A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

I talked yesterday about the new bronzing cream from Manasi Makeup which works to inject both colour and luminosity onto the complexion.  Today I want to take things a step closer to Summer and introduce you to a different kind of bronzing formula.  Never in my 18-years of wearing makeup have I ever found a powder bronzer that looks entirely natural against my skin-tone.  For many years, I thought that I was looking at the wrong brands and so I graduated from the BarryM’s of the world to the lofty heights of Guerlain bronzers, which I still believe offer some of the best shades for pale skin.

But now I’m ditching the powders.

Sure, I’ll still use them for contour… they offer great precision and I’m hopelessly attached to my Illamasqua Rumour and my NYX Taupe (which, ironically, are both marketed as blushers rather than bronzers) but for that all-over hint of colour that gives the impression of sun-kissed skin?  Nope, there’s a better option out there for us.

Looking frighteningly dark in the bottle, you might find it hard to believe that these two products offer the solution we’re looking for… but take the time to look a little more closely at a pair of products that have been somewhat of a revelation for my sun-shy skin.

Dr. Hauschka’s Translucent Bronze Concentrate* (drhauschka.co.uk, £27.45) offers a blend-able and realistic tanning pigment in a lightweight formula.  Once worked into the skin, the translucency allows your natural colouring to give the impression that the tone has self-adapted to suit your undertones.  It’s buildable from the lightest of applications, providing anything from a sheer glow right up to an intense depth of colour.

Being a liquid, you can use it to custom-fit any foundations that may be proving a little pale for your summer skin or you could even add it to your daily moisturiser for a lazy boost of colour without the full-on tan effect.

I prefer to use this on my face, delivering a shimmer-free hint of colour in a non-oily formula that lasts well through the day.  The image below shows the product lightly blended over bare skin… you can blend it more sheerly by mixing with your moisturiser or foundation.  Completely adjustable colour.

Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate – Ingredients:
Water/Aqua, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Alcohol, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Lysolecithin, Beeswax/Cera Flava, Fragrance/Parfum, Citral, Linalool, Farnesol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Algin, Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex/CI 75810, Iron Oxide/CI 77491, Iron Oxide/CI 77492, Iron Oxide/CI 77499.

Douvall’s Argan Bronzing Oil* (urbanretreat.co.uk, £32.00) works along the same principles as Dr. Hauschka’s Translucent Bronze Concentrate but there are some subtle differences that makes this one more suitable for use on the body (in my opinion).  As the name might suggest, the formula is alltogether more oily, making it an exceptionally blendable, streak-free option which can be used as a standalone moisturising product thanks to some beautifully nourishing ingredients.

It contains a subtle shimmer which looks beautiful worn across the decolletage, arms, and shins but would perhaps prove a little too glowy for the face.  The dewy finish peps up tired skin and imparts a naturally healthy glow – according to the bottle – you can even apply it to your hair, something I’ll admit I haven’t tried yet.

Unfortunately, the packaging is far from perfect… I manage to make a mess each time I put the the pipette back in the bottle and have to wipe clean the bottle-neck before I can screw the lid back on… a pump-dispenser like the Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate would have been a better choice.

You can see the subtle shimmer in the above photo, it’s really very pretty and understated, just enough to catch the sun and create a 3D effect on the skin.

Douvall’s Argan Bronzing Oil – Ingredients:
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil*, Squalane**, Silica**, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Mica, Limonene, Linalool, Citral ,CI 77491, CI 77499CI 77492

Do you use bronzing products?

* press sample

We wear makeup for many different reasons. Some of us like to experiment with colour, some of us like to improve upon our natural beauty *cough*, and some of us enjoy piling on everything we own just because we can.

At the moment, I’m somewhere between number two and a facefull of slap. Whenever I’m sick (is she still going on about that?), my skin is the first place it shows and the last place it recovers. Flaky, blotchy, purple under the eyes, and spots a-plenty are the order of the day. Which is exactly what one needs when you already feel like shit, of course.

Whilst I’d love to tweak my skincare routine to improve my natural radiance and rebalance my complexion from the inside out… I’d also like to be able to sprout a pair of wings and crap on the EDL headquarters from a great height. Sadly, neither are happening any time soon, and so instead, I turn to my makeup routine for the answers and pray that it won’t fail me.

This isn’t a tutorial as such, I’m no bleedin’ make up artist after all… but I thought I’d go into some real depth about the products that I’m using to work, what is basically, a skin miracle at the moment.

