Clarins Easy Looks Collection

Last week I was sent a press drop of some of the products from the new Clarins Easy Looks Collection. The collection consists of six eyeshadow quads €43 (01 Fairy Tale Nude, 02, Rosewood, 03 Flame, 04 Brown Sugar, 05 Jade, 06 Midnight), a Brow Duo €24 (01 Blond, 02 Auburn, 03 Cool Brown), a Make-Up Corrector Pen €18 and three new shades of the Joli Rouge Lacquer Lipsticks €24 (754L Deep Red, 758L Sandy Pink, 759L Woodberry).

As you can guess from the name 'Easy Looks', this collection is meant to bring you products that are simple to use. As with most French beauty brands, Clarins usually creates products that give you that chic and effortless "French" make-up look and this collection is no different. The palettes contain four shades in each, a mixture of mattes and metallics. The two shades on the right are supposed to be applied all over the lid to form the basis of the eye look with the third shade bottom left to darken the lash line or outer corner and the fourth more glittery shade top left as an inner corner highlight or in the centre of the eyelid to add dimension. The formula contains bamboo powder which is meant to enhance the wear time of make-up so there isn't a need to apply primer first as the shadows should last 12 hours of wear. 

I was sent two of the palettes, Fairy Tale Nude and Brown Sugar. I definitely think there is a discrepancy in the pigmentation of the two palettes. Brown Sugar definitely swatches better without a primer than Fairy Tale Nude and used with a primer they are enhanced even more. Fairy Tale Nude definitely has lighter overall pigmentation. At first I was a bit disappointed, however over the years I've heard various professional makeup artists speak about a preference for less pigmented eyeshadows as they're easier to work with and you can build them up or use a primer if you want to take them further. I actually think these palettes are in line with a lot of other high end French beauty brands like Chanel, YSL Beauty and Dior. The idea behind these palettes is that anyone can use them and create an eye look that enhances the eyes rather than overpowering them. I think the problem is that we are so obsessed with how "pigmented" something is but sometimes less is better. It also makes them quicker and easier to blend and I found myself reaching for them for work over the past week because they're so easy to use and you don't need to spend ages blending them out. 

I would say these palettes are ideal for someone who doesn't have a lot of time to apply makeup but still wants to look like they have made an effort or someone who is a makeup novice or perhaps doesn't have the best skills and just wants something easy to use. You can't really go wrong with these palettes, I found the shadows easy to work with and when I wanted more impact I used a flat brush spritzed with Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray (although you could use any setting spray) or if that's too much effort you can apply with your fingers either. 

The Brow Duo is an interesting product and something that I haven't come across before. It's a 2-in-1 product, one end has a powder to water formula on a thin applicator to shape and fill your brows and the other end is a tinted mascara to set and intensify the colour. I don't think I can give my full opinion on this as it's not the right shade for me, although I managed to make it work. I was sent Auburn but I probably would have gone for Cool Brown. I actually quite like the idea of this product as you can use both sides together or just the tinted mascara or the powder with a clear gel on top if you don't want such an intense colour. I have used it a few times now and I got the hang of it after a couple of times as I'd never used a product like this before. If you want a lighter application you can tap off the excess powder and remove some of the tinted mascara as I found you get a lot on the brush and I applied too much the first time (you'll see the excess brow mascara in the close up photos of the second eye look). I used to use powder and mascara on my brows years ago and have since tried lots of different brow products and I do think a product like this is very handy and as the collection intended, very easy to use (once you get the hang of it). I'm not sure how it would work on someone with more sparse brows as you wouldn't be able to get the same definition as you would with a crayon or felt tip pen. I think this would work best on someone who already has more full brows. 

I was so intrigued by the idea of the Make-Up Corrector Pen when I first saw it online. I've never tried a product like this before and again it fits in perfectly with the idea of an Easy Looks Collection as it allows you to quickly and easily fix any mistakes you make such as messy liner, mascara transfer, lipstick bleeding etc. I won't lie I did think to myself "when am I going to need this?" and literally the next day I ended up making a big mess of my liquid liner and this fixed it in literally 2 seconds. For anyone who struggles with liquid liner this could be your saviour for getting those crisp lines. I also tend to get a lot of mascara transfer on my upper eyelids when I'm getting ready for work in the morning as I'm usually in a hurry so this is perfect for quickly removing any marks I make especially close to the lash line where it's harder to reach. It comes with replacement tips that are meant to keep you going for up to 300 make-up mistakes. 

Last but not least my favourite part of any collection- the lipsticks. If you follow me on Instagram you'll know I'm a huge fan of the Joli Rouge Lacquer Lipsticks. I was sent four of the shades when they launched last year and they're definitely some of my most worn lipsticks of the past year (particularly Soft Berry and Spicy Chili which are swatched below alongside the other shades). I was so excited to see Clarins had brought out three new shades in this formula. I was sent Sandy Pink which is a more warm, brown-toned neutral shade and Woodberry which is a cooler, more pink-toned neutral. Both are beautiful shades and I think would suit a lot of different skin tones. The formula is described as a balm lip treatment with a vinyl lacquer finish and I totally agree. It feels comfortable, lightweight and creamy, it glides on to your lips and keeps them feeling nourished throughout the day. The formula is infused with 70% botanical oils so it really does keep your lips hydrated and smooth as well as being long lasting and incredibly pigmented. They also smell incredible! As you can probably tell I'm a huge fan of these lipsticks and they are hand on heart one of my favourite formulas on the market. 

04 Brown Sugar

Without Primer 

With Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Amplifying Eye Primer

*Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer
Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm
Clarins SOS Primer (00 Universal Light)
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
*Clarins Skin Illusion Foundation (101 Linen)
Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Concealer (White Pearl T1)
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Blush & Highlighter (01 Golden Peach)
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
*Clarins Brow Duo (02 Auburn)
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Amplifying Eye Primer
*Clarins Ombre 4 Couleurs (04 Brown Sugar)
Sephora Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner (08 Brown)
*Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D Waterproof
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (1 Fair)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder (1 Fair)
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Pixi Glow Mist
*Clarin Joli Rouge Lacquer Lipstick (758L Sandy Pink)

01 Fairy Tale Nude

Clarins SOS Primer (01 Rose)
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
*Clarins Skin Illusion Foundation (101 Linen)
Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Concealer (White Pearl T1)
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Blush & Highlighter (01 Golden Peach)
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
*Clarins Brow Duo (02 Auburn)
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Amplifying Eye Primer
*Clarins Ombre 4 Couleurs (01 Fairy Tale Nude)
Revlon So Fierce! Vinyl Eyeliner (Righteous Rum)
*Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D Waterproof
*Clarins Twist to Glow 2-in-1 Healthy Glow Powder for Eyes & Cheeks (02 Radiant Pink)
Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face (Prism Rose)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder (1 Fair)
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Pixi Glow Mist
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat (Pillow Talk)
*Clarin Joli Rouge Lacquer Lipstick (759L Woodberry)

Sandy Pink, Woodberry

Sandy Pink, Woodberry

Woodberry, Sandy Pink, Soft Berry, Pop Pink, Joli Rouge, Spicy Chilli

Sandy Pink

Woodberry

Hopefully I have demonstrated the products well in the photos above. With not being able to use testers at the moment I'm striving to make my blog posts as thorough and helpful as possible as I know how difficult it can be to shop for makeup online or without being able to try the products first. I adore Clarins as a brand and I always look forward to seeing their new collections. The only real negative thing I can say is that I'm not sure how inclusive these products are. Because the eyeshadows are quite light and not as pigmented as other eyeshadows I've tried I don't know how they would look on darker skin tones. The photos on the website don't include models with darker skin so that would be my only gripe. The same could be said about the shades of the brow duo. I think they could have done a fourth darker shade. However as I haven't seen how dark Cool Brown is I don't know if that would work on people with very dark, almost black brows. Overall though I think it's a beautiful collection.

