The Reluctant Lippie. Part Two: Pinks

  

By Laurin

A few of the more pressing topics that have been on my mind this week include:  

1. Why do my jeans smell like barnyard dust even though I washed them two days ago?
2. Have my knickers been on inside-out all day? (Turns out yes, yes they have.)
3. Oh hey, is that the guy I dated briefly last year who was in the open relationship and his girlfriend had a girlfriend? (Turns out no, because that guy over there is weirdly sweaty and has a  strange mole on the side of his  face, but I didn't realise that until AFTER I smiled and waved, so maybe quick exit.)
4. Why  do  we  call  pink  lipsticks  pink  instead  of  nude,  because  I'm  pretty  sure  my  lips ARE actually pink when they're nude, AMIRITE?

Above: Clinique All Heart, Kate Moss 05, Tom Ford Incorrigible, NARS Schiap

I  still  have  no  answer  for  the  last  one.  As  it  turns  out,  in  the  absence  of  a  colour  wheel  or some hot, hot SCIENCE, we call them pink and not nude BECAUSE WE JUST DO. Also, it turns out that I don't much care. Really though, pink probably should  have been my first stop on my  lipstick  tour:  it  was  the  first  colour  I  played with  as  a  little  girl  from  my  grandmother's make-up bag, and  it's much easier to  find a  pretty, flattering shade without  risking looking like a zombie. Belatedly, then, here are a few I like.

Clinique All Heart Long Last Lipstick, £17 at Debenhams Studio 10 Age Reverse Perfecting Lipliner, £22 at http://www.studio10beauty.com

I've had a soft spot for Clinique gift with purchase lipsticks ever since I won one in a game of bingo at a nursing home when I was ten (the other prizes were socks or bath salts). My prize lipstick  felt  fancy  then,  and  it  still  does  a  tiny bit  today.  All  Heart  is  a  slightly  plummy  pink warmed up with barely-there gold sparkle that makes it perfect for adding a bit of oomph to a  neutral  make-up  look.  I’m  wearing  it  with  Studio 10  in  the  picture,  but  it  applies  just  as well from the tube in a hurry, and indeed, on the Tube in a hurry. The texture feels creamy and nourishing, and it lasts through at least three cups of tea before lunch. HOUSE!   

Kate Moss for Rimmel 05, £5.49 at Superdrug

Anyone who refuses to shop for cosmetics and perfume on the high street out of misplaced snobbery is denying themselves a serious small pleasure. Cheap makeup is the business, and it's hard to beat the thrill of chucking a bright lipstick in the basket with your shampoo and hand cream. This is a girly (but not sugary) pink that I can imagine your Girl Next Door would wear  on  prom  night.  It  looks  great  with  flushed  cheeks  and  a  hint  of  mascara.  Also:  IT SMELLS OF CHERRIES. What could be more joyful?

  Tom Ford Incorrigible, £34 at Selfridges  Halfway  between  a  full  on  lipstick  and  a  gloss,  so somewhat  naughty  of  Tom  Ford  to demand the full whack of £34. On the other hand, this sheer fuchsia veil with just a dusting of warm golden  sparkle is perfect bridge between the "My Lips But Better" milkmaid  pinks and the full-on BRING IT bright end of the spectrum. Unlike a fuller-coverage bright lipstick, this is easy to apply without a lipliner and a brush, and as a result it’s barely left my handbag since I bought it.   

