La Prairie Cellular Lip Color Effects in Winter Cinnaberry

There are two beautiful Cellular Lip Color Effects shades in La Pairie's new Winter Wonders Collection: Winter Cinnaberry ($40) was my choice because it offered more color than its light pink sister. Winter Wonders is a limited-edition color collection that features elegant and luminescent shades for eyes, lips, cheeks, and face.

This irresistible "semi-gloss transparent glaze with lip-plumping properties helps restore youthful fullness while producing a natural luminosity that lasts and lasts." I can't tell you it plumps my lips, and I'm very glad it's not one of those bee-stinging plumpers that makes you miserable. The plumping effects come from its many conditioning and moisturizing ingredients.

Fortified with vitamins and botanicals, Cellular Lip Colour Effects soothes, conditions, and hydrates the lips. It is luxuriously smooth and easy to apply, with its nice doe-foot applicator. I love the windows on the tubes. It's easy to see the color when you are reaching for just the right La Prairie lip gloss.

You can wear Winter Cinnaberry alone, over lip liner for a natural luminous effect, or over lipstick for a luxurious and glossy effect. The shade appears to be shimmering red in the tube. It is rosy-red on the wand. On the skin it seems to work its magic and adopt to an individual's own skin tone.

On my arm, it looks rose - definitely not red - a pretty warm rose that gleams in sunshine. I took photos in two sun exposures. The photo at right was taken just as the sun started to emerge from behind a cloud. The photo below was taken in full sun, which tended to "bleach" the color on my arm. Maybe I didn't apply enough for the swatch photos.

On my lips, the shade is a stunning rose. It darkens my lips with their own color and adds a beautiful gloss. Do you see a touch of warmth in my swatch photo on my arm - or in my tube photo? I do. On my lips, it's simply perfect and balanced in tone. I suspect, but haven't been able to test my suspicion, that Winter Cinnaberry might lean warm on those with warm skin. On my cool-toned skin, it stays true to rose. I love the shade!

The entire Winter Wonders Collection, including Winter Cinnaberry, is available at La Prairie's Web site (which isn't loading at this second) and La Prairie counters now. Because it's limited, go have a look quickly if you're interested. I purchased my Winter Wonders colors at Neiman Marcus.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty