Guerlain Rouge G Rose Barbare and Gwen-- A Quick Review

I'm one of those who prefer to do away with out-of-the-house retouches for my makeup. I'd rather go the extra steps (primer, layering, Skindinavia finishing spray) than be endlessly worried about fading blush, melting foundation, etc. I draw the line at lipstick though-- I know there are some all-day formulations that are quite popular like OCC Lip Tars, Lime Crime mattenes and Revlon ColorStay liquid lipstick but in my opinion, they don't really last all day unless you don't mind having junky-looking lips. In order to help staying power, those lipsticks need to have less 'slip' and more pigments which basically ends up sucking moisture on the puckers. Plus, they're a pain to take off so unless you bring some makeup remover, you won't get a freshly-applied look when it's time to top up. A friend of mine uses nothing but these all-day formulations and by the end of the day, her lips look like an old woman's, complete with fading color that has considerably settled into the lip lines.

Guerlain Rouge G  in Rose Barbare. This is Limited Edition, I think. Do correct me if I'm wrong.

Packaging-wise, Guerlain Rouge Gs are pretty hard to beat. But I don't know what to do with the case once the lipstick is finished. There's been rumors that Guerlain will start selling refills soon, but then again, that rumors been around for years. 

Guerlain Rouge G in Gwen

These two Guerlain Rouge Gs mostly live in my purse along with a packet of oil-blotting sheets. Rose Barbare is a sheer pink lipstick that gives my lips a very sweet, plump appeal while Gwen is a full-on red for those (rare) days when I'm not in the mood for pink or peach. Locally, Guerlain Rouge Gs retail for P2500 each, but you might be able to score better deals from online sellers like I did. 

Guerlain Rouge G Rose Barbare swatch

Guerlain Rouge G Gwen swatch

To be honest, I mostly bought these for the packaging. I know there are some of you who feel that Rouge Gs are unparalleled but I've tried lipsticks that have the same feel-- not all of them high-end too. Rose Barbare actually reminds me of a Revlon lip butter. But hey, the experience of slipping the lipstick out of its sheath and having that mirror pop up is something that no other brand gives you. I just feel so grown-up whenever I do; retouching is actually a pleasure.

As you can see from the swatches, the Rouge G formula has a lot of moisture. It's the sort of product that a woman might not buy for herself but which she would love to receive as a gift. With Mother's Day coming around, this would be a cool gift idea too.