Please tell me there’s room in the Lovely-Luxury-Lipsticks-That-Don’t-Last-Long-But-Have-Kick-Ass-Packaging Hall of Fame (or LLLTDLLBHKAPHOF for short), because I may have found their next inductee.
Llimited edition KissKiss Strass in Rose de la Reine ($31) is one of nine luxe ladies in the new Guerlain Les Ors holiday collection, pricey products from a line that’s been all about the bling since 1853.
Napoleon III’s wife loved Guerlain, so, ya know, budget’s not exactly their thang.
Like their $84 Écrin 6 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette, this KissKiss (there are other shades in the KissKiss line) won’t break any records for bargain beauty, but compared to some of the other products in the collection — namely the $73 Midnight Star Extraordinary Radiance Treatment and $85 Or Imperial Sublime Radiant Powder for Face & Body — it’s a total steal!
Too bad it disappears quicker than a $20 bill on the sidewalk (lasts about three hours on the lips), but dayum — at least while it lasts it makes me feel like a million bucks.
A sheer and shimmery beige pink, Rose de la Reine reminds me of the Chanel Aqualumieres and Dior Addict High Shines. It has a similar mirror-like finish, smooth texture, a hydrating formula and, yes, suffers from a limited wear time, too.
Everything about it says, “luxury,” even the light rosy lavender taste and scent.
Guerlain KissKiss Strass in Rose de la Reine on NC35 skin
Wearing Rose de la Reine (that’s the new Benefit Creaseless Cream in Tidal Rave topped with MAC Club Eyeshadow on my eyes, by the way)
The question remains, is it worth $31, and I think that depends. As a keepsake, perhaps almost like jewelry, it could be. The packaging’s gorge, I do like the finish, and the color’s pretty flattering (imagine it with smokey eyes, yum!), but I feel like I’ve seen this pink before.
If we were work buddies, I probably wouldn’t run by your cube and ask, “Can you come with me to the Guerlain counter at lunch!? There’s a new lippie I’m dying to get!”
No, I would probably just text. 🙂
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: I guess it really depends. If you like the way you look in pinks and/or wear cooler-toned pink lippies well, you might like Guerlain KissKiss Strass in Rose de la Reine. It’s no drugstore gem, that’s for sure, but it does look a lot like jewelry (and costs almost as much too). Available now at select Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Bloomingdales and Bergdorf Goodman stores. Grade: B
Spaghetti tacos?
Have you heard about these, or this piece in the New York Times? Here’s a good part:
“Spurred on by reruns, Internet traffic, slumber parties and simple old-fashioned word of mouth among children, spaghetti tacos are all the rage…
For Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University, the question is not why kids are asking for spaghetti tacos, but why they haven’t asked for them sooner.
“This combination seems to be an inevitability, sort of like chocolate and peanut butter running into each other on that Reese’s commercial,” he said. “The amazement should be only that it took ‘iCarly’ to bring it into our melting pot of a culture.”
“Spaghetti tacos has made it possible to eat spaghetti in your car,” he said. “It’s a very important technological development. You don’t even need a plate.”
Brilliant! I’ll take two right now. 🙂
I actually dreamt about spaghetti tacos last night. Mmm… spaghetti tacos…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Fellow font-ophiles, don’t you 
the scripty font on the bottom of Rose de la Reine?
Lauren says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:14 pmSpaghetti tacos an important technological development? I may sound like a crabby old lady but that phrase is becoming a bit over-used.
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:19 pmI think homeboy was joking. That professer gets quoted a lot in the NY Times… he’s actually pretty funny!
Lauren says
October 8th, 2010 at 10:31 amHaha oh really? I’m not going to lie though, I definitely want to try those tacos!
Lauren recently posted … Rimmel Berry Queen Moisture Renew
Olga says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:15 pmThis color looks absolutely gorgeous on you! 🙂 I will probably pass on the lipstick (if I pay over $25 for a lip product, I expect it to last at least from breakfast till lunch), but the packaging is gorge!
