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Chubby Stick

The Lipstick Bandits: Summer Sheers | Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon

August 6, 2012

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This month’s Lipstick Bandits focus is summer sheers (to follow up May’s pre-season summer brights), and despite the fact that I didn’t write this post until late Sunday night — I’ve had my summer sheer picked out for weeks.

Have you ever met Mega Melon? It’s a Clinique Chubby Stick that’s a total summer must-have, with its buttery, moisturizing formula and gorgeous, finely-milled gold shimmer. I’m not kidding about that “buttery,” either: Chubby Sticks are amped up with shea, jojoba, and mango seed butter (as well as some others), and the formula wears really comfortably.

Clinique Mega Melon

Mega Melon Chubby Stick swatch

Wearing Mega Melon (plus some other things).

To be totally honest, I had reviewed this one last winter, tucked it away in a drawer, and promptly forgot about it. While looking for a lip to pair with last month’s storybook daisies festival makeup look, though, I brought it out again — and it pretty much hasn’t left my side since.

The thick, buttery formula is really comfortable in the hot weather (not to mention, it glides on like a dream), and the melon shade is absolutely perfect. It’s a really rich, fresh shade — just enough orange to keep the lip looking natural and beachy, but no so much that cool skintones need worry. The shimmer is just the cherry on top, leaving your lips looking super-moisturized and–

Can I say lustrous without anyone throwing produce at me? Because I’m totally going with lustrous if I’m allowed.

The verdict?

I know I rave about Clinique’s Chubby Sticks all the time, but this one’s a definite summer must-have. It’s one of the stronger shades in the line; more complex and pigmented than most of its siblings. It looks really natural when on, but the colour makes a huge before/after difference in a look — for a sheer shade, it has a lot of impact!

(And, I mean, admittedly: as much as I love the Chubby line, some of the shades are pretty boring. Which is great if you’re looking for some really basic basics, of course, but, well. If you just wanted the super-basic basics, you probably wouldn’t be on a makeup blog, now, would you?)

Availability: $16 USD, permanent product. Online at Clinique, Sephora, etc.

See it here: Holiday 2011 Chubby set review, plus in these two makeup looks.

Additional photos & more »

Tags: Clinique Chubby Sticks/Clinique, Lips, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Swatches, The Lipstick Bandits

45 Comments

Sephora Presents: Clinique Chubby Sticks

June 23, 2012

Rae Chen

9 Comments

I know I’ve been talking about the new Clinique Chubby Stick shades for ages, now, but you have to admit — the promo that was just posted on Sephora’s YouTube channel? Pretty damn cute.

Pick up a Chubby Stick at Sephora here, or make a purchase at the Clinique US website here until the 25th to get a free mini Chubby Stick with your order — use MELON for a Mega Melon mini, or SUPER for a Super Strawberry mini.

(Speaking of, I actually have minis of both, ~~because my Chubby addiction is a shameful and uncontrollable thing~~. Swatches and photos and all that nonsense here.)

Tags: Clinique Chubby Sticks/Clinique, Lips, Steals and Deals

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Clinique Chubby Stick dupes

February 2, 2011

Rae Chen

2 Comments

Alright, so these aren’t really dupes – they’re just other pencils that are wider than normal. Because I happen to think they’re cute. Now, I’ll admit that most of them aren’t quite as cute as the Clinique version, but just in case you were looking for something a little different (maybe a little cheaper, or maybe a little more pigmented?), here’s a bunch.

For a little less $$:

For a little more $$:

Tags: /Clinique, Dupes, Lips, New This Week (& etc)

2 Comments

Clinique’s Chubby Sticks are back, and better than ever

December 24, 2010

Rae Chen

12 Comments

What it is: Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Super Strawberry

The background: Feeling a bit of deja vu? Don’t worry; you’re not the only one — Chubby Sticks existed until a few years ago, when they were discontinued. By the sounds of it, I believe Clinique has fine-tuned the product and decided it was time to bring ’em back!

