YSL Volupté Sheer Candy | 13 Griotte Mocha Swatches and Review

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

At the end of August I finally delved into the wonderful world of YSL. I've been wanting to try out some products from their makeup line for the longest time but I always end up talking myself out of purchasing a product. A lot of the time, I like to spend my money on drugstore makeup which is very affordable. If I end up not liking a product for one reason or another, hey, its no big deal. The product wouldn't have cost me a whole lot of money whereas with higher end makeup, its a riskier business. I'm someone who just doesn't like wasting money so when a product is a little more expensive I'm always a little more reluctant to hand over my hard €€€. I mean...

What if the product is no good? 

What if it doesn't suit my skin type?

What if I just don't like it?

Usually I go through the rounds of asking myself the above questions and more before finally asking myself the deal breaker: 

Do I really need this? 

I could be pondering over whether to buy a product for weeks, even months. If you are a long time follower of my blog you know I adore my budget buys and if I'm going to spend my money on a luxurious product i'll have researched it to the ends of the earth and back. If I do end up taking the plunge, you can assure that I must have high hopes for the product! With all that being said, when I found this product in the bottom of a goodie bag a few months ago I was ecstatic. I was finally able to get a taster for YSL without the worry!

One of the reasons I've always been drawn to YSL products is because of their packaging, it screams luxury. This particular product is contained within a reflective silver tube. Lovely to look at but a nightmare to photograph, I'm sure other bloggers are familiar with my pain. The reflective packaging is really nice but it dirties easily so keep that in mind. Prepare for the tube to be covered from top to bottom in fingerprints! There is a coloured band wrapped around the centre of the tube that signifies the colour of the lipstick inside and the YSL logo is embossed over the top of this band. The metal casing has a weight to it, its heavier than other lip products in my collection which again adds to that feeling of pure luxury.

When I first got this product I was that excited that I didn't even look at the packaging I just opened it as quickly as I could. I'm such a fan of darker colours especially brown tones so I was delighted with the shade. When I swatched it though I was a bit dumbfounded, the colour of the bullet was such a strong shade of brown yet it swatched so sheerly on my hand. Initially I was hugely disappointed, in search for some sort of explanation I checked the box and quickly realised what the problem was. It wasn't a lipstick at all, it is actually a sheer lip balm. Silly me! With that blip out of the way I could get on with enjoying the product for what it is!

As the name suggests this isn't a strongly pigmented product, it applies sheerly however the colour is buildable. The YSL Volupté Sheer Candy gives a subtle slick of colour but it also adds a layer of moisture to the lips. It glides effortlessly across the lips and is such a joy to wear. For any of you ladies and gents out there that are not keen on scented products keep in mind that this packs a fruity punch. I love the scent, the smell of mango isn't over powering and the scent does disappear a couple of minutes after the product is applied to the lips. Even if you don't like scented products I do think this is one you could get past because the scent doesn't linger for long like I said.

The lasting power of this product isn't great but to be honest, when I realised it was a balm and not a lipstick I wasn't expecting it to last all day on the lips. YSL claim this product "leaves lips feeling soft and hydrated for up to eight hours."

I find that by the 2 hour mark the lip colour has completely faded but a glossy sheen remains on the lips for maybe an hour more. It definitely doesn't live up to the eight hour claim by the company, not by a long shot.

I've been wearing this lip balm non stop over the last couple of months, I always pop it in my handbag so its with me when I'm on the go. My lips are cracked and dry all year round but even more so around this time of year. A product like this then is perfect for me, it doesn't emphasise the cracks or flakiness and it feels nicer to wear than just regular old carmex or vaseline.

I like to wear the balm on its own like in the above photo or I like to layer it on top of other products like in this photo below. I've paired it on top of a lipstick called Orion from NYX Cosmetics which is a latte coloured lipstick just to give it some shine.

Possibly one of the most important factors now, price. I love everything about the product from the packaging to the formulation but unfortunately my purse doesn't share this same love. A YSL Volupté Sheer Candy lip colour is going to set you back a cool €31.50. Crazy? I know. Want to know something even more crazy? I'd happily purchase once this tube runs out. Aside from the lasting power which I'm not even really disappointed with, I can't say enough good things about this product. It's just so easy and comfortable to wear, it's hassle free you don't even need a mirror to apply it!

YSL products are available from Debenhams and if you would like to check out the full range, you can do so by clicking here. 

What is your favourite piece of high end makeup? Let me know, I'm curious!

Until next time,

Eimear x