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 9:20 pmI gotta hand it to Guerlain; their packaging is top notch!
makeup morsels says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:25 pmI love Guerlain packaging, it’s always so luxurious and elegant. Yeah, despite being a lip product junkie, I don’t think I can fork over that much for a color that 1) is pretty, but not terribly unique and 2) doesn’t last very long. Those spaghetti tacos, however, I would be willing to pay for.
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 9:12 pmHa ha! I’m gonna make some soon. I’ll let you know if they’re good.
Jess says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:32 pmLove the packaging on Guerlain lipsticks, but the colour doesn’t really wow me. Will ahve to take a look at the other colours in the range.
Mmm… spaghetti tacos! Sounds and looks yum!
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 9:11 pmI’m super obsessed with the idea of them. I’m gonna make some this weekend!
Michelle says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:33 pmLooks gorg on you! And that is one of the more reasonably priced Guerlain lippies (don’t some of them go up to like $46?). Chanel is as high falutin’ as I get — but it is fun to look at other luxury brands!
Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 9:09 pmYeah, the Rouge G’s… you pay mostly for metal! Those suckers are heavy.
Kajal Couture says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:44 pmwho cares about the lipstick when the lipstick case is that gorgeous!!! <3
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 9:01 pmIt’s like a little piece of art.
Appu says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:45 pmYay for the packaging and Nay for the price! I wouldn’t pay more than $25 for a lipstick .That too, only if it lasts n lasts all day! Am I asking for too much?? 😉
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 9:01 pmI hear ya! For that much it better last until tomorrow, LOL!
Martha says
October 7th, 2010 at 5:59 pmThat is a lovely color and package! I probably will pass, but only after I scroll back and ogle the pictures some more.
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:57 pmHee! I could ogle packaging all day long!
Jen says
October 7th, 2010 at 6:21 pmTry it over another lipstick or pencil. It went 5 (talking) hours for me today over pencil.
PS: i invited my stepson over for spaghetti tacos a few weeks ago. Thought I was making up something silly, but now it turns out I’m a freakin’ trend-setter. Who knew?!
*jen
Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:53 pmI applaud your spaghetti taco genius! I really wish I thought of it…
And thanks for the tip regarding the pencil. I’ll try it with MAC Pink Treat.
Mrs. Kinne says
October 7th, 2010 at 7:10 pmThe thing about spaghetti tacos cracked me up. When I was a camp counselor, one whole cabin of girls used to exclaim “Yeah, pasta taco!!!” whenever both taco shells and pasta were available for dinner. 🙂
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:49 pmI’m kinda obsessed with the idea. The pairing just seems RIGHT to me!
Amee says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:10 pmpretty shade…looks awesome… expensive though.. 🙁
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:47 pmSigh, such is Guerlain!
Kimberly says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:26 pmOoo! How decadent and luxurious! I agree with you that the packaging is like jewelry, but I don’t think I’ll be rushing out to pick one up anytime soon. Well maybe…
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Karen says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:47 pmIt’s so beautiful! Maybe save the splurge for a rainy day when you *really* need a lift?
Christy says
October 7th, 2010 at 8:58 pmOooh, so pretty. Guerlain’s always on my wishlist, but I can’t quite make the budget for it. Perhaps when I have enough points for $20 off 😉
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applepark says
October 7th, 2010 at 9:01 pmI love Guerlain, but I know that certain things aren’t worth it…. I agree this pink has been done before. But the texture, the packaging… makes you want to say yes!
An engraved Rouge de G though? Soooo worth it.
amy says
October 7th, 2010 at 10:54 pmThe pink is very pretty but I don’t find it unique but I have always liked Guerlain’s aesthetic and have been tempted to buy items from their line just because of the packaging.
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saku says
October 8th, 2010 at 5:53 amPretty shade on you, I like pinks. I can’t wait for sephora ff sale. I’ll maybe get one of these there.
