Guerlain launched their liquid matte lipstick less than a year ago with the Intense Liquid Matte (my review) but the brand is already back with a new version: La Petite Robe Noire Lip Colour'Ink, supposed to be sheer and buildable. Sounds intriguing? Let's take a closer look.

Guerlain's La Petite Robe Noire makeup range is a spin-off from the brand's popular fragrance bearing the same name. Just like the scent it's marketed toward a younger audience, and a lot of the products are made for a more casual use than the rest of Guerlain's classic makeup. With that in mind, I think the concept of a sheer and buildable liquid matte lipstisck makes sense. Just swipe it on for soft day looks on the go, or layer it to build intensity when you want more impact. I was very intrigued and bought this new Lip Colour'Ink in two shades: nude No Filter and red Empowered - Guerlain lists all colors as hashtags but most retailers removed the # from the shade names.


The tube fits perfectly in the La Petite Robe Noire range with its triangle/upside-down heart detail, inspired by the perfume bottle topper. It looks a bit more compact than most liquid lip products, being a little shorter than the average tube. But it's also a little more chubby, so you end up getting 6ml, the same amount as in Dior's Rouge Liquid (review) and YSL's Tatouage Couture (review).


The applicator is a little odd and to be honest I didn't like it. It's completely rounded like a perfect cylinder with a domed top, and it's aligned straight with the rest of the stem, without the usual angle to make it more maneuverable. It was okay with the nude shade, but with the red I had real trouble applying it precisely in the corners of my lips.


It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Lip Colour'Ink has an intense perfume-y scent, again inspired by La Petite Robe Noire fragrance. It's floral, sweet and slightly powdery. I find it pleasant, and it doesn't linger once the lipstick has dried down.

The texture of this liquid lipstick is very thin and dries down almost immediately to a matte, powdery finish. You have to hurry a bit when putting it on as the applicator will drag the color away if it's already dry. Again it wasn't much of a problem with the nude No Filter, but with Empowered I often ended up with a bit of patchiness. Nothing too visible from a distance, but definitely noticeable up close.


For that reason I can't really back Guerlain's claim that the Lip Colour'Ink is buildable. Yes it is semi-sheer with one layer, although it still packs a good amount of pigment if you ask me. But layering it just resulted in an uneven, patchy coverage, and made the product feel a little tacky on the lips. It just didn't work so great for me.

Wearing one and two layers of Empowered

That being said, with just one layer the weightless sensation is remarkable. There's literally no noticeable texture on the lips, which is where the "ink" in its name makes sense. But it's not completely liquid right out of the tube like other lip inks I've tried, there's that little bit of creaminess that justifies calling it a liquid lipstick. I absolutely love No Filter, it's the perfect muted warm nude for me and the velvety matte finish is just gorgeous. The first time I used it I couldn't help but gasp as I saw it dry down to the matte of my dreams: truly matte with absolutely zero sheen, with a powdery finish, yet not cake-y, flat or dry looking.

Wearing No Filter (one layer)

For a lipstick with a velvetty matte finish the Lip Colour'Ink is rather comfortable and forgiving. It's not drying, and it doesn't emphasize flakiness on my chronically parched lips. It's not moisturizing either, so I need a good nourishing balm morning and night, but it doesn't make things worse.

The wear time is excellent, as you'd expect from a liquid lipstick / lip ink hybrid. It doesn't transfer at all, and it leaves a long-lasting stain on the lips that stays put throughout the day. The one thing that will remove it is oil, so you just have to be careful when you eat.

A word about the shades: Guerlain has launched the Colour'Ink in a variety of fun colors, including a blue (supposed to be used to change another lipstick's undertones), a black purple and several brights. No Filter is a coral nude, and Empowered a beautiful classic red. Here are swatches of most shades:




I really love the Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Lip Colour'Ink in No Filter. The true matte finish in a completely weightless texture makes it one my favorite nude lipsticks of all times. Unfortunately I had to return the red Empowered because of the patchiness issue. For that reason I feel confident recommending the nude shades if you're looking for a comfortable powdery matte lipstick that's muted rather than opaque, but not the bold or darker ones - at least try them in a store before buying.





The product featured in this review was purchased by me. I received no compensation to write this post, which only reflects my personal opinion. This post contains affiliate links. I receive a very small commission when you click on those links, and the money generated covers a small portion of my expenses to purchase products for review. Clicking on those links helps ensure that Beaumiroir continues to publish reviews of new and exciting high end French products - at no cost to you!