Kung Hei Fat Choy everyone! How’s your Astrology this year? ๐ Mine? It’s forecasted that there will be more lipstick hoarding this year, LOL. Speaking of lipsticks, here goes another Yves Saint Laurent lip product to love, the YSL Rouge Pure Couture The Slim Matte Lipstick ($39). When I first saw this product both online and in-store, I was like “Nooooo, please stay away from me, in heaven’s name….” Haha! Oh well, fast forward, a couple of weeks later, I’ve been fangirling this lipstick a lot and I think, this should definitely be included in the list of lipsticks that sparked joy for me this Winter (see the list HERE).ย
You guys know that I’m a big fan of YSL lipsticks and I review them a lot here in the blog,ย Whenever I see a new YSL lipstick, I get weak in the knees, LOL. They’re pretty much my Achilles heel, and with the new Slim Matte, I feel like I found another matte lipstick to obsess about. Lord help my soul… ๐
The new YSL The Slim Matte lipstick as the name says is a slim square/diamond-shaped lipstick with a true-matte texture. It is extremely pigmented on the lips with just one swipe and it has a nice soft cushiony feel. It pretty much feels like nothing on the lips, totally weightless and super comfortable. I never noticed my lips feeling dry whenever I wear it. I find that the color stays on my lips for almost the whole day and it still remains on my lips after eating and drinking. I only noticed a very minimal to almost zero transfer and this lipstick doesn’t bleed or feather. I find the slim design to be really easy to toss inside one of my mini bags and it looks luxe, minimalist, and sleek. However, that same design may be tricky to apply on the lips at first because of its many angles, but once you get the hang of it (tip: use one of the angles to line your lips) then you’d find that this lipstick does and has it all.
I love all the shades available in this lipstick, but I decided on a few nudes since they’re super saturated. I think I spotted a nice wine-red color (my fave) but I skipped on that one because I have too many of those shades already. I did see a lot of bold colors in the lineup, like deep reds, saturated plums and different variations of pinks and corals.
17 Nude Antonym – nude rose mauve, my most favorite among the three. Will be wearing this a lot from now on. I think it’s a perfect universal nude for everybody.
The YSL Slim Matte Lipstick still has the same mango-ish scent/flavor that you’d come to know with most YSL lip products. When comparing it to some other similar matte lipsticks that have been released recently, two products came to mind. One is the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme Lipstick (reviewed HERE) and the other one is the Rouge d’Armani Matte Lipstick (swatched HERE). The Chanel Velvet Extreme feels a bit drier than the YSL Slim Matte, while the Rouge d’Armani Matte may be just a tad drier as well since the YSL Slim Matte has a bit more cushion it, but it’s almost hard to tell the difference between the two. I feel like they’re so neck and neck with each other, although the YSL Slim Matte (I think) has better color range in the lineup since you’ll find more wearable nudes and reds, but the Rouge d’Armani Matte is only limited to 102 Androgino as its universally flattering nude shade, and some of its shades look totally different when applied on the lips, read the review HERE.
Now, you’re probably wondering, how is this lipstick different at least formula-wise with the original YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats Lipstick? (reviewed HERE). The YSL “The Mats” have a bit of shine to it compared to this YSL The Slim lipstick which is totally just plain matte.
Overall, I find this lipstick to be one of the best matte lipsticks I’ve ever tried. It’s right on point with its wear time, it looks beautiful, luxurious, easy to store/carry, and the shades are absolutely beautiful.
Hello You! It’s been a while since you guys took a peek at what’s inside my purse. Lately, I’ve been obsessing about this Saint Laurent (YSL) Monogram Quilted Leather Wallet on a Chain Bag in Black (1.1 lbs: $1,650). Without any intention, and for some reason, I realized that YSL is becoming my favorite bag brand and I am slowly morphing into a YSL girl. Last time I checked, I seem to own more Saint Laurent bags than any other brands out there. I guess I just really love their versatile and edgy style.
Since the YSL Wallet on Chain is my bag of choice this Winter, let’s take a look at the things I stuffed inside it and how this bag had held up so far for me. Take note that I’ve had this bag for barely a year but I’ve been using this a lot on a daily basis at most.
Size
Since this bag is more of a wallet as opposed to a real purse that can hold a considerable amount of stuff, expect to see this bag to be pretty small, or you could say that this is more like a large wallet with a nice luxurious chain strap. The shoulder drop of this bag is about 19 inches and the height is around 6 inches with a length of 9 inches. So this looks more like an envelope wallet purse with an expandable width of about 1 inch to a few inches more. I wouldn’t stuff this bag with a lot of things or else its look could get deformed.