Nina says
October 8th, 2010 at 6:25 amcan we all say starch overload?? 😀
i am loving the lipstick but its a bit too much for me to spend on a product i might never use. 😀
the eye makeup is pretty – ive always loved Club! 🙂
Kim says
October 8th, 2010 at 11:38 amOK, you do actually look glamorous in that pic, though I think you might without the $31 lippie. 🙂
About the spaghetti tacos, this is the first I’ve heard. I need to amend that paragraph to “Spurred by reading the Makeup and Beauty Blog….”! It’s kind of a funny combo, but then again, I’ll always trade the taco shell for a soft tortilla (or nothing). It does seem more convenient, though. Which reminds me, I once had a 5 minute conversation with my husband that culminated in him saying “you can NOT eat a meatball sub while you’re driving!”. Maybe if it was in a taco shell? 🙂
Karen says
October 8th, 2010 at 2:50 pmHA HA HA! Believe it or not, El Hub and I have had similar conversations regarding foods, driving and various degrees of portability.
I still haven’t had my spaghetti taco yet, but I’m obsessed — OBSESSED! — with the thought of them. I bet the contrast of the crunchy taco shell against the squishy spaghetti noodles is divine.
Kim says
October 11th, 2010 at 7:14 amI saw that you got your ingredients this weekend. How were they??!
I went home on Friday night and asked the Hubs if he’d heard of spaghetti tacos and he hadn’t yet. When I said I read about them here, he just laughed and said “of course you did”. 🙂
Andreea says
October 8th, 2010 at 11:53 amDo not like how they smell. But I love tacos. NOW.SOME.PLEASE.
Karen says
October 8th, 2010 at 2:45 pmHa ha! Spaghetti tacos! WANT!
Kathryn says
October 8th, 2010 at 11:56 amHi Karen,
I check your blog everyday to see the newest makeup, but I also enjoy reading your writing. Your writing style is very clever and witty, it makes me giggle and brightens my day. Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Kathryn
Karen says
October 8th, 2010 at 2:44 pmHi Kathryn,
Aw, thank you for coming by and saying hello! 🙂 How’s your Friday going so far? Got any big plans for the weekend?
Megan says
October 8th, 2010 at 3:16 pmThat lipstick is gorgeous!
BeckBeck says
October 8th, 2010 at 3:29 pmI have one of those lipsticks from the permanent line – 837, I think? I forget exactly what shade. But what kills me about it is that the packaging looks like a metal version of those old school big Tootsie Rolls. Every time I pull it out I think of that, and then I have to go buy candy from the gift shop at the hospital I work in.
Wendy says
October 9th, 2010 at 12:28 amThe lipstick looks great on you! I would dish out the ducketts for it if it were a red like Kevyn Aucoin’s Blood Roses. I would slip it out of my gorgeous little velvet clutch at a Christmas party and using my vintage onyx compact, apply it as my co-workers looked on jealously…mmmuuuaaahhaaaa!
Actually, all a lipstick has to do is last through a couple of ‘a-sketti tacos, yumm. (pornounciation provided by my 4 year old niece). 🙂
Lucie says
October 10th, 2010 at 3:27 pmI remember saving pennies a couple years ago for a gorgeous red Guerlain KissKiss original (not strass) lipstick that I’d had my eyes on for a couple of months. As a fourteen year old student with no job, this was a difficult task, so it took a while…but at last I brought the pretty little guerlain box home, marveled at the lovely gold packaging, and swiped it on my lips feeling like a goddess….
In half an hour it had faded and bled beyond recognition. I was so devastated. Guerlain=Great packaging, not so great product.
Though I hear the Rouge G lipsticks are much better in terms of wear? At $45 they don’t come cheap…but I firmly believe that good lipstick is worth it. And as a sixteen year old student now WITH a good job, I shall probably never have so much disposable income in my life. Now is the time for frivolity! Have you tried the Rouge G lipsticks? What do you think?
Melessa says
October 10th, 2010 at 8:35 pmlol thats so funny it mentions iCarly because thats the first and only place ive heard of them.
and you read my mind, i totaly agree ive seen that pink before. and at the drugstore =/
id say its not worth it. at least not that color, no big deal for that price. it looks prettier on your arm than it does your lips lol. i wonder how it would look if you wore concealer as a base with it?
Karen says
October 10th, 2010 at 9:04 pmHave you ever tried spaghetti tacos? They’re delicious!
As for the lipstick, a concealer underneath would probably bring out more of the pink…