I’m Orange with Envy with Guerlain Envie Rouge G L’Extrait

After the sheer lipstick trend earlier this year, fall 2012 seems to be all about matte liquid lipsticks. After my public declarations of love for Rouge Automatique and Rouge G, let’s take a look at how their matte sibling, Envie Rouge G L’Extrat perform!

I still think it’s a genius (though perhaps controversial) idea to name the seven Rouge G L’Extraits after the seven deadly sins. Envie is for envy, and you have the pretty raspberry Gourmandise for gluttony, the dark ruby Orgueil for pride and so on. Is it just me or does any of you get get as obsessed with a detail like this?

From what I heard, Rouge G L’Extraits have the same packaging with Noir G, except it is all-around reflective metal like Rouge G’s (which means it’s slightly longer and thinner than Rouge G’s). For those of us who have never tried Noir G, the sticker on the tube is much appreciated. Just pull the two parts apart (this is when the mirror bounces up), turn the knob towards you, and you can take the wand out.

The only thing that is slightly puzzling about Rouge G L’Extrait packaging is the color dot. I originally thought it would at least be similar to the color, but actually all seven of them have the same color dot so it really means nothing. Not that it’s a big deal, but why not make it easier to tell which Rouge G L’Extrait is which (I am sure I will own more than this one. In fact, there is not a single color I can confidently say I don’t want)?

Envie is quite simply an orange with a hint of brown. It does not border on neon, but it is definitely bright and bold enough! I love how easy it is to use the applicator. It is soft and bouncy, so it feels very comfortable on the lips. Another great thing about it is that I only need to pull the wand out once to do my lips, and there is no frantic re-dipping necessary.

The formula, while not runny, does not really feel thick. It has an interesting mousse texture, and is not creamy, sticky or even tacky on the lips. It feels altogether different from all the other lip products I have tried, but in a good way. You have about a minute to work with it and get the perfect shape. It takes a little more attention to work with because after all it is matte, but not nearly close to most matte lipsticks I have encountered because the applicator is nifty and consistency more forgiving.

After a minute, it dries down and sets, and it just lasts and lasts! There is some color transfer when I drink, but not an awful lot. It fades evenly as well, so there is about no maintenance work to be done. I actually really love how Envie looks once it wears off a little. It becomes so beautifully wearable!

(As you can see, the color stays true whether it is one single pass or built up)

Envie has a matte finish, but again, I think it is more forgiving than most of the matte formulas I have seen. Also, the matte finish is not dull or flat. It does not sink into lip lines, cling onto dry bits, or is remotely drying. It lasts for 7+ hours on me through multiple drinks and a full meal. At the end of that day there was still a bit of stain on my lips, but it was very easy to remove it completely. Another thing I love about this particular shade is that while the finish makes it appropriate for autumn, it is definitely something that’s fun enough to sport in summer as well!

This picture was taken after a cup of tea. Can you see it has been taken down a tiny notch?

Bottom line: Let me just say Guerlain has done it again! I would highly recommend Envie to warm-toned beauties, as it is going to be easy to pull off. If you have always wanted a good matte lip color but are concerned with lip line/dry bits/maintenance issues, definitely look into Rouge G L’Extrait because you are likely to have a much easier time with them!

Have you tried Guerlain Rouge G L’Extraits or any of the matte liquid lipsticks? How do you like them? What’s your favorite orange lippie?

Sunny, your beauty culture translator xx

Disclosure: The product mentioned in this review is provided by the PR for my consideration. All opinions are honest and my own. I am in no way compensated for this review. I have always been, and will always be committed ONLY to my readers.