it is a very small price to pay for a gloss that is moisturizing and doesn’t irritate my chronically dry lips.

Eileen Avatar

I “taste” the sent–if that makes any kind of crazy sense–for about five minutes and then it is completely gone. It’s weird how my two senses get a bit mixed up when I first apply the gloss because the gloss doesn’t actually have any flavor. Weird science! LOL

Jade Avatar

Wow these are beautiful!! You’re terrible, tempting me with YSL expensiveness the last few posts!! Oh well, at least they seem like they would be worth the investment 😉 Grenade Pepite is going on my wishlist!

Rae Avatar

Grenade Pepite looks absolutely beautiful on you, Christine. I’m actually quite surprised at how well you rated these (I think this is the first positive review I’ve seen for them so far!), but they don’t look nearly as sheer as I was expecting — perhaps because of the differences between the three sub-formulas.

Anyhow, I’m looking forward to seeing the rest! I can’t stop scrolling back up for “just one more look!” at Grenade 😛

Christina Avatar

Christine, I am obsessed with these colors! I swear you make every single color on this planet look amazing!! I never click on anyone’s affiliate links but you’re the exception :p Can’t wait to get the first and third color. I can’t pull off nudes, and I wish that I could !! I am nc30 but feel nudes always make me look so scary like I have no lips… Could be because my lips are darker idk =\

Also, do you have a pre-lipstick/gloss regimen? Your lips look amazing. Haha

xo

Christine Avatar

Aww, thank you for the support, Christina! I really appreciate it 🙂

You might want to try a beige with stronger brown, plum, or pink tones to it that are on the darker side – not traditionally “beige” but would work for that kind of look – against your skin tone.

For lip care, I exfoliate 2-3 times a week (I use this – http://www.temptalia.com/aubrey-elizabeth-apothecary-lemon-lip-scrub-review-photos), sometimes more depending on whether it’s necessary or not, and then I just make sure to use a hydrating balm whenever I’m not testing lip color (primarily early in the AM and late in the evening/before bed). I use Jack Black Lip Balm, which works really well for me, and I like that I can still feel some of it on when I wake up.

Alla Avatar

These are quite nice (the first one looks especially pretty on you!) but, given the price, I think I’d rather get a glossy stain or a rouge volupte. I think YSL set the bar really high for themselves with the overall quality of their lip products, so whenever one of their products isn’t mind-blowing, I get disappointed. It’s a nice problem to have, I suppose 🙂

Andrea Avatar

These glosses look so lovely on you! The bright pink and corail were actually the two I was wanted to purchase! Thank you for the swatches. Another color I wanted was 202 jersey pink. What do you think about that shade? I have only seen swatches but not on anyone with a warm medium undertone. Thanks a bunch!

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