Estée Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Citron Kiss for Spring 2012

Estée Lauder's limited-edition Pure Color Gloss in Citron Kiss ($22.50), the only gloss in the Topaz Collection for Spring 2012, is a stunner. The collection is bold, but also subtle, depending on the colors you select. The mosaic of sublime bronze, taupe, and sand dune shades is punctuated by an irreverent (and smashing) twist of citron yellow and an intense pop of teal, evoking the naturally smoky look and romantic glow of a desert sunset.

Constance Jablonski, the "face" of the Topaz Collection and Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair, shown above, said, "Spring is about freshness! During daytime I love to wear only mascara, some highlight on the temples, and some transparent gloss...I think the Pure Color Gloss in Citron Kiss will be fun to play with over another color." I totally agree. I couldn't resist the unusual shade.

Citron Kiss provides a desert sun-kissed effect to the lips. While I doubt if I'm wear the golden yellow without lipstick underneath, I will be popping it over lipsticks for a sparkling effect. This ultra-sheer, chic shade disperses golden particle pearls for a very natural, warm lip.

Here's a photo of Citron Kiss taken at my house in full sun. I took some swatch photos, first of Citron Kiss alone and then over one of my favorite lipsticks to show you how it warmed it.

Citron Kiss worn alone is a transparent, shiny/glossy yellow. It's very light and it radiates light. It adds a bright gold to the lips and a pop of yellow gold over any lipstick.

I pulled a frequently worn and favorite lipstick out of my handbag and applied it alone at the top of my arm in the photo below. It's the discontinued Guerlain KissKiss Strass lip color in Brun Satin (#343). I topped it with Citron Kiss in the swatch below.

Look at the beautiful warmth it added to my mauve-pink lipstick! It's still a gorgeous shade, but it has a golden glow that complements the other shades in the Topaz Collection. I've tried it other lipsticks, topping my favorites, and each time it warmed the color. Brun Stain is very shiny on its own, but when you use Citron Kiss to top a satin-finish lip color, it makes the color come alive.

When asked how to use the yellow lip gloss, Tom Pecheux replied, "Yellow gloss immediately warms up the color of the lips because it erases their natural pinkiness. It will do the same for cool-colored lipsticks. Put it over a red shade, and it becomes an orangey red." I can confirm the observations of a makeup genius!

I think you'll enjoy Citron Kiss Pure Color Gloss. I bought mine at Bloomingdale's. It's available now at Neiman Marcus and other Estée Lauder counters and at the Estée Lauder Web site.

Photos courtesy of Estee Lauder and by Best Things in Beauty