Yves saint laurent beauté rouge sur mesure

Beauty

Meet the future of personalized beauty.

One-hundred fifty-three: That's how many lipsticks are lining my vanity. Yet, despite all of the options at my disposal, I can't say that any of them is that one perfect shade. You know, a lipstick so spectacularly flattering that it seems as if it was made exclusively for you. Even my favorite red bullet skews a little too cool sometimes. Same for my go-to '90s-inspired brown. When that happens, I'll often mix or layer a few shades together to create my desired finish, but thanks to Yves Saint Laurent, now there may be a better solution. 

Meet the Rouge Sur Mesure Powered by Perso, or as it's called by beauty enthusiasts: the YSL lipstick maker.

This high-tech makeup device marks a whole new chapter in personalized beauty. Initially developed by L'Oréal (which owns YSL Beauty), it allows users to custom create their own YSL Velvet Cream Matte Finish Lipstick shades at the push of a button. According to the brand, the app-powered device can formulate thousands of bespoke lip colors, thereby eliminating the need for dozens of various tubes, bullets, and palettes. 

Given my hunt for my pout's perfect match and my desire to live a less cluttered life, I had to test the Rouge Sur Mesure device. Could this be the high-powered tool my beauty arsenal has been missing or just another tech gimmick? Keep reading for my full review.

The YSL Rouge Sur Mesure Powered by Perso At-a-Glance

Pros

• • Creates thousands of custom lipstick shades
  • Easy-to-use
  • Removable compact for on-the-go color
  • Minimizes clutter
  • Multiple ways to customize

Cons

• • Must be applied with a lip brush
  • Expensive 
  • Available only in the velvet matte finish

How Does the Device Work?

The Rouge Sur Mesure device works like a mini Nespresso machine. Once you attach the magnetic compact to the machine's top, it's as easy as inserting your color cartridge set (available in red, pink, orange, and nude) and pushing the power button. Within seconds, the Bluetooth-powered device will dispense a single serving of your custom lip color directly into the YSL compact, which you can then remove and take with you on the go. It even comes with a retractable magnetic lip brush, making it easy to line and fill in your lips with the utmost precision. 

In-App Features

The most impressive part is the actual color design process. Within the accompanying app—how you'll operate the device—there are three creation modes. The first is the Shade Wheel, which presents you with a color wheel to select the exact shade you want to create. According to the brand, there are more than 1,000 pre-set shades you can choose from using this feature, more options than my indecisive Libra mind can handle. 

Next up is Shade Match, which uses an uploaded photo of your bag, shoes, nail polish, hair color, or whatever else you like, and creates a lipstick color that matches it (or something close to it). While you can submit a photo of any "real-life color," the Rouge Sur Mesure may not be able to reproduce the color, given the current cartridge sets. Even if it can match the color, the shade will still need to be within your cartridge set's shade family for the device to create it on the spot. Otherwise, you can always save it for later using the My Shade Closet feature. 

Lastly, there's Shade Stylist, which uses a special algorithm that, in a press release, the brand describes as being "infused with YSL's color expertise," to recommend coordinating lip shades for any outfit. Upload a photo of your OOTD, and the Shade Stylist will suggest four shade options from within your cartridge set's color family: two that match your look and two that "clash." If none of these options suit you, the app also has a Discovery page, which highlights trending shades within YSL's online community, as well as colors suggested by the brand. 

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My Review

While I've tried a lot of high-tech skincare devices, this was the first time that I had the chance to test a makeup-specific device, and it did not disappoint. While there is a lot of technology packed into this little gadget, it's surprisingly quick and easy to use. Once I downloaded the app, it started walking me through step-by-step instructions on how to set up and use the device. The first time around, the app instructed me to insert the three color cartridges included in my set (I went with the red one) and press the power button. Within about 30 seconds, the device dispensed equal amounts of each pigment into the compact, which I then swirled together using the included lip brush. The result was a beautiful true red color infused with the brand's signature creamy matte finish.

Customizing My Lip Color

Next came the fun part: creating my custom lip color. After playing around with the three in-app features, I landed on the Color Wheel mode, as it offered the most bespoke method of picking my shade. Compared to the other options, which provide suggestions based on existing shades in the brand's color library, this would allow me to pinpoint the exact shade I had been searching for: a warm, brownish-red. To ensure it was everything I was looking for, I used the app's virtual try-on feature; it checked out. 

I hit the power button and watched as my dream red popped  into the compact's center. Using the lip brush, I again mixed the pigments until they were all evenly blended and applied my custom lip color. Perfection.

The Result

Like YSL's standard Velvet Cream Matte Finish Lipstick, my bespoke formula went on smooth and lightweight, delivering a wash of rich, saturated color with a single stroke. Although I prefer applying my lipstick via a standard bullet, the lip brush was small and firm enough that I was able to line and fill in my lips with minimal effort. Within seconds, the formula set to the same comfortable, soft matte finish as the standard Velvet Cream Matte lipstick, leaving me with a flawless, full-coverage look that I was then able to carry with me throughout the day thanks to the stylish compact. 

The Final Verdict: Worth It

If you're extremely picky about your lipstick shades, struggle to find colors that work with your skin tone, or enjoy switching up your lip look daily, the YSL Rouge Sur Mesure device is a worthy investment. 

Although hardly a necessity, this easy-to-use device is fun and offers a vast array of color options, ensuring you'll never tire of its customizing capabilities. It's not yet a perfect device; I would love to see even more color options and finishes available, as well as the opportunity to purchase a full-size version of your custom shade. In the meantime, I'll gladly continue playing the part of a mad beauty scientist, whipping up my freshly brewed lipstick shades as easily as my morning cup of coffee. 

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