What do you think of this collection? Is there anything that you would buy?

Emma x

*PR Samples

Venus Was Her Name- Danessa Myricks ColorFix Foils

In an effort to support more Black owned beauty brands I recently placed an order on Beautylish for some of the Danessa Myricks Beauty ColorFix Foils. I have seen her products being used by some of the makeup artists I follow on Instagram for a couple of years now and I have always wanted to try the ColorFix range in particular. I loved the idea of a cream product that can be used on eyes, lips and cheeks. I was going to try the matte ones but I had seen the Foils which are a liquid glitter being used on the Danessa Myricks Instagram account and I just thought they looked so beautiful and as you know I'm a big fan of glitter products so I had to try them out.

It was so difficult to only choose two shades but in the end I went for Venus (a rosy, golden pink) and Nebula (a warm golden metallic). There are eight shades of the ColorFix Foils and they are formulated to withstand extreme temperatures and exposure to the elements. They also dry quickly (and therefore need to be blended quickly) but once dry they don't smudge or transfer.

I'll be honest the first time I tried them I went in a bit heavy handed and it didn't turn out how I thought it would but once I looked at some videos using the ColorFix Foils I had a better handle on how to use them. You have to work fast as I mentioned already as they do dry quite quickly. I applied a base in a similar pink shade, the Clarins Twist to Glow 2-in-1 Eyes and Cheeks powder in the shade Radiant Pink which is amazing on it's own but it gave the perfect base colour to use Venus on top of it. I tapped a small amount of the product on with my finger and blended it out and then applied some more and built it up to an opacity I was happy with. As you apply more you get more of that foiled look but be careful as too much and it ends up looking clumpy and heavy. I then applied a tiny amount of Nebula in the centre of the upper and lower lid to add some dimension. As you can see the finish is beautiful, they can be used alone, on top of any eyeshadow or as a base for powder.

I finished my eyes with two coats of the new Clarins Wonder Perfect 4D Mascara. I just started using this last week and I am loving it. It gives great length, definition and volume without being too clumpy. It also has that perfect in-between formula of not being too dry or two wet and it layers easily. Depending on how well the tube lasts I'd definitely repurchase this mascara.

I wanted to keep the look focused on the eyes and quite tonal so I used a small amount of the Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Cream Blush in the shade Strawberry Drip. I've been loving this shade and the formula of these blushes. They're not too pigmented which makes them easy to blend quickly with your fingers or a brush. I'd recommend these if you find the Glossier Cloud Paints to be too much. Although I love both and I'd definitely pick up another shade.

For my lips I wanted something that would tone in with the eyes and Clarins Joli Lip Crayon in the shade Soft Berry was absolutely perfect. I actually have this same shade in the Joli Rouge Lacquer formula too and it's such a beautiful and easy shade to wear. I do love it in this Crayon form too. It's like a liner and lipstick in one. The crayon is thin enough to be able to both line and fill in your lips and it lasts so well. It's a matte finish and I just wanted a small amount of dimension I patted a tiny amount of Fenty Beauty Fu$$y Gloss Bomb just in the centre of my lips.

*Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer
*Glossier Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation (160 Shell)
Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Concealer (T1)
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer (Baked)
Glossier Brow Flick (Brown)
Soapbrows Brow Kit
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
*Clarins Twist to Glow Healthy Glow Powder (02 Radiant Pink
Danessa Myricks Beauty ColorFix Foils Liquid Glitter (Venus and Nebula)
*Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D Waterproof
Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush (05 Strawberry Drip)
Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face (Prism Rose)
*Clarins Joil Rouge Crayon (705C Soft Berry)
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer (Fu$$y)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder (1 Fair)
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Pixi Glow Mist

What do you think of the the ColorFix Foils? Would you be interested in trying a product like this?

Emma x



*PR Samples
**Glossier products are affiliate links, if you choose to shop via those links I will receive a small percentage of the sale but it won't cost you anything extra.

