When it comes to the price of cosmetics, I have a pretty active gag reflex. Anything over $35 NZD better be earth-shatteringly fuckable if you're asking me. With this in mind, I still went out and spent nearly $60 on this Guerlain Rouge G lipstick in Gigolo. Why, you might reasonably ask? Well, it's the sex, emulsified and heavily pigmented and wrapped in shiny, shiny mirrors. It is sleek and heavy and almost purrs when you pick it up. But never mind the bollocks- I feel the ridiculous pricetag warrants an in-depth review so brace for detail.
The colour is difficult to describe. It's represented pretty well in the first pic. If it were the product of some twisted reproductive equation I would characterize that as MAC Rebel getting with Urban Decay Catfight who was maybe already hitting MAC Vino pencil on the low, knowmsayn? A decadent purply crimson-stained berry with a dark fuchsia twist. Little to no shimmer; deliciously lustrous, especially initially. You probably don't have anything quite like it (I know I don't), which is why it may be worth closing one eye to avoid the + postage total whilst burning through checkout.
The colour is difficult to describe. It's represented pretty well in the first pic. If it were the product of some twisted reproductive equation I would characterize that as MAC Rebel getting with Urban Decay Catfight who was maybe already hitting MAC Vino pencil on the low, knowmsayn? A decadent purply crimson-stained berry with a dark fuchsia twist. Little to no shimmer; deliciously lustrous, especially initially. You probably don't have anything quite like it (I know I don't), which is why it may be worth closing one eye to avoid the + postage total whilst burning through checkout.
Pigment distribution is what differentiates the good from the bad when it comes to darker lipsticks. Some of the recent MAC Retro Mattes clump hard and absolutely require loosening up which well... defeats the whole exercise as far as texture goes. Gigolo is smooth and impossibly even, in that the shade seems completely integrated with the texture and doesn't settle or gather at the edges and corners when you're applying.
BELOW L 2 R MAC Rebel, RG Gigolo, UD Shame, Nars Terre de Feu, MAC Russian Red
filtered neutral outdoor light. Larger swatch below right is the same.
filtered neutral outdoor light. Larger swatch below right is the same.
 | It's similar in feel to the recent UD Revolution formula, which I find pretty spectacular, though I think the Guerlain goes even further with a slightly superior lip-feel; off-wet shine without any ick or slippage. I torture-tested it at home, applying at 2pm on a bare face and subjecting it to the usual afternoon routine of tea-sipping, lip-munching/smacking, face-touching and careless impact. |
By six pm there was slight, discreet bleed happening and a 30% loss of product, so for something shiny, it held up well. You might get from the swatches below that Gigolo is quite translucent and that is true- it appears darker and more blue-purple on my lips than on the hand, so if you're pigmented like me you'll see a different shade. It's an amazingly beautiful mixer, producing a range of divine fuchsias and off-purples with things like MAC Fuchsia lipmix and Beet lip pencil.
The bad news? The bullet won't stand up on its own and in fact the whole packaging feels environmentally disastrous. I know Guerlain are luxe-orientated, but you'd think they'd be a bit more sensitive about the whole trashing the planet for the sake of rich-bitch trinkets by now. As much as I love the formula, I won't be investing in more new product from this brand for this very reason (Edit: that's a bit of an exaggeration). Some of you won't love Guerlain's signature 'violet' scent which ranges in character from nana's least annoying perfume to expensive dishwashing liquid according to temperature and ambient conditions. No, I don't know why they stick with it either. The bullet mirrors distort slightly too, which I think is bloody cheeky given the price tag.
The bad news? The bullet won't stand up on its own and in fact the whole packaging feels environmentally disastrous. I know Guerlain are luxe-orientated, but you'd think they'd be a bit more sensitive about the whole trashing the planet for the sake of rich-bitch trinkets by now. As much as I love the formula, I won't be investing in more new product from this brand for this very reason (Edit: that's a bit of an exaggeration). Some of you won't love Guerlain's signature 'violet' scent which ranges in character from nana's least annoying perfume to expensive dishwashing liquid according to temperature and ambient conditions. No, I don't know why they stick with it either. The bullet mirrors distort slightly too, which I think is bloody cheeky given the price tag.
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