Review: Clarins Joli Rouge Moisturizing Long-Wearing Lipstick

I have always loved Clarins lipsticks as they have such a smooth texture, never dry out my lips and always smell delicious. I was therefore excited to hear that the Joli Rouge* range has been revamped with a new moisture-enriched formula that comes in a beautiful new spectrum of shades!

It was difficult to choose as the new colours are all super flattering, so I went for some wearable shades of pink, nude and peach.

left to right and top to bottom: 715 candy rose, 745 pink praline, 707 petal pink

I had high expectations and these lipsticks did not disappoint! They are super creamy and smooth to apply giving just enough colour to leave your lips looking plump and glossy without feeling sticky. They have a lovely scent and last a decent amount of time given their hydrating formulation. They are perfect to pop into your handbag and reapply on the go as they are not too intense, but add just the right amount of colour and moisturise to keep your lips looking youthful.

Candy Rose is a blue toned pink with shimmer that adds a wearable pop of colour.

Pink Praline is a wearable pink toned nude that looks perfect when paired with a strong eye look.

Petal Pink is a mid toned, creamy pink that's perfect for every day wear. For me this is a your lips, but better colour!

The Joli Rouse lipsticks can be found here for £19.50.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

With a number of these crayon style balms currently on the market it has taken me quite a while to work through my selection. However, I was so impressed with Revlon's offering in their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain I made sure to set aside an afternoon to show you a selection of shades and how they look on the lips!

So let's see how these balms/ stains measure up!

 

On the skin you can see that they are glossy and deliver a good amount of pigment in just a few strokes. I love the ease of application with these and as the swatch shows you can get a pretty precise line as they are not too soft.

So what about the lips?

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

I was really impressed with the buildability of these balms. The swatches above show a fairly full application, but as you can see they are still super glossy. I love a versatile lip product and the fact that these can be worn as just a sheer tint, or full on colour, makes them a handbag essential.

The Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains are available for £7.99 here. Which is your favourite shade?

Clinique Chubby Sticks

Clinique Chubby Sticks are a really fun moisturising lip balm that give your lips a soft wash of colour. They are available in a great variety of shades and I was lucky enough to pick my top 3 at this week's Clinique cocktail party.

 Top to bottom and left to right: 14 curvy candy, 06 woppin watermelon, 15 pudgy peony.

As you can see the original chubby sticks are pretty sheer and while giving lots of moisture and shine they are not overly buildable in colour. As a lip balm they work perfectly for daytime wear and the crayon shape makes them effortless to apply, even without a mirror.

Being a lover of strong lip colour I am really excited to see that Clinique have now also launched an 'intense' version.

 This stunning red is 06 roomiest rose.

Even though my lips are pretty pigmented you can see that the chubby stick intense lives up to its name delivering an intense burst of colour. The texture of this lipstick is a little thicker than the original giving the lips a matte finish.

The original chubby stick can be found here for £16.

 

Are you a fan of Clinique's Chubby Sticks? Which is your favourite formulation? Which of the shades would you recommend?
 xxx

Lipstick Love: Clarins Rouge Prodige Orchid Pink

My recent lipstick obsession is a little gem from the Clarins Rouge Prodige True-Hold Colour & Shine range in Orchid pink (£17.50).

As ever the Clarins packaging makes a beautiful addition to any handbag, clutch or dressing table. The gold casing feels opulent and is handy when you are short of a mirror. The narrow shape of the bullet also makes this lipstick very easy to apply.

At different times I look for different things in a lipstick, but this one seems to have it all. It has a brilliant concentration of colour and shine, is super smooth and comfortable to wear and lasts well without dehydrating the lips. I have never tried a lipstick that feels so creamy and smooth , yet lasts so well. Oh and it also smells delicious. I think I am in lipstick love!

Have you tried any Clarins lipsticks? I am really excited to have found such a fantastic formula and can't wait to try a few of the other colours in this range. 

FOTD: Jubilee

This is the look I wore to watch the flotilla on the Thames for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this Sunday. The atmosphere in London has been absolutely amazing over the last few days and I am so happy to be a part of it!

While keeping the rest of my makeup neutral I decided to add a little patriotic red to my look with FashionistA's fabulous Red Carpet lippie (£7 here).

 

After many hours in the cold and wet of the Thames I think that I have put this lipstick to the test and it has passed with flying colours! Super pigmented, creamy, non drying and long lasting - this lipstick is one of my new favourite reds. It is so rich in colour, yet feels light while still looking glossy and being fade resistant.

 

Have you tried any colours from the FashionistA range? What's your favourite red lippie? How have you been celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee? xxx

FOTD: 10 Mins Going Out Makeup

When in a rush I usually go for fail safe combo of bright lips and neutral eyes. This whole look took about 10 minutes, which I think is pretty speedy... though I have no doubt the bf would disagree ;).

With my amazing new Boudoir lashes (review coming soon) all I had to do was add a flick of L'Oreal carbon gloss eyeliner and a tiny amount of MAC's Phloof in the inner corners to open up my eyes.

I then used a small amount of MUA's Hot Lips lip balm on my cheeks (multi tasking) and mixed a red Eyeko lipstick with MAC's cool toned gladiola to create a statement. I find that mixing colours and layering up different textures of lip products ensures that your colour stays put all night!

What are you fail safe makeup choices? What products do you rely on to get ready in a hurry? xxx

17 Mirror Shine Purple Haze

I have been loving 17 Mirror Shine lipsticks lately! They are so smooth and glossy and leave my lips feeling soft and hydrated. I really like the fact that you can use them to just add a tint, or really layer them up for more colour. My current favourite is Purple Haze.

 

I absolutely adore this colour! It's bright and vibrant but is very comfortable to wear and fades beautifully!

You can find the 17 Mirror Shine On lipsticks in Boots for £4.59 here.

Have you tried these lipsticks? Which are your favourite shades? xxx 

YSL Glossy Stain

Glossy Stains from Yves Saint Laurent are designed to provide intense colour and shine, while being extremely long wearing. They look like a gloss, last like a stain and have the deep pigment of a lipstick. I love a bold lip colour so I was really excited to try these to see if they really deliver in all these categories!

I was kindly sent the Glossy Stain in shade 1 - an extremely deep and vampy purple.

On the skin this shade definitely has a plummy undertone with a high gloss finish. When first applied it has a smooth gel texture and can be sheered out a little or built up for greater impact. It fades down to a matte dark pink, which actually lasted on my hand all day!

My lips are quite pigmented so they counteracted the blue/ purple tint and gave the overall colour more of a red undertone. The application did require a steady hand, but the pointed tip of the applicator made it easy to get a defined edge without the aid if lipliner.

As you can see with just one slick of gloss the colour is extremely intense, however I did find that it looked darker on the inside of my lips in some areas. I'm not sure if this is just because my lips were dry that day so the tint clung to these areas more... I definitely need to play around with this shade a little more as I am determined to make it work for me in the future!

I am also keen to try out some of the lighter colours to see how intense they will look and play around with adding the Glossy Stain over a lipstick.

The YSL Glossy Stain retails at £22.50 and can be purchased online here.

Have you tried any of YSL's lip stains? What are your favourite shades? xxx

Revlon Lip Butter - Strawberry Shortcake

I know that the Revlon Lip Butters have been reviewed by a myriad of blogs, but having recently purchased one (slow on the uptake...) I thought that I would show you some swatches of my favourite shade - Strawberry Shortcake (080).

The lip butters have a lovely, creamy texture and give a subtle colour to the lips.

If you have quite pigmented lips you can build the colour up with a few coats, but I wouldn't say that it is overly buildable as it is very glossy and smooth.

As much as I enjoy the light texture, effortless application and hydrating properties of these lip butters I can't say that I share the huge amounts of enthusiasm expressed when these are mentioned. Perhaps the hype has set the bar too high, but if I am completely honest I actually prefer the 17 Mirror Shine Lipsticks as they are just as smooth, but are slightly more opaque and longer wearing. This lip butter has made it into my handbag as the colour is so easy to wear and very versatile, but I doubt I will be repurchasing it when it runs out as I just don't find it that unique!

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters are £7.99 here and available in a great selection of colours.

Are you a fan of the Revlon Lip Butters? What are your favourite shades? xxx

Mover over lipstick... Slimstik!

This looks like a really cool idea. The Slimstick is aiming to revolutionalise lipstick with a new shape, packaging and formula. It's always great to try something new and innovative so I will be sure to review it when it becomes available!


What do you guys think? xxx

Glossybox - Harrods Edition

This month Glossybox has an extra special treat in store for their subscribers. The March Glossybox is being brought to you in association with Harrods beauty hall!

This special edition box contains five out of a possible fifteen products including Clarins moisturisers, Fendi, Valentino and Versace perfumes, Bliss body butter, Molton Brown shower gels, YSL serum and SK-11 cream. Though my favourite product of them all is the adorable Burberry miniature lipstick!

The products I received in my box this month were:

• YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum (can't wait to try this!)
• Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Moisture Bath and Shower
• Narcisco Rodriguez for her
• Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serim (love this)
• Burberry Miniature Lip Mist Copper no.202

I may have to go all out and admit that this is probably my favourite G'box of all time. I love the mix of products and brands and can see myself using every single one. Oh and did I mention the mini Burberry lipstick?

It's probably unnatural to get so excited about a mini lipstick, but it's just too cute!

What do you think about the March box? Are you excited by the Harrods edition? Which of the products are your favourites this month? Do you have also have a strange obsession with miniatures? ;) xxx

FashionistA Review

My lipstick of choice this Valentine's day was one of the beautifully vibrant Double Take Longwear Lipsticks from FashionistA in Raspberry (shade 4).

I wanted a colour that would be rich and intense, yet moisturising and long lasting. I often find that my lips can distort colours, so I wanted something that would be opaque, but still look fresh and not too matte or flat.

The FashionistA lipstick felt very smooth and creamy on the lips. It lasted well throughout the day without bleeding or transferring to my multiple cups of coffee, though I did have to reapply it a few times after meals to refresh the depth of the colour.

For a long wearing lipstick I was happy to see that it wasn't drying and didn't make my lips feel tight. In fact, even after I removed it in the evening my lips felt soft and nourished!

FashionistA Double Take Long Wear Lipsticks retail at £7 from selected Superdrug stores.

Have you tried any of the FashionistA lipsticks? What are your favourite longwear lipsticks? xxx

Dr Lipp Balm

Dr.Lipp balm is 100% natural, tasteless and odourless, which makes it extremely versatile. It can be used to moisturise any dry areas, soothe rashes, calluses, eczema, scars, sunburn and especially dry lips! 

Dr. Lipp’s original balm was historically used by nursing mothers to soothe their sensitive nipples, hence the rather alternative name -nipple balm for lips!

 So what is this miracle balm made of? The answer lies in sheep!

The oils and waxes sheep naturally produce to protect their fleece are scientifically known to be the most similar to oils also produced by human skin. Dr.Lipp’s formula is made from these same natural oils and waxes processed and purified to a Medical Grade standard of purity and cleanliness, removing all environmental polutants. The formula is so pure it is termed Medical Grade Lanolin, which makes it suitable for pharmaceutical use.

The balm itself has quite a thick consistency, but quickly softens on contact. It strongly reminds me of Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream, but without any distinctive scent. Once applied it is colourless, but leaves a gorgeous shine, so it can be used as a light, moisturising gloss over your favourite lip colour!

For more information on this amazing balm you can visit the Dr Lipp website here. You can also purchase the balm for £11 on the Zuneta website here.

Have you tried Dr Lipp balm? What are your favourite moisturising products? xxx