Clarins Matte Lips- The New Velvet Lip Perfectors and Joli Rouge Crayons

If you saw my last blog post you'll have seen me wearing the new Clarins Joli Rouge Crayon in the shade Soft Berry. It's part of the new Matte Lips Collection which includes the Joli Rouge Velvet Lipsticks, the Velvet Lip Perfectors as well as the Joli Rouge Crayons. I've been a huge fan of Clarins lip products for years. My love started with the Colour Quench Lip Balms when I was a teenager until they were sadly discontinued. I then fell in love with the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors, the Instant Light Lip Comfort Oils (which I've repurchased multiple times), one of my favourite lipstick formulas of recent years, the Joli Rouge Lip Lacquers and more recently the Hydra-Essentiel Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm (which I've just repurchased) and the Intense Lip Comfort Oils (I bought a second one after receiving a PR sample because I loved it so much). So as you can imagine I had high hopes for these new products. 

I haven't tried the Joli Rouge Velvet Lipsticks yet (although I have just placed an order for one as I have been wanting to try them for ages). They come in 23 shades including the four new ones, 706V Fig, 733V Soft Plum, 753V Pink Ginger and 751V Tea Rose. I was sent PR samples of two of the Velvet Lip Perfectors and two of the Joli Rouge Crayons and all four shades are beautiful. 

The Velvet Lip Perfector is a new take on the Clarins classic, the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. It's the same packaging but the formula inside is matte. It's unlike any matte lip formula I've ever tried because it's so lightweight and creamy and it gives a soft focus matte finish. I love this formula because it's so light and comfortable to wear, it's enriched with shea butter to nourish your lips so it doesn't feel drying unlike so many other matte liquid lipsticks I've tried. It's so creamy and easy to apply too. If I want it to look a little more effortless (or I just can't be bothered with precision) I'll take some on my finger and just pat it in and it leaves you with a powdery, blurred lip effect. The Velvet Lip Perfectors come in the shades 01 Velvet Nude, 02 Velvet Rosewood, 03 Velvet Red and 04 Velvet Raspberry.

The Joli Rouge Crayon is such a clever 2-in-1 product. It's ideal for anyone who likes the look of lined lips but hates fiddling around with a separate liner and lipstick or just wants to apply their lipstick quickly. It's a thin, pointed lip crayon with a built in sharpener on the end that allows you to both define and then fill in your lips. You can also pair this with either of the above products, I've used mine with the Velvet Lip Perfectors on top and it works really well and makes everything even more long-lasting. They come in four shades 705C Soft Berry, 742C Joli Rouge, 744C Plum and 757C Nude Brick. 

The Velvet Lip Perfectors and Joli Rouge Crayons are €21 and the Joli Rouge Velvet Lipsticks are €24. 

Velvet Nude, Velvet Rosewood, Soft Berry, Soft Plum

Velvet Nude

Velvet Rosewood

Soft Berry

Soft Plum

*Clarins Dry Touch Facial Sunscreen SPF 30
Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
*Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Hydrating Foundation (101 Linen)
Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Concealer (White Pearl T1)
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Blush & Highlighter Duo Stick (02 Golden Peach)
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Amplifying Eye Primer
*Clarins Ready in a Flash Palette (Review here)
*Clarins Wonder Perfect 4D Mascara Waterproof
*Clarins Twist to Glow Healthy Glow Powder 2-in-1 Eyes & Cheeks (02 Radiant Pink)
*Glossier Pro Tip
Glossier Brow Flick (Brown)
Soapbrows Brow Kit
Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face (Prism Rose)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder (1 Fair)
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Pixi Glow Mist
*Clarins Joli Rouge Crayon (Soft Berry and Soft Plum)
*Clarins Velvet Lip Perfector (Velvet Nude and Velvet Rosewood)

What do you think of the new Clarins lip products? Are there any that you'd like to try?

Emma x

*PR Samples
**Glossier products are affiliate links, if you choose to shop via those links I will receive a small percentage of the sale but it won't cost you anything extra.