L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain in Everlasting Caramel

L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain

Today I have the L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain in Everlasting Caramel to show you.  These L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains have been all the rage because they are supposed to be a drugstore dupe for the YSL Glossy Stains, which retail for $32.  I have not tried the YSL Glossy Stains myself, so I can’t say for sure.  Some ladies think that they are a dead-on dupe, others say that they are similar, but not exactly the same.  from what I can tell, L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains are close enough to the much pricier YSL version that they are definitely worth a try.

Here’s what L’Oreal has to say: “Discover a stain that thinks it’s a gloss. Now hydration & shine meet lasting, lightweight color. Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain combines the power of a lip stain with lip-gloss luster. This next generation lip stain, formulated with a blend of light hydrating oils & concentrated pigments, delivers lasting color with a glossy finish. Packed with 30% water, Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain leaves lips soft, comfortable and hydrated for up to 6 hours.”

L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain

L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains come in a long gold tube that is squared off and tapers toward the top.  There is a clear band that shows the product so that you can clearly see the shade.  The bottom part screws off and has the wand attached.  L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains have a teardrop-shaped applicator.  I personally find the shape excellent to apply to my bottom lip, but a little finicky for my top lip.

L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain in Everlasting Caramel

I only have one L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain in Everlasting Caramel, so this review is based solely on that particular shade.  The formula of Everlasting Caramel is rather interesting.  It goes on somewhat watery and thickens up as  it dries down.  I don’t particularly love the dry-down period.  I feel that “shrink wrap” sensation that is common with lip stains and I find it drying and sort of uncomfortable.  However, what sets these Shine Stains apart is that after the initial dry-down, the formula thickens up and becomes more of a lip gloss texture.  When I first apply Everlasting Caramel, I immediately want to reach for my lip balm, but if I calm down and hold on for a couple minutes, the formula re-hydrates itself and I am okay.  It’s very strange.  Another draw back of the application and dry-down period is the horrible scent.  There is such a strong perfume like scent that I can only assume is there to cover up the alcohol.  The smell dissipates after a few minutes, so you can’t really smell it once the product has finished drying down, but good lord it’s strong.  I am not a fan.

Everlasting Caramel wears pretty well.  The color initially goes on semi-sheer, but with strong color.  What I mean is, though there is good color pay-off, it is not fully opaque on the first layer.  The swatch below shows one layer of Everlasting Caramel.  You can see that there is a certain transparency, despite the good pigmentation.

One layer of Everlasting Caramel

On the second layer, Everlasting Caramel has bold, fully opaque color.  This isn’t a high-shine gloss.  It’s more of a satin-finish.  There is definitely shine, but it gives more of a healthy, hydrated look than anything else.  Everlasting Caramel is slightly sticky, but not too bad.  I only notice it when I press my lips together.  It certainly isn’t the kind of gloss that sticks you lips together when you try to talk.  (Don’t you hate that?)

Two layers of Everlasting Caramel

I have found that I can go about two hours before I have to apply lip balm.  Granted, my lips are pretty dry and I am a lip balm addict, but still.  You are going to need some extra moisture.  The glossy shine is pretty much gone by that two hour mark and Everlasting Caramel has more of a semi-matte finish.  The color looks a little muted with more of the mauve tones showing through, but it is still opaque after two hours with no need to re-apply.  Applying lip balm over it does nothing to diminish the color.

The product lasts well through drinking and talking for a good four hours.  By that time, Everlasting Caramel is pretty much gone, and what’s left is a deep caramel stain on the lips that sticks around for the rest of the day.  Even with frequent lip balm application, I can still get hours and hours out of the stain.  If you are looking for long-wearing color that doesn’t flake or leave your lips parched like normal stains, then this is a great option.  It takes makeup remover to completely get rid of Everlasting Caramel.

Overall, I’m going to say that I like L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain in Everlasting Caramel.  There are definite issues during the application and dry-down period that keeps me from really loving the product, but I do like its longevity and the color is gorgeous.  I am not going to rush out and get every shade available, but I will probably pick up at least one more out of the line of 12 shades.  When it comes to lips, I am a moisture junkie, so I am way more of a fan of products like Maybelline Color Whispers or Revlon Lip Butters.  However, for those of you who are not so neurotic about lip balm and don’t like having to frequently re-apply your lip color, you may really enjoy the new L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stains.  They are certainly worth a try, especially if on sale.  Prices will vary by location, but they retail somewhere in the $8-$11 range.