Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Aura

I think I've found the one - the ultimate lipstick that ticks all the right boxes. And it was a complete and utter accident! In my September Beauty Wishlist I wrote about how excited I was for the release of Chanel's Rouge Noir Collection, and I was actually so excited that I paid a visit to the Chanel counter in Fenwicks a week or two before the launch. Whilst I was there I tried on some lip colours and finally decided against buying Rouge Noir and picked up Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Aura (£25.00) instead. Unlike Rouge Noir, Aura has a sheer and glossy formula that's not only easier to apply but also a lot more forgiving. I adore the finished look that it offers and the way that it feels on the lips - it's creamy but not thick, and it wears aways relatively quickly but very evenly. It's basically a super-upgrade from Mac's Lustre Lipsticks, which I've been wearing for a long time. But now I don't think I could ever go back!

I think the colour of Aura is absolutely beautiful. It's deep and it's dark but it isn't intimidating or vampy. The glossy formulation gives the colour a modern and wearable twist, and it transitions really comfortably between daytime and evening too. With minimal makeup it makes for a statement lip, but add in some liner and smokey eyeshadow and you've got the makings of a sexy and sultry makeup look.

I also can't deny that the packaging has also won me over. It's so much simpler than I expected, but oh so chic. I think it's actually the simplicity that makes me like it so much. It's much, much less gaudy than the YSL Lipsticks, and yet it demands the same sort of respect. When I whip this out of my handbag for reapplications I know that the bullet is instantly recognisable, and (from my own experience) I know that people will notice I'm applying Chanel. I know it's sad to care what other people think - especially about lipstick of all things - but it adds another luxurious aspirational vibe to the whole thing. It isn't just a lipstick it's a potent tube of luxury that instantly gives me confidence. At £25.00 a pop (and as its so sheer I can see myself going through it pretty darn quickly too) this is an expensive thrill, and not one I'm likely to repeat all too soon. However, I am sold on the lipstick's formula and it's put some of my other lipsticks into a stark perspective. No, it isn't an essential - but if you can afford them then I do think the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipsticks are worth buying, and in a more glamourous world I probably wouldn't wear anything else.

What do you think about the shade "Aura"? Do you own any Chanel lipsticks? Or are there any other high-end formulas that you think I should try next?