My lower lip quivered like Jell-O jiggling on a school lunch tray the first time I touched one of these new $22 Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Gels.
That’s because it promised moisture — and lots of it — something my perpetually parched lips always crave.
Shiny like a lip gloss and moisturizing like a balm, Crystal Pink and Crystal Plum make me look like I’ve been kissing Jell-O, or strawberry and raspberry jelly, which is kind of weird but also cool.
Good jelly, too. None of that shiny slime that washes up on shore, or like when you take out a bowl of cold, fatty gravy from the fridge and it wiggles like The Blob when you move it back and forth.
Ewww…
Nope, not like that.
Just a translucent veil of wet color, almost like I’m holding a piece of shiny red or purple cellophane up to my lips.
Moisturizing, non-sticky and smooth, the formula feels somewhat thick, which I like, because it seems to keep the gel from straying beyond my natural lip line.
To apply, I just dab a small amount with the angled tip applicator directly on my lips, and oh! — they taste and smell like yummy blackberries. Then I press my lips together to distribute the gel.
Crystal Pink goes on as a barely-there strawberry red, and Crystal Plum, as a dainty berry. I think both are cute, casual and perfect for pool parties…
Pool party!?
Yes, please. Just tell me where and when. 🙂
As for wear time, as long as I’m not sipping or snacking, they last about three hours on my lips.
PRICE: $22 each
AVAILABILITY: Limited edition, and available now at Clarins counters and online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. How’s it going over there? Did anything nice or unexpected happen to you today?
Heidi says
Those look so, so pretty! Why can’t everything be so shiny and super moisturizing? Why can’t they always go hand in hand?
I’m still recovering from last week’s pool party I attended, which was for a 9 year-old’s birthday party, so not that relaxing.
I’m going to meet a friend up in Healdsburg for lunch tomorrow at a place I’ve never been to before but it sounds really, really yummy:
http://www.theparishcafe.com/
Karen says
Hi Heidi,
Seriously. Why does shiny so often go hand in hand with drying? It’s cruel.
Oh boy. I bet that pool party was LOUD!
Have fun at lunch today. I just checked out the menu and the breakfast stuff looks AMAZING! You’ll have to let me know if I need to go and eat there.
Heidi says
Oh, girl, you SO need to get up here and go to this restaurant! They stop serving breakfast at 11:30 so if you want that menu you’ll have to be an early bird. My friend couldn’t meet up until 1pm so lunch it was. So many choices for po’ boy sandwiches. I had the shrimp one, my friend had the catfish one. AMAZING! Oh, and we won’t discuss how quickly we scarfed down an order of beignets!
Helena says
They both look really pretty! Clarins are bringing out amazing lip products
Seaside Beauty
xxx
Karen says
Yes they do!
Paddychat says
I prefer the pink (red ?!) one, but both look nice, and you look very pretty and chic with this “blouse” (word in english ???) and necklaces.
Karen says
Hi Paddychat,
Yes, that’s the word in English. You can also say top or shirt. 🙂
Becca @ The Beauty Sample says
I would be sorely tempted to pick up one (or both–they’re so pretty!) of these if it weren’t for the fact that I have a LOT of lip products that are just gathering dust that I need to attempt to use up before I can even think about buying anything else!! I’m hoping to make a significant dent in my stash so that by the time the new Armani sheer lippie/balms come out, I will be able to buy with wild abandon without the guilt. Well most of it, anyway 😛
Karen says
Good luck, Becca!
Kim says
Oooooh, I like the plum. 🙂 I’m definitely a sucker for moisturizing so I’ll have to check these out!!
My great news last night was that the boys didn’t have their game (in the pouring rain, thank goodness) because the field was too wet. I went to bed early instead. Yay! 🙂
Karen says
YAY for that! Super jealous. No seriously! I’m extra jealous if you went to bed before 10, LOL.
Kim says
I’m a bit ashamed that I took a quick, pre-bedtime nap at 7:30. Then got up to brush my teeth/wash my face and was actually in bed at 9:30. 🙂 I’ve been up past 11 for the last couple of weeks and it’s been killing me!
Carla N. says
I just got a Clarins Gloss Prodige in “Raspberry,” and I LOOOVE it.
I think I’m going to be “needing” more Clarins lip products in the future!
I only wish they offered a broader shade selection – that’s the only thing I miss about MAC!
Jennifer says
These are so very pretty! I love them! Any nice pinks?
Rae // theNotice says
Ooh, these sound fantastic! I have a couple of the Colour Quench Lip Balms and Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balms, but the shimmer in the former and lack of hydration in the latter were dealbreakers for me. These “lip gels” sound like the perfect middle ground between the two — I’ll have to keep an eye out for them! 🙂
Alison says
I LOVE the look of these! There’s something wonderfully glassy and not-goopy about them. Crystal Plum looks like my kind of shade!