My current favourite lipsticks

L-R Clarins Jolie Rouge Brilliant Watermelon, MAC Brave, Soap & Glory Super-Colour Fabulipstick Man Trap

Happy Valentine’s Day, readers! Hope you are having a great day. I thought that whether you are single or in a couple, today might be a good day to think about lipstick

You may remember that I had a rather frivolous New Year’s resolution to wear more lipstick. I have quite a few, but tend to stick to a smoky eye/nude lipbalm or lipgloss look. I’ve been making a conscious effort to wear my lipsticks and have been enjoying the difference it makes to my look; I may have even bought a new one, or two, which I will admit slightly defeats the point of the challenge!

Here are my three current favourites, new and old.

1) Clarins Jolie Rouge Brilliant in  shade 17, Watermelon: I was inspired to buy this after the gorgeous Ruth of A Model Recommends reviewed it so positively. Let’s face it, if I could, I’d kid myself it would make me look as glamorous as Ruth; but that aside, we have similar colouring and I thought it looked really Spring-like and fresh on her blog. This lipstick is from Clarins’ latest collection and is described as a sheer formula with the shine of a gloss and the creamy texture of a lipstick. This particular shade is a bright pink with a slight shimmer,  I would normally stay well clear of shimmery lipstick but on the lips, this just looks glossy and bright. It goes on easily and lasts well for a sheer formula, slightly staining the lips, though to keep the glossy look you will need to reapply fairly regularly. It is not drying and the glossiness makes your lips look plumper; overall a winner and a great way to freshen up your look for spring and summer. It also has lovely, chunky packaging that feels rather special, and a gorgeous berry scent.

2) MAC Satin lipstick in shade A46, Brave: I had to include this, as it’s the only lipstick I’ve ever finished and bought a second bullet of! I was recommended this by a MAC makeup artist for my wedding, as I wanted a natural shade that would photograph well, last but not look too ‘made-up’. MAC describe this as a pink-beige and I would say they are spot on; it’s well pigmented with a slight sheen and goes on fairly smoothly. Definitely not a sheer! I love this lipstick as it looks very natural, lasts and lasts, and gives me just enough colour to make me look brighter without competing with eye makeup. I wear this a lot when I want to look a little polished. The only thing I don’t like about this lipstick is the MAC waxy-vanilla scent, but I know a lot of you love it! Here’s a picture of me wearing it on my wedding day, alongide my gorgeous bridesmaid:

3) Soap and Glory Super-Colour Fabulipstick in Man Trap: Daft name aside, this a great lipstick and even better when you consider it is two-thirds of the price of the MAC lipstick above! This is described as a collagen-boosting formula that gives a soft, dewy pout; I can’t comment on the skincare element as I think you’d need to wear it every day to see a difference.  The formula is somewhere between the Clarins and the MAC, with more slip than the Clarins and a lot more pigment, but a glossier satin finish than the MAC. The shade choice for these lipsticks is quite limited, but all are on the fairly neutral scale; I like this one as it is a ‘grown up’ muted red I feel comfortable wearing in the day, but if I use a lipliner and two coats, it makes a great retro red for a more dressy evening look. This is very comfortable to wear, very moisturising and will last for a good few hours without needing reapplication – a great option for people like me who are nervous of sporting a full on bright red lip in the day time! It has a vanilla-cocoa butter scent; the only thing I don’t like about it is the pink print on the rather chunky tube.

What lipsticks are you loving at the moment?