 NARS Schiap, £19.50 at Space NK  I had a consultation with Sali Hughes last month and she sold me on it as the perfect "fuck you" lipstick. "It suits no one," she assured me. The name of this full-coverage, satin finish lipstick references the legendary fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who used shocking pink as one of her signature colours. It does not suit me. It will not suit you. But you should buy it (and a good lipbrush – colour like this demands precision application) anyway. I wore it last week  with  a  flowing  black  skirt  and  Jovoy’s Psychédélique,  a  fragrance  so  patchouli-heavy that  my  friend  Angelica  once  described  it  as  “like being  trapped  in  a  phonebox  with  a hippie.” None  of these things suit me, and I spent most of the day  feeling as though I was having an out-of-body experience. Unless you are one of those rare souls who knows exactly who  they  are,  I  believe  we  all  have  something  to  gain  by  trying  on  (as  it  were)  different identities, discarding the parts that don’t feel right and incorporating the ones that do into our  own  personal  patchwork.  I  will  never  feel  comfortable  with  wearing  neon  pink  lipstick every day, but on days when I have a bone to pick with the world, I will wear it with Bvlgari Black and sneer. I will take no prisoners.    The fine print: Purchases and PR samples.

  

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Spring Blushers with Clinique, Hourglass and Tarte

By Get Lippie
 

Spring really has sprung now, the days are lighter and longer, and, whilst I've not actually turned off the central heating yet (we have foot-thick walls, and 8ft ceilings, it takes Lippie Mansions a while to warm up), it's definitely getting warmer.  As a result, I've swapped out my darker winter blushes for some lighter, brighter shades for the longer days ahead.

Clockwise from top left we have Clinique's Cheek Pop in Berry Pop, Hourglass Ambient Blush in Luminous Flush, Hourglass Ambient Blush in Radiant Heat and Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Fearless.  The top two are on the cooler side, and the bottom two have warmer tones.  

Swatched heavily in sunlight, in the same order as above.

The Clinique Berry Pop is hella pigmented - you need the tiniest, tiniest bit of this to get brightly coloured cheeks.  It lasts astonishingly well, too, as do all the colours in the cheek pop range.  Just use a light hand, and an extremely flexible blusher brush when applying.  This is gorgeously pretty packaging too, the gerbera daisy imprint is a delight, and it seems to be lasting well, too.

The Hourglass Ambient Blush in Radiant Flush is a cool pink with beige veining in the pan, and on the skin is much paler than the Berry Pop.  I find it works well if you build up the colour in layers, rather than relying on one thick sweep to last you through the day.  The shades are on the sheer side, but you can build them up.  Ambient Blush in Diffused Heat is a warm coral veined with the yellow Ambient powder in Diffused (which was one of my products of the year in 2013), and is a paler peachy tone when swirled on the skin.  As with Radiant flush, you can build this up to a quite significant shade on the skin.  I've read quite mixed reviews of the Ambient blushes, but I like them a great deal - their rather sheer formula, and built-in highlighter effect make them ideal for the less dextrous amongst us.  Like myself.

 Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Fearless is a more or less straightforward matte coral, with some pinkish undertones.  It's wonderfully flattering on, and lasts quite well.  I'm really happy to see Tarte finally arriving in the UK (even if it is via QVC), and, from what I've seen of the range, I don't think fans will be disappointed.  Having read the ingredients list, however, I'm a little underwhelmed by the formula for this, as it's not that different to practically every other blush on the planet in all honesty, but this is a darn fine blusher, particularly if you want a matte shade.  Currently the shades on offer on QVC are rather limited, but I'm assured that more colours will be available later on in the year.  Personally, I like the foundations more than the blush - which I'm slightly surprised to discover, to be honest - but more about that later.

What changes are you making to your routine for the changes in the weather? 

 The Fine Print: Mixture of PR Samples and purchases.  Hourglass are going to bankrupt me at this rate.

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Clinique A Different Nail Enamel in Indie Rock

Nail varnish for sensitive skin?  Really?  Hmn ...  Apparently, in the course of an average day, you'll touch your face many dozens of times, and the chemicals in a "normal" nail varnish can irritate the thin and easily inflamed skin around your eyes, causing reactions and irritation.  I can't say I've ever noticed this, despite having such sensitive skin around my eyes that 95% of eye creams are unbearable on my skin, in all honesty, but Clinique have brought out a range of "gentle" nail varnishes designed without many of the potential irritants of other nail varnishes.

I splashed out recently and bought the shade "Indie Rock", which is a lovely silvered mid-brown, which is going to get a LOT of wear on my toes this summer (my toes have been wearing purple varnish on and off for the last two years now, so it'll make a nice change!), lasting power is very good, and the above picture is just two thin coats.

Whether it's good for sensitive skin or not, I don't know, but I do know good polish, and this is indeed, good polish.

The Fine Print: Purchase.

This post: Clinique A Different Nail Enamel in Indie Rock originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

Lipsticks of the Week: Soft Reds

  

It's been a red kind of week, but I couldn't face my usual bright "in your face" kind of shades, so softer, gentler, easier-wearing kinds of reds (and a pink) have dominated my look this week:

From left to right we have:

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Red Velvet - I've largely ignored the Revlon Lip Butter hype, as the colours have all been too pale and milky for me up till now.  This is a gorgeous soft red, easy to wear, and comfortable on the lips.  It's about the only shade from the range I'd wear though.
Lanolips Apples - You might remember this from my post last week.  Please don't stand on your lanolips tubes, peeps.  This is a conditioning balm, and I own the full set of colours, I'm a bit of a Lanolips addict.  This is the brightest of the lot, I think.
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lipstain in Romantic - hate the taste, love the shade

Jouer Tinted Lip Enhancer in Shiraz - This is another conditioning balm with a hint of colour, it has a slighly floral taste, but leaves my lips in great re-hydrated condition, it's a really lovely shade, too.
Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Plushest Punch - It's pink.  I know.  But it's gorgeous. Shut up.
Lipstick Queen Saint in Wine - Possibly my most-used lipstick of the year so far.  Gives the lips a gorgeous blood-red stain.  Love it.
Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Gel in Crystal Plum - Not sure this is blue enough to be a real "plum" shade, but it's a soft sheer, clear red on the lips, with a highly fruity scent that is extremely reminiscent of Lancome Juicy tubes.

Swatches (in same order as above):

Whilst I can classify all of these (except Plushest Punch) as a soft red, you can see some of the differences quite clearly here: Red Velvet is a slightly deeper red with hints of blue, Apples is a sheer bright red, Romantic has more of an orange hue, and Shiraz definitely has hints of wine in there.  Plushest Punch is, well, pink! Wine appears browner on the skin, but the natural colour of your lips counteracts this, and it's definitely a red in wear, and Crystal Plum is definitely a sheer (and extremely glossy) red.

So, what've you been wearing this week?

This post: Lipsticks of the Week: Soft Reds originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

Clinique Even Better Foundation Review

I genuinely thought I'd already reviewed this, seeing as it was by far my favourite foundation released in 2012, but it appears not.  Oh well, better late than never, eh? Especially as this bottle is very nearly due for a replacement ...

 Housed in a neat dropper-style bottle (my favourite kind), Clinique Even Better foundation contains many of the same  ingredients as their Even Better skin-tone brightening skincare range, which is expanding (wonderfully) all the time.  I'm never without their Even Better Eyes dark circle corrector in my handbag! Used long-term, this foundation is said to have skin-tone evening properties.  I can't comment on that, as I'm a complete foundation flibbertigibbet, but I do use this foundation several times a week, because I genuinely love it.

It's available in 18 shades divided into with  several colour groups, all of which have cool, warm or neutral undertones, and this shade is 03 Ivory (VF-N)  (ie: Very Fair colour grouping, with Neutral undertones). It's the third lightest shade in the collection.  Please bear in mind that my hands are a lot paler than my face, and this foundation, whilst appearing dark on the hand and arm, is actually a pretty darn near perfect match for my facial skin.

It's a medium-thick formulation, giving a satin-matte finish, and a medium coverage.  You can, if you so wish, build it up to full-coverage on problem areas, but I prefer to use a separate concealer if I need extra coverage, which isn't very often when using this, in all honesty.  Here's the return of Maurice the Control Mole to demonstrate:

As you can see, that's some pretty good coverage, right there.  Best of all, this level of coverage lasts. And it lasts well.  I don't know about you, but my skin eats foundation, and I find that generally around 3pm (I apply it around 6am though, bear in mind, so that's nine hours) I need to top up a bit, as I have high colouring, and this tends to peek through after a foundation has been on for a while.  

