L'Oreal Paris Rouge Signature Ink Reviews

Most of my experiences with liquid lipsticks have been sad, dry, cakey affairs so the Signature Ink in came as a real surprise. Glides on beautifully and dried quickly to a velvety soft finish that isn't quite 'like you're not even wearing lipstick', but comes pretty close.

I was worried about ease of application with such a runny liquid - I was expecting a lot of feathering at the edges of the lips and difficulty applying it tidily, but it glides on easily and the pointed applicator paddle is super easy to work with.

The packaging was lovely, too - a very elegant tube that looks quite classy.

The colour ('I Don't' - a bright red) was very bold and bright, though did stain my lips intensely - even overnight. On the bright side, at least it wasn't as noticeable when it was wearing off. And wear off it did - overall the staying power is decent, I get a solid couple of hours out of it without any deterioration if I'm not drinking or eating, but it does transfer quite easily if your lips are coming into contact with anything.

I tried it with and without lip liner and didn't find any difference in ease of application, or how long it lasted.

Overall, I really do love this lipstick even if it doesn't quite stack up to the implied 'all day' longevity - I'll continue to use it for sure.

I was really excited to receive this L'Oreal Paris Rouge Signature Ink in shade 113 - I Don't. And then I opened it and tried it....

The formula is very different to what I was used to. L'Oreal even harps on about it's "unique oil in water" formula which is supposed to make it lightweight, and the "ultimate bare-lip sensation". But really, I just found the formula too watery. It took a fair few swipes to get any colour build-up and then it took a while to dry (too long for me with young children clambering around my knees). It took a good 10 minutes (I timed it!) for me to be able to kiss anything without the colour transferring.

Once it was dry, it was lightweight, I'll give it that. But my lips did get a bit dry and the product didn't last a long time. In fact, it gradually faded throughout the day into a more pink (which is weird given how pillbox red it was). So it needed reapplying a couple of times throughout the day just to keep the colour. It didn't bleed though so that's a bonus.

Then....at the end of the day, removing the product was HARD. In fact, I still had pink lips the next day. My husband came home after I'd removed it and asked if I had lipstick on. That's how much was left.

I also didn't rate the applicator. While in theory it should work well, the angle was weird for me (was it cause of me being left handed?) and I just couldn't nail it properly.

All in all, a disappointing product that I won't bother trying or buying again.

L'Oreal Paris Rouge Signature Ink in 'I Explore' is a deep pinkish-brown nude colour.

I've never used an ink lipstick before, and I was really surprised by how lightweight, smooth and lovely this felt upon application.  I immediately thought to myself, "I want to replace all my lipsticks with these, in every single colour!" ... but that was until two hours later when I discovered that the colour had completely faded and worn off, without me having had anything to eat or drink in between then and the time I applied the lipstick.

L'Oreal promises "A collection of ultra-matte lip inks that combine unapologetically bold colour with a super-lightweight finish, for the ultimate bare-lip sensation. Say goodbye to compromise; long-lasting no longer means a thick, heavy and uncomfortable matte finish. The oil-in-water formula lets lips breathe, leaving a memorable mark but a forgettable feel for the ultimate all-day comfort. Every swipe will provide an instant pure colour statement that lasts with a soft-matte finish."

Yes, I loved the lightweight feel and the soft matte finish that didn't dry my lips out, and it has a nice smell too, but this product is not long-lasting.  It requires frequent touch ups (almost every 2 hours) even if you're not eating or drinking, it smudges and transfers onto mugs and glasses (if you are drinking), and it doesn't leave any colour on the lips.  This may be different with a brighter or darker colour, but this nude colour had absolutely no staying power.

I thought that maybe I had applied too much after the first attempt, so the next time I experimented with a single swipe.  Then with just a swipe on the bottom lip before rubbing my lips together.  No matter what I tried, I just couldn't get this lip ink to stay on without fading away.

Sadly, I'm really disappointed.  After the lovely experience of first application and how smoothly it went on, how lightweight it felt, and how wonderful it looked, it just didn't last.  I don't think I'll be purchasing these in every single colour, like I initially thought I would.

Number one - the colour I had wasn't what I would normally go for (dark brown), so I had to really "Try" to use this as much as I can. That being said, every coffee I finished, the lip colour was gone and I had to re-apply again and again and again. Whilst the formula is very light (yes you don't feel like you're wearing a lip colour), it is a bit cumbersome to apply the lip after every sip of coffee you have - at least for me it wasn't ideal.