First things first, skin prep. If your skin is suffering, you can’t ignore this step in the routine. It’s imperative that you give your makeup the best possible base upon which to sit. It may be that you’re fighting an oil-slick or something akin to moon craters, or perhaps like me… you’re battling dryness of epic proportions. Take an extra five-minutes to target these concerns before you even go near your face with foundation, the finished result will be worth the effort.

Starting with a cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturised face… I deal with the dryness that has been causing my foundation to cling in patches. Upon Caroline‘s advice, I’m treating my skin to a moisture sandwich of oil and cream, first with an Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss (£62.00) capsule which delivers an antioxidant-rich hydration boost in the form of moringa oil, followed immediately by a generous layer of La Roche Posay’s Nutritic Intense Riche* (£14.00)

And then I wait. A couple of minutes later, I can tell where I need additional hydration, so I work a little more of the LRP into the skin, avoiding the areas that are prone to midday oiliness. That done, I move onto the one product that generally replaces “primer” for me during the colder months.

Maqpro Makeup Mixer (from £8.00) is a makeup artist’s trick taught to me by the wonderful Kenneth Soh who recommended it to me a couple of years ago as a great base for mineral products on drier skins. It’s a tip that continues to save me whenever my skin is behaving badly. Not only is it a wonderful mixer for sheering out heavier foundations, it also does wonders for improving how a product applies over, and sits ontop of dry skin without compromising the moisture levels underneath.

At this point, I use a brush to apply the Maqpro but I don’t work it fully into the skin, preferring instead to dot the product allover with the brush and only lightly blend. This way, it combines easily and increases the glide of the next layer of product.

Before even contemplating foundation, I still want to improve the radiance levels of my skin. A lot of the time, I reach for a liquid illumintor that I can apply allover and then “tone down” with foundation. I’ve been trying something a little different recently in the form of this rather splendid Lyster Cream Bronzer* (£36.00) from Swedish brand Manasi Makeup.

The pot contains far more product (55g) than I could ever see myself using and as such, I do wish they offered a smaller-size for less money but I can’t deny that the product itself is beautiful. Free from mineral oils and parabens, it delivers something inbetween a bronzer and a luminizer that works very nicely against my pale skintone. If you’re blessed with naturally great skin, I could see something like this being your one-pot wonder for sunkissed, healthy-looking skin without fear of looking orange or overdone.

I tap my brush lightly on the top (you don’t need much) and work the bronzer all over my skin using a circular motion, it blends nicely… but even more beautifully with my layer of Maqpro beneath it.

Finally, it’s time for foundation! At the moment, I’m alternating between my Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in shade 4.5 (£34.50) and my beloved tube of Clinique Supermoisture Makeup* (£19.35) which is a better option for when I don’t have the time to do this kind of skin prep. If I am using the Clinique, I skip the Maqpro in this next step as it’s an exceptionally moisture-rich foundation on its own merit.

When I’m using anything other than the Clinique, I reach again for the Maqpro (as shown below). One blob of each and using the same face brush as I’ve been using all along, I give the products a little mix on the back of my hand before working into my skin lightly.

I never apply foundation heavily or in more than one layer when my skin is playing up because it doesn’t matter how much preparation or effort I put into the application, after a few hours… my foundation will clump over the dehydrated patches if it’s too heavy. Which is why, I always reach for concealer as the last step despite usually being a bit of a concealer-phobe when my skin is less fussy.

Bare Minerals SPF 20 Correcting Concealer* (£21.00) is the perfect choice for dry skin-types thanks to a light texture and a lot of slip. It’s very creamy and offers a good amount of coverage, making it a great choice when your aim is to keep your layers as thin as possible. The final step is a little precision highlighting with something like the iconic YSL Touche Eclat (£25.00).

Now, that’s quite a lot of product but use my “how-to” as a guide rather than a manual. The principles are simple and you’ll already have certain products in your collection that you know you can substitute…

1. Make a real effort to get your skin in the best condition possible before you go near it with colour.
2. Work in thin, lightweight layers.
3. Add additional moisture or “slip” as you go.
4. Now isn’t the time for powder, keep things creamy.
5. If you’re nervous about being too heavy-handed with illuminator or bronzer, apply it before your foundation.
6. Leave concealer until the last possible moment, you’ll end up using less product as a result.

How’s your skin behaving at the moment and what trickery are you employing to get the best from your complexion?

* press sample

Because there can never be enough cerulean blue glitters in the world. Enjoy.