The product: Despite the pencil format, these really do act like lip balm. Packed with shea butter, mango seed butter, and jojoba seed oil, these fragrance-free sticks feel moisturizing and smooth, and are neither too tacky nor too slippery (as many jumbo lip pencils can be). Super Strawberry is a fantastic MLBB shade (“my lips but better”) on me; it’s about a shade darker than my natural lip colour, and a bit brighter. It’s great for applying in a rush or without a mirror, and looks really natural when on. The satiny finish looks and feels awesome, and the pigmentation’s good — Clinique calls it sheer, but I’d place it more at medium-sheer.

swatched heavily / swatched lightly and blended

The packaging: The cute, playful packaging’s been revamped too, which I think is going to be a big hit! Chubby Sticks now have a twistable base, so you won’t have to find an enormous sharpener (or deal with a stubby little Chubby.) (And yes, I’ve been waiting the whole review to say that.)

The ingredients:

Castor seed oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, vegetable oil, candelilla wax, beeswax, ozokerite, shea butter, hydrogenated vegetable oil, jojoba seed oil, tocopherol, mango seed butter, meadowfoam seed oil, hydrogenated olive oil, sunflower seed oil. [+/- pigments, which are a bit of a wordy mess so I’m not going to list them all!]

The verdict? Colour these approved! I like the formula, the packaging’s awesome, and Super Strawberry is a really lovely shade. The only thing I’m not huge on is the price up here in Canada ($15USD/$19CAD per stick), but I think I’d be able to justify it by waiting for a GWP.

Availability: these will be released on Boxing Day, so keep an eye out for them when you go deal hunting! I’ll be sure to update this post with availability links then. Clinique, Lord & Taylor, Dillard’s.

Tags: Clinique Chubby Sticks/Clinique, Eyes, Holiday 2010, Holy Grail, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches

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How to pick a lipstick in a cream finish

March 4, 2019

Rae Chen

How to pick a lipstick formula that suits your needs

The beauty industry has changed SO much since I started writing in 2007, but lipsticks are one of the categories that I think have changed the most. When I got into beauty, the big lipsticks of the moment were Maybelline’s Color Sensationals and Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipsticks. The bold pigmentation of the Color Sensationals and the comfort of the Super Lustrous lipsticks (we all called them “SL”s on forums like MakeupAlley) were the peak of lipstick technology in the drugstore.

Nowadays, you have more to choose from. Traditional lipstick bullets have gotten creamier, more pigmented, and more hydrating. But the lipstick formula options available have really changed, too. Innovations like gel stains and glossy water-stains (which were first seen in the YSL Glossy Stain) came and went—although there are still a few brands who do great versions of this, like Shu Uemura with their Laque Supreme.

Glosses fell somewhat out of favour with time, and oh boy, were liquid lipsticks ever revolutionized.

Older liquid lipstick formulas often came with a gloss end, like this 4-in-1 version from Pür Cosmetics. (They also do a “regular” liquid lipstick!) But most modern liquid lipsticks are a mono-phasic matte, with opaque pigmentation and a kiss-proof finish.

For matte colour that won’t budge, opt for a liquid lipstick. I really like the ones from Colourpop (review), Maybelline (review), and Smashbox.
For creamy, wearable colour, try a traditional lipstick bullet. My favourites right now are Lise Watier’s Rouge Gourmand, which I’m reviewing soon. You can’t go wrong with YSL or Bite, either, but remember that a traditional lipstick will transfer.
Sheer lipsticks are the easiest to find. They’re available from pretty much any brand, and are usually nice and hydrating. For high-end, I always trust YSL (theirs are more hydrating than the cult-followed Dior Addict) and Clinique. Revlon and Burt’s Bees are great drugstore options.

How to pick a lipstick shade

There are very few things that I try to “force” on readers, but this is one of them. If you like it, wear it. Any lip colour instantly becomes the right shade for you the second you decide that you love it.

Beauty is fragile, and subjective, and largely racist anyways, so fuck it. Enjoy the lipstick. If you still want to pursue today’s western beauty ideal, I won’t judge you; I do too. Try adding false lashes or foundation if you’re wearing a really bold or jarring lipstick. A noticeable lipstick is the real-life equivalent of turning up the contrast on your face, so oftentimes, you just need to make the other components a little louder and everything will balance back out.

On the flip side, to pick a lipstick shade that melts into your colouring, simply stick to your colour families.

For warm-toned skin, reach for yellow and red undertones. Choose nude shades that are a little more orange, and red lipsticks in bright, poppy shades. For cool-toned skin, look for blue undertones and “clear” colours. Choose nude shades with a bit of pink in them, and for a red lip, try either a blue-red or a berry-red. Finally, if you’re trying to find out how to choose a lipstick shade for olive skin: go for neutral-leaning lipsticks. Look for nudes with brown (yes, brown!) in them, and bluer reds. Enjoy berry-toned lipsticks, and simply avoid anything really ashy.

When choosing a bold shade…

I love Maybelline Super Stay Matte Inks and Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipsticks for bold colours that won’t budge.
If you prefer your big pops of colour in a thicker formula, try the Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Lipsticks. Their shade range is so much fun, and the texture of the lipsticks helps to hold them in place.
My absolute favourite lipstick formula right now is the Lise Watier Rouge Gourmand cream-finish formula. These lipsticks are creamy, hydrating, and pigmented—they’re the perfect middle ground. I find them to be a slightly less sticky version of Bite’s Amuse Bouche lipsticks, which are also fantastic!

What makes a great “everyday” lipstick

Growing up, my favourite aunt wore bright red lipstick every single day. She started with really vibrant orange-reds—applied straight from the stick—and switched to MAC Dubonnet through her 40s. Her lipsticks of choice are sheerer and more varied now, but they’re still iconic and red.

She’s an intense person, so her everyday lipsticks have always been equally intense. Mine are more subdued. I’m not a vibrant person; I’m happy staying at home and eating food I haven’t grown myself and not getting clay under my nails.

For an everyday lipstick, choose something that matches you and your lifestyle. For me, that means picking something with medium pigmentation and lots of brown undertones. I tried wearing shades like Burberry Kisses Pink Peony for a while, but even though I’d love to wear Burberry every day (that case! I die), I just can’t do a lot of pink.

The lipsticks and balms that I’m reaching for right now include KISS’ The Scandal Lipstick in Temptation, Dior’s Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm in Berry, and an old YSL lip balm (this is the updated version). They’re absolutely not the lipsticks that I thought would end up living in my purse, but they’re the three that have endured the past six months!

A lipstick’s colour and formula are really what’s going to determine if it’ll work for you, but don’t let these tips act as your sole resource. Check out theNotice’s lip product category for more tips, swatches, and lipstick reviews.

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This post contains affiliate links. The products mentioned here are PR samples, with the exception of the Smashbox, Bite, and Colourpop lipsticks.

Tags: /Lips, Lise Watier, Product Photos, The Edit

Maybelline ColorBlur Cream Matte Pencil lipstick review, swatches, photos

September 3, 2015

Rae Chen

12 Comments

The product: Maybelline ColorBlur by LipStudio Cream Matte Pencil & Smudger

↳ in 10 Fast & Fuchsia, 25 Cherry Cherry Bang Bang, 35 Plum Please, 40 My-My Magenta, and 50 I Like to Mauve It

This summer, Maybelline launched a new take on the matte lip that caught my eye immediately: their ColorBlur pencils, which, while perhaps not singular in formula, are entirely unique in execution.

The concept & packaging: The ColorBlur Cream Matte Pencils are twist-up matte lip pencils packaged in thin, matte packaging (which feels surprisingly chic for the drugstore).

On one end is a tapered lip pencil; on the other, a dual-sided, asymmetrical silicone smudger that does a delivers a softly or sharply defined lip without getting a single fingertip dirty. The smudger comfortably creates a “softly blurred look” by blending the pencil from the centre of the lip outwards, and is not anything like the sad little smudging ends you sometimes see on eyeliners — you know the ones.

