L'Oreal Le Matte and La Laque: Review & Swatches

Sorry for being MIA these past (almost) 2 weeks. I was on a little vacay, and otherwise trying to catch up on school work that I've purposefully put off. But on to the things that matter the most. L'Oreal has once again another trick up its sleeve in terms of a new lip color product in the Colour Riche line. These would be the La Laque and Le Matte lip pencils. I personally haven't seen this display in many places where I live, but I live in the boonies.

To continue reading the review and see swatches, click the link below.

My local Walgreens only had a itty bitty display like the one above, and with it being limited edition, one of shades was already sold out. If I see them in any other store in my area, I do want to get the last La Laque shade I don't have. I wasn't particularly interested in the two nude/brown Le Matte shades available.

There are four shades each of both varieties, and I have 5 for your enjoyment today. These are a combo lipstick and liner product that come in a swivel up pencil form that doesn't need sharpening. At first it has a sharp surface to create crisp lines, but the more you wear them, it will flatten out into a blunt ended chubby pencil. I found the softer texture of the La Laque lending itself to faster blunting of the end. I don't think these formulas differ much from a traditional lipstick in a tube (especially the Le Mattes). There is a smell to these, much like other L'Oreal lip products. This one has almost a clay like, play-dough smell. It's odd, but not too noticeable once on the lips.

In terms of application, I found the Le Matte shades easier to apply directly from the applicator. It's more of a demi-matte finish. Luckily it's not overly drying (but it's not moisturizing). It almost appears to have a sheerer, more stained look on the lips once applied. It's comfortable enough to wear, and it lasts without budging for hours.

La Laque shades are a SUPER DUPER shiny, vinyl finish. It's like "WOW!" These are super soft, almost to the point of being too soft. This makes application a lot harder, especially on warmer days when the product is even softer. This would benefit from a lip brush (or colder climate/steadier hands). I found that I had to apply, then clean up the messy outlines. I do realize part of that is lack of lipstick applying talent on my end. Luckily I didn't have any feathering issues. These didn't last as long as Le Mattes, but it still lasts a few hours. These were more comfortable to wear.

Swatches

First are the hand swatches of the La Laque in the shades (from left to right) Laquer-ized, I Laque You a Lot, and Lacque-onic. As you can see even on the hand swatches, these are super shiny without any sort of gloss, and it stays that way. It also gives you an idea of how soft these can be if you look at the slight gloopey texture of the Lacque-onic swatch (far right).

Lip swatches. First is Lacquer-ized, which is a lilac purpley-pink. It's something that an 1980s Barbie might wear. This is a shade that's a little out of my comfort zone, but still a fun shade.

I Laque You a Lot is an orange based red that just pops on the lips. Cooler toned gals might have a harder time pulling this shade off, but it's a fabulous color.

 Lacque-onic is a classic fire engine red that would be perfect for a pin-up girl look. I think this is the type of red that would be flattering on a wider range of skin tones.

Le Matte hand swatches (from left to right) in She's so Matte, and Matte for Me. As you can see, these are more a subdued, almost stained color.

She's so Matte is a corally red. This is a great summer color. As you can see, these matte shades are not completely flat. There is some dimension to it.

On the lips Matte for Me isn't very different from She's so Matte (at least on my lips). It's definitely a cooler toned raspberry shade.

Bottom Line: Whether you're a fan of shiny or matte finishes for your lips, you should be able to find one that suites your needs. It's a nice take on a lip color, and supposedly these have been found at Target for sale (which is even better)!