Butter London Scallywag is priced at £11.95, and available to buy online from powderrooms.com

Eternally revered as one of the world’s most precious metals, gold has been a highly sought-after commodity from the earliest of ancient civilisations right through to the modern day.  Much of its worth has been built through socially-constructed symbolism rather than via any intrinsic financial value, but the rare metal has nevertheless proven useful in some fields thanks to certain unusual properties.

Gold is extremely durable, stable, and for a metal, unusually coloured making it a perfect exhibition of wealth.  It holds a strong continuity of value over time, and looks just as beautiful when first laid in a treasure chest as it does 20, 30 or 50 years later.  It’s an element that is difficult, dangerous and laborious to mine and rarity has always held a value when it comes to the importance of status within our society.

But what about in practical use?

We regularly see gold put to good use in the field of electronics, to plate connectors and prevent oxidisation.  As a metal, it conducts electricity extremely efficiently (though interestingly, not as efficiently as silver).  In dentistry, the metal is valued for its malleable attributes which can be used to easily construct fillings, crowns, and bridges.  Its chemically stable nature, makes it a suitable, nonallergenic material which has thus far proven to cause no adverse effects on long-term health.

But what about the usefulness of gold within the beauty and skincare industry?  Let’s take a look at some products today which seek to employ the midas touch…

1). Nahbi Pure Repair Gold Essence contains 24ct nano gold and gold leaf extract which claims to help stimulate circulation, cell renewal and the removal of toxins from the skin.  Nahbi use colloidal gold (suspended in liquid) and nano-technologies to increase the likelihood of physical absorbtion.  The particles are rated at 1.5nm, which is tiny indeed when you consider that the thickness of gold leaf is rated at a rather chunky 125nm!  The full range includes masks, serum, toner, a moisturiser and a cream. priced from £25, beauchoix.co.uk

2). Jamela offer a range of gold-infused masks that combine “active gold” and plant collagen with other, more recognisable ingredients including hyaluronic acid.  The masks have been designed to contour various body parts to deliver their collagen-boosting benefits including: eyes, lips, face, and even breasts!  I particularly like the idea of wearing one of these masks overnight before throwing it in the bath with me the next morning, they dissolve in hot water to release any remaining goodness!  priced from £24,50, jamelaskincare.co.uk

3). Chantecaille are well-known for their high-end formulations so it comes as no surprise to see an entire Gold Collection from the U.S. brand.  Their Nano Gold Firming Treatment is not simply content with exploring the supposed anti-inflammatory effects of nano gold, but hedges its bets on another recent “technological breakthrough” in the form of Swiss Apple Stem Cells which claim to deliver the creme-de-la-creme of antioxidant benefits within skincare.  For all this technology, you’ll have to pay a pretty penny.  priced at £280, uk.spacenk.com

4). Focusing on exploring the links between the precious metal and its soothing, anti-inflammatory benefits.  Omorivicza’s Gold Eye Lift uses gold ferment in an attempt to repair micro-damage and strengthen the delicate skin by renewing lost elasticity and as you would expect, the Hungarian brand remain true to their spa roots with the infusion of mineral compounds and their globally famous thermal waters rich in copper, zinc, calcium and magnesium.  priced at £110, selfridges.com

5). For the “gold standard” (geddit?!) in gold-enriched skincare, look no further than Swiss brand La Prairie for their Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold which claims to diminish the appearance of lines and wrinkles and help regulate discoloration.  The gold, suspended in a colloidal gel promises to help prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin whilst illuminating the skin with a stunning radiance. It will certainly lighten your wallet.  priced at £408, urbanretreat.co.uk

6). For something a little more tangible, not to mention… affordable, Zoya’s Gilty Pleasures trio contains an 18k real gold flake top coat which will transform all your manicures into something a little bit special.  priced at £29.60, nailcareclub.com

7). ByTerry’s Or De Rose Elixir Extreme is a rose-tinted primer which delivers instant radiance thanks to its blend of 24-carat pink gold micronized particles and light-reflecting prisms.  More of a cosmetic radiance-giver than a skincare marvel, coming from the queen of highlighting herself… that ain’t no bad thing.  The closest I’ll get to being a gold-dipped bond girl.  priced at £108, uk.spacenk.com

So, the question remains… can the benefits of gold be applied to anti-ageing theories?  Scientists and dermatologists are frankly divided on the issue and serious research is ongoing on the potential health benefits of using gold in the fight against cancer and the relief of rheumatoid arthritis.

To my mind, there appears to be a somewhat necessary leap of faith in order to believe that something so valued for its chemical inertia can also posess such life-changing, tangible benefits but there’s no doubt that this is one debate that will run and run.  Especially while it continues to give cosmetic companies such a wonderfully marketable element of luxury and privilege.

What say you? Are you interested in unleashing the power of gold on your skin, hair and nails?

Alessandro International are not a new brand, infact the German company have been around since 1989 but it’s only now, in 2013, that they’ll finally enjoy a UK launch at Professional Beauty next week.  Focusing on the professional market, the nail, hand and foot care brand are renowned for their unique Colour Code philosophy which ensures that all 99 of their shades are available across the three systems that they offer:

NAIL POLISH – For all those who love classics and make new decisions every day: non-permanent Durability up to 1 week.

LAC SENSATION – For all those who wish for long-lasting colour joy: Semi-permanent durability up to 3 weeks.

COLOUR GEL – For all those who want to be faithful to their favourite colour in the long term: Permanent durability up to 6 weeks.

I have two shades* from the range to show you…

Toffee Nut is a creamy, mid-toned nude with a well-pigmented formula that feels a little thick but spreads quickly and smoothly across the nail. The colour isn’t quite to my taste but it gives a clean, conservative look.

Berry Red is more my cup of tea, with its blue flashes and delicate shimmer.

Both polishes offer great coverage in only two coats but benefit greatly from the addition of a top coat. My nails are also suffering from a little damage right now and if you suffer from ridged nails, these will require a base coat before they’ll disguise any such thing. Drying time was very impressive, each coat was touch dry within 5 minutes.

If you want to find out more about the Alessandro International, head to stand I22 at Professional Beauty London, taking place at ExCel on 24-25 February 2013

* press sample

I am quite fussy about glitter, and this one’s on my shit list. Which is quite surprising considering that I thought I’d love this and hate Gobsmacked (reviewed last week). My tastes have swapped places – what’s going on?!

So what is it that I don’t like about Fairy Cake?

Well… it’s mind-numbingly un-unique when it could have been great. Described as a “full coverage, silvery, multi-colour iridescent glitter suspended in a light grey base”, I wanted it to embrace that grey base with fervour and imprint an alternative take on a holo-explosion. And it’s just another “opaque in a couple of coats” glitter. The holo isn’t even that spectacular. It’s a bit too sandy, a bit too chunky. There’s no “edge” to it. And “edge” is precisely what I love Butter London for delivering.

Butter London Fairy Cake is available to buy online from powderrooms.com, priced at £11.95

* press sample

When I first saw swatches of this nail polish appear on the web, my nose wrinkled with disdain.

“Ugh. Lumpy.”

You see, I’m a simple girl (shut up) and I like simple nail polishes. I like shiny cremes, holos, and duochromes. And that’s it. I rarely bother with nail art, which is just aswell, because I’m not very good at it, and I just can’t be faffed with other embellishments.

I decided that, in the case of Gobsmacked, I’d probably like it with a thick coat of Gelous but that without, it could do one.  But then I applied it…

… and I really liked it.

It is lumpy, but in a way that somehow just misses setting my teeth on edge.  It applies nicely in three smooth coats and gave me no drying issues.

Which means that I probably owe a silent apology to all brands that have since followed suit with texture-based collections. I have quietly vomited in my mouth when perusing swatches of concrete, leather, and velvet.  Perhaps I’ve been wrong all along but the thing is, each time I look again…. I still want to rip my nails off in protest.

Butter London Gobsmacked is priced at £11.95 and available to buy online from www.powderrooms.com

* press sample

Following on from Saturday’s “I want a perm!” declaration, I thought I’d let you know what prompted this revelation. I used a styling wand! And not just any old styling wand but one that is generally considered a bit of a posh styling wand, the Cloud Nine version.

It’s a bit of a chunky beast with a large tapered barrel and a heavy-duty, solid handle.

The wand comes complete with a protective sheath that slides over the heated barrel and protects fingers/surfaces from burns and damage when the tool isn’t in use. The Cloud Nine The Wand certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted (or weak-wristed), it quite heavy and takes a little practice to wield comfortably. I don’t mind admitting that it took not one, but two ear burns (matching) before I realised that at least one secret can be found in a simple solution: for the love of God, do not move or angle the tool once it’s cms from your skin, move the hair. MOVE THE HAIR, NOT THE TOOL. Are we clear on this? Good.

