Estée Lauder Pure Color Sensuous Rouge LipColor in Sultry Caramel for Spring 2012

There are three Pure Color Sensuous Rouge LipColors ($28) on Estée Lauder's Spring 2012 display. I love the formula, and I decided after swatching them at Bloomingdale's that I "needed" #02, Sultry Caramel ($28). I think you'll see below why Sultry Caramel jumped into my arms (and shopping bag).

The three shades of Pure Color Sensuous Rouge LipColor for spring are Sultry Caramel, Sensuous Nude, and Sublime Nectar (limited edition). They offer addictive, natural shades of golden bronze, seductive natural, and soft coral that deliver a "new sensation in lip color." Even though the spring press release claims all three shades are new, and the sales woman swore that to be the case, I purchased Sensuous Nude last summer.

The patent-pending, world-first Pure Color Sensuous Rouge LipColor formula fuses a creamy, luscious outer shell with a liquefied core in a lip-loving elixir with True-Vision color technology to create an unprecedented, luxurious sensation for the lips. My lips love this succulent, voluptuous formula that drenches them in shine and moisture. I can wear this lipstick alone or top it with Pure Color Gloss - or any gloss - for added shine.

In an interview, Tom Pecheux said that wearing Sensuous Rouge "is almost like wearing a matte lipstick on the contours of the lips and a very creamy lipstick in the center so it creates a very sensual look to the lips. The center of your lips will appear moist, yet the color won't run, and the strong shell of the lip color is going to help contour and provide the best shape to the lips." He said that if you want to achieve a more subtle look with just a touch of color, you should apply it with your finger and tap the color around your lips to make the color more transparent. When you want to create more of a statement lip, you should use a lip pencil in addition to the lip color to reach perfection. I find using it directly from the tube without a liner (low maintenance) makes my lips look and feel fabulous.

The patented process of "core within core technology" delivers two high-performing formulas with one swipe.

• Shell - firm, pigment-rich shell provides an easy application to highlight the curves of the lips
• Core - jellied, glossy core boosts shine and moisture
  

Pure Color Sensuous Rouge LipColor contains an exotic blend of fruit extracts, including red raspberry seed oil, passionfruit, and murumuru and shea butters, to ensure your lips feel nice and moist. It has a subtle warm vanilla scent. For those who didn't appreciate the fig scent carried by Estée Lauder lip colors, there's a new option. I think I prefer the fig, but I can ignore the vanilla because the lipstick looks great and feels good, and the scent dissipates quickly.

There's brown lipstick, and then there's brown. Some browns are enormously flattering on me; some aren't. Sultry Caramel falls on the flattering end of the brown spectrum. It has a lot going on in its color.

One late afternoon about a week ago, I was able to get swatch photos in late-afternoon sun. They accurately portray Sultry Caramel on my skin. It's brown, with a touch of bronze and peach, and a fabulous, light-reflecting gleam. Add the light rose pigment in my lips, and the shade is a flattering, brilliant brown on me.

I find Sensuous Rouge Lipstick colors to be lively. That's probably because of the light-catching pearls in the formula, said to create a luminous finish. The coverage is medium, and the wear is excellent. I think you'll like the finish and feel.

Pure Color Sensuous Rouge LipColor is available at the Estée Lauder Web site and all Estée Lauder counters. Look for the spring display.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty