Red lips: There is a shade and and an occasion for everyone. 
L’Oreal’s latest collection, The Color Riche Pure Reds Collection Star range has seven lipsticks that scream fun, versatility and excitement. If you want to wear a subtle shade of red to work, an orange for a lunch date or a fuschia with hints of red, then this range covers it all for you. There is a red for every occasion, every mood and every outfit you can ever put together.
What is it? A range of seven versatile shades of red chosen by L’Oreal’s brand ambassadors.
Price and Quantity: 995 INR for 4.2g
Packaging: A classy black lipstick tube packaging with the signature of the respective brand ambassador along with a square button which shows the color of the lipstick. This makes it easy to identify the color of the lipstick (helps when you own more than one!) and the name of the shade is printed on the bottom of the tube.
Shades: The 7 lipsticks have one thing in common: the color red. Either they have a red undertone, a hint of red or is a beautiful red on its own and all these seven shades would suit any skintone.
Li Bingbing’s Pure Fire: A beautiful warm orange with a red undertone. This shade is my favourite of the seven.
Fan Bingbing’s Pure Vermeil: A slightly bright pinkish coral lipstick with hints of red. This lipstick is perfect for day wear and for beginners who are hesitant to try red lipsticks.
Gong Li’s Pure Amaranthe: A gorgeous mix of pink and fuchsia with hints of red. This is another lipstick that would be apt for beginners and to flaunt during the day.
Blake Lively’s Pure Scarleto: A bright yet warm red. This is a perfect red for any skin tone.
Aishwarya Rai’s Pure Brick: A red with strong brown undertones.
Freida Pinto’s Pure Rouge: A cool toned deep red. Said to be very similar to the much loved MAC Ruby Woo, this is one shade that can be worn with an outfit as ethnic as a sari or for a night out in your favourite LBD.
Sonam Kapoor’s Pure Garnet: Although this looks brown in the tube, the color once applied/swatched is a deep burgundy wine shade. One of the most exciting shades in this range.
Texture/Finish: These lipsticks are an extension of the L’Oreal Moist Matte range, but not all of them are soft mattes. Five out of the seven shades glide smoothly on the lips without any pulling, tugging. Pure Brick and Pure Garnet cause slight tugging and look uneven on application. Surprisingly all the seven matte lipsticks are moisturizing.
How is it best applied? Although these are comfortable to wear and moisturizing, prepping your lips before applying these is essential. If you have very dry lips like mine, apply a lip balm overnight and use a lip scrub the next day morning and you are all set to rock this lipstick the entire day. If you do not have extremely dry lips, then apply a lipbalm, finish the rest of your makeup and then use one of these reds.
Pigmentation: Pigmentation varies with each color. While some colors are highly pigmented, the others are decently pigmented. I wouldn’t call any of these sheer because one swipe might provide you with the necessary coverage. Certain colors like Pure Rouge, Pure Vermeil, Pure Amaranthe and even Pure Garnet require a second swipe for complete opacity.
Staying Power: The staying power of these lipsticks again vary with the shades and pigmentation. While shades like Rouge Brick, Pure Rouge and Pure Scarleto stayed for 6 solid hours, the rest stayed for that long only when swiped twice or thrice. These lipsticks leave a somewhat even stain once the intensity of the color vanishes. My only advise would be is to use a lipbalm once the lip color has worn off so that whatever remaining doesn’t settle into creases.
Ideas on how to incorporate these lipsticks during the day: Most women think twice before wearing a red lipstick during the day. L’Oreal has catered to women who love their bold reds as well to those who usually shy away from reds but wouldn’t mind a hint of red in their pink lipsticks. Well, here are three looks for a daytime affair where you can rock shades of red.
Tip: A good red lipstick should do the talking so keep the rest of your look minimal and make sure the base makeup is flawless.
An Ethnic Touch with Pure Rouge: There is nothing more gorgeous than pairing a sari with a red lipstick. I chose a printed blouse to go with a bronze-golden chiffon sari and accessorized it with jhumkas, bangles and a simple purse for this look. Keeping in mind the intensity and the brightness of Pure Rouge, I decided to keep the rest of the look minimal and stuck to the Indianesque kohled eyes. Red lipsticks look wonderful with saris. Rekha, the epitome of beauty in her classic Kancheevaram sari and red lipstick never fails to make heads turn.
Fun Family Lunch Date featuring Pure Fire For a lunch date with my family last Saturday, I decided to wear my favourite shade out of the 7, Pure Fire. Orange being my favourite lip color had to be featured and I find orange complements green well. I paired a green kurti with blue jeans and accessorized with my favourite bracelets and a kutch work bag. For my eyes, I stuck with the black kohl and eyeliner look. Nothing too fancy-shmancy.
A Cuppa Coffee with Pure Vermeil For my coffee and movie date with my friend Sneha, Pure Vermeil seemed like the right choice. A gorgeous coral pink, it works with casual as well as formal outfits. I wore a blue striped shirt with a pair of blue jeans and used the lipstick and my pink flip flops (not pictured here) to break the monotony. For my eyes, I lined the lower waterline with a black kohl and went over it with a blue one. I also went a step ahead and lined my lower lashline with a blue kohl and smudged it slightly. By the way, we went for Dolly ki Doli post which we went to Starbucks for a cup of coffee. Nothing heals a bruised mind and heart like coffee does.
Pros
- A gorgeous versatile collection with a shade suitable for everyone No color resembles the other in this collection. Each color is unique in its own way.
- The packaging is classy, sturdy and is well thought of especially when it comes to identifying the shade of the lipstick.
- The texture of the lipstick is matte and comfortable to wear. These lipsticks are moisturizing and they don’t make the lips dry when applied.
- Most of the shades apply evenly and glide on smoothly Stays on for 6 hours and does not transfer easily.
Cons
- Pure Brick and Pure Garnet, when applied looks slightly uneven since they don’t glide on smoothly.
- Expensive – 995INR per lipstick is a tad too much!
Rating: On a average for this entire collection: 4.5/5
Final Word: This collection from L’Oreal has to be one of the best ever lipstick collection I’ve come across till now. There is a red for everyone. This Valentine’s Day, gift yourself a few from this collection or drop hints to your loved one to get you all 7! 😉
Outfit pictures courtesy: Sneha Chordia
