Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2012 Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 203 Rouge Rock ~ Swatches, Pics, Review

With Rouge Pur Couture The Mats, lips are adorned with deep, intense shades and matte radiance.
Heroic, forbidden, passionate, seductive, scandalous.
An iconic Couture color, red projects all its theatrical panache in a matte, stretch-leather look that rocks!

Matte radiance? You may be wondering how on earth a matte lipstick could look radiant. Well read on and you will see the genius of this formula.

As an artist passionate about color, Lloyd Simmonds has created 6 new, flamboyant, velvety facets of red, from deep red to plum and garnet.

I started with a single classic red. Then I added yellow, blue and black pigments to create a selection of Couture shades with a radiant matte finish.

The formula of the YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats is designed to have a “stretch” texture and is formulated with “Coloreveal technology”. This allows the Rouge Pur Couture The Mats to have a matte finish that still looks supple, radiant, and sleek. The color is touted to last for a full 6 hours. I did experience long wear with this lipstick but eating did do a number on it. I needed to touch up only in the inside area of my lips though.

The secret of the formula Perfect balance:

Intensity. Ultra-concentrated in pigments and organic lacquers, the color stays remarkably true and radiant.
Radiance. The luminous matte effect is achieved using a silicone gel, more than 25% of the formula, that has a soft, velvety feel, diffuses light and makes the color glow to its core.
Comfort. The ultra-light, non-oily silicone gel combined with spherical powders makes the lipstick glide on with the greatest of ease. Jojoba oil blended with emollient agents ensures comfort and 4-hour moisture.

The Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture formula feels soooo good. It was the perfect feel for me. Not dry and unforgiving and not overly creamy with too much slip. It was delightfully comfortable. The shade 403 Rouge Rock is breathtaking. Incredibly pigmented it applies opaquely and evenly in one layer. The colour is just so rich. I think it has just the right amount of blue that it will work with a large array of skin tones.

And now to the best part. The finish. This is not your average matte lipstick. It is not flat. It does not emphasize dryness or lip lines. It is indeed radiant. I don’t usually feel bold enough to leave the house with a red lip but if Yves Saint Laurent decides to expand The Mats beyond these 6 beautiful reds I will be unable to resist picking up more. This formula is perfection.

Natural light.

Direct sun.

The products should be hitting Canadian Holt Renfrew counters in August along with select Bay, Murale, and Sephora boutiques. I know it is rolling out as we speak in some US stores. Update: I just spotted them in stock at Neiman Marcus online.

* Product sent by the company for my consideration. All reviews are always my own honest and unbiased opinions.

Comments

Kate MacDonald says:

July 17, 2012 at 2:45 AM

GASP!! I normally rank YSL up there with Chanel in terms of the splendour of their reds, but even by their standards, that is a magnificent shade.

I’m also glad to see that there are six shades. I’d read elsewhere that Canada was only getting 3 of them (Nordstrom only has three listed). It would keep me up nights thinking that there were shades that I couldn’t get my little paws on..

Mimi (MakeupWithdrawal) says:

July 17, 2012 at 4:33 AM

Whoa! That lipstick looks so regal and rich! I’ve never tried a YSL lip product, I think it may be time to pop my cherry!

Becca @ The Beauty Sample says:

July 17, 2012 at 4:43 AM

Wow–there is no other word that comes to mind other than “rich”–it just looks so richly pigmented and creamy and perfect. And yes you’re right–I can see the slight blueness to it but I still feel like it would work on me! Lovely!

Maggie says:

July 17, 2012 at 10:14 AM

That is one gorgeous matte! Reminds me a bit of the matte formulation on the Lancome Rouge in Love lippies.

Perilously Pale says:

July 17, 2012 at 11:18 AM

Kate this formula is so outstanding you will probably have a hard time narrowing down the 6!

Mimi the YSL lip products are outstanding! My top picks are the ROuge Pur Couture lipsticks and the Glossy Stains.

Becca it just screams rich doesn’t it?!

Maggie I haven’t tried the Lancome in Love lipsticks yet. I keep meaning to. It’s so amazing how far mattes have come.

Miss Kwong says:

July 17, 2012 at 12:01 PM

deeply in love with the dark rich red lip colour….

I absolutely adore your blog. The makeup is wonderful and I’ll really love to try that out!

Say meow to me on:
Miss Kwong: From Catwalk to Classroom

Brooke @ BlushingNoir says:

July 17, 2012 at 1:25 PM

This is SO bold and bright! On point with my favorite things LOL Gorgeous!

Amanda says:

July 17, 2012 at 3:54 PM

My stomach literally has butterflies. This is SO beautiful. I’m at a loss for words. I want this. No, no. I -need- this.

Tamara says:

July 17, 2012 at 7:01 PM

I love rich mattes and this looks like precisely that. Will definitely have to check this out once it’s available in store.

This shade looks marvelous on you!

Michelle says:

July 17, 2012 at 9:56 PM

I seriously LOVE the way this feels, when I first applied it, I literally had to check to make sure I had the right lipstick. I got #206 Grenat Satisfaction and its gorgeous!
This color looks beautiful on you!