Maybelline ColorBlur silicone smudger

Maybelline ColorBlur Cream Matte Pencils (L-R) in I Like to Mauve It, My-My Magenta, Plum Please, Cherry Cherry Bang Bang, and Fast & Fuchsia

The shades: There are ten ColorBlur shades currently available, and I got to try five of them. First, two gorgeous pinks: 10 Fast & Fuchsia, a vivid coral pink, and 40 My-My Magenta, an intense, blue-based pink. Next, 50 I Like to Mauve It, a pretty MLBB lip colour that I’ve been getting a lot of wear out of — it’s been living in my purse for weeks.

Finally, there’s the orange-red 25 Cherry Cherry Bang Bang, and 35 Plum Please, a dark plum/red… but more about that in a minute.

Maybelline ColorBlur Matte Lip Pencil swatches in 10 Fast & Fuchsia, 25 Cherry Cherry Bang Bang, 35 Plum Please, 40 My-My Magenta, and 50 I Like to Mauve It

The formula: The ColorBlur formula is vivid, super-smooth, and easy to work with, but after an hour or two (like with all mattes, and many non-matte lipsticks), I do find it to be too drying for me.

However, the formula applies very evenly, without catching on lines or migrating when I press my lips together. The exception to this rule is no. 35 Plum Please, which catches on everything — you can even see it in the swatch. But don’t fret! There’s a fix to this problem.

Maybelline ColorBlur swatches in Fast & Fuchsia, Cherry Cherry Bang Bang, Plum Please, My-My Magenta, and I Like to Mauve It

Maybelline ColorBlur Cream Matte Lip Pencils, from top to bottom: Fast & Fuchsia, Cherry Cherry Bang Bang, Plum Please, My-My Magenta, and I Like to Mauve It

The ColorBlur secret: For some reason, the ColorBlur pencils play very, very nicely with petroleum-based moisturizers. It makes them comfortable, softly glossy, and in the case of Plum Please, both even and absolutely gorgeous.

I couldn’t get quite the same results with lip balm as I could using German Nivea Creme, which seemed to disturb the formula just enough to make it forgiving and hydrating while leaving the colour vivid and opaque. (For a still-matte finish, I bet they would work brilliantly with a silicone-based mattifying moisturizer, too!)

Maybelline ColorBlur in Plum, Please swatched (L) and swatched with Nivea overtop (R)

I snapped a quick shot of Plum Please before and after the Nivea (above), as well as a full-face shot of how gloriously it pairs with Nivea. My apologies for the graininess; in my excitement, I took these photos late at night!

Also wearing: Annabelle EyeInk2 MistakeProof Eyeliner in Black ($10.95 CAD), Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in 04 Massive Midnight ($17 USD/$25 CAD — I am obsessed with this mascara right now!!), Lise Watier Ombre Velours Suprême in Pêche Velours and Rose Thé Velours ($25 CAD); Senna Matte Eye Color in Sphinx and Intrigue to contour ($18 USD), applied with the Make Up For Ever 150 Precision Blush Brush ($40 USD/$46 CAD — I swear, this brush gives the most killer cheekbones).

Wearing Maybelline ColorBlur in Plum, Please with Nivea overtop — I was surprised by how much I loved this lip!

The verdict?

From the one-of-a-kind smudger to the super-smooth formula, I’ve really enjoyed using the Maybelline ColorBlur lip pencils. They’re not flawless (I wish they were more hydrating), but all matte pencils are at least a little bit drying, and Maybelline totally nailed the colour range with these.

My opinion? Unless you have really dry lips, the ColorBlur lip pencils are definitely worth checking out — if not for the forgiving formula and great colour range, then for the fact that they’re so unique.