The tapered barrel allows for a good amount of volume at the root of the hair, and as you wind the hair toward the tip of the barrel, the curl will become tighter.

The controls are simple and easy to master, the wand gives you complete control over the temperature you’re using, which is great for anyone whose hair frazzles at standard settings. My fine hair generally responds pretty well at low temperatures, so for obvious reasons, I’m relieved that The Wand (like their straighteners) gives me the option to turn down the heat. If you’ve got coarse hair, by all means… crank that baby up.

The Cloud Nine wand also comes complete with a heat-resistant glove, this took away THE FEAR and ensured that I could wind each lock around the barrel right to the tip, there were no straggly straight bits for me! Plus, just having one glove in your possession is total justification for trying out any Michael Jackson impressions that you’ve been secretly stifling over the past 31 years. Not that I did any. Ow!

Cloud Nine are currently campaigning for women to be kinder to their hair by having “off” days. I have plenty of “off” days but after reading the press release, I realised that weren’t thinking along the same lines. According to Cloud Nine, you can treat your hair without compromising on style simply by rethinking your “2nd day” look. An example of this would be curling your hair on day 1, wearing the curls to their full-potential before using day 2 to be kind to your hair, leave the heated tools on the dressing table and simply wearing your hair in a half up/half down style with loose waves (the remainder of day 1’s curls) keeping you looking stylish.

It’s a bit bloody obvious isn’t it… but I get what they’re saying…

So anyway, onto my before and after… here’s my hair in all its uber flat, just washed and dried glory. Boring.

I honestly thought it would take longer to style, I kept asking Mr. L whether I’d missed a chunk at the back because it took me less than 10 minutes to curl and achieve this…

The above photo shows the curls before I’d separated them with my fingers. I was a little haphazard because I wanted to accurately reflect how I’d use the tool.

I’m not the kind of girl who has the patience to part her hair in a thousand different directions, pinning each section up and spritzing with heat defence. I’m the kind of girl who sprays half a bottle of heat defence, brushes it through, before randomly taking sections (that may or may not be completely different sizes) and curls. That’s me. I’m a crapiologist, and this still came out looking good.

So there you have it, I really like this… for one major reason. I could achieve proper curls a couple of times a week without wanting to gauge my eyes out in frustration. I’m not a hair person, I’m rarely happy with my hair but I hate fussing even more. So much so… that I’m already contemplating a one-off perm so that my hair can look like the above without me doing ANYTHING at all. Except, I know that it won’t work out like that and I’ll emerge from the salon looking like little orphan Annie, so as an alternative to not having to do anything at all, the Cloud Nine wand has proven itself to be a genuine solution to achieving great curls with the least amount of fuss, even on low heat.

Now as for that 2nd day hair… well, I could have done half-up/half-down, but that’s how I wore my hair to school, so screw you 2nd day hair. Instead, I cheated and used an old-skool setting lotion. Take that! No waves for me, these curls lasted until I had to wash the buggers out ha!

Cloud Nine’s The Wand is currently £20 off the usual RRP, priced at £99.95 and available to buy online from cloudninehair.com

* press sample

It’s been brought to my attention by BeautyPulseLondon that the new B. range at Superdrug offers no base products for darker-skintones.  When Natalie first relayed her disappointment, I thought she must have been mistaken – I haven’t seen the products in person myself and simply assumed that a brand who openly boasts…

We’re here to give every woman the knowledge and tools to feel her most beautiful every day*.

Would never make such a ridiculous oversight.

Despite offering an impressive range of no less than five foundation products, the colour swatch shown above (taken directly from their website, HTML Code: #DCB18E) is as dark as it gets from an extremely limited five shade range.

Think on this….

It’s 2013, you’re a dark-skinned woman living in a multi-cultural society that likes to pat itself on the back for its tolerance of diversity and celebration of multi-ethnicity AND YET… AND. YET.  You can’t buy a foundation from one of the biggest and newest cosmetic lines at one of the UK’s largest high street beauty retailers?

Just how long is this bullshit going to continue?

* taken from their about page here

In recent years, Superdrug have been ahead of the game with some great budget beauty launches. From MUA Cosmetics to FashionistA, Look Beauty to Accessorize, there’s always something new to check out with the confidence that our wallets won’t suffer too heavily as a result.

The latest beauty launch at Superdrug is from a brand simply titled B., a name which I’m certain will ensure a total nightmare when it comes to searching the web for products and reviews.

