Disclaimer: Product featured was provided for review.
New from Shu Uemura comes a line of unique lip colors inspired by exquisite Japanese lacquerware. Made with a cutting-edge formulation combo of water soluble dyes, oil dispersed pigments, and coating polymers, the Laque Supremes ($35 CAD each) have an intense, long-lasting color that provides coverage and shine. To see some swatches and my thoughts on the formulation, click.......
Packaging:
The Laque Supremes come in a black lip gloss tube with a glossy finish that's reminiscent of Japanese lacquerware. There is a small window at the bottom and side of the tube that shows the color of the product.
The doe-foot applicator on these lip colors are no ordinary doe-foots. They have a tapered paddle shape, ergonomically designed to hug the curves of the lips. There is also some flexibility to the wand so you have better control during application. The flexible wand doesn't make a big difference for me personally but I really like the curved shape of the wand.
Formulation:
The formulation of Laque Supreme is very unique; it has characteristics of products I've tried in the past but overall, it's pretty extraordinary. At first they feel very similar to YSL Glossy Stains (a lightweight, wet feeling) but they have a more cushiony texture. Unlike YSL Glossy Stains, these do set and change texture as they set. Initially I was applying too much and waiting too long between each layer, which caused the product to become patchy and heavy, and after a few hours the color bunched and creased.
So after a couple of tries, I've determined that two thin coats, applied quickly, is the way to go. It actually is very important to apply the layers quickly because although the product will not "dry", its surface does smooth out and set and if that smooth surface is disturbed, it can't really regain the same translucent "lacquer" finish.
You can actually see from the lip swatches below that my initial two swatches (CR 01 and WN 02) looked thicker and less lacquerish as result of me using too many coats and waiting too long between each coat. The lip swatches for RD 02 and RD 04 are actually what I think how the product should look when applied properly.
The colors are not transfer-proof but they do stain and is surprisingly very long-lasting. The shine goes away after drinking/eating but the stain pretty much stays all day. I actually can't completely remove it at night, that's how long it lasts! The product is hydrating initially but after the shine wears off it will feel dry so it's best to keep a lip balm handy.
CR 01: This is a soft nude coral, very youthful and springy. Even though this shade is quite light, it still provides good coverage.
WN 02: This is a bright medium pink, great for summer.
RD 02: An intense red that leans a little to the vampy side, this shade is super pigmented.
RD 04: A true red, this was actually Mr. Shu Uemura's favorite red!
The Laque Supremes come in a black lip gloss tube with a glossy finish that's reminiscent of Japanese lacquerware. There is a small window at the bottom and side of the tube that shows the color of the product.
The doe-foot applicator on these lip colors are no ordinary doe-foots. They have a tapered paddle shape, ergonomically designed to hug the curves of the lips. There is also some flexibility to the wand so you have better control during application. The flexible wand doesn't make a big difference for me personally but I really like the curved shape of the wand.
Formulation:
The formulation of Laque Supreme is very unique; it has characteristics of products I've tried in the past but overall, it's pretty extraordinary. At first they feel very similar to YSL Glossy Stains (a lightweight, wet feeling) but they have a more cushiony texture. Unlike YSL Glossy Stains, these do set and change texture as they set. Initially I was applying too much and waiting too long between each layer, which caused the product to become patchy and heavy, and after a few hours the color bunched and creased.
So after a couple of tries, I've determined that two thin coats, applied quickly, is the way to go. It actually is very important to apply the layers quickly because although the product will not "dry", its surface does smooth out and set and if that smooth surface is disturbed, it can't really regain the same translucent "lacquer" finish.
You can actually see from the lip swatches below that my initial two swatches (CR 01 and WN 02) looked thicker and less lacquerish as result of me using too many coats and waiting too long between each coat. The lip swatches for RD 02 and RD 04 are actually what I think how the product should look when applied properly.
The colors are not transfer-proof but they do stain and is surprisingly very long-lasting. The shine goes away after drinking/eating but the stain pretty much stays all day. I actually can't completely remove it at night, that's how long it lasts! The product is hydrating initially but after the shine wears off it will feel dry so it's best to keep a lip balm handy.
CR 01: This is a soft nude coral, very youthful and springy. Even though this shade is quite light, it still provides good coverage.
WN 02: This is a bright medium pink, great for summer.
RD 02: An intense red that leans a little to the vampy side, this shade is super pigmented.
RD 04: A true red, this was actually Mr. Shu Uemura's favorite red!
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| Arm swatches, one light swipe of each shade |
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| Three to four coats, waited a little too long between applications; the finish is still quite beautiful but you can definitely notice where the color bunches and creases where the lips meet. (see above for more detail on my application trials) |
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| Three to four coats, waited a little too long between application; the result looks less translucent and heavier. (see above for more detail on my application trials) |
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| Two coats swiftly applied, notice how the coverage is even with a lacquer shine. |
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| Two coats swiftly applied, notice how the coverage is even with a lacquer shine. |
Overall:
There is much to be said about the formulation because it's truly unique. I definitely encourage you to read my in-depth review above if you are considering purchasing a couple of shades. However, here is the lowdown: the application is a bit finicky and requires a couple of practices to get right, but once you master it the result is flawless and long-lasting. These lip colors are intense yet they have a beautiful translucent quality to them. This is definitely one of my favorite stain/gloss lip products of all time.
Availability:
Shu Uemura is available online and in stores at The Bay, Sephora, and Holt Renfrew.
