2012 Beauty Breakthroughs

Photo by: David Cook

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain

Shiny, intensely pigmented lip color that lasts is one of the great trifectas of the beauty world. Plenty of R&D dollars have been gambled away trying to come up with a contender, but inevitably formulas are either drying, dull, or require reapplication. A few years ago, some crazy chemists at the Yves Saint Laurent labs decided to go for broke: They began ... more 

Photo by: David Cook

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain

Shiny, intensely pigmented lip color that lasts is one of the great trifectas of the beauty world. Plenty of R&D dollars have been gambled away trying to come up with a contender, but inevitably formulas are either drying, dull, or require reapplication. A few years ago, some crazy chemists at the Yves Saint Laurent labs decided to go for broke: They began tinkering with a formula that would deliver the color of a lipstick, the endurance of a stain, and the high shine of a gloss. And by golly, we have a winner.

HOW IT WORKS: When you swipe on this unassuming lipstick, a series of remarkable things happen. A blend of water, pigments, and the polymer ethylcellulose (commonly used to give candy and pills their shiny coating) forms a base on the lips. The water quickly evaporates, leaving behind a polymer film containing vibrant pigments plus colorants that sink into lips and stain them. Tiny drops of silicone then rise to the surface of the film and create a reflective (yet not sticky) finish. Finally, droplets of oil emerge in the film and form a honeycomb-like protective layer so the color and shine won't budge for a full six hours.

WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: "A few years ago, long-lasting glosses were big news, but most were cumbersome two-step systems, while others weren't glossy enough," says Wilson. "This is a total formulation breakthrough for lips. By adding w less