The range is comprehensive and includes face products, nail polish, and skincare.  Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a tween brand either… a quick look at some of the skincare products tells me that they’re casting a much, much wider net over their potential audience with products ranging from B. Quick 4-in-1 Cleansing Wipes to B. Flawless Targeted Wrinkle Filler which you choose according to your “skin phase”.

A small selection of the colour cosmetics currently available from B.

When it comes to colour, the brand are set to make an impact on our cosmetic bags.  Not afraid to keep up with the competition, the brand will be offering their own BB Cream, Colour Corrector, Pure Micellar Water, Gel Eyeliner, and a full range of foundation and primers.  Each store will have a trained point of sale personnel to advise consumers on making their choices from this new brand and I for one, cannot wait to see the feedback on this new high street addition.

Have you spotted anything from the new range that takes your fancy?

The new range lands instore at Superdrug from the 1st of February, is available to buy online now (and is also available to view online at bisforbeautiful.co.uk)

Spring is sprung, the grass is ris. I wonders where the birdies is?

China Glaze have released their latest 12-piece Avant Garden Spring 2013 collection, comprising of two halves.  One, distinctly pastel and the other… an altogether brighter affair.

Pastel Petals

The Pastel Petals (shown above) feature six soft shades including:

Life is Rosy: blushed mauve
Pink-ie Promise: iridescent baby pink
Tart-y for the Party: light lavender creme
Fade Into Hue: periwinkle creme
Keep Calm, Paint On: sea foam green
Dandy Lyin’ Around: shimmery vanilla icing

Blooming Brights

The other half of the collection is comprised of six brighter shades, known as the Blooming Brights and includes:

Budding Romance: moss green
Sunday Funday: bright blue
Fancy Pants: indigo with pink and purple shimmer
Snap My Dragon: bright red with pink shimmer
Passion for Petals: bright salmon-pink
Mimosas Before Manis: coral with a light wash of shimmer

Are any of these pretties calling to you?  I’m tempted by Fade Into Hue (can’t get enough periwinkle!) and Tart-y for the Party but I can’t say the bottle shots are knocking my socks off.  So, their Tranzitions collection was a disaster (trust me, I have a sample that I can’t even bring myself to assault your eyes with) and their Spring collection is uninspiring… you know what’s next though don’t you?

OMG HOLOGLAM *runs around, multiple flails* (and they’ve been swatched already!)

Roll the hell on Summer 2013!

Not another wine lipstick I hear you say!

Well sorry chaps, my infatuation is far from over.  Not only that but today brings another Clarins offering, similar but (at the same time) quite, quite different from the Clarins Rouge Prodige that I showed you last week.

Unlike the Rouge Prodige, the colour of this one when applied is as you would expect from looking at the bullet, there are no shade surprises here.  The new range of Rouge Eclat lipsticks offer what Clarins claim to be their first age-defying formula that boosts collagen and protects against dehydration.

From reading the blurb, you’d expect to find a super-glossy lipstick with a slippery formula and incredibly light texture, not so.  I found this Rouge Eclat to offer more substance, a firm texture and a pigmented finish.  There’s enough slip to keep it feeling comfortable but no more than is strictly necessary.  Something which affords the lipstick greater longevity, in other words… you’re not sacrificing a long-lasting lipstick for greater hydration.

The packaging is frankly, a bit of a disappointment. It reminds me of Bourjois Sweet Kiss in terms of styling but without the nifty opening mechanism.  Basically, it’s not up to Clarins’ usual luxe standards, too much acrylic and not enough gold.  When you do something so well Clarins, keep doing it!

The scent is the same across the line of lippies, quite pronounced… fruity, I’ve always called it fig… Clarins call it blackberry & liquorice(!) so never trust a fragrance review from me ever again.

#107 Red Wine* leans to the cooler side of the spectrum with a distinctly mauve edge, it’s quite a vampy choice for Spring but looks beautiful when patted onto the lips more lightly than in the swatch above.

Overall, the Rouge Eclat lineup fills a niche within the brand’s current range but I was less impressed with the packaging and I wasn’t entirely sold on this shade.  Emma from Escentual has done some great arm swatches of the range and I have to say, #05 Pink Berry and #08 Coral Pink look like cracking shades for Spring.

Clarins Rouge Eclat #107 Red Wine is available to buy on counter, priced at £18.50 and online from escentual.com, priced at £14.80

* press sample