Sephora Rouge Infusion lip stains in Ruby, Rosewood and Strawberry review

The commercial promoting these new Sephora Rouge Infusion lip stains made me want them badly. When I saw them on 3 for 2 offer I grabbed 3 to try out. They turned out to be a product I have very mixed feelings about, so read on to see what I think about these.

These lip stains come in a long, sleek tube equipped with a traditional doe foot applicator that comes on a long stick which can be a bit harder to control than a short one. All applicators are red, which might be a bit confusing as they do not represent the actual colour of the product. The tube is sleek and lightweight and contains 0.15oz of product, while most standard packaging contains 0.2oz or more.

When I swatched these lip stains I loved how opaque and saturated they were and I also appreciated a large colour selection. They also left noticeable stains on my hand, which promised long wear time.

 In practice these apply way better than any stains I've used. The formula is not runny like the Benefit one so the product glides on as if it was a lip gloss. I don't seem to have my regular issues with these like uneven colour or difficulty in coating my upper lip. I find it hard to describe the finish of it, though as it kind of develops in time. At first they go on glossy, but not vinyl glossy, it's watery glossy, then they set and achieve a demi-matte, velvet look. Once they set, they don't transfer much. They have the characreristic rosy scent that is a common feature of all lip stains I've used so far. 

But then the problems start. At first I believed they made me my lips go dry and peel but then I realised it was the dried out product that balled up and peeled, especially when I'd packed too much on. Secondly I really hate what they look like once they begin to fade. The colour turns patchy, my upper lip is lighter than the bottom one, the concentration of colour migrates towards where the lips touch each other, forming an ugly line on my bottom lip. The colour fade presentation below shows pictures taken within two hours of application, no eating nor drinking except sipping diet coke through a straw. My lips aren't dry and they're generally in good condition, most lipsticks wear for a decently long time on me. 

I don't like wearing these alone, but I've discovered that they make lovely bases to be used under a wide variety of glosses.They allow a countless number of colour combinations and prolong the wear time of glosses. 

Now, the shades I've picked:

#07 Strawberry is a lovely strawberry red, rather dark and very summery.

#02 Rosewood is a gorgeous my lips but better shade. It's a perfect rosy, brownish nude shade.

#11 Ruby is a dark, vampy cool-toned red. 

Above you can see them swatched and how they stain after just a couple of seconds.

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.