Succulence of Dew: Rouge Bunny Rouge Sheer Lipstick in Dissolved in Dreams

Even though I'm trying hard to be good and not buy any make-up this month, I still have a lot of new products waiting to be tested and reviewed, so worry not, there's going to be plenty of things to talk about. The Rouge Bunny Rouge Succulence of Dew Sheer Lipstick in Dissolved in Dreams ($24 for 3.8 g) is one of such backburner products; I've had it sitting unopened for... maybe a year and a half.

Since I got it as a gift with purchase with a Beautyhabit order all this time ago, the packaging has been redesigned slightly - it's an all black tube now. This lipstick is a prime example of why I should not make orders based on the free gift: as it turns out, I absolutely did not need it. Lesson learnt; but now that it's in my stash, at least I can churn out some verbiage and photos for your benefit.

Not that it's a bad product; I just don't really care for it personally, for a number of reasons. First, it's not really that sheer, which is what I was hoping for. Secondly, and most importantly, the shade I have, Dissolved in Dreams (008) is a 'shiny watermelon with a silver shimmer'. This short description reveals two big problems: not only do I have watermelon lipsticks up the wazoo, but that silver shimmer? It's LARGE particles of shimmer verging on microglitter. Which I do not appreciate in my lip products.

The formula itself is nothing outstanding, and together with the glittery finish, really reminds me of some of the Revlon Lip Butters, particularly something like Peach Parfait. Despite the fact that the untouched bullet of the Rouge Bunny Rouge looks nearly matte in my close-ups, the lipstick is quite slippy and glossy, and unfortunately tends to gather both in vertical lip lines as well as around dry skin.

It does wear comfortably on the lips and I have to admit that it feels very smooth - no grittiness from those silver shimmer particles. However, it also transfers and wears off very easily, as most sheer lipsticks are wont to do - and then you have to deal with one of the main reasons I dislike glitter in lip products, which is that weird ring of sparkly bits around your mouth that persists long after the color itself has disappeared from your lips. It feels moisturizing while on the lips, but doesn't leave my lips any more hydrated by the end of the day; nor moisturizing nor drying per se.

L-R: Rouge Bunny Rouge Dissolved in Dreams, MAC Viva Glam Cyndi, YSL Pink Grenadine, MAC Jest
And again, how in the world I am able to buy the same shade of lipstick over and over again from all different brands is beyond me. Rouge Bunny Rouge Dissolved in Dreams is the most similar to the discontinued MAC Viva Glam in Cyndi, although the latter is in fact more sheer, less coral and lacks the annoying microglitter. It has a comparable level of warmth to another discontinued shade, YSL Pink Grenadine, but it's a much glossier formula. It's also quite close to one of my newer acquisitions, Guerlain Rouge G in Georgia. And probably another fifty lipsticks in my stash. WHY.

So there you go - I think it pulls a bit coral red on me, but I'm guessing it could pull a bit more pink on someone with a warmer skintone. I haven't quite made my mind up yet if I want to keep it as a back-up to Viva Glam Cyndi, or if I'd prefer to pass it on to someone who may love it more than I do. Have you tried any of the Rouge Bunny Rouge lip products? What are your thoughts?