Style
The style of this bag is very versatile. It’s perfect for just about any activity or occasion, and it just elevates any wardrobe. Depending on its color, like my black one here in this review, this bag can carry you from a daytime gathering to a nice and formal glam evening. The chain strap is on the heavy side so it helps to make the bag more stable on your shoulder, and if it’s in gold-tone like mine, then it makes the bag look even more elegant and dramatic. Further, this bag is easy to use with its snap button closure.
Functionality
This bag is really light and pretty much easy to carry. The chain is on the heavy side which rolls around a lot and tends to have a life of its own (lol) but it makes the bag feel really well-made. I like the height of the shoulder drop of this bag which is not too long and not too short for my petite frame (5’3) and I could wear this as a shoulder bag or as a crossbody. Inside, this wallet on chain purse can fit twenty card slots and has one coin pocket with a zipper closure in the middle. I haven’t really placed any coins in the coin pocket so far, but I do place my very important cards, bills, and any documents in it that I wanted to be secured. When it comes to the card slots, I do think that this Saint Laurent Wallet on Chain bag is the perfect purse for storing just about any cards you may have, but you might be wondering why I’m still carrying a separate card case like the Gucci and the YSL one below? That’s because from time to time I may have to carry a large bag or a tote for some work-related activities and I need to easily transfer my personal belongings from one bag to another, also I’ve been traveling a lot recently and I didn’t carry this YSL bag with me. On top of that, card cases are much faster for me to use and grab instead of diving my fingers inside this purse that has a dark lining and tight slots, which require some breaking in period. Eventually, I would have to stuff all my cards into this wallet purse and then I might be able to add more stuff later on, like a small eyeshadow compact plus some other flat-shaped objects.
What Can Fit Inside?
For now, here’s a bunch of stuff I managed to fit inside this wallet in chain purse.
Benefit Cosmetics “Laughter is the Best Cosmetic” Small Flip Mirror – got this for free from my Sephora Rewards Points. I wanted a flat mirror to store inside this YSL wallet purse, so this Benefit small flip mirror fits the bill and it looks really cute.
L’occitane Mini Hand Cream (1 oz: $12) – this is a tiny classic L’occitane Shea Butter hand cream that can fit inside this bag. Love this cream for this winter since my hand gets dry easily. I wish I could fit my Chanel La Creme Main hand cream in this bag (reviewed HERE), but this classic staple from L’occitane is a good alternative.
Beter Pocket Comb ($3.57) – got this in Spain years ago when I realized I forgot my 16-year old comb (yeah that ancient, lol) which was given to me by my best friend in High School. So I went into panic mode and walked to the nearest convenience store in Passeig de Gracia where I found this really flat and handy Beter comb. I’m not a fan of its narrow-spaced bristles as I prefer a wide-toothed one, but this comb is cheap, fits anywhere, great for teasing, perfect for keeping my side-part style, and it’s good enough to make me look human, LOL.
iPhone X – yes this bag can also fit an iPhone, even the larger ones, but definitely not an iPad or an iPad Mini. As you can see, I’m listening to Troye Sivan while taking photos for this review.
Other Things In My Bag
I’ve got a few weird stuff that is honestly inside my bag. Number one, a Bravo Gift Card given to me by one of my good friends because I love to eat at Bravo, LOL. Two, I also have a pink Parker pen – my pen of choice (brand and color). I always keep a pen inside my bag just in case I need to write something or if someone wants to borrow a pen (girl scout). I also love to collect Parker pens because they write so well, so I make sure that I always have a Parker pen in each of my bags. The last thing in my bag are these two fortunes from the last fortune cookies I ate, LOL. Yeah, I’m the type that reads every fortune after eating any fortune cookie, and I tend to keep some of them just for the fun part. So, if my fortune tells me right, I really need to find out who this acquaintance is. Hmmm…
Durability
Since I got the bag, I’ve been using it a lot almost non-stop. I haven’t really seen or noticed any scratches, not even at the edges. I have placed this bag anywhere and everywhere and it still looks good as new. However, it hasn’t been a year since I owned it, so I’ll take note of its wear and tear after a couple of years. But so far, I am impressed with this bag and its overall quality, and I think it really helps that it’s made of embossed grain leather.
Drawback
One thing’s for sure, you can’t stuff a lot of things inside this bag. This is really pretty much a straight-up wallet on chain type of bag where you can indeed store a ton of cards in it and a few necessities, but that’s about it. All your other important stuff has to be inside your pocket or in another larger bag. This is more of a made-for-quick/casual-gathering type of bag or for a formal evening bag. Can’t put my groceries in here, LOL.
