Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant in #07 Raspberry

For the first time in my life I've inundated myself with expensive lippies and this is one of them.

I've been looking high and low for Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant ever since Lisa Eldridge used it in Hibiscus for her Pink Flushed look. Which is, by the way, topping my list of favourite looks of all time for spring and summer. 

Oh heck, let's pause and watch it here:

Sleek Pout Paint in Pin Up vs OCC Lip Tar in NSFW

So, it's the question everyone wants to know, how does Pout Paint measure up to OCC Lip Tars?

Actually to be honest I have no idea how OCC is going to keep justifying their hefty GBP9 price tag when Sleek Pout Paints are selling the same quantity at half the price.

In a nutshell, Pout Paints are thicker and dryer than Lip Tars, making them harder to spread and so harder to mix and work with. So Lip Tars are slightly better formulated.

Lip Tars are also minty which I prefer to Sleek's redoxen flavoured tubes. However, not everyone likes mint and some girls find it irritating.

Finally, Pout Paints outlast lip tars. I slicked on Pin Up for housework, lunch, grocery shopping and although it came off on everything, its colour just appeared undiminished.

Read on for swatches and a face shot

When is a Gloss Not a Gloss? Lipstick Queen's Oxymoron Matte Gloss in Honest Politician

Earlier this year, I walked into Myers for a Saint and ended up walking out with two Saints AND an Oxymoron instead.

Trying to figure out why this range is called "Oxymoron"? Well, an oxymoron is a figure of speech which combines contradictory terms. This particular product claims to feel and apply like a gloss but looks matte on the lips.

Now that's an oxymoron for you.

When I saw that one of the glosses was named "Honest Politician", I had to pick it up. It seemed like the perfect way to celebrate 3 years of Political Science courses.

Sounds like Fast Food: Bobbi Brown's Lips & Cheeks To Go

I hardly buy face palettes as most seem to be made with fairer people in mind. The blush is either too light for me or the lip shades are bubblegum pink – I look disgusting with pink lips.

This palette first caught my eye at the Myers counters last Christmas in Sydney. A palette which matches my colouring is a rarity so this went on my lust list. When I saw it on eBay for less than AUD60, I immediately bought it!

It may not look very exciting – functional palettes hardly ever do – but this has a firm spot in my handbag, 3 days out of 5.

Review: Shiseido Luminizing Lipglosses in PK303 and PK406

I

It's been awhile since I've had the chance to try a high-end Japanese lipgloss and to be honest, it's quite a treat! When it comes to cosmetics, the Japanese have a different aesthetic from the West. For one thing there is absolutely no scent, smell or stickiness whatsoever. Which is actually, pretty neat in my books - saves me having to match the flavour of my lip balm to my gloss! Ever paired a lemon balm with a vanilla or coconut gloss? Don't DO IT.

*ahem*

Shiseido sent me two of their Luminizing Lip Glosses to review in Bellini PK303 and Pop Life PK406. I love the brush applicators, but wish the tubes would pull more cleanly from the mouth. If you're not careful you can actually splatter the lip gloss... yes, I'm heavy handed and always in a rush.

Both impart some colour although they're quite sheer, and give an interesting jelly-like finish. I can't quite explain it. It isn't creamy, vinyl, sparkly, shimmery, glossy or plumping. It's a fascinating shiny, jelly-like look which I really quite like. =D

They don't last terribly long, and qualify as "light" glosses. But in general you won't have to touch up until after a meal.

Nivea Pinkish Boost 3 in 1 Tastes BLERGH!

When will I ever learn? Despite previous bad experiences with Nivea Caregloss (which, in my defense, many have given rave reviews), what do I do when I see that Nivea has a NEW tube gloss out? I BUY it without a second thought. When it comes to Nivea lip products I have all the power to resist of a stunned lemming.

On paper, the product sounds pretty odd actually. It's supposed to "restore your natural lip colour" (whatever that means), reduce lip dullness (with shine?) and protect with SPF15. To be honest, I was expecting one of those clear balms that turn pink on their own, presumably in reaction to your body heat or skin pH levels. A little gimmicky in pricey brands but fun in a cheapie gloss.

Cheap glossies: Nivea Caregloss in Pink and LipIce in Candy Apple

I swear the lipstick index has nothing on the lipgloss index for sheer instant gratification in times of stress. I've been hankering after a simple, sheer, pink, moisturising gloss to top up my lipstick or use alone whenever I feel like piling on some shine. I think the need for gloss and sparkle is directly correlated to my stress levels. Argh.

