This is the time of year when matte lipsticks are snapping their gum and stomp-walking around the tetherball courts and jungle gyms of the makeup playground like queen bees of the makeup playground/world.
They run the show, and yeah, I’m cool with that, but sometimes my dry lips and I need a break. Please! Teleport me away to the land of supple, moisturized lips!
Incidentally, that’s where these $27 Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks live. 🙂
A long-term staple of the Clarins line, they’re shiny, sheer and — oh, I could kiss them — so moisturizing. Clarins revamped them this fall, making them over in gold packaging (remember they used to be silver?) and revitalizing the color palette with 16 new shades.
I love these, and they’ve been seeing a lot of action on my pout lately, particularly the pinkish nude shades, Lilac Pink and Pink Ginger, which go with everything. I pair them often with casual weekend makeup looks, like with tinted moisturizer, mascara and a little bit of blush.
Oh, and uh…did I mention how freakishly moisturizing they are? It’s cray-cray to the extreme, and when you have dry lips like I do, they’re a gift from ye makeup gods. Being lightweight and silky, they’re a welcome respite from all of the drying, heavy mattes that come out to play in fall in winter.
The formula lasts about two or three hours on my lips, so they aren’t incredibly long lasting, but they don’t have any annoying flavoring, for what that’s worth. I do, however, detect a very, very faint floral scent, but it’s not annoying at all (I can hardly tell it’s there).
Even though I call them sheer, the nude and brighter colors do layer well. When I start with a single layer, the coverage is like an amplified sheer, shiny lipstick, but the opacity increases as I add a second or third layer, so you can build ’em up when you want something bright and bold on your lips.
I like that kind of flexibility.
At $27 each, these are more toward the expensive side of the lipstick price spectrum, but by comparison, the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, which seem similar to me, are $35.
Might be something to check out next time you pass a Clarins counter, which is where you’ll find them now. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Lulle says
The colors are absolutely beautiful! I’ve been wanting to try Joli Rouges for a while, and I see a lot of shades I’d love here (Raspberry, Grenadine and Pink Ginger if I had to pick only 3!).
Karen says
Pink Ginger for the win! I think you’ll love these. Perhaps for one of your French Brand posts?
Are you guys back from the Bay Area? I hope you had a nice trip up here!
Lulle says
Yes, they would be a perfect subject for one of my French Friday posts!
We got back Saturday to avoid the crazy Sunday traffic. We had a great time but it was so cold compared to here in San Diego, lol! Huge Thanksgiving dinner with over 40 people was really fun (my hubby has a ton of cousins). How was your Thanksgiving weekend?
Karen says
Glad you had fun. 🙂 It’s been super cold here in the North Bay lately, unusually so. Like in the 30s at night! Crazypants. My Thanksgiving was good, thank you for asking. It was mellow and chill, which is exactly what I wanted/needed. Just me, my brother and El Hub and Tabs. That’s it!
hanna says
The colors look so pretty! It’s great that they layer well.
Karen says
Yup, so great!
Rachel R. says
Pretty colors, but too sheer for my tastes.
Karen says
You can build these up, which is the beauty of them! For some of the bolder shades, like the reds and plums, it only takes a couple of layers. 🙂
Rachel R. says
Sorry, I missed that point in the review. I’m scatterbrained today.
Marina (Makeup4all) says
There is nothing like a Clarins lip product and from this particular range I am obsessed with a Royal Plum shade.
Karen says
Hi Marina,
I know, right? I feel like Clarins is underrated for lip products, especially. By the way, I also love Royal Plum. So pretty with purple smoky eyes!
Chris25 says
Orange Fizz looks amazing!
Does anyone else feel really happy when they see product photos of lots of open lipsticks crowded together like that? 🙂 It makes me giddy.
LindaLibraLoca says
My lips need the moisture more than ever this time of year, so I never was completely convinced by the all matte shades.
Erin says
I like sheer colors. It makes warm tones easier for me to wear on my lips. Opaque and warm is a no go! I look super sallow. When my own lip color can shine through some, I can usually pull it off. Even orange.
Nia says
I have Pink Magnolia from the old ones…its glorious! I’ve a plum one to whose name I can’t recall
Kwmechelle says
Finally, something I can pass on. Lol! Normally, your blog gets me in TROUBLE. Of course, I am slightly guilty of reading it several times a day to stay atop all the latest & greatest in the makeup world. But that’s a minor detail. It’s a rarity I see something you write about that I don’t want. While I think it’s great that they’re buildable, I’d go crazy because I prefer full on, thank you ma’m, in your face, knock down, drag out opacity in one swipe. What, too much? 🙂
Cherie says
I have this in soft plum. It’s absolutely gorgeous on the lips — my go to lipstick this season. On me it is not sheer at all and all I need is one swipe on the lips and I’m good. These are my new favorite lipsticks. I love the formula and they really last well. I’m discovering Clarins makeup and I think their beauty collection is really underrated.
Jessica says
Lippies! I love lippies!
Y. says
Amazing!! I have two clarins…coral tulip and tropical pink and they are the best lipsticks i own!! I’d love to test these..but my wallet won’t:/
Karen do you know of any good berry lipsticks that would go with nc30 (olive-yellow) skin? A mua at sephora suggested smashbox fig which i love but im looking for something a bit more berry (brighter/lighter) for more casual wear and possibly a drugstore version if at that..
Kiss & Make-up says
Oh these sound (and look) just perfect for me! Want.
Kim says
‘Tis the season for desert dry lips (for me, at least) so these sound fab. Given that I prefer sheer, as well, what’s not to love, right? 🙂
Tatiana says
I have one of these in Rosewood. I love it so much I want to buy more!! Since it got cold in the Bay Area, my lips have been dryer than they’ve ever been, so it’s nice to wear a moisturizing formula. Maybe I have a heavy hand, but I didn’t find Rosewood all that sheer. Lol, as I smear lipstick all over my face like a 5yr. old.
Lauren says
FYI, Fragrancenet.com has a bunch of shades in the old packaging for reduced prices. With the extra 25% off that you can get with a code, most of them are $12-$16.