I have found, however, that Clinique Even Better lasts longer than very many foundations, and it's this long-lasting-ness (totally a word), coupled with excellent coverage without looking flat, or cakey, or needing a setting powder that makes me love it.  As I've said, I can't speak for its skincare properties, as I use very many different foundations in the course of a month, but as a foundation, this one is difficult to beat, and that's why my bottle is nearly empty ...

Lippie Rating:

Clinique Even Better Foundation earns a Triple Lippie for being long-lasting, not needing powder, and giving a great finish.  A great rating for a great product.

The Fine Print: PR sample, which is so old it's nearly gone.  Definite repurchase material though.

 
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Clinique Chubby Stick Intense: Curviest Caramel, Plushest Punch, Chunkiest Chilli

Judging by the amount of imitators currently on the market, Clinique's Chubby Sticks have been one of the most successful product launches of all time.  A balm consistency, with a hint of pigment, Chubby Sticks are perfect for this "can't be bothered thinking about my makeup" days, and I have a selection of the shades.  They're easy to wear, and comfortable, and there's a big enough range of shades to suit almost everyone.

Sometimes, however, you want a bit more ... well, bang for your buck.  Well, certainly it has to be admitted that £16 is rather expensive for a lip balm with a hint of a tint.  This month Clinique launch Chubby Stick Intense for those of us who like a bit more pigment with our balms.  I've got three shades to show you:

From left to right, we have Curviest Caramel, Plushest Punch and Chunkiest Chilli (which has to win prizes for the worst named lip product, ever).  Caramel is a nude, Punch is a bright pink, and Chilli is a red-brown.

They are actually surprisingly pigmented, and they haven't sacrificed too much of their conditioning properties to bring you the colour, either, which is nice.  Lasting time is about average, a couple of hours, but they don't feel either greasy or sticky, and they don't dry your lips out.  You can mix them into new shades too, I find a combination of Punch and Chilli makes a nice bright red, and you know how I like my reds ...

Do you think you'll be picking any of the new Chubby Sticks up?  They're bringing out a version for eyes in the spring, and I can't wait ... 

The Fine Print: PR Samples. Is it just me, or does Chunkiest Chilli sound .... pre-digested?

This post: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense: Curviest Caramel, Plushest Punch, Chunkiest Chilli originated at: Get Lippie on 8 November 2012 All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

Five basics every makeup bag should have

I get asked, quite regularly, what makeup products every makeup bag should contain, and I always find it a difficult question to answer (I don't really carry a makeup bag round with me, and, when I do, it mainly contains lip products ... the name of this blog didn't come around by accident, you know) but, in response to a particularly heartfelt plea from MummyBarrow, asking for the five products you need to re-stock an empty makeup bag, here's what I think you need in a basic, but well-stocked makeup bag:

1) Base
2) Blush
3) Mascara
4) Eyeshadow/Eyeliner
5) Lip Colour

Here's my product picks:

1) Base 
 
Every makeup bag should contain a base product, whether it's foundation, concealer, or a powder is entirely down to individual preference, but, if I was starting from scratch, I'd pick a pigmented base with some skincare properties - either a tinted moisturiser from a reputable skin-care company, or a BB cream, again from a reputable skincare company (rather than a company better known for their colour cosmetics.  So, which ones would I pick?  Well, depending on budget, I'd either pick:

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser (£57 from Space NK)

Or Dr Jart Regenerating BB Cream (£21 from Boots)

 Both can be used as a moisturiser in their own right (confession, I never use a coloured product in place of skincare, I always use my full skincare routine then use tinted moisturisers etc, but not everyone is as obsessive about their skincare as I am, I admit), and both give great coverage.  If pushed, I prefer the Chantecaille, less mineral oil, nicer fragrance, more buildable coverage as you can apply in successive layers - but the Dr Jart has an SPF of 30,  over and above the Chantecaille's SPF of 15.  The Dr Jart is nice and soothing on the skin though, and doesn't irritate my stupidly sensitive skin. 