Well I actually tried shopping in my stash first. But all my vanilla scented glosses were too gourmand for me on a hot afternoon after lunch, all the pigmented ones weren't pigmented enough and all the sheer ones were simply too sweet, candy or plastic. What I wanted, I decided was a super minty gloss - but my tube of Crabtree & Evelyn Garden Mint is in truth, too tacky. Yes, a veritable goldilocks of lipglosses am I.

Well I decided on picking up a tube of Clinique Superbalm (RM55 I think) as it's completely flavourless... but I as in the Curve which HAS no Clinique. Finally I took myself in desperate frustration to Guardian and found myself waffling between Lip Ice and Nivea. "What the hell!" said I, "They're only RM12.90 each! I'm a grownup now not a funds deprived teen, I'll buy BOTH." So filled with the joy of reckless lipgloss purchasing, I bought both.

The Ferarri of Lip Glosses: Hourglass Extreme Sheen in Primal

Meet the most expensive gloss I own. At RM100, it even trumps Naked Man Gloss for price. Touted as THE gloss favoured by Angelina Jolie of the very-famous-lips, promised as long-lasting and waterproof, this baby has a lot to live up to besides its hefty price tag. So, how did it do?

Packaging

The tube is lux, substantial and very posh. The antique bronze shade is also very classy without being in the least old fashioned. I also love the brush as it's perfect for precisely applying gloss evenly. Having said that, they could provide a better insert - see how much gloss is on the wand? A good insert would keep the wand clean and provide just the right amount of gloss on the brush so it doesn't drip. Stage's Glosses are great in this respect, but the absolute best design in this regard goes to the Naked Man Gloss (all applaud Urban Decay!)

Formula & Flavour
The formula is that coveted thick formula that once on, clings to your lips and NOTHING else. It formes a smooth glossy layer that isn't sticky in the least, but lasts very well. I would say in terms of lasting power it matches Clinique's Long Last 8 Hour SPF15 gloss. But, as this gloss disappears, it lays down pigment that can actually get more intense over the day. I find myself topping with just lipbalm around teatime.

Promising to be waterproof (but not "dry finger-proof" as make-up artist Michael protested), you'll find it will last through delicate food like sandwhichs and hors d'ouvers. It doesn't quite stand up to greasy Malaysian food though. Darn..

The gloss contains coconut oil and vanilla essence making it very moisturinsing. However, I'm not crazy about this gourmand scent even though it's natural. It can be a little heady on a hot day or when I'm full. But I don't hate it either. So while I can do without it doesn't turn my stomach (thank God!)

And for the all-natural gals among us. I think this critter and vegan loving baby may qualify!

Ingredients
(From Sephora)
What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Dyes
- Phthalates

Ocytldodecanol, Polybutene, Isocetyl Stearate, Ethyl Cellulose, Isostearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Dilinoleyl Alcohol, Frarance (Parfum), Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica May Contain: Mica (Ci 77019), Titanium Dioxide (C I 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Carmine (Ci 75470), Red 6 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140).

Shade
Don't you just LOVE the name, Primal? I do. *purrrs*

But for the less linguaphilic among us, Primal is a truly unique and versatile shade. If I had to splurge on a gloss I'm darned glad it comes in a unique shade that's glossy, classy, shimmery, natural and when layered, vamp!

It's even both cool...


And warm...
Don't ask me how it goes with everything but it does.

It perks up my complexion when I'm tired, and at the end of the day if I really layer it on it turns red and glamorous. But throughout the day if I want to I can keep it sheer and natural.

I love it so much you can see how much the tube has depleted! *eep*

Conclusion
Am I happy with it? Yes! Thank heavens! Would I buy another? Ah... honestly I don't know. I love it, but I do believe comparable glosses can be found. Still the next time I'm in Singapore and feeling streseed - who knows? It does give me a kick to use it everytime I pull it out.

What's your number, pouty lips?

Bet that got your attention, din it? *grin*

No, no. Nothing scandalous of any sort in this post here. But I've recently been looking at my ever growing stash of makeup, and the pile of lipsticks and glosses I've accumulated over the years.

If I haven't mentioned it before, lippies are my original sin. I started with one Estee lipstick and it went baaaad from there. Right now it's blushes AND lipsticks.

Oh dear.

So I was just wondering. Does this sound familiar to you? You see a lipstick/gloss, and you have this insane voice going, "I waaaaants this." Nevermind if you already have 10 other lipsticks in the same shade sitting in your stash back home. The thing is, you need THIS one.

