Liquid matte lipsticks have been insanely popular for more than a year now, but I never jumped on the bandwagon. In fact I have to admit that I haven't bought a single one since the trend started picking up steam. I know, bad beauty blogger, booh! I have a good reason though: my lips are about as dry as the surface of the moon, they crack and get flaky super easily all year round, so I have to avoid any drying lip formula. And unfortunately most liquid matte lippies are drying, some of them terribly so. However, I figured that if one brand was able to create a non-drying and comfortable liquid matte, that would be Chanel, so I decided to try their brand new Rouge Allure Ink. In fact I grabbed one online as soon as they were released! Was it everything I always hoped for, or did it make my dry lips cry for balm? Let's find out!





The packaging of this new liquid matte lipstick formula is typical of Chanel: simple, minimalist, yet incredibly elegant with its frosted tube and black cap. The doe-foot applicator is slightly curved and makes application really precise and easy.

The applicator: you're seeing it from the side here

For a liquid matte lip color the texture is surprisingly thin and weightless. It feels like a very lightweight highly pigmented lipgloss, very fluid and easy to spread across the lips. It doesn't have that heavy, paste-like consistency that many liquid mattes suffer from, and it's not mousse-y either. The color I bought, 140 Amoureux, is not 100% opaque, so it can get a bit streaky. It's not really a major problem though, and being careful while applying is all you need to do.




One thing I noted is that my Rouge Allure Ink dries vvveeerryy slowly. Initially it looks a bit glossy, then it settles to a satin finish within about 15 minutes, and it doesn't look truly matte on me until at least half an hour after application. Even then, it's not the kind of flat super matte finish that some liquid lipsticks have, it's more of a velvety semi-matte. I think it's much more flattering than a full matte finish!

I photographed this swatch 15 minutes after applying it to my arm so you could see the semi-matte finish!

My dry lips' prayers were answered with this formula: it's super comfortable to wear, and unlike most matte lipsticks it doesn't suck the moisture out of my lips! On the contrary I find it lightly moisturizing, so my lips remain plump throughout the day. If most liquid mattes make your lips look like they're mummified, so dry that they're a full of vertical lines, you really need to try this Rouge Allure Ink! The formula doesn't sink into the existing lines either, and I find that it has a smoothing effect on my lips.




The color transfers to glasses and cups, but it survives drinking and snacking pretty well. I found that it lasts until a full meal on me, so about half a day. When it starts wearing off it fades gracefully, just as I expected from a lipstick by Chanel!

Wearing Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in 140 Amoureux

I was planning to get you swatches of all the shades, I even went to the mall for that today, but no luck so far: the only store that had received the Chanel Rouge Allure Ink collection had cut off the applicator in all the testers, probably in an effort to keep them sanitary for people who want to try them on the lips. So here's what I can tell you: the swatches on retailers' websites are off. The colors are a lot more vibrant than they show! My shade 140 Amoureux looks like it should be a neutral beige on Nordstrom's website, but it's actually a very peachy nude, definitely a warm shade. If you want a neutral or nude color, you won't find it here. My shade is the most neutral, everything else is coral, orange, or red. I hope they develop the range and add more nudes, plums, browns, etc.





As the unfortunate owner of very dry lips I'm truly impressed by the quality of the Chanel Rouge Allure Ink formula. I find it delightfully lightweight and incredibly comfortable to wear, and I appreciate the natural semi-matte finish. I you've been tempted by liquid matte lipsticks but are concerned about comfort and moisture, this is a product you should try!



The product featured in this review was purchased by Lulle. I received no compensation to write this post, which only reflects my personal opinion. This post contains affiliate links.