A good base is all-important for making the rest of your make-up (however little you spend, and however little attention you pay to it) look good, don't skimp here.

2) Blush

Only one possible choice here, for me, and that is:

New CID iGlow in Coral Crush (£24 from New CID Cosmetics)

This is possibly the most-used cosmetic item in my stash at the moment, and I adore it.  Gives a wonderful glowy lift to my cheeks (it's ostensibly a highlighting product, but I find it pigmented enough to use as a blusher), and it goes with most makeup looks.  It photographs amazingly well too.  Writing this reminds me that I need a backup.

3) Mascara

The mascara I've been wearing most often over the last few months is:

Benefit They're Real Mascara (£18.50 from Boots)

I was slightly underwhelmed with this on first release, but, over the last while, I've come to love it a great deal, and regularly reach for it over and above other fancier (and more expensive) releases.  It's a good, buildable formula that, on me, doesn't flake or smudge, and only comes off when *I* want it too.  Can't say much more than that.  It's a bit wet on first opening though, but after a week or two when it dries out a little, it's a cracking tube of mascara.

The above three products are what I would consider the absolute bare essentials, if you've evened out your skintone with a base, highlighted your cheekbones with blush, and defined your eyes with mascara, then, frankly, any other colour cosmetics are an optional extra.  That said though, here's my pick of eye and lip products to round out a new collection:

4) Eyeshadow/Eyeliner

Sometimes, you just want something quick, and versatile.  When that's the case, I reach for:

Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencils (£18 from Harvey Nichols)

Soft and smudgey, these pencils are a total boon if you're a bit short on time.  You can use them as a soft liner, a base for other shades, or smudge them and create a soft smokey eye look.   They come in a variety of no-fuss, no-worry shades, so there's something to suit most people.

If I was really splashing out, to be honest, I'd also pick up a Cream Colour from Tom Ford in Platinum. A cream eyeshadow that doesn't crease, and isn't greasy, and lasts all day.  I just wish they were a permanent part of the range (and didn't cost £28, but that's a different story).

Clinique are rumoured to be bringing out an eye version of their cult Chubby Sticks, and I, personally, am waiting with baited breath for their release.

 5) Lip Colour

Blimey, where do I start?  When it comes to lipstick, it really is up to you (your budget) and your personal preferences.  For budget preferences, I've discovered I'm a bit of a fan of the Kate Moss range of lipsticks for Rimmel, the matte collection is really cute, particularly in the darker shades.  If you want something a bit less fussy, then the Clinique Chubby sticks:

Might be what you want: Retailing at around £14, they combine the best parts of lipbalm and lipstick.  There's a whole slew of imitators around, but I definitely prefer these for their superior balm properties (little known fact, Clinique's range of superbalm lip products are amongst the best balms on the market, for me at least), and their sheer range of shades.  They're releasing an "intense" version now too, which have more pigment ... I may already have a couple, and will be bringing you a full review soon ...

If you want to splash out, and still have a balmy consistency, well, then you need a Chantecaille Lip Chic.  Which is, for my money, the most divine lipstick formulation in existence.  If you really want to push the boat out, well, then, head yourself over to Tom Ford.  Or pick yourself up a Guerlain Rouge G.  You know you want to ...


 
 This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Clinique Even Better Eyes Review

There weren't many posts on Get Lippie last week, whilst I won't go into the details for it, suffice it to say that last week was a tough one which involved a few sleepless nights and a few tears to boot.

All sorted now though, thank goodness, and nothing to worry about, either.  I am very glad I had a tiny tube of Clinique Even Better Eyes around at the time though.

A hybrid lightweight concealer and eyecream. this was a godsend for tired, baggy and bleary eyes last week.  I don't use undereye concealers ordinarily, finding very many of them too heavy for the delicate skin under the eyes, and I struggle with eyecreams too - finding them too rich for my skin.

