Chanel Calypso Glossimer

Some days ago I showed you a preview of the Chanel summer item I didn't expect to love: the Calypso Glossimer. In the tube it looks like a hot orange shimmer confection, but on the lips it sheers out to a coral that leans orange. I am so smitten with the color that I've worn it for three straight days. 

(By the way, I had an astounding revelation recently: I own like, one coral lip product. What?! Why?!  How do I rectify this?!)

L-R: Chanel Calypso, NARS Wonder, Le Métier de Beauté Karla Sugar

In the swatch, Chanel Calypso looks really similar to NARS Wonder, while LMdB Karla Sugar seems too dark to be considered a dupe. When applied on the lips, however, it's a whole different story. I forgot that Karla Sugar is a sheer brilliance lip gloss instead of a lip crème, thus while it swatches magnificently, it appears much sheerer on the lips. 

Chanel Calypso Glossimer

On the lips, Karla Sugar and Calypso were actually really similar. The only difference I could discern was that Calypso has hints of pink amidst the coral, while Karla Sugar leans more toward red. Another similar gloss is Dior's summer offering Orange Pareo, but that gloss contains more yellow. All three glosses mentioned are sheer, so the color might differ depending on the pigmentation of your lips. For reference, my bare lips are a light pink hue. 

Le Métier de Beauté Karla Sugar

On the other hand, NARS Wonder is considerably more pigmented than the other two, thus on the lips it's a rich, bright orange. 

NARS Wonder Lipgloss

All three are quite wonderful and spot on for the season (though Karla Sugar was a limited edition shade released last year and no longer available - for those unfamiliar to the color, it was made by the company in collaboration with, you guessed it, Karla Sugar). For those who are bummed about not being able to grab Karla Sugar while it was available, I think Calypso is a fantastic alternative. Chanel glossimers are usually too sheer to interest me, but Calypso shows up and transforms my lips into a twinkling coral. The Chanel glossimer formula is one of the better ones in the industry: lightweight, non-sticky, as well as scent and taste-free.

Chanel Calypso Glossimer retails for $29.50 and is available at Chanel.com as well as Chanel counters worldwide (soon, if not already). I cannot stress enough how it is absolutely perfect for summer and you need it, I really can't.