Before I start talking about all the glosses I've tried lately, the winner of last week's giveaway (two gorgeous but blonde-friendly glosses from Besame Cosmetics) is Allie. I'll need your mailing address.I'll start with the ones that didn't impress me. I'm very fond of many Benefit products, but their VIP six pack (three double-ended wands) was a disappointment. First, the colors are not exactly in my range. They are all very pale and will not flatter someone who isn't quite fair. So, right from the start it was clear that this limited edition set and I weren't meant to be. On top of that, the texture was as sticky as Juicy Tubes, but with less pigment and less staying power. Definitely a no-go for me.
I had a much better luck at the Chanel counter. I tried two lip products. One was their Rouge Double Intensite, which has a liquid lipstick on one end and a sheer gloss on the other. It's a long-wearing formula, which really delivers. The color stays on for hours and requires some serious scrubbing action to remove. The problem was that the only color that I liked, Sandstone was out of stock (though I see that Saks online still has it).What I ended up buying was a(nother) glossimer, this time in the very festive color, Force. The color swatch online looks quite purple, but in reality it's a burgundy shimmer, with a more red than plum undertones. It packs lots of color and looks fabulous as an evening gloss. When mixed with a Summer Plum glossimer it is toned down considerably and looks lovely during the day. The texture is, as always, very pleasant. All the glitter doesn't make it gritty, and it has a reasonable staying power for a gloss.
I saved the best for last. Just as I thought, Besame Cosmetics do make lovely lip glazes in colors that I can wear. The two that I got to try are Red Berry and Chocolate. The texture is perfect. Not too sticky, it covers the lips with a beautiful shine that feels very comfortable. Furthermore, it actually nourishes the lips. The glaze contains vitamins A, C, E, and anti-oxidant green tea extract, anti-aging marine collagen to maintain lip shape and fullness, aloe vera, macadamia nut extract and sweet almond oil that protect and heal the lips. And it works. After wearing these glazes all day long (I reapply every few hours or as needed), my lips feel the way I'd expect them to be following a day of using only the richest balms. I can't think of any other gloss in my impressive collection that feels this good. I love my Chanels, Alison Raffaele, Dior Kiss, Urban Decay and others. But Besame's product is simply better. I wish they came in many more colors.
Speaking of which: The Red Berry looks quite frightening in the tube. It's a very bright red, almost watermelon like. I wouldn't have tried it in a regular lipstick, but in a sheer glaze it's perfect. It adds just enough lively color and lots of shine. My lips are naturally dark, so the pigment in the glaze doesn't overpower them. It just gives a pretty pick-me-up color that is very much appreciated in the winter.I can't promise that it would be as wearable for someone who is significantly more pale than me. But for someone of my coloring, this is a great daytime gloss (and it can be layered with a red lipstick for a bold look).
The Chocolate glaze isn't as dark as what you see in the color swatch on the website. It's actually a pearly milk chocolate color, with maybe a touch of mauve in it. It's pretty, though on my lips it's a bit pale by itself. However, layered on top of Besame's dark chocolate lipstick the result is warm and rich, and it gives the matte lipstick a healthy boost.
The glazes have a luxurious vanilla scent. I highly recommend their sample offer. For $1.50 each you can try any color and product that seems interesting. Since the easiest way to buy the products is online (unless you can get to Henry Bendel in NYC or one of the few other stores that sell them), this is an excellent way to get acquainted with this line.
