The Perfect Nude by the World's Most Beautiful

Hello, everyone! It has been a long day and I considered turning in early, but this being a significant date I wanted to make sure I at least drop by and say hi. ♥ Today marks my second year with ARC Public Relations, Inc. and I couldn't be happier! Working in PR can be maddening, stressful, and very tiring at times, BUT it also feels very satisfying and fulfilling seeing your projects and campaigns come to life and be featured by both traditional and digital media. I am so glad I didn't quit when I was tempted to, and I'm very thankful to my bosses, colleagues, ex-officemates, present officemates, and everyone I have worked with in this journey. I'm extremely excited for the days ahead!

Moving to a different topic that I also touched on briefly on a previous post, I have decided to get rid of my clothes that make me look like I'm still in college and start dressing my age. This applies to my makeup as well. Whereas before, bold-colored lipsticks were all I had eyes (and cash) for, now I'm more interested on experimenting with softer and more neutral looks. Not to say I'm bidding goodbye to more than half of my lipstick arsenal, though. ;)

This is where the Collection Star by L'Oreal Paris comes in.

I know I said I found my MLBB (My Lips But Better) lipstick before, but since I ran out of it already I figured it wouldn't hurt to try to find for a new replacement especially when it's specially designed for the Asian market. Every girl should have an MLBB lipstick as a staple in her makeup kit as it's really the most versatile lipstick one can own. As what an article in a magazine I once read said, an MLBB is "what your lips would look like if you were a character in a movie." I know lipstick can't solve all problems, but it's a pretty great start. ;)

Without further ado, here are the lipsticks from L'Oreal's Collection Star, the most luxurious collection of made-to-measure nude lip couture. Do check out the swatches and tell me what your favorite is or what shade you're most likely to buy!

The limited edition lipsticks are housed in a rose-gold tube that bears the autograph of the World's Most Beautiful who helped come up with the perfect barely-there shade to best represent them. The packaging makes them look so elegant and chic, something I wouldn't mind showing off on my boudoir.

L'Oreal Collection Star
Barely Plum • Barely Moka • Barely Coral • Barely Greige • Barely Pink

Barely Plum • Barely Moka • Barely Coral • Barely Greige • Barely Pink

These colors are perfect for fall and look best when paired with a clean face and neutral makeup for daytime and smokey and dramatic eyes for nighttime events. L'Oreal says these neutral hues are perfect for every Filipina skin tone and hair color, but I'm afraid two shades didn't suit me. Still, two misses out of five shades? Not bad, not bad at all. Here are more photos and swatches, with green smokey eyes as my constant variable in these fun "experiments".

Barely Plum inspired by Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor

Like the MAC Pink Nouveau, Barely Plum is a beautiful light plum shade that looks more like lilac. I really, really wanted to work for me as it's so pretty, but unfortunately I didn't think it did. I have a light-to-medium skin tone and I think it will look better on girls with skin tones just a tad darker.

Barely Moka inspired by modern Chinese beauty Gong Li

Among Gong Li's movies, her portrayal of Hatsumomo in Memoirs of a Geisha is my favorite. I love Gong Li and I think it's only fitting that this striking lip nude with a powerful, warm punch of mocha finish is also my best bet from this collection! I didn't think I would like brown-toned lipsticks ever, but this great neutral brown (that I have been using every day ever since I got these lipsticks, mind you) proved me wrong. Now I can't get enough of them!

Barely Coral inspired by Chinese movie sensation Fan Bingbing

L'Oreal said Barely Coral is one of the most beautiful coral shades you can wear even in  the workplace and I agree. It's so feminine, flattering, and pretty! I love that even though it's more like nude than coral really, it doesn't make me look too pale nor sickly due to its subtle and earthy tone. I love it!

Barely Greige inspired by global superstar Jennifer Lopez

Of these five beautiful women, Jennifer Lopez is the most known by the general public. Barely Greige shade is a universally flattering color that suits all skin tones, and I have to agree. With no hint of a shimmer  finish, JLo's creation leaves a lush gloss behind. It is even referred to as the 'perfect nude' because it has no strong color but has the right amount of shine. You have to try this and see for yourself.

Barely Pink inspired by supermodel Doutzen Kroes

This is another shade I liked but unfortunately didn't work for me. L'Oreal says Barely Pink is the perfect combination of freshness and femininity with a sprinkle of undeniable softness as the lightest shade in the collection. This will look great on those with fairer skin tones.

There you go. I love the Collection Star and highly recommend these lipsticks. My only gripe (if you can even call it that) is that I think they should have included a Filipina on this roster since they are promoting how these shades are specially formulated for Filipina skin tones. They also don't last *that* long so expect to reapply every couple of hours, but it's not a problem. I don't mind reapplying because they are so moisturizing and glides on very smoothly on the lips.

So, which one's your favorite and most likely to purchase? I will buy Barely Moka and Barely Coral again in a heartbeat! If you guys have plans to check these out in person, they are distributed exclusively by L'Oreal Paris Philippines and are available nationwide in all L’Oreal Paris counters for only P625 each. Enjoy your search for the perfect nude!

(Disclosure: Products were sent to me for free but I was not required nor compensated to write a review. All opinions are my own. Please see my complete Disclosure Policy here.)