Availability: $11.99 CAD at drugstores and mass market retailers. Available online (US) at Ulta & Amazon.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Grouped reviews, Lips, Maybelline, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2015

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The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Velvet Stick swatches, review, photos (& a little Smoky Poppy preview)

March 19, 2015

Rae Chen

17 Comments

The products: The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Velvet Sticks in Universal Shade and 40 Red

↳ Photographed with the limited-edition Smoky Poppy Body Butter ($20), which smells amazing but contains silicones, so I can’t touch it! (But seriously: amazing. It’s super sultry for a Body Shop fragrance.)

My love affair with jumbo lip pencils is a long and almost frighteningly well-documented one, but when I tried these for the first time, I actually stopped and went, “oh, cool,” for a moment.

The texture: Unlike your standard jumbo lip pencil (sheer-glossy or opaque-matte), these Lip & Cheek Velvet Sticks are exactly that: velvety. They apply with an incredibly natural finish, softly matte but not at all drying.

Unlike most mattes, though, they’re sheer — or, rather, they’ll sheer out if you blend them. Red (and I’m assuming the rest of the regular line) applies with a very medium opacity, but blends out to create the most seamless, perfect flush; the Universal Shade applies more sheerly, but in a way that’s suited well to the shade.

The Body Shop Universal Shade Lip & Cheek Velvet Stick

The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Velvet Sticks, swatched – Universal Shade (heavily/blended) and 40 Red (heavily/blended)

The shades: Red is a bright strawberry red, but the pH-adapting Universal Shade is the Lip & Cheek Velvet Stick that really steals the show. Purple-black in the tube, it applies as a very sheer dark purple. It’s less glossy and more plummy than Clinique’s Voluptuous Violet Chubby Stick (the closest dupe that I’ve seen), and you NEED it.

When sheered out, the Universal shade reads as a muted flush of colour, and on the lips, it’s nothing short of perfect. My natural lip colour leans a bit orange (bleh), which makes most medium/dark lip colours look punchy and ostentatious as they wear off, but this weird, pH-adjusting pencil is perfect. It darkens my natural lip colour considerably without making my lips look bright!, which–believe me–is a pretty substantial feat.

Bare lips

The Body Shop Universal Shade Lip & Cheek Velvet Stick lip swatch

The Body Shop Smoky Poppy Body Butter

The verdict?

These sheer-matte Lip & Cheek Velvet Sticks are great both for the lips and cheeks, but it’s the black Universal Shade pencil that you really need to own. If you’ve ever been intrigued by a sheer purple lipstick, or if you’ve ever been tempted to try Clinique’s classic Black Honey, get this one instead — you won’t be disappointed.

Availability: $15 USD/CAD at The Body Shop. Permanent.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Cheeks, Fragrance, Grouped reviews, Lips, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2015, The Body Shop

17 Comments

Annabelle TwistUp Retractable Lipstick swatches, descriptions, and recommendations

October 25, 2013

Rae Chen

47 Comments

To wrap up our #24Days of TwistUp series, here are arm and full-face lip swatches of all twenty-four shades, as well as some pretty wordy descriptions of each.

The lip swatches have been going up every day this month through theNotice’s Twitter and Pinterest accounts, but I wanted to gather them all up & put them into a post for future reference (and for those of you who aren’t into social media! I feel you, ladybro.) Enjoy the swatches!

More TwistUps: Annabelle TwistUp review, Canadian & international giveaways, {shop}

Nudes & Browns

Naked is a little drier than most of the TwistUps, but goes on without settling into lines. It’s surprisingly peachy, and looks incredibly natural on fair to light-medium skintones. It’s lighter, peachier, less pink, and more neutral than Havana.

Havana is noticeably drier than many of the other TwistUps. Darker than Naked, it’s fairly neutral with both brown and pink undertones. It looks a little obvious on me, but would be lovely on light to medium-dark skintones.

Absolute is a cream-finish warm pink with yellow undertones. It’s a on the sheerer side, making it a pink-nude that’s a little (okay, maybe a lot) easier to wear.

Tease is another sheer TwistUp, this time with strong orange undertones and plenty of shimmer.

