A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

With both a 5-year old and a 12-week old baby, time to myself is the most precious commodity in my life. When Leila was born, I treasured my daughter’s nap-times and would use them to invest in some quality pampering time. I knew that I could have been spending those precious hours catching up on lost sleep but to this day, I believe that taking the time to spoil myself was the key to preserving some normality in a newly-changed life.

This time around, my time is even more compressed. If Joe is napping, I tend to spend any spare moments with Leila. I miss not being able to spend so much one-on-one time with her and we’ve developed a new-found addiction to making loom-bands!

That being said, I have sorely missed the time to myself and I won’t deny that it’s taken its toll on my well-being. I’m sure that I’m not the only Mum to experience this but honestly? I feel less attractive, scruffier and not so well “put together” without my usual beauty routine. Superficial as this may seem on the surface, it really impacts on my confidence daily.

When I first saw Sali Hughes’ new videos for Clarins, I was inspired. I’ve been around the beauty scene long enough to know how to do a 5, 10, or 15-minute look… but it was only when I saw how beautifully polished she looked in such a short amount of time, that I realised I needed to get back into the game!

I decided to sit down and work out exactly which parts of my beauty routine were most important to me. What did I need to focus my limited amount of time on perfecting? My complexion? Concealing my tiredness? Or perhaps just introducing some much-need colour to my face? For me, it’s all about good skin and luminosity… I’ve always been crazy for a glowy, radiant look but without compromising on a decent base upon which to build it.

Clarins sent me a few products to see if I could use Sali’s videos as a starting point and tailor my own time-saving routine.

I separated the “essentials”… the items I knew I couldn’t leave the house without. Mascara, eyeliner (liquid is my preferred choice), and a base product. Then I got to work on the luminosity aspect of my look.

I ended up with a stripped-back list of products, nine in total. A routine that I hoped would balance the time I had available without compromising on creating a polished “me” that would improve my confidence at the school gates in the morning.

I also had one more set of criteria up my sleeve. No brushes. In the mornings, I don’t have time to spot-clean brushes, that kind of luxury is a weekend-only deal. Could I do it with only the tools provided and my fingers? I had about 10-minutes to find out!

On a freshly-moisturised face, I started with a small amount of Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, a pore-filling primer that gives your make-up a headstart. If your base is right, you’ll be surprised at the much-improved performance of your subsequent products. I dotted the primer onto my troublesome areas, around my nose and across my cheeks before blending with a clean finger.

Next up, faking some luminosity. I turned to the brand’s new Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base in 02 Champagne for some help. The yellow tone neutralized the ruddiness in my complexion whilst simultaneously illuminating and brightening. I concentrated my application across my t-zone for a more natural glow.

BB Creams are a firm favourite of mine and the Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Cream also delivers a generous SPF25, plenty of protection for a standard day spent running the odd errand. I found the formula non-greasy without accentuating any dry patches and it worked well to unify my skin-tone. It also applied nicely using just my fingers.

Finally, in my quest for complexion perfection, I turned to Clarins Instant Concealer … more out of necessity than choice. My under-eye circles have packed their bags and they’re ready to move out! This concealer blends beautifully with a light texture that doesn’t sacrifice great camouflage or sit in my fine lines.

Base done… next, on to colour.

Clarins Multi-Blush in 04 Rosewood is a product I was already familiar with. It’s a cream blush that blends better than most with a slightly drier texture that melts into the skin, imparting a natural flush without mattifying my cheeks.

I was unsure about what to do with my eyes… I knew that in 10-minutes, I’d be limited to a single shade and was tempted to go without eye-shadow altogether. In the end, I opted for a quick sweep of Ombre Minérale Eyeshadow in 08 Taupe, you know I can never resist a taupe! Using the sponge-tipped applicator provided, it barely added 20-seconds to my routine.

To define my eyes, I pressed the brand’s innovative 3-Dot Liner into my lashes and because I wasn’t concentrating on creating a flick or drawing a hard, graphic line, I didn’t need to go back in with a damp q-tip to correct mistakes. There weren’t any!

