After fun goodies we got in January and February, I expected Le Metier de Beaute March 2015 Vault VIP shipment to be less exciting, and in the end it kind of was. This month we received two lip products – a pinky-taupe Lip Crème and shimmery rosy pink Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss, packaged in a lovely black gift box with floral design on the inside. The shades are nameless, with VIP stickers in the area where a name or a number would normally be, but LMdB representative confirmed that these colors are brand new and were created exclusively for this program. Now that’s what I call Limited Edition!
HOW IT WORKS: As a Vault VIP for $348/year you will receive a full-sized product or assortment of products every month, curated by our Beauté experts. Members of The Vault will also have the opportunity to try exclusive, limited-edition items and pre-releases of the brand’s latest and greatest before anyone else gets their hands on them. The sign ups will become available again only in July 2015.
On their own, neither color looks good on me, but when layered together they create a beautiful pinkish nude gloss that shows up nicely in a very flattering way. I also wore the sheer gloss over my matte nude lipstick the other day, it helped transform flat matte finish and make the formula more season-appropriate.
Unfortunately, it’s not all moonlight and roses with these two. My first gripe is the packaging: it looks and feels dollar-store cheap, and both doe foot wands were crooked in a way that was clearly not intended. Another problem is the scent: they both share an unpleasant plasticky fragrance, and the nude shade is the worst offender here to the point where I almost have to hold my breath for a bit before that odor dissipates. If like me you get migraines from strong unpleasant fragrances, this is a product to avoid.
Le Metier de Beaute addressed these complaints by saying that both glosses feature brand new formula that offers silkier feel on the lips, and they also reduced the amount of artificial fragrances that are normally used in cosmetics to mask the scent of chemicals in the mix, and that’s what we might be smelling. Since Vault VIP members were promised the newest formulations before they hit the market, I tend to believe that the representative is telling the truth, rather than trying to cover up the fact that their glosses have expired, or something like that.
For what it’s worth, the formula really does feel creamy and comfortable, so they definitely succeeded at that, but I don’t know if their usual clientele is willing to put up with the scent [or lack thereof]. I guess we’ll have to wait and see once they hit retail shelves. Remember True Colour Creme Eye Shadows that we got to try before they were released? The feedback for those was overwhelmingly negative, but LMdB put them in stores anyway, and not a month later they got discontinued. I think they are more receptive of our feedback now, so I hope they add the fragrance back to the formula, even if in the end that means increasing the number of chemicals.
Do you like these colors? Have you tried anything from Le Metier de Beaute?
| Product | Retail value |
|---|---|
| Lip Crème Lip Gloss | $36.00 |
| Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss | $32.00 |
| Box Retail Value | $68.00 |
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I used to love LMdB glosses! I haven’t bought anything from them in awhile. Since the brand changed hands it hasn’t been the same.
You know, I think when I initially subscribed to the service, they still had lots of old products in stock to send out, and I’ve been nothing but impressed. But since then, the quality seems to be getting lower and lower, and I’m not sure that I’ll subscribe for another year at this point. I’m happy with what I already have, those LE Kaleidoscopes alone made this whole experience well worth it.
That’s too bad about the issues that you had with these. I really hope that LMdB listens to the Vault members, and improves from there. The colors do look pretty, and neutral for layering like you did. I always love to see what you get in your Vault box!
Me too, it seems like such a nice brand, it would be sad to see their customers abandon them, because they don’t want to invest in a focus group.
These are pretty, but, there are two things I don’t care for fragrance in, my skincare and makeup. Great review and swatches.
I normally don’t care for fragrance either, but I think they really need to add it back to these glosses, because that chemical smell and aftertaste are just gross.
Although I like the shade of the lip creme, I can’t believe they were both so disappointing. I am a market researcher, and I have worked for several cosmetics companies over the years so I’m always shocked when some companies don’t seem to have tested their makeup before launch. It makes no sense to me to release products that just don’t work!
I know, right? And I don’t think Vault VIP members should be treated like a research group, I mean we paid for these memberships. If they want to do market research, they should be paying us instead.
Pretty shades… I’d love on those all day long but the chintzy packaging and icky smell and wonky wands? Uh… No. Just no. Not worthy of the brand and certainly not worthy of your special program. Every product should be impeccable. LMdB is shooting themselves in the foot, with that nonsense.
Yeah, what’s up with the wands? They were so oddly crooked, like they were both bent or something.
That pink color is pretty but it sounds like it smells awful
Yeah, the nude-colored gloss is the worst offender. So stinky!
With such a high-end brand, there’s no way I would put up the cheap packaging and bad smell. That’s a bummer!
Exactly, Nidia! I could probably just forget and move on if this was some low end drugstore brand, Wet n Wild or something, but this is LMdB, and this kind of packaging/product is unforgivable. I’m very bummed 🙁
That’s not acceptable with such a high-end brand. How disappointing.
Indeed, Cindy. I don’t think I’ll use either one of these glosses, just because I can’t get past that stench.
Fragrance plays a big factor in my purchase decision so noooo for me. Boo to cheap packaging. As the saying goes, why fix if aint broke. Sometimes companies should allocate money for focus group/ pre-market launch and recruit real makeup enthusiasts to test!
Oh no! I can’t stand strong fragrances; I puke. IDK why brands persist in adding them.
I think it’s the opposite here. Since both glosses are made with stinky chemicals, they should have added some counter-fragrance to balance it out. They didn’t, and now the glosses stink so bad, i don’t want to use them 🙁
UHG but the packaging was so cute 🙁
Right? That outer box is the best part, which is pretty sad. I wish the pinkish gloss was more pigmented too, it’s a very pretty shade, but way too sheer.
I love your pictures here!
Thank you, Justina! Random ad in a magazine used as a background, worked surprisingly well 🙂