Victoria's Secret new glossy lip stain: my review

Victoria's Secret just launched the Color Lust Glossy Lip Stain with their spring 2013 makeup collection. The whole collection reminds me of Yves Saint Laurent makeup: the packaging is strangely similar, and some products seem directly inspired by YSL best-sellers. 

The Color Lust Glossy Lip Stain is a little cousin of YSL Glossy Stain, and a sibling of L'Oreal Caresse Shine Stain: a gloss with a shiny finish which leaves a stain of color on the lips after it's gone. Victoria's Secret version comes in 7 different shades and retails for $14. 

I chose one of the less bold shades, Star Struck, which looks like a shimmery peachy pink in the tube. The packaging is basic but classy: a clear square tube with a black cap. 

The consistency is quite fluid, a little thicker than your average gloss, and glides on easily with the doe-foot applicator. It has a faint vanilla scent, not as strong and stubborn as MAC lip products. You really don't want to rub your lips together within a few minutes after application. If you do, it will create lines and uneven coverage. 

On the lips, it has a sheer, slightly glossy finish: definitely no high shine or wet look here. The color is quite intense for a sheer lippie, and Star Struck looks a lot pinker on my lips than I expected. The peachiness of this shade doesn't show up much, nor does the shimmer. Actually, I can't detect ANY shimmer when it's on my lips. 

Outdoors on top, indoors at the bottom

It feels comfortable, not particularly hydrating but absolutely not drying, even for my dry, sensitive lips, and just a little sticky. This thing has an amazing staying power: as a gloss, it lingers for hours, and the pink stain it leaves behind lasts on me more than half a day. I apply it at 7:30 in the morning and it's still visible, although faded, after my lunch! During the first part of its life on my lips, when it's still glossy, it does transfer quite a bit. It stops once the texture is gone and only the stain remains. 

Overall: I love this product! Finally, a comfortable lip stain that doesn't dry out my lips, in a choice of pretty, vibrant colors! It's about 4 bucks more than L'Oréal Colour Caresse Shine Stain, but it performs a lot better on me in terms of color payoff, comfort and lasting power. I'm definitely getting at least one more shade, the bold coral Attraction for the summer.