This Sold-Out Red Lipstick Is Back, Alongside A New Hot Pink Hue

After the Most Wanted team published a review of the Violette_FR Petal Bouche Matte liquid lipstick in February, the pitch-perfectly matte red shade sold out. (It turned out to be one of R29 readers' top-bought items that month.) A rep at the French beauty brand told us over email that this magically luscious lippie — famous for producing velvety rose-petal lips — was already running low on inventory when the story went live, but that we pucker-uppers here at Most Wanted pushed its remaining stock into the ether. Not only is it the second-ever sellout product from Violette_FR (the new beauty imprint from longtime French vlogger-influencer Violette Serrat), but it may also be the first-ever product that our shopping team has contributed to depleting (that we know of, at least). In under two months, the waitlist of those who missed out grew 3,300 names deep.

And, judging from our five editor try-ons — and we run the gamut when it comes to skin tones! — it's not surprising why this lipstick is so lust-worthy and cult-worthy. The opaque blue-red concoction is a bonafide showstopper. Associate writer Chichi Offor wrote that "The red ... is on point. It definitely adds a bit of passion and intensity (in a good way) to a look. My Aries soul feels super sexy with it on! I have trouble finding reds I love with my skin tone, so I was pleased for this slightly deeper, cooler red that complemented my colouring well." And our resident beauty writer Karina Hoshikawa reported, "Once dry, it really didn’t move much — there was virtually no transfer to a wine glass, and it passed the smooch test with near-flying colours. The best part of the lipstick for me has to be the texture. It is the most velvety finish I’ve ever seen from a matte lipstick, and the colour is truly stunning." On the celeb front, the Violette_FR lipstick was also seen on Julianne Hough at the Oscars and on Aurora James at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Benefit Gala. With both famous and non-famous lipstick wearers giving the stain a thumbs up, we know it won't be long till this luxe liquid is sold out once again. While it's currently in stock, we encourage you to grab one while it's (punningly) red-hot.

But, that's not all — there's also a new hue joining the Petal Bouche lineup. Starting today, you can add the vibrant blue-pink fuchsia called Cœur Infidèle ("unfaithful heart," in French) to your makeup bag. And yes, I've already tested it and yes, I can confirm it's as sassy as the packaging makes it appear. The formula is just as saturated and electric as the Amour Fou, but the Cœur Infidèle is a tad softer and more playful in tone — which many folks may find easier to wear for the day-to-day if a red lip feels too powerful or too fancy for casual wear (though we strongly encourage such expression). I personally think this shade of '90s Miami Barbie hot pink complements especially well with outfits of equally rich colours like royal blue, mustard yellow, and teal — and that it can instantly liven up a neutral palette if you usually wear black, tan, white, and grey.

This new colour is also a hell of a lot easier to apply — which I later learned is an improvement to the overall product. "One pillar of my company is that we constantly improve on our products for our customers," said Violette_FR founder Serrat in a press release. "With that in mind, Petal Bouche is back with new packaging to make our bestseller even better. We designed a new custom wiper (the inner ring that removes excess formula) that helps Petal Bouche apply with even more precision and ease."

The improved application system rules, but practice makes perfect too: Now that I've been wearing both Violette_FR liquid lipsticks for a while now, here's my go-to application technique, which I've gotten down to a (finger) pat: I first prime my lips with balm since matte lipsticks tend to be drying. I personally use Burt's Bees but I’m sure you’re preferred brand will work. Just a light layer does the trick since I don't want the Petal Bouche to go on too slippery. Then, I swipe a single coat of the Petal Bouche on the bottom lip since I can then blot my way to the upper lip with as little mess as possible. I have a Q-tip handy that I use to gently smudge out the edges for a slightly stained look. Next, I touch up with light dabs of the lipstick as needed and use the fleshy part of my middle finger pad to distribute the rest of the colour across both lips. Lastly, as I must, I blow an air kiss to the day — the lipstick is just that good.