Introducing This or That, a new series in which I make beauty products contend with each other, after which I will declare a winner. They’re not necessarily going to be drugstore vs. high end, but this first one is. I’m obviously not the first one to bring up the comparisons between both products, but I thought I’d experiment and compare on my own as well.

Today, I’ll be comparing the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain and the L’Oreal Shine Caresse. I have exactly one shade of each (they are fairly different shades), so it won’t be a “dupe” comparison. I’ll be reviewing the formulation, the smell, et al. So, let’s get started.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain in N° 24 (Fuschia Intemporel)

“A revolutionary new lip product! Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain combines the texture and shine of a gloss with the long-wear of a stain for a truly innovative lip product. A lightweight texture that immediately melts onto lips. Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain delivers intense glossy colour for an extremely long lasting new kind of shine. The applicator’s unique slanted tip and short soft bristles allow for flawless application with perfect precision.”

Fuschia Intemporel is a dark fuschia that leans a bit red-plum/bordeaux. There is some microshimmer.

L’Oreal Shine Caresse in 604 (Bella)

I think it’s important to note that these are called many different things, depending on the region. On the upside, the packaging (which you will see down below) is so distinct, you can’t miss it if you see it in stores and it’s called a Glam Shine Stain Splash or something else entirely.

“New Glam Shine Stain Splash: it’s a gloss that acts like a stain.

Our first of its kind 30% water-based formula to finally quench your thirst for shine AND lasting colour! Application is easy with its unique feather soft wand that matches perfectly the contour of your lips.

Shine feels fresh, barely there.

Colour is easy with a stain finish that lasts up to 6 hours without drying out.”

Bella is a midtone peachy rose color. It also has a little microshimmer.

Claims: Both claim pretty much the same thing, except the L’Oreal Shine Caresse ups the ante and says that it will be doing all of that without drying out.

Packaging and Applicator

The YSL Glossy Stain comes in a sleek rectangular tube, with a little window for easy color identification. These are easy to store upright.

The L’Oreal Shine Caresse comes in a weirdly-shaped tube that is tapered on one end. These can stand upright, but the problem is that you would have to stack them upside down, which I hate doing so I just store it on its side.

Both have a sort of tear-drop, slanted applicator. Both are equally easy to apply.

Winner: YSL Glossy Stain!

Color and Pigmentation

Both the Glossy Stain and the Shine Caresse delivered a vivid stroke of color. To my understanding, these colors can be layered on for a more dramatic look. These swatches were both achieved with just one, heavy layer, though, so I don’t know how much bolder they can actually be.

Winner: Tie. Both products delivered impeccable pigmentation, so yay.

Stain

Are you ready for the fun part?

I wiped the product swatches off of my hand because I needed to work, et voilà! Despite being the lighter color of the two, the L’Oreal Caresse Shine left the substantially more vivid stain. Also, the L’Oreal stain is closer to the original color. It drives me nuts when I’m left with a stain that looks nothing like the lip color that it originally was. I’m talking to you, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains.

Winner: L’Oreal Shine Caresse!

Longevity and Texture

The L’Oreal Shine Caresse kept its glossiness and shine until about an hour and a half after initial application. I guess the 6-hour wear time includes the wear of the stain? It “dries down” to a pretty tacky finish that bugged me.

The YSL Glossy Stain lasted a bit longer, but not by much. These were also slightly tacky on the lips, but the formula is more lightweight and “breathable,” if that makes sense.

Both are somewhat watery in formulation, especially when compared to the Guerlain Rouge G L’Extrait, which are very creamy. Neither feathered very much, but both left uneven stains. Reapplication is definitely very necessary as patchily-stained lips are très unattractive.

Winner: YSL Glossy Stain.

Smell

I don’t like applying the L’Oreal Shine Caresse because it feels like I’m putting chemicals on my lips. I know that I do every time I put on a lipstick, but with other more pleasantly-scented lipsticks, I can kind of forget about that for a while. With these, the chemical/artificial smell is so strong.

The YSL Glossy Stain also has a strong smell, but it’s not so “chemical-y” as the L’Oreal Shine Caresse. On the lips, it’s almost nice to smell, too.

Winner: The YSL Glossy Stain, for a less offensive scent.

Color Range

The YSL Glossy Stain currently has 24 shades in their range. They have nudes, purples, pinks, reds, corals, and even browns. It’s an awesome range and I had a hard time picking just one when I decided I wanted to try it.

The L’Oreal Shine Caresse range is a tricky beast. They have several names and different releases per region that I don’t know if the colors are the same, just named differently, or if certain shades are exclusive to some countries only. In any case, I only wanted two or three shades from this line.

Winner: YSL Glossy Stains!

Price

Let’s be real here.

Winner: L’Oreal Shine Caresse!

For the record: The L’Oreal Shine Caresse retails for under Php 600, while I bought the YSL Glossy Stain for $32 or about Php 1,300+.

FINAL TALLY

The winner is: The YSL Glossy Stain!

Final Verdict: Though the YSL Glossy Stain “won” this round, the L’Oreal Shine Caresse is not a bad budget alternative, as it is fairly similar to the YSL Glossy Stain. These are even kind of expensive for a drugstore product, but it’s still a good buy IMHO, especially if you just need basic shades.

I bought the L’Oreal Shine Caresse in PCX Greenbelt. I bought the YSL Glossy Stain on eBay, with free shipping.