Romance is a gorgeous nude with mauvey-brown undertones. It looks incredibly natural on my fair yellow-olive skin, but might look a little chalky on darker skintones.

Divine is a… I want to say “tomato nude,” but I don’t know if that’ll make sense to anyone. It made me think of a slightly redder version of Eva’s Nude, which leads me to believe it would make a gorgeous nude on darker olive skintones — but on my complexion (in real life), it wasn’t a hit.

Vamp pulls surprisingly brown on me (I was expecting more of a rich purple), and doesn’t read quite as red in real life as it appears on film. It’s not quite opaque, shimmer-free, and very bold. Vamp is the greyed brown-purple to Cherry’s red-purple, and it’s definitely more of an oxblood than a berry or red.

Keep reading — we’re not even halfway done yet! »

Tags: Annabelle TwistUp/Annabelle, Canadian beauty, Holy Grail, Lips, Product Review, Product Swatches

47 Comments

Annabelle TwistUp Retractable Lipstick review, swatches, photos, comparisons | #24Days of TwistUp

October 24, 2013

Rae Chen

4 Comments

The product: Annabelle TwistUp Retractable Lipstick… in all 24 shades!

↳ See all 24 shades swatched here.

The formula: Your average TwistUp is creamy, comfortable, and very well pigmented — so much so, in fact, that they’ve quickly become not only one of my favourite drugstore lipsticks, but one of my favourite lipstick formulas overall. They apply with a nice sheen, settling into a lovely cream finish, and fading down nicely into a stain. I get 3-4 hours of wear out of the average TwistUp before I need to reapply (less if I eat or drink anything).

The TwistUp Retractable Lipstick formula is also scent-free, which gets it big points in my books, and applies without any catching or tugging. I didn’t notice any settling into dry bits or lip lines, despite how creamy the formula is upon application.

Day 24’s (that’s today!) #24Days TwistUp: Vamp. See the other shades here!

Compared to other lip crayons: Okay, so hopefully someone has wondered how these compare to the Clinique Chubby Sticks by now. (Someone? Anyone?? Helloooo?)

Annabelle’s TwistUps are most similar to the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balms ($17 USD/$19 CAD), and I would definitely recommend both ranges. I find that the Chubby Stick Intense formula is more slippery at first, but wears for a smidgen longer once it sets (an extra hour or so). I also find that the Clinique lipsticks are a hair less comfortable; however, the two products weren’t wear-tested during the same season.

It may be helpful to note, for some, that the Clinique formula is quite a bit more simple and far more natural — these two lipsticks feel and perform very similarly, but the formulas couldn’t look less alike. (Full ingredients for the TwistUps at the bottom of this post.)

The variation: Quite a few brands nowadays are doing split ranges (e.g. MAC Amplified/Lustre/Matte, YSL Rouge Pur/Rouge Pur Couture/Rouge Pur Couture The Mats/Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre), but the TwistUps are all sorted into one category. It not a bad thing by far, but it does mean that you can’t know what to expect from a stock photo!

This will be discussed further in tomorrow’s post, but in general, most of the line is similar to the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense range: high coverage, creamy, and comfortable. However, a few of the TwistUps are more like NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencils (Fizz) or the original Chubby Sticks (Tease, Absolute), and a couple are more dry than the rest (Havana, Naked, Cherry).

The verdict?

Honestly, I cannot recommend these enough. Not only are the Annabelle TwistUp Retractable Lipsticks impressively pigmented (in general) and wonderfully scent-free, but they’re also very portable, well-priced, and comfortable to wear. Annabelle has done a wonderful job with both the finish and (lack of a) scent with these, and the shade range is fantastic.

My personal favourites from this range are Cherry and Naked. For individual shade descriptions, swatches (arm and full-face photos), and overall recommendations, check back tomorrow!

Availability: $9.95 CAD online and in Canadian drugstores across the country. (On sale for $7.25 CAD each at the Annabelle.ca site as I write this!)

Don’t miss seeing seeing all 24 of these TwistUps swatched, together and individually!

