The latest launch from beauty behemoth Guerlain is the Guerlain Gloss d’Enfer Maxi Shine Intense Colour and Shine gloss, a high-tech formula that boosts hydration, volumises, and colours the lips in a sweep of its plush new applicator. The collection features an impressive 20 shades which range from the sheer and sparkly to the ultra-pigmented. Most importantly, every last one delivers (as the name suggests) maximum shine.

Launches like Gloss d’Enfer and last month’s Dior Addict Gloss are changing how I feel about gloss, precisely because they’re gloriously un-gloss-like. Their texture is more like a gel. They’re lightweight, their colour is ultra-pigmented, and they still really deliver in the shine stakes. If you’ve written off glosses in the past because of their tendency for tackiness, then I implore you to try one of these much-improved formulas from Dior and Guerlain. They’re truly lovely.

So, on to the swatches!

400 Gold Tchlack – sheer gold with golden and iridescent shimmer. A versatile shade that can be worn alone or layered over lipstick to add a touch of 3D sparkle.

402 Browny Clap – beige pink with very fine shimmer. A very nice nude shade that offers just a smidgen of subtle sparkle.

403 Brun Buzz – warm chocolate brown with iridescent purple. This mid brown shade is amped up with a bold purple shift, which you can pick out quite clearly in the top picture.

420 Rouge Shebam – pure, almost neon red. I really like punchy gloss colours, and this shimmer-free, bright red fits the bill very nicely.

421 Red Pow – classic red with gold and iridescent shimmer. This cooler, blue-tinged red is shot through with quite chunky golden shimmer.

440 Coral Wizz – pearlescent candy pink. This fun shade of pink is just the right side of frosty with its pearlescent lilac/pink shift.

441 Tangerine Vlam – orange with golden and iridescent shimmer. There’s no shying away from the pigment in this one! If you’re missing an orange from your gloss collection, I don’t think you’ll find a better one than this.

460 Rose Splatch – ballerina pink with silver shimmer. This is the most subtle shade in the collection, offering just a hint of pale, rosy pink.

461 Pink Clip – iridescent rosy peach. This nude peachy shade is heavenly, with a lovely golden shift that brightens up the complexion.

462 Rosy Bang – pearlescent rose with golden shift. More rosy than Pink Clip but retaining that lovely golden shift, this shade brightens the complexion.

463 La Petite Robe Noire – pale lilac pink with golden shimmer. This is an unusual, cool, almost ‘greige’ pink shade.

464 Guimauve Vlop – marshmallow pink with silver shimmer. Sweet and wearable, this is a quintessential cool pink shade.

465 Bubble Gum – warm mid pink with golden shimmer. Perhaps my favourite pink shade of the bunch, this pigment-packed colour is a lot warmer and brighter.

466 Dragee Bomp – cool mauve rose with gold and pink glitter. This sophisticated and muted purple-pink has a lovely smattering of golden glimmer.

467 Cherry Swing – hot pink with golden and pink shimmer. This classic, bright pink is a make-up bag staple.

 468 Candy Strip – bold coral pink with very fine golden shimmer. This is my favourite shade! It’s so pigmented, and the colour is a perfect fusion of coral, red and pink.

 469 Fuchsia Ding – fuchsia pink with silver shimmer. A high octane shade with lots of silver shimmer for a pop of colour.

 470 Magenta Waouh – pure cool magenta pink. A gorgeous,  almost-neon statement magenta.

 471 Prune Zip – pure warm plum pink. Slightly sheerer than the colour of the tube suggests, this warm plum shade has just enough pink for everyday wear.

Guerlain Colour Lacquer Long Lasting Nail Colour and Shine

To match the high shine and pigmentation of the Gloss d’Enfer, Guerlain have also introduced the Colour Lacquer range. It’s so great to finally see a core collection of nail varnish from Guerlain, that I think they can be forgiven for the relatively small range of colours! There are 10 shades in all, all of which named after classic Guerlain fragrances or a classic shade of Rouge G or Rouge Automatique lipstick.

As well as those core colours Guerlain have also produced the robust La Base Protectrice Base Coat, a protective and quick-drying film that minimises nail yellowing and strengthens the nail, and the Gel Top Coat High Shine Gel Effect, an ultra glossy top coat that reproduces the professional effect of gel nails. It’s a complete nail look, and I’m so happy that Guerlain have produced this a gorgeous collection at last!

Here are the 10 shades, swatched in 2 coats onto a nail wheel:

00 Lingerie – sheer ballerina pink. On the colour wheel above you get quite a good interpretation of the colour, though this shade will be very sheer against the natural pink tone of the nail. Named for the Lingerie De Peau foundation range, and the exclusive Guerlain Eau de Lingerie.

64 Gemma – rosy lilac-pink with silver shift. This is a surprisingly dynamic shade – in some lights it is distinctly rosy, as above, and in others it has more of a lilac-greyish sort of vibe. Named for the Rouge G lipstick in Gemma.

121 Rouge d’Enfer – bold, classic red. You can’t go wrong with a suits-all, punchy red shade in your nail varnish arsenal. This shade fits the bill nicely as it’s not too cool, and not too warm. Named for the Rouge Automatique Lipstick in Rouge d’Enfer.

125 Vega – blackened burgundy. This is one of those purple/burgundy/brown colours where the tonal difference between coats is incredible. The first coat was grape, the second was this gorgeous liquorice colour. Named for the old fragrance Vega, and the Rouge Automatique Lipstick in Vega.

143 Nahema – coral orange jelly. You can’t beat a cheerful orange coral shade at this time of year! This one leans toward red in certain lights (like above), while in others its a touch more pink. Named for the Nahema fragrance.

165 Champs Elysees – hot magenta pink. Another classic, staple shade, this hot pink is named for the sparkling and romantic fruity floral fragrance Champs-Elysees.

168 L’Heure Bleue – wine red. A moody, blue-tinged purple/red that evokes the twilight hours. Named for the L’Heure Bleue fragrance.

260 Jardins de Bagatelle – shell pink with silver shimmer. There’s more than meets the eye to this sweet shade; the peachy pink base is completely shot through with both fine and chunky silver shimmer, producing an ethereal effect. Named for the airy, paradisal fragrance Jardins de Bagatelle.

263 A La Parisienne – hot coral pink jelly.  A gorgeously shiny coral rendition names for the equally as fun-filled Shine Automatique Lipstick in A La Parisienne.

463 La Petite Robe Noire– Beige pink with bronze shift. This unusual and sophisticated shade is like molten metal with a rosy twist. Named for the cheeky cherry scent La Petite Robe Noire.

What’s catching your eye? Shop all Guerlain Make-Up here