Some friends of mine have maybe five, or six, lipsticks and they run it through before they feel the need to get another one. One colleague of mine has only three. A coralish, a pinkish and a reddish.

"Why would I need more?" asks she.

But if you're anything like me, you'd bring that lipstick home too. Where you let it make friends with the other 15 coral lipsticks sitting on your dresser. Which begs the question, as some of my colleagues and friends have asked: How on earth do you ever finish a lipstick?

So now I'm asking you girls too. Do you finish your lipsticks and then buy more? Or buy more, regardless?

Anyhoo, what I started wondering then was how many lippies I actually own. And that got me counting. So my number is - 71 lipsticks and 29 glosses.

So 'fess up. What's your number? =P

Addicted to Stage Wondergloss: Narcissus & Persephone

So you're all familiar by now with my love for Stage Wondergloss, so this review is more about shades than formula. During the stage buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) promo I took the chance to splash out on two more shades and gosh they're GORGEOUS. Ladies meet Persephone (left) and Narcissus (right).

Narcissus
Much as I love Venus, I often wished it had a bit more pep to it as if I wasn't using it with a smokey look it could wash me out a touch. Narcissus is like a pinker perkier version of Venus. LOVE.

In the tube it looks pink but when applied the sparkly gold pigments warm it up to a neutral but luscious shade. It's a no-fuss shade that goes with just about anything and has enough pink to make me look fresh.

Persephone
This shade must have been named for the pomegranet seeds Persephone ate in the greek myth that trapped her in Hades for 6 months. In the tube it's a scary bright warm red shade with cool shimmer. On the lips though it's astonishingly wearable and great for glamming up a day look or for a toned-down red lip look.

While not as versatile as Narcissus this shade is beautiful and can amp a neutral office look making you pub-ready in no time.

Strage Wonderglosses are RM55 each. Watch out for more Stage deals if you want to snap up more than one shade. Syen.... bought FOUR during the BOGOF offer. She adores this gloss!

What shade's your fave?

Review: Stage Wunderluxe Lipstick and Wondergloss

I was a lucky girl at the Stage blogger event as I managed to nail both a Wonderluxe Satin Matte lipstick in Baby Blossom (RM48) and a Wondergloss in Venus (RM55). Ok.. I swapped to GET the Wondergloss in Venus, it's a firm favourite of mine as you'll soon see.

Both products smell of vanilla (but not overwhelmingly so, thank goodness) and are very luxuriously packaged. Although the Wondergloss tube does remind me strongly of Revlon's glosses... ah well, the creators of Stage are sole distributors for Revlon. They must be in the know. ;)

Review

By a happy coincidence I got a cool and a warm shade to play with and both work well for me! Baby Blossom is very cool, almost lavender shade with enough pink to perk it up and ensure I dont' look like a frozen corpse.

The satin-matte formula isn't heavy at all and is very pigmented. It also isn't drying which is what you may expect. It makes a very mature, sophisticated shade perfect for work.

The finish is interesting. Although it's matte in the sense it has no shimmer or gloss, it isn't a true matte. As you can see it still has a natural-finish and doesn't sink to my lip lines. Likey!

Wondergloss in Venus is one of those crazy versatile shades and formulas you can't live without. On its own its cushiony formula, high shine and shimmer makes for very voluptuous lips. Shade-wise it's perfect when paired to an intense smokey-eyed look.

For day-wear I also love the effect it has when layered over a sheer red lippie. It makes for a perfect shade. It's also very handy for toning down too-bright shades. You know the ones that have the exact tone you need but are too intense for your look? Slap this on, it brings it down and warms it up nicely.

Conclusion
Both the lippies are high-quality and reasonably priced. And now with a BOGOF (buy-one-get-one-free) offer on till July 6, I'm so tempted to go INSANE and get two more lipsticks and two more glosses... HELP! (anyone wanna share with me?)

The Naked-Man Gloss: Urban Decay's Pocket Rocket in Eric

Oh you knew this was coming. It's a fabulous gloss with an equally fabulous undressing man on the top. So of course I got my greedy hands on it as soon as I could.

The makeup mule this time was my colleague and her really amused family who just gor back from the US. At US$19 it's not a cheap gloss which is why I only bought Eric, and not David as well. But hey at least I know there's nothing like this in Malaysia!

Packaging
I'll admit that what I'm really buying is the packaging. After all, a gloss is a gloss. But the packaging and marketing of this is crass, cheeky and ingenious.