The final product for the eyes was mascara, I can’t leave home without it! Clarins Be Long Mascara increases length and creates further definition with an easy-to-use small brush that reaches every lash.

The final flourish to complete the look was a quick swipe of Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 05 Candy Shimmer. This gave a gentle flush of low-maintenance pink that reflects light and further served to brighten my complexion.

And the final result?

Glowy and polished! Ok, so it’s not a cutting-edge look but… you know what? It’s exactly what Clarins promised.

It’s a “you, only better” look. And that’s just what this new Mum with no time for anything more adventurous ordered!

* sponsored post

New for this season, Clarin’s Mineral Eyeshadow in Smoky Plum is a beaut.  But then I would say that, it’s a gorgeous, mauve-toned taupe… just the kind that gets me far too excited about eyeshadow.   Clarins make some of my favourite eyeshadows, they’re generally on the sheerer side… something that I’ve grown fond of as I’ve gotten a little older.

They also do light-reflecting without any of the over-the-top-shimmer that you’d expect from a more metallic finish.

Smoky Plum delivers a nicely-textured formula that can be used either wet or dry.  To be honest, I rarely use my eyeshadows wet… for a day to day look, I almost always use a sheer wash of colour over the lids with a staple darker matte in the crease for a little definition.  Nowadays, I don’t get much more adventurous than this, so I look for longer-lasting formulas that deliver a subtle sparkle.

This little Clarins number does what it says on the tin, in a shade that I’d wear day in-day out with no grumbles at all.

You should be able to pick up on the sparkle in the above swatch, this is one swipe… it can be built up in intensity… but not by a huge amount unless you apply it with a damp brush.  If you’re looking for some power-pigment, my advice would be to steer clear of Clarins but if you’re looking for something eminently wearable, non-aging, and long-lasting… do give the Clarins Mineral Eyeshadows a second look, this one particularly if you want a beautiful cool-toned neutral.

Clarins Mineral Eyeshadow in Smoky Plum is priced from £13.60, available to buy online from escentual.com and on Clarin’s counters (£17.00) nationwide.

* press sample

if you liked this post, please don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

I don’t like sheer lipsticks.  I don’t like sheer lipsticks.  I don’t like sheer lipsticks.  Said the beauty blogger from 2009 until now.  In my defence though, I probably wouldn’t be that bothered about these were it not for one teeny tiny little detail that I just can’t ignore.

They give me plumpity lips, where no plumpity lips exist.

Tropical Pink (on the left) Coral Tulip (on the right)

You see, it’s the shine that does it.  Shinier than a penny that’s been sitting in Cillit Bang for a month.

It’s not a frost… don’t mistake the sophisticated glimmer for something that the 80s called for (and wanted back).  This is far more sophisticated, understated, and gorgeous than a frost-monster of a lipstick could ever be.

I’ve got two shades for swatching today and in all honesty, despite the difference in undertone… they’re not a million miles away from one other.

Tropical Pink is the cooler toned of the two and reads a little brighter on my lips, the texture is soft and easy to apply but not especially lightweight.  I suppose the best way to describe its texture would be to call it a little “balmy” in feel, with the signature fruity Clarin’s lipstick scent.

Coral Tulip is the warmer of the two shades, sheer enough to warm up my complexion without looking garish.  Surprisingly, it’s my favourite of the two and has pretty much established itself as a holy grail lip product for me over the past week.

Why?  It solves that “pulled-together, goes with every other piece of makeup you own” lipstick demand that every girl should have the solution for.  It’s low maintenance and simply perfect.

I get around 4-hours of wear from these before the inevitable fade which leaves behind a scattering of microglitter (non-gritty).  Even when the colour is gone, the impression of fullness remains and because of this… I am completely, totally and utterly smitten.

Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant Sheer Shine Lipsticks are priced at £18 each and will be available on counter and online at clarins.co.uk next month.

* press sample

if you liked this post, don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve made friends with products that promise sheerer coverage.  As a younger makeup-addict, I definitely went all out on their fuller-finish, matte counterparts that obliterated every blemish with a single swipe, they were my makeup nirvana.  The sad fact of the matter is, that on younger skin, you can get away with it… but as you get older, you need to find products that rest more lightly against your skin.  Products that reflect the light and even out your complexion without sinking into pores, fine lines, and *whispers* wrinkles.

Clarins latest release promises to do just this.  The Clarins Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base is available in three shades: 01 Rose, 02 Champagne, 03 Peach… each of which promise a light texture and effortless glide over the skin.

Don’t think of this as a typical base product.  It’s not a foundation, neither is it a primer… I like to think of it more as a little touch of skin S.O.S which would come into its own on a morning after the night before.  It contains pigments that will help reflect light and luminosity back from the skin surface, giving the impression of a more well-rested complexion and also contains moisture-boosting Katafray to help balance the skin’s natural hydration levels.

My skin is unlikely to ever be good enough to wear this alone, but I would happily combine it with a light foundation base to further even out the redness and tone without overloading my pores with product.  The 30ml pump tube delivers the product efficiently and without wastage, always a plus point in my opinion.

My only caveat is shade selection.  As you can see, the shade (03 Peach) that I have is too dark and shade-impacting for my complexion.  As sheer as it is, it gives me an overall warmth that isn’t flattering.  You may still need a little assistance from a Clarins expert on counter who will help ensure that you walk away with the shade that benefits your skin-tone the most.

As far as the texture goes, the base shows a lot of promise.  You can apply allover the face or simply buff it into the areas that need some extra radiance, I’ve also tried mixing it into my foundation and the formula takes to this well without balling up on the skin or grumbling about such an injustice!

I’m going to leave you with a link to ReallyRee’s before/after photos that demonstrate better than I am able, how the product actually looks when worn on the face.

Clarins Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base is priced at £26.00 and is available on counter and online now.

* press sample

if you liked this post, don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

In all my years of makeup-hustling, I’ve never once gotten used to the idea of applying cream blush with my fingers.  On paper, how hard could it be?  Dap, dap, rub, rub, rub.  A child could do it…

Except, that my blush-fearing soul has the tendency to rub a little too hard and I always – not occasionally – but ALWAYS end up blending the colour away to nothingness.  My fear of being clowned by a blush knows no bounds, my uber-ghostly complexion simply won’t allow for mistakes and after lots of experimenting, I usually revert back to my “safe” blushers.

Clarins Multi-Blush Cream Blushes are particularly kind to blush-fearing souls like me.  When you usually read a statement like that, you can scan between the lines for the word “sheer” and discover it, but not in this case.  It’s not that these blushes are for wimpy types, it’s more than they have a magical ability to blend themselves.

“Oh, hang on!  Let’s not carried away here… blend themselves?  Are we talking revolutionary-style, robotic blushes with superhuman capabilities?”

Err, not quite… it’s just that they’re so damn blendy, it feels as though they’re doing more of the work than you are.  These new blushes, due on counter next month, are incredibly lightweight and enriched with floral waxes from rose, mimosa, jojoba, and sunflower to help create a flawless application over even the most dehydrated of skin-types.

I’ve got two shades sat in front of me: Grenadine, on the left in the picture above is a warm pink-coral, and Rosewood is more your skin-friendly neutral rose.

Both pans are generously sized with plenty of room for fingers (or brushes) to get right in there without the need for contortion and each compact comes complete with a mirror.  I’m wearing Grenadine today and I need to tell you about how completely curious it feels to apply…

When you apply a cream blush, you can feel your skin move under your fingers… there’s a resistance against the motion of application.  Using my index and middle fingers together for application here, my finger pads glide over my cheeks and nothing moves underneath.  The application feels bone-dry to the touch, almost as though I’m applying a powder in the oddest of ways, except that when I’m done… there’s no patchiness, just a smooth and even application of colour.

I tell ya, this stuff has been formulated with fairy-pee.  You need to get to a counter and try it yourself, then you’ll all be… “AHHHHH! I can see what she means now!”

Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that you won’t have long to wait…

The new Clarins Multi-Blush Cream Blushes arrive on-counter and online in February as part of the new Opalescence Spring collection.  They’ll be available in four shades: 01 Peach, 02 Candy, 03 Grenadine, 04 Rosewood and priced at £18 each. 

Go for a snoop and tell me what you think!

* press sample

if you liked this post, don’t forget to check out my subscriber options, here

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

I can’t remember on whose blog it was that I first saw Dark Cherry from the Clarins Rouge Prodige lineup of lipsticks but it spoke to me.  It’s one of those lipsticks that hits the perfect balance between a number of shades to create “the ultimate” lust-have.  I actually don’t think it’s a very “cherry” shade despite Clarins telling me that it so is.  It seems to contain the magic amount of brown to create a neutral vampy lip that leans neither to cool nor too warm.

I’m aware that I’m not making much sense… but to be honest, I bought this lipstick based on shade alone and I am genuinely struggling to put into words just why I felt that I had to own it.  All I can say is, I’m pleased that I do.

Yeah, I nicked the bullet.  BIG SOB.  *applies lipstick*.  Over it already.

Said it before, say it again – Clarins do yum-yum packaging that’s kinda old-lady without being remotely old-lady.  Still not making sense.  The thing is, it’s all weighty and shiny… the gold is straight out of Nana’s handbag and yet, let’s face it… Nana’s wouldn’t have all those bevelled edges and tasty angles.  The formula is consistent with the other Rouge Prodige lipsticks I own, a tiny bit draggy until it warms up (which it does quickly), intensely scented (fig I believe?), and lasts very nicely thanks to a grippy-grippy formula.

You can see that it applies lighter on the lips than it looks in the tube, and really suits (if I do say so myself) my cool-toned colouring.

Clarins Rouge Prodige Dark Cherry Lipstick is available to buy online from www.escentual.com, priced at £14.00 (bargain!)

Can we please have an all-together-now chorus of “it’s tooooo cold!”.  Is anyone else finding it harder-than-usual to adjust to the plummeting temperatures?  I was doing ok until about a week ago, when things seemed to take a leap from chilly to arctic.  Anyway, with the big freeze only just beginning, I’ve been battling it off with this lovely face and blush powder from Clarins.  Part of their Autumn/Winter collection, it gently injects a little warmth and colour without looking “bronzy”.

As much as I want a bit of warmth on my face, I don’t want to look like I’m desperately hankering after a bit-part in Benidorm.

I will never tire of the classic elegance of Clarin’s packaging.

The Clarins Colour Accents Face and Blush Powder offers a trio of shades that should suit all skintones, I’ve swatched them below and you can see that there is slightly less difference on the skin as there appears to be in the pan between the two tan shades.  I would say that the darker section is slightly more orange-toned, and the lighter tan a little cooler, which is why this set doesn’t “oompah, loompah” me.

Unlike the more summery offerings, this palette is also very matte.  There’s no shimmer and not even a hint of luminosity – which is actually a bit of a shame because Clarins does luminosity in their face powders better than any other brand I know.

Having said that, on my skintone, this works more as a blush than a face powder and I don’t have any issues adding some highlighter to my foundation instead.

 Clarins Colour Accents Face and Blush Powder is a very nice choice for adding some warmth to your complexion without looking like a summer-desperado.

This limited edition product won’t be around too much longer but is still available online at clarins.co.uk (£30) or even better, you can currently grab it at the special price of £24, from escentual.com

* press sample

My fondness for mineral powder foundations seems so at odds with my complaints about the pesky flaky bits that my combo/dry skin enjoys tormenting me with but as-long as I don’t go overboard, I nearly always get good results from them.  Having said that, I’m quite particular about how I apply them…

I prefer to use them to “boost” coverage over a light liquid base.  I rarely apply mineral power foundation onto bare skin. I’m sure that’s probably quite unusual… but I find that I get really good lighter-looking, full-coverage results doing it this way.