Keep reading! »

Tags: Annabelle TwistUp/Annabelle, Canadian beauty, Lips, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches

4 Comments

Too much of a good thing is still totally a good thing. | Clinique Almost Lipstick review, photos, swatches (Spring 2012 full lineup)

February 25, 2012

Rae Chen

24 Comments

The product: Clinique Almost Lipstick (all shades)

The story of Black Honey: Clinique tells this tale much better than I ever would, so:

“Black Honey made its debut in the US in 1971 and this deep, blackened rasin hue became an instant success. In 1989, when Black Honey was later launched as an Almost Lipstick, no one realized how quickly it would become an iconic lip colour. A precise blend of red, blue, orange and yellow pigments in a sheer base allows Black Honey to look beautiful and different on virtually every skin tone, making it a cult favourite.”

L-R: Tender Honey, Chic Honey, Luscious Honey, Lovely Honey, Shy Honey, Spicy Honey, Flirty Honey

The formula: Like the classic Black Honey, Clinique’s range of Almost Lipsticks are best interpreted as gloss sticks, or sheer lipsticks, rather than… well, rather than lipsticks. They feel balmy going on, completely smooth and almost entirely scent-free (they do smell a bit waxy when applied, but the smell fades in a matter of minutes), and deliver wearable colour with a natural-looking finish.

The Almost Lipsticks are essentially glamorous tinted lipbalms, so they have a bit of a shine to their finish – think “fresh and hydrated,” rather than “sticky and vinyl.” All in all, while I’d like a bit more moisture out of the formula, I’m quite happy with them: they’re practically impossible to botch up (even without a mirror), and I’ve been wearing them non-stop since swatching them.

L-R: Tender Honey, Chic Honey, Luscious Honey, Lovely Honey, Shy Honey, Spicy Honey, Flirty Honey

Top to bottom: Flirty Honey, Spicy Honey, Shy Honey, Lovely Honey, Luscious Honey, Chic Honey, Tender Honey

The shades: In addition to the classic Black Honey, Clinique has added seven new shades to the Almost Lipstick line. They’re all varying degrees of “sheer,” but (ironically enough), I find all seven of the new shades more wearable than the “universal” Black Honey! For photos of each shade individually, don’t miss this post. (Fixed; two of the photos were switched earlier. Apologies!)

Black Honey (01) is a warm brown-red, one of the darkest and most pigmented Almost Lipstick shades. Tender Honey (35) is a medium nude with subtle microshimmer and just a hint of yellow-pink undertones. Chic Honey (36) is a (super-chic) berry shade; think “Black Honey for cool skintones.” Luscious Honey (37) is a sheer, juicy bright red .

Clinique Almost Lipsticks swatched heavily.

Lovely Honey (38) is a violet-berry with faint brown undertones and gold microshimmer – super pretty in the tube. Shy Honey (39) is an extremely sheer baby pink. Spicy Honey (40) is a wine red, not quite as dark as Chic Honey but somehow more sheer than Flirty Honey (which is lighter in the tube). Flirty Honey (41) is a bright fuchsia-pink.

I managed to somehow swatch Tender Honey fifth, rather than second, so I thought it best to label the swatches above directly onto the image – hope the order isn’t too confusing! There’s another small swatch set under the cut, with the correct order, if you need it.

The verdict?

As a lover of Black Honey in formula and theory (but not in shade), I’m really pleased that Clinique has built on their Almost Lipstick range. As promised, these gloss sticks ($18.00 CAD, available Feb 2012 onwards) deliver transparent, lightweight colour, and while my super-dry lips would like to see a bit more hydration from them, I’m quite impressed with the colour range & the feel of the formula.

If you were hoping for something a little more more pigmented than Clinique’s Chubby Sticks (I was, initially), then these aren’t going to cut it – but if you’re looking for sheer, scent-free, paraben-free colour, I think you’re going to like these!

More photos & swatches »

Tags: clinique-almost-lipstick/Clinique, Lips, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2012

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