The tough leather exterior of Givenchy Le Rouge hides a gentle and sweet Rose Boudoir

I remember when the beauty world was agog with the leather-stud clad lipstick cases offered by Givenchy in their Le Rouge range of lipstick. People were raving about them, and the texture too, of course.  But for some reason, the hype seems to have died down in the past year or so, and that’s when I came on board. I’m a little perverse that way.

I picked up a tube sometime ago, because I admit, I was suckered in by the smooth, tactile feel of leather on the cover and the edgy design. Yep, that’s leather on the cover! Quite different from your regular lipstick, this one.

The leather clad cover of the Givenchy Le Rouge covers the whole tube of lipstick, and you extract the tube by gripping on the little metallic stud protrusions on the side, as you can see in the picture above. Fascinating packaging aside, I have to say that I was quite won over by the formula too… but not immediately!

The formula of the Givenchy Le Rouge is what I’d term a “satin” formula. It isn’t glossy nor is it matte. So, you can’t just peg it for a single formula. However, this runs rather at odds with the description of the Le Rouge, which is that of “Sensuously Mat”. I find that there is a little shine so this isn’t the usual flat matte that we, or maybe I, have come to expect. But I like that. It keeps things interesting.

The tube is engraved with the Givenchy logo on the side, quite is something we’ve been seeing in most luxury lipsticks in recent times. I suppose it’s a way of “branding” your lipstick bullet, because otherwise, one bullet looks pretty much like another.

Initially, I wasn’t too taken with it. I found that it tugged a little on my lips and wasn’t as smooth as I hoped it would be. I also mentioned once about how I felt that it wasn’t as opaque as I hoped it to be. since it claims to have “intense colour”. However, after using it a few times, I’ve found that it now applies more smoothly and evenly on lips, and is pretty much almost opaque in one swipe. However, I sometimes feel it isn’t, because of the shade I chose.

Unlike my usual choice of lip colours, I opted for a shade called Rose Boudoir (204), which is a lip colour that’s easier to wear than the reds or bright colours I’m used to.

In tube, it’s a fairly nondescript rose. Rose Boudoir is a lip shade that I’m fairly confident will sit well with many people, because it is one of those shades that anyone can wear without feeling self-conscious about themselves.

On my lips, I find that the colour swatches a little more red, so it shows up more than I originally expected. That’s fine with me, but it is something you might want to think about if you are the sort who shies away from wearing red lipstick. On some others, it looks a little more pink.

For reference, this is how it looks when I wear Rose Boudoir.

See what I mean about it looking more red than expected? It does go on a little more bold, but it’s very flattering and wearable and above all, very comfortable to wear for a matte lipstick. If all matte lipsticks were like this, I might actually be more receptive to wearing them! 😛

The only fly in the otherwise sweet-smelling ointment, is that there is a bit of a scent and a taste. I find French luxury brands tend to have them and Givenchy is no expection. It does dissipate so it doesn’t bug me as much as it should, but it is there. If you are at a counter, you can take a sniff to see if it bothers you. But if it doesn’t bother me, someone who is extremely fussy about scent in lip products, then it shouldn’t bother most people 😀

IN A NUTSHELL

The Givenchy Le Rouge lipstick is a bit of a haute couture design. The cover is clad with soft, tactile black leather, that when paired with the metallic finishes, gives a bit of a edgy vibe. The lipstick is a mostly matte formula, with a little bit of shine to keep things interesting, and is fairly opaque in 1 or 2 swipes. I do find that the shade I chose appears a little deeper on my lips than in the tube, but it is flattering and comfortable to wear. I’m glad I caved only after the hype had died down. It allowed me a more objective view, after I was able to discount all the rah-rahs, only to find that it truly deserved all its raves!

PROS: Interesting packaging, Smooth texture and not drying, Opaque, Formula does not accentuate lines on lips, Fairly intense colour

CONS: Pricey, Fragrance and taste initially but dissipates

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who likes a lipstick with a more matte appearance, Anyone who wants to wear a matte lipstick that isn’t too matte or dry

PRICE: RM130 | US$36 | £25

AVAILABILITY: Givenchy counters at Sephora and some department stores, online at Sephora (USA)

Have you tried the Le Rouge lipstick? Is there a colour you think I should check out?

After being on the fence about this for a while, I have to say that I’m quite keen to get another. I like how long lasting the formula is, and is especially useful for when you need your lipstick to last through menial things like drinking water or coffee. I wore it for a fancy dinner once, and made it through without having to touch up. Talk about long lasting! 😀 So, hit me with your recommended shades! 😀

Paris B