Clarins have released a new mineral powder foundation, Skin Illusion Mineral Powder Foundation.  The packaging although as luxurious-looking as you’d expect from the brand, is a little bit of a pain to work with in reality.  After grappling with the brush a few times, I’ve now ditched it – not because of quality issues, but just because it’s easier to treat the pot as a generic container rather than an entire application system.

The shade shown is #105 Nude – the lightest shade available in the UK and two shades darker than the lightest available in the U.S.  The fact that this shade even works on my skintone should give some idea about the versatility of the product.  I’d say that it’s a touch too yellow for my very pale, cool skin-tone but as you’ll see at the end of the post, it doesn’t make an awful lot of difference.

The powder is finely milled, velvety in texture and once applied, I’d describe it as medium to full coverage.  The overall finish appears matte but not completely flat, I’m assuming that this is down to the pink opal powder which promises to deliver luminance to the skin.

In the before/after picture below you’ll see that my skin was pretty red and blotchy – definitely a full-coverage day.  As I’ve said already, if I want a full-coverage base, I’d usually start off with a tinted moisturiser rather than build up layer after layer of powder foundation but for the purposes of this review, I applied just a single layer of the new Clarins Skin Illusion Mineral Powder Foundation onto bare skin instead.  I’d also usually finish off the application with a light spritz of toner to ensure that the product fuses with my skin and removes any powdery residue – but again, I haven’t done that on this occasion.

I’m pretty impressed with the coverage (for a single layer) and it definitely doesn’t look too matte.  Longevity was fine and actually, it’s only now that I’m writing the review that I’m appreciating how well it manages to control oil as my nose rarely shows signs of losing coverage halfway through the day when I’m wearing this.

Clarins Skin Illusion Mineral Powder Foundation is priced at £28 and available to buy on counter and online at clarins.co.uk (but I’d recommend checking Escentual.com for a MUCH better price first!)

* press sample

I don’t know if I’m just naturally stupid or if it’s developed with age but I only realised this week that prunes… you know those wrinkly things that your Nan used to serve you with custard to keep you regular, are in fact, plums.  Dried plums.  Did you know this?!  Why didn’t anyone TELL me?  I mean… I never thought there were such things as prune trees but I didn’t make the connection either!

Anyway, huge tangent aside…

Clarins have released a new mascara for Autumn, and in their infinite wisdom, have decided not to call in Prune mascara.  No Sir!  This is Plum mascara – see how that sounds so much better?

Clarins Instant Definition mascara in Intense Plum is a hit of purple-y goodness that stays natural looking, there’s no electric violet lash injections going on here.  This is a mascara that won’t limit your choice of eyeshadow when you wear it and works nicely to jazz things up a little bit in the eye makeup department.

The formula is on the dry side – something I favour in a mascara for giving greater control during application and quicker va-va-voom results but these drier formulas do sometimes last a little less time before hardening in the tube – although the neck seal on this one does feel pretty tight.  The wand is interesting, quite rigid and small – making it great for stubby lashes with an even narrower tip to tickle even the tiniest of corner lashes with colour.

Overall, the results are pretty.  There is clumping on the second coat, but I don’t mind defining the above as pretty clumping.  I have enough lashes in the lash-line for a little bit of clumping to work for the effect rather than against it but if you crave total separation and flutter… you might not like.  I felt that this one gave me Bambi lashes that looked really nice from a distance of more than 3 foot – any closer and I was a little bit aware of da clump.  The colour was a nice touch that didn’t overpower but gave an added interest.  No problems with longevity/flaking/smudging etc. etc.

Clarins Instant Definition Mascara in Intense Plum is priced at £20.00 – it’s a Limited Edition release for Autumn and is unlikely to be available for much longer.

* press sample

I’m very slowly building up steam and finally have more than just my fish-eye lens in situ at the new place, time for some swatches!  Clarins have released an entire rainbow of new mineral (pressed) eyeshadows that are designed to be used both wet and dry.  I was sent a selection to take a look at and they’re classically Clarins, both in appearance and in application.

I’ll go through the shades, one by one.

White Sparkle (01) makes for a great tear duct highlighter, it has that sheer luminosity thing going on without too much of a metallic edge.  I can see this shade also working very well to introduce a bit of sparkle as a layering shadow. Like all of the shades I’ve tried, it’s sheer but build-able and of course, can be applied with a wet brush to create a more intense effect.

Auburn (07) is a warm-toned brown with a light shimmer.  Some skin-tones may struggle with the red hues in this shade but if you’ve got green eyes and pale skin, you’re onto a winner with this one!  Used wet, it also makes for a pretty variation on your usual eyeliner.

Aubergine (12) was a slight disappointment, I found this satin shade applied with more patchiness than I’d like and also had a harder texture in the pan than the others.  Nevertheless, a very pretty shade for brown-eyed girls in particular.

Platinum (14) is a steel grey with a hint of sparkle, there’s a slight colour shift in there that reminds me more of something that you’d find in one of my violet-toned taupes than a silver/grey!  It’s a pretty shade that’s deceptively complex when compared to how it looks in the pan.

Vibrant Violet (16) is the classic violet satin with a distinctive blue flash – this was another which felt slightly more firmly-textured but still imparted an impressive streak of colour to my lids.

As with all Clarins’ releases, the packaging is satisfyingly luxurious and touchable.  The large mirror is generous and actually pretty usable in a real-life situation.  Formulas were a little variable in the batch that I swatched but were, as you’d expect, generally sheer but build-able.  This is something that I’ve come to appreciate Clarins do very well – gone are the days that I want instant and deep pigmentation (unless it’s a black!), these are all infinitely layer-able but ultimately won’t disappoint you when it comes to colour payoff either.  If your heart does desire va-va-voom style pigmentation, you could apply these with a wet brush – or go seek out a Sleek counter.

Longevity was good, I don’t apply an eye primer every morning nowadays (pure laziness) and these easily stayed put for the working day, around 7/8 hours before fading – there was no slidey migration into the socket crease at all.

The new range of Clarins Mineral Eyeshadows are available to purchase in a total of 16 shades, available now on counter or online, priced at £16 each.  Alternatively, head to the lovely Escentual.com who are always more than competitive on the Clarins range, where you’ll find them priced at an extremely palatable £12.80 a-piece.

* press sample

I’ve been wearing a lot of kohl lately, reaching over my usual liquid liners in favour of a smudgier, more deconstructed look than normal.  This Summer, Clarins have released one of the most-beautiful-to-hold kohl liners that I’ve ever used.  The Clarins Kohl Kajal promises a soft, creamy texture that’s both deeply-pigmented and delivers a long-lasting formula.

I know that there are many different methods of applying kohl kajal and I tend to hold the larger-than-normal nib horizontally, running it along the lower waterline back and forth to build pigmentation before squeezing my eyes shut and hoping for a good amount of transfer to the top lashline!  I’ve never really been able to simultaneously run the nib along both upper and lower lashlines.  At least, not without my eyes watering.

The beauty of kohl is that its softness really delivers product into the base of the lashes, making them appear thicker and giving your eyes greater definition.  The Clarin’s version allows great manouverability with the application thanks to the cleverly designed packaging, you can tell I’m digging the packaging right?

It’s not all good stuff though as this doesn’t deliver enough pigmentation to make me delirious with joy.  Although quickly buildable, if you do the transfer method of application like me, you’ll be squinting like nobody’s business in an attempt to increase the depth of colour.  This does make it more suitable for work-appropriate looks but I do like a bit of inky blackness from my kohls!

The formula smudges easily (in a good way) but resists migration down my face admirably despite the warmer weekend weather.  I wouldn’t say that it ever fully “set” on my eyes (I was able to go back in and blend out further an hour later) but it remained on my waterline for a good few hours and between my lashes for the entire day.  It’s perhaps the perfect solution if you’re looking for a subtler version of the Indian kohl pencils.

Clarins Kohl Kajal is available to buy on counter and online at Clarins.com, priced at £15.00

* press sample