In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, deputy beauty editor Erin Lukas is testing the buzzy YSL Beauty LoveShine Lip Oil Stick.
It’s an all too common tale: Your signature scent or favorite nail polish shade you’ve been wearing for years gets discontinued. The silver lining is that these products typically go on deep discount so you can stock up and use your stash until they expire. It’s a beauty industry tragedy, but it’s not the worst case scenario. What’s more concerning is when a staple product in your routine doesn’t become a causality, but instead gets a formula upgrade. Sure, you’re still able to buy it, but suddenly it’s not…the same. Yes, this is all very dramatic. But you understandably build an emotional connection to a product if your relationship with it spans decades. While I have experienced this exact scenario in the past, I can’t relate in regards to the YSL Beauty LoveShine Lip Oil Stick.
A new-and-improved version of the brand’s cult-favorite Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm, this product puts other lip oils to shame. As a big fan of the original, I got a sneak peek of the revamped formula this past fall, and got my hands on a few shades as soon as they launched this month. Keep reading for my honest thoughts on LoveShine and why it’s quickly becoming my go-to lip product.
Fast Facts
- Price: $45
- Size: 0.11 oz/3.2 g
- Clean/Cruelty-Free: No
- Best For: Everyday makeup looks; those with dry lips
- Ingredient Highlights: Fig pulp,
- What We Like: Easy to apply; great shade range; super hydrating
- What We Don’t Like: Nothing!
- Rating: 5/5
How TZR Keeps Score: 1/5: Making a return; 2/5: Keeping as a backup; 3/5: Finishing to the last drop; 4/5: Recommending to my group texts; 5/5: Already on auto-replenish
The Formula
In line with its name, this lip product has a 60% base of nourishing oils to ensure it glides on evenly and smooth. The extra boost of hydration and soothing benefit comes from fig pulp. YSL sourced this hero ingredient from its Ourika Community Garden in Marrakech, where a Berber women’s cooperative harvest and maintain crops local to the region to be used in the brand’s products.
Aside from the skin benefits of a typical tinted lip oil, LoveShine uniquely offers the color payoff of a traditional satin lipstick. That’s exactly why the brand says the hybrid product is an “oil-infused lipstick.” The range of 20 shades includes every possible option you’d want in your everyday lipstick collection, from peachy nude to vibrant fuchsia.
My Typical Makeup Routine
I wish I was that person who sets out time in the morning to do a full makeup look, but I’ll always choose an extra 10-15 minutes of sleep. With that, I use a handful of easy-to-apply products that enhance my features for an unfussy no-makeup makeup look that doesn’t require any major touchups during the day. My current complexion lineup includes the Saie Slip Tint Radiant All-Over Concealer, Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick, MERIT Flush Balm Cream Blush, and Ami Colé Light-Catching Highlighter. On my lashes, I apply a coat of BAKEUP Tarantulash Mascara and fill in and set my brows with 19/99 Graphite Brow Pencil and MILK Makeup’s Kush Brow Lamination Gel.
My Experience & Results
My first introduction to LoveShine was during Paris Fashion Week in September when the brand gave a few editors (including myself) a preview of the product ahead of its spring 2024 launch, which included a makeup application by YSL Global Beauty Director Tom Pecheux. The makeup artist is a legend in the beauty industry and has done everyone’s makeup from Princess Diana to Kate Moss to Dua Lipa. Given he’s routinely done Moss’ iconic smoky eye since the ‘90s, I asked him to do a version on me to see how the lipstick fares with bold eye makeup because I never do it myself. He went with 44 Nude Lavalliere, a soft pinky nude that perfectly complemented my smudgy eyeliner, applying it with a lip brush. Because this was a preview, I didn’t have a bullet of it to take with me to dinner and the party I was attending in celebration of YSL’s MYSLF fragrance. Despite its high-shine finish and lip oil-feel, it held up throughout the night. It lost a little bit of luster, but the pigment was still there and my lips weren’t dry and flaky.
Fast forward to LoveShine launching at the beginning of April, and I took a slightly punchier pink for a spin. The shade 209 Pink Desire has warm undertones and a hint of shimmer to it. It adds a complimentary pop to my otherwise natural everyday makeup because it makes my face appear brighter and awake without looking too bold.
Is YSL Beauty’s LoveShine Lip Oil Stick Worth It?
The ease of application, range of wearable shades, and long-lasting hydration are why I keep reaching for a tube of LoveShine over the past few weeks. It scores major points for going on like a solid balm. Instead of juggling a doe-foot applicator and tube in my hands, I can swipe it on my lips in one go without looking in the mirror. The one downside is that it is a little pricey compared to some other lip oils. However, it does offer the color payoff of a satin lipstick and the silver bullet is elegant. And I’m all for adding a little luxury to my day.