Each guy has a backstory. Here's Eric's:

American born, but schooled abroad, Eric retains many European

sensibilities, including Italian bravado, French table manners, and
German soccer skills. Undress him for a little Spanish fly.

Any wonder why I chose him? Besides the fact that he's a red gloss. Somehow, if I was going to own a gloss as racy as this I knew it had better darned well be red!

The tube itself is large and surprisingly flat. With 8ml of gloss in it though, it contains more than your average gloss. The applicator brush is lovely and there is never any gloss on the applicator's shaft. The design is that good.

Oh and it's printed with pheremone ink. You rub it to activate it - causing all men around you to become instantly attracted to you - crashing cars, dueling for your handkerchief and all that.

Honestly, I've never had the guts to try.

The Gloss

Eric isn't just good looks though. He's really a great gloss. This sheer true (maybe slightly cool) gloss is not overly tacky but still longlasting. It's also very glossy and really gives you a pout in the poutiest sense.

And omg he smells YUM. Like creme brulee. Only not artificial - too sweet vanilla-y creme brulee. This gloss smells warm and baked, with a custard sauce drizzle. Any wonder why I've been craving apple pie, bread and butter pudding, and creme brulee? Mmm...

Conclusion
I don't know if I'll repurchase as it's pricy, not available in Malaysia, and there are so many other men to choose from. But I am really pleased with Eric.

Which guy would you choose?

MAC Double Dazzle Haul

So remember I said about a week or so back that MAC Double Dazzle had finally arrived and how I was tempted to get 4 of them? (Sorry for the late write up, I hope they're still well-stocked.)

Guess what? I totally caved, and got ALL the four I wanted. But I was fortunate enough that I didn't have to pay full price, many thanks to Kahani (thanks for your gift voucher dearie!). =P

So read on for more piccies and swatches.

The haul. *happiness* =D

The four dazzlers I got.

Without flash: (L-R)Love Alert, Date Night, Smile and Baby Sparks.

With flash:(L-R)Love Alert, Date Night, Smile and Baby Sparks.

Aren't they uber dazzling? Ooooh.. I can't wait to use them for a glam night out. Smile is totally me, and Baby Sparks screams cute and safe. But I'm also at a stage to try out bolder colours, hence Love Alert and Date Night.

And just a reminder, they are really sticky. But for their shimmer and dazzle-ness, I'm willing to make exceptions.

And oh, they they cost RM80 each, which should have totalled RM320. But with the voucher, it was only RM220! How cool is that! =D *woohoo*

So anyone gonna run to MAC for them? Or have you already?

DIY Beauty: Making lipglosses from SN Mineral Blush

Many of you have heard me banging on about how much I love mixing Silk Naturals' Mineral Blushes with clear gloss to use on my lips. I find there's an added prettiness when the blush and gloss match exactly. This little secret is partly behind the pretty-factor for lip & cheek products like Posietint, Stila Convertibles, and Nars the Multiple.

The only thing I didn't like about mixing the blush with gloss was the inconvenience and mess factor. If I dipped the brush in it, I'd contaminate the blush. If I tipped it out, there'd be waste. If I used my finger, I'd have to wash my hands. Plus it was impossible to top-up the gloss during the day.

So WHY it took me so long to pre-mix my blushes I don't know. I chose my three favourite gloss - blush combinations, Climax (Orgasm dupe), Babydoll (MAC Dollymix dupe), and Forbidden (Nars Outlaw dupe).

And just LOOK at the pretty-pretty colours!

(Please pardon the messy swatches)

(L-R) Babydoll, Climax & Forbidden

As you can see, the glosses are darker than their blush counterparts. And you slap on gloss, and dust on the blush so don't worry, your cheeks and lips will never be identical!

How to
As instructions go, this is going to be mighty useless I'm afraid as I don't have exact measurements for ANYTHING. I can only tell you that everything worked first go, and here's what I did.

First off, I know SN blushes are safe for lip-use as I have checked this with Karen. Please don't try this with any blush you're not sure about.

I used 5g jars that SN blush samples used to come in. I transfered the sifters into the newer SN sample jars (they are sifterless and can result in a poof of pink powder if you're in a rush). And I gave the jars a wash and dry first.

Next I shook the blush tubs about a bit so there was a goodly amount above the sifter before unscrewing the cap.

Then I used the little spatula to spoon a small amount of blush into the jar. Start small, as you can always add more.

Squirt a small amount of clear gloss in, and keep adding as needed.

I cut cotton-buds in two, and used the non-cottony bit to stir.

Keep stirring and adding one thing or another until you have the desired amount and consistency.

So how do they look?

Judge for yourself. =)

Climax (from a previous review)

Forbidden
(Yes trying out new too-pink foundy here - Bleh! Luckily it was free)

And my personal fave:

Babydoll

So will this be your next DIY Beauty project?

Guest Review: Eli Finally Caves in to the Siren Call of NYX

Guest reviewer Eli has had her resistance to NYX eroded by the constant raves in the blogosphere.

I had just finished a really depressing lecture on genocide and was all gloom and doom when I stopped by my letterbox on the way back to my room.

The sun burst out shining and dancing. My NYX haul had arrived!


From left to right: Round lipsticks in B52, Circe and Hebe; Black Label Lipstick in Diva (Actually got the last from Makeup Masala two weeks later)

Also, a Mega Shine Lipgloss in Natural and two concealers in beige (top) and medium (bottom).


Syen has already reviewed and compared the Round and Black Label lippies here so I am just going to show swatches and compare the shades.

From left to right: Natural, B52, Circe, Hebe and Diva.

Natural lives up to its name looking like a very pretty colour on my lips. It doesn’t work on days when my lips are redder than usual though. I am thinking of putting this away until spring as the shiny gloss effect seems a bit too much for overcast autumn/ winter days. The strong strawberry scent is a bit of a turn-off and I also find the gloss a bit too sticky for my liking. My hair got stuck to my lips during a windy day last week. Not good.

I am pleased to report that B52 definitely lives up to the hype surrounding this colour. My favourite lippie of the lot, it’s a lovely matte brown shade with a muted hint of pink. A definite MLBB lippie, I have been carrying this everywhere since I laid my hands on it.

Unlike what was narrated in “The Odyssey”, Circe did NOT cast a spell over me. Far from bewitching, I look like a ghost out of Ju-On (The Grudge) when I wear this. Guess that it is just my colouring though as Connie looks great wearing Circe in these FOTDs here. Looks great layered under one of my favourite lippies though so I am keeping it to tone down other bright lipsticks, Halloween and when I need to fake being sick for an essay extension.

I am puzzled that Hebe does not show up as red when I swatch it. Hebe is a wearable Christmas red shade with a little shimmer thrown in to keep it from being too boring. My sister claims the shade reminds her of 1940’s movie stars which can be interpreted as either “Yay, I look Ava Gardner glamorous” or “You look like Mum.” Take your pick.

Diva is a pinkish version of B52. Looks nice on me but I find myself reaching for B52 more often than this. Maybe it hasn’t grown on me yet.

As for the NYX concealers, beige comes with a yellow undertone while medium has a peach undertone to it. I think I have been spoilt by my Bobbi Brown cream concealers as I found these too dry and difficult to spread and blend unless I added a drop of moisturiser.

The concealer works fine on blemishes but not on undereye circles. The dry texture was difficult to work with, there wasn’t enough pigmentation and the colours simply didn’t match my skin. Think I will pass this on to my sister or a cousin (the wonders of having a huge family of girls) if it works for them.

Lippies get a huge “yes” from me but a “no” for NYX concealers.

Kiehl's Berry-licious Lip Gloss

Heya ladies! Seems like me and Kahani are on a little lippie spree right now. So do bear with me as I ramble on on a lip gloss which is currently my latest crush. =P

So anyway, meeting Kahani's awesome find from Crabtree & Evelyn (which yes, I HAD to get) reminded me of a little tube of this Kiehl's Lip Gloss in Berry 1851 which I knew I had stashed somewhere at home.

I had gotten it along with the slightly disappointing Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 way back, but had promptly stashed it somewhere and then forgotten about. Until the other lipbalm came by and got my memory chugging along again.

Fishing it out, I decided to give it a whirl, and boy am I liking it heaps.

I don't know how many of you I've said this to, but I've always been rather averse to cool lippies. After my paradigm shift on blushers several weeks back, it would seem as though the shift is inching to include lippies as well.

This one says BERRY. That's definitely a sign.

(Evidence it's a cool shade. The stain on the cotton bud looks almost fuchsia!)

In the last couple of days, I've been thoroughly enjoying this lip gloss, which to me, has the texture of what I had hoped #1 would be - balmy. I suppose it's one I could use entirely alone without swiping on lip balm first, as I'm wont to do.

