Lancome L'Absolu Crème de Mat Potion D'Amour

Lancome recently introduced a new L'Absolu Crème de Mat (US$29.50, 6ml) in three limited edition shades as part of its Midnight Roses fall collection. Intrigued by its description as a liquid rouge with a matte finish, I purchased #100 Potion D'Amour from Nordstrom.com. It seems like the name is slightly different in Europe and Asia, which are getting the L'Absolu Mat Cashmere in Magie Poupre (see a pic of Makeupstash, Makeup Blogette and Joey wearing it here and on Beaut.ie).

With Pro-Xylane to boost moisture, the replenishing and plumping velvety cream rouge "combines the gentleness of a gloss and the coverage of a lipstick with a deep velvety finish". The angled flocked sponge applicator pulls out of the tube with just the right amount of product on it, with the black plastic wand remaining surprisingly clean.

L'Absolu Crème de Mat is incredibly well pigmented, which means application can be tricky as the smallest flaw shows up easily. This is ameliorated by the tapered shape of the applicator which navigates the contours of the lips easily, ensuring an even, precise application. A little bit really goes a long way and I did not need to re-dip the wand into the tube.

There is no taste and only a very subtle powdery floral scent that is detectable only if one sniffs the wand closely.

The texture is not as slick as Lancome's other lipglosses, with the applicator dragging a little over the lips but this is not surprising given the matte finish. Applying this does require more effort than the typical lipgloss, due to the intense color payoff and opaque finish. Nevertheless, it does wear surprisingly comfortably for over four hours without drying out my lips or migrating into the fine lines. However, if your lips are prone to flaking and peeling, you are probably better off choosing a more hydrating formula.

It is not budge-proof though, as it transfers easily on cups and did not survive intact through a meal. After blotting it off, there was no staining of the lips like with Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. Potion D'Amour is a vampy berry red, more suitable for evenings instead of the office.


For this look, I used Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Foundation in Fair, Shu Uemura Duo Eyeshadow Mystifier, Too Faced Summer Eye Palette, Catrice Liquid Shimmer Eye Liner in Take It Mint, K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow 02, Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Hot Tamale and Great Lash Lots of Lashes mascara in Blackest Black.

List of ingredients.