I've had no problems with this cooling light-peach cream, it's not a full-on pigment heavy concealer, it's just pigmented enough to brighten up a dark area, but no more than that, and it's a very light emollient, so it's easy to spread without being too rich.  I like it a lot.

I adore the metal tip, too.  It feels very cooling in use, and just glides over the skin, so you're not pulling and tugging at the skin, but the cooling sensation is very refreshing first thing in the morning.

In long term use, it's said to even out your skin tone, fading your dark circles.  I don't suffer from them ordinarily, so can't speak to how well that particular claim works out, but if you're suffering from a temporary lack of sleep, this will definitely help you out ...  Just be warned, it contains caffeine, which can dehydrate, but I haven't had any problems with it.

 
The Fine Print: Possibly the handiest-timed PR sample ever.

 
This post: http://getlippie.blogspot.com/2012/09/clinique-even-better-eyes-review.html originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.If you're not reading this post on Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper.

Summery Coral Lipsticks from Clinique, Max Factor and Sisley

It's summer - allegedly - and I normally swap to more coral-shades in summer.  Whilst the sun hasn't really blessed us much this year, we do have some top lipstick shades around at the moment.  I picked up three at random, and thought you might like to see them:

So, we have Clinique Runway Coral, Max Factor Bewitching Coral, and Sisley Sheer Peach, or, in my words, the orange-coral, the pink-coral, and the peach.  Take a look:

They're all lovely in their own way, the Runway Coral from Clinique is one that I saw a Sales Assistant wearing at one point, and HAD TO HAVE, and the Max Factor is one that I initially trialled last year, and fell in love with.  The Sisley is, well, it's Sisley, and sometimes you just really want a very expensive lipstick. Or is that just me?

The Max Factor is probably the best all-rounder for me, the pinker-shade makes it more wearable with a variety of looks, but the Clinique definitely has more of the wow-factor on the skin, even if it does need more dramatic makeup to carry it off.  The Sisley sheer peach is lovely, but might suit a different skintone better, someone either really fair, or very dark I imagine would look wonderful in this.

What are your picks for summer lipstick shades?

The Fine Print: PR samples.
 
This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Project Perfume - Aromatics Elixir Perfumers Reserve

 It has to be said that I can't resist Aromatics Elixir in any format (though my requests for a bottle of bath oil in this post from January fell onto cruelly deaf ears at Lauder HQ), but, when I heard that Aromatics was to be updated and "refreshed", as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the launch of Aromatics back in in 1971, I don't mind admitting that I panicked slightly.  Even after a year of immersing myself  - almost literally - into fragrance, I still think of Aromatics Elixir as "my" fragrance.  Still, I steeled myself into trying it anyway, and ...

Well, it's beautiful.  Still smoky, resinous and as incense-packed as I remember, it is also somehow softer, rounder, gentler and less spiky IN YOUR FACE than the original. An astonishing trick to pull off for what is - or could be - regarded as a flanker.  So many flankers (which are perfumes brought out by a perfume house to cash in on the popularity of an already best-selling fragrance) resemble the original only in name, but I'm happy to say Perfumers Reserve is very definitely easy to recognise as being based on the original. This version however, manages to push the flowers more front and centre, and its easier to recognise the roses in the formulation as a result. It wears a lot closer to the skin. Lacking the almost nuclear sillage of the original, this is much easier to wear, and could be considered more office-friendly.  

Not that office-friendliness has ever bothered me much, I've spent the last couple of weeks wearing some complete and utter patchouli bombs (both of which I'll review soon), with little or no thought to my co-workers.  I like perfume, I'm afraid, and I like to be able to smell my perfume, but if you're scared of wearing "big" fragrances, Perfumers Reserve might be a good way to try something huge, in a way that won't frighten the people around you.

A word about the bottle, I love that it's a "dabber" rather than a spray, so make sure you don't open the bottle the wrong way up, you will end up with damp (but gorgeously fragranced) knees.  The amber bottle with the engraving is rather lovely too.