Even with the lack of rest of late, which is clearly visible on my sallow complexion, pairing Kiehl's Berry with NARS Dolce Vita has managed to give me rosy lips. Along with a little pop of pink blush, this combo has allowed me to look a little less un-dead, for which I am most grateful for.



(Gorgeous colour isn't it? If you look closely, you'll see the shimmer even in the tube.)

In the tube, and outside of it, the gloss is a rich berry shade with lovely golden shimmer, making it quite the subtle dazzler. On the lips, it appears a little less pigmented, but gives my lips a healthy dose of sheer colour without screaming "Berry!"


With ingredients which include extracts of mango and grape seed, rose hips and apricot kernel, this gloss feels extremely comfortable and smooth going on, and does seem rather balm-like. But what I love about it is that it does not feel sticky, nor does it end up getting tacky.

And at RM49 for a 15ml tube, it's also reasonably affordable.

So, Berry anyone?

Rimmel London Lippies

Although I think I am in a rather desperate need for a long and good holiday, the possibility of me actually flying to, say, London is terribly slim at the moment. And so what's a girl to do but do herself some cheering up. With Rimmel London.

Since I Paris' post on Rimmel's arrival, I've been meaning to go check Rimmel's counter in KLCC out, and about a week (or some weeks) back I did. However, I have since gotten swamped with work so bad that I never quite got to blog about my new purchases.

So here they are now.

Lasting Finish Lipstick

Lately, I've been itching to give red lips a shot, as most of my lipsticks are either peach or nude, or pink or ... well, you get the drift. I've been wanting something a little more different, a little more daring. So when I went to check Rimmel out, I had been meaning to try Drop of Sherry, which Paris said "was a red lipstick without the drama-mama". Sounds good, I thought.

However, the moment I swatched it on, I knew it wasn't for me. Sadly, it was too cool a shade for me to pull off. And then I found Rich Raisin. A warm red, it was so much more up my alley.

It glides on easily enough, and boy is it pigmented. Ladies, this is one lipstick you cannot swipe on with one hand on the steering wheel. I haven't worked up the courage to pull off such a bold lip, so what I've resorted to doing is apply it on, blot, then swipe on lipgloss. So what I get is a bright lip but definitely less drama.

Vinyl Stars Mirror Shine Lipgloss

This one caught my eye too, and when I swatched it on it turned a lovely apricot shade on me. And it had frost in the colours of the rainbow too! Pretty.

It slicks on easily enough, and as you can see comes with a doe-foot applicator. It's also pigmented enough that you can use it on its own without applying lipstick first.

However, I can't actually decide if I find the texture too sticky or otherwise. It's definitely quite sticky, but I haven't quite made up my mind if it actually bothers me. I'll let you girls know when I do make up my mind. =P

Overall
On the whole, these two come in lovely packaging (look at the pretty embossed crown!) and for less than RM20 a piece, they are definitely in the affordable range.

They both also apply with a burst of sweet strawberry scent. If it doesn't bother your nose (like me), then I guess it's fine. But if you're sensitive to scents, I strongly suggest you take a good whiff before purchasing.

So far, I still haven't seen Rimmel London anywhere apart from KLCC Watson's. But do keep me updated if you've seen it elsewhere in Malaysia.



Rimmel London, anyone?

Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss

Can you believe it? Right after I blog about how balm crazy I am, I totally forget to bring even one to work. Not ONE.

And the thought of going through the entire day in an air-conditioned (read: dry and moisture sucking) office with dry and chapped lips is not good. Not good at all.

After the initial horror of discovering that I had left all my balmies at home, I searched the depths of my handbag to find that all was not lost after all - I found a tube of Clinique's Superbalm in Apricot in my lipstick pouch.

Honestly, I have never really given much thought to this gloss' superbalm powers. I mean, I mainly use it as a gloss, but I've never actually tried applying it (or any lipstick or gloss for that matter) directly onto my lips without any balm first. I'm just one of those people who need lipbalm. Notice I said need, not want.

However, since I had brilliantly left all my lipbalms at home, what better time than this to put this Superbalm's moisturising properties to test?

I was not disappointed. It kept my lips protected and moisturised throughout the day. Apricot is a neutral-pinky shade that goes on very nude and natural on my MAC NC25 skintone. It goes on rich and creamy, and its glossiness is just right. It's not tacky or overly sticky as well, which is super indeed.

Generously sized at 15ml, it is available in Malaysia for RM50 (I think. Or was it RM55?).

Now let's hope I never leave my balmies and this superbalm gloss at home next. That would be a bare-lipped nightmare.