Verdict
Why I love it? Even though this bag doesn’t hold much, not even my necessities like my house and car keys which I now put in my pocket, but this bag has taught me to carry only the very important stuff, just the things that I really need and this has made my life a bit easier and simpler.ย Since this bag is lightweight and can be worn crossbody or as a shoulder bag, this is so much easier to carry than my other bags and they keep my hands free.
Do you also own this bag? What do you like most about it? Are you a fan of YSL bags?
Why Hello There! Want something exciting? Me, I’m excited for all the Fall makeup launches that’s been popping up lately. There’s definitely gonna be a lot of beautiful stuff to look forward to, and one of them is the latest lip launch from Yves Saint Laurent Beauty. While I know each of us has been all fired up with Rihanna’s Fenty makeup release (will be reviewed here soon), you may have overlooked that YSL also released their own version of matte liquid lip stains. They’re called the Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stains (0.20 oz for $36). They’re not exactly matte liquid lipsticks, but they’re pretty much what a matte liquid lipstick should be, and what I’ve always wanted and has been waiting for from YSL to release.
If you’re a YSL lipstick/beauty fan, myself included, then let us all rejoice. We all know that YSL makes such good quality lipsticks with high impact pigments and irresistible colors, so theย Tatouage Couture Matte Lip Stain is definitely great news. These have the same flavor/scent that comes with YSL lipsticks and the consistency is not creamy but more gel-like. The brush applicator is completely unique because it’s shaped like a spatula with a YSL insignia on both sides and it allows you to apply the lip stain precisely on your lip lines-similar to a lip liner. The packaging looks cute, sleek, and easy to keep in your purse or makeup pouch. I love the frosted glass tube and shiny top which is a bit similar to Chanel Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Color (reviewed HERE).
When it comes to their lasting power, these YSL Tatouage Matte Lip Stains will take about 4-5 minutes to set on your lips, and will also require 2-3 swipes to get a full coverage on the lips (at least on mine). Although, if you just want a light to moderate coverage or even an ombre effect, one swipe will just do. Once these lip stains set, they’re set for a long haul. In fact, after 4-5 minutes of application, these lip stains start to have a matte effect with almost zero transfer. Beyond that, I haven’t noticed any transfer at all, no feathering, and no smudging. These Tatouage Lip Stains are definitely kiss-proof like a lip tattoo.
These Lip Stains are kinda like Armani’s Lip Magnets (reviewed HERE), Lancome Matte Shakers (seen HERE), and Dior’s Lip Tattoos (HERE). They’re all intensely-pigmented comfortable lip stains that last for a long time while feeling weightless. Some may be a bit more drying than the others, like Dior’s Lip Tattoo which is a tad bit drying, while Armani has the perfect blend of high-impact colors+lightweight feel+no dryness on the lips while remaining smudge-proof. The YSL Tatouage is closer to Armani’s Lip Magnet in terms of formulation and property. Love the array of shades too.
5 Rosewood Gang –ย Deep Mauve Pink. The perfect mauve rose shade that will work on any skin tone. The formula of this seems to set a bit quicker than the others and it’s intensely staining. One of my most favorite shade in this line of lip stains.
8 Black Red Code – Deep Burgundy. Another favorite shade of mine. This shade is so ready for Fall with its reddish-black tone. It’s a wonderful wine shade that commands attention and complements the lips wherever you go.
16 Nude Emblem – Terra Cotta Pink. Something about this shade that makes it currently sold out in Sephora. It seems very popular among others, and some have compared it to the famous Armani Lip Magnet in #507 (seen HERE), but for me, I think this shade is a lot closer to #506 or a blend of #505 and #506. Oh well, I thought this shade would be some sort of a medium warm nude pink or something like that, but I find this shade to be a terra cotta coral. It’s unique and entirely different.
23 Singular Taupe – Deep Nude. From the moment I saw this shade, I knew this was gonna be the perfect nude shade for my light-medium skin tone. Indeed it is, and I love that it gives a nice natural pout for an everyday lipstick look. The #7 Nu Interdit shade is a lighter version of this, which is great for fair to light skin tone.
Another nice shade I saw, though I think would look too light for me was #11 Rose Illicit, which a rosy nude shade. Oh my, the truth is, there’s a lot of beautiful shades from this release, it’s hard to choose just one, but the price can be a guilt factor. On the other hand, these are really long lasting lip stains that could last either from 4-6 hours for light or nude shades, or 6-8 hours and beyond for darker shades. Also, these are high-quality, transfer-proof, matte-effect liquid lip stains that will surely give Dior’s Lip Tattoo, the popular Armani Lip Magnet, and even Lancome Matte Shaker a run for their money.