Oh, and if Santa is reading, I'd like the solid, please, it's in a beautiful compact that can be used as a necklace:

 If the new formulation still doesn't sound like your cup of tea (or incense for that matter), then the original has been reissued with a new bottle to celebrate its birthday:

Happy birthday Aromatics Elixir! Life begins at forty, they say, and I'm happy you're still showing signs of life, even now ...

The Fine Print: I was sent the anniversary bottle of Aromatics Elixir, but I bought the Perfumers Reserve myself.

This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Clinique Black Honey Collection

I don't buy Clinique makeup often, but it's safe to say that Clinique are responsible, at least in part, for my lip product obsession.  Not to mention that when I take people shopping for coloured lipsticks, I often introduce them to Clinique's "Almost Lipstick" range, which is a great way to introduce brighter lipstick colours into someone's makeup wardrobe, as they are very sheer, and non-scary.

One of Clinique's iconic products is actually their Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, which I have bought far too many times to mention over the years, and when I discovered they were bringing out an entire range around it for this autumn, I may have got a little over excited.  Some people have dismissed the collection as boring, but I disagree. 

The collection includes:

Clockwise from top: Graduated ("ombre) Blush, eyeshadow palette, eyeliner and lip duo, all in the shade "Black Honey".

Let's take a closer look at each product, starting with the blusher, which is the standout product for me:

I love this shade.  A non-shimmery, extremely fine-milled powder that grades from a brown with hints of purple on the left, to a slightly pinked brown on the right.  It's not entirely matte, but there's a slight hint of sheen when the powder is on your face.  It's really gorgeous.  Here's a pic that shows off the "ombre" effect better:

It's immensely flattering on my currently very slightly tanned skin, but I can see the hint of purple in this will make it wearable on even very pale skins.  It would, I suspect, pull a little chalky on very dark toned skin.

The eyeshadow palette:

This is a very neutral eye palette, with hints of pink in most of the shades, so nice to see neutrals without a taupe! Shades 1 and 3 are matte, and shades 2 and 4 are shimmery, and extremely pigmented.

This is one pass (with a finger) over unprimed skin. Shade three is a rather unusual pinkish shade, but it can work quite well in the crease as here:

I did quite a nice, lightly smoked eye look with this on Saturday, I applied shade 1 on the brow bone, shade three all over the mobile lid, with shade four blended into the crease, and shade two patted into the corner.  As a liner, I used this:

Black Honey gel liner - which is an item from the permanent line - it's a shimmering brown, again with a purplish undertone.  Less scary than that makes it sound ...

It's a great alternative to black, and the formula is very long-lasting, and transfer proof.  The brush you get with the liner is rather useless thoughbut.  I found that applying it with any other flat brush was a lot easier.

The Lip Duo is handy too.  At one end you have a mini Almost Lipstick, and at the other, you have a small pot of Long Last Lipgloss:

Black Honey is one of the archetypical "my lips but better" shades, back in the 90's - when it was relaunched and promoted quite extensively - there was a lot of talk about it being one of Madonna's favourite lipsticks.  It looks scary, being dark brown, but once on the skin, it's a lot more subtle:

As you can see, on the hand, the shades are barely there, but on the lips, this will impart a rosy glow.

When I swatched these, I remember thinking that the formula used to be darker, so I dug out my original pot of Black Honey glosswear:

Looks a lot more like Marmite, eh?  Bear in mind, this pot of gloss is a minimum of about 15 years old ... however, this is how it swatches alongside the new lip duo:

So there you have it, swatches of almost the entire collection (swatches of the blusher didn't come out, but I'll attempt to retake them, if people would like it), here's a face of the day, where my makeup is practically invisible:

Artificial light

Natural light

I'm wearing the lot though, I assure you!

The Clinique Black Honey collection is available now, but the blush and eyeshadow palettes are both limited edition.



The Fine Print: A mixture of PR items and purchases, as PRs hadn't heard of me 15 years ago.  Bless 'em.


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