Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy

I am so, so late to this particular party, that I've practically turned into a pumpkin! The Chanel Rouge Coco Shine 'Lipshines' hit the shelves about a year ago; I remember seeing this vid from Ruth at A Model Recommends and thinking 'nah, not for me' but for some reason, they always lingered in the back of my mind.

I finally had the opportunity to try some out last week, when I nipped into Boots about 10 mins before they were closing (tip, always go to makeup counters last thing as the SAs are balancing the books, cashing tills & wont bother you!). I thought I would go for something pinkier, but when I tried out 'Boy' I loved the taupe/flesh tones & snapped one up.

What Chanel say...

ROUGE COCO SHINE makes an irresistible desire for lightness flit over your makeup. With its mischievous touch, it glides over lips with all the charm and freshness of a snapshot.

As melt-away as a balm, its lip-embracing texture becomes fluid on contact with the lips and provides a stunning gloss effect with natural shine. Deliciously fresh and soft, it delivers an unforgettable sensation of well-being.

Lips are enveloped in the incomparable comfort of continuous 8-hour-long hydration thanks to the Hydratender complex, the secret behind the softness of the ROUGE COCO range.

These lovely little lipshines are indeed 'melty', blending into the lip like a lovely light lipbalm with a high shine. Like Ruth, I've been wearing mine instead of a lipbalm & my lips have been feeling super soft. Incredibly, I've noticed that they don't slip off after 1/2 hr and do manage a good 2-3hrs wear; given how light they are, I think this is excellent.

My lips are often the last thing I think about when I'm doing my makeup & I never wear lipstick unless it's the feature of my look for that night. I usually find them drying & can never be bothered with the lunchtime trip to the ladies to 'freshen' my makeup. I normally rely on lipbalms to polish my lips up, but this is a firm favourite replacement. I love that the colour just evens out the tone of my lips without colouring them too much & shine finishes the look off nicely. The biggest bonus about these is that the glossy finish is not in the least bit sticky, meaning I can wear my hair down AND wear a lip colour without fear of my hair getting gloopy.

If you fancy getting your mitts on one of these lovelies, but don't like the £23 price tag, head on over to Buyapowa where they have a co-buy coming up for Rouge Coco Shine in 'Chance'. Knowing how good the deals are, I'm hoping this will be down to about £15-£16! You can enter your email address so you're notified as soon as it goes live, which I hope is soon!

Clarins Ever Matte Foundation & Powder

The 'Ever Matte' foundation is a new offering from Clarins and I quite simply love it. I got sent a tube (? bottle? I'm not sure what to call this packaging?) a few weeks ago, around the same time I discovered Chanel Perfection Lumier. I discarded this to the 'test later' drawer in favour of my new discovery from Chanel & didn't really give it a second thought. I eventually pulled it out & gave it a go. I was blown away by how lovely it is and I've used it every day since. I've actually been & purchased 2 other bottles/tubes so I have a nice range of shades.

Here's what Clarins say...

The perfect shine-control, balancing foundation for women looking for matte skin in any circumstance. Its plant-based "Skin Detox" complex regulates production of sebum and tightens pores. The fluid, lightweight texture perfectly melts into the skin, allowing it to breathe without any drying effect. The complexion is enhanced with an imperceptible matte veil which remains flawless from morning to night.

As usual, there's guff about tightening pores & other science-bothering info, but for once I agree with most of what's said. It is oil-free, but is not powdery or drying & therefore would be suitable for almost any skin. If your skin is nearing the extreme dry end of the scale, I'd suggest giving it a miss, but anything else - this will give you a lovely, medium-full coverage, that still manages to look like skin.

The other amazing 'plus' is the fact it does last from morning to night. In fact, I tweeted the other day...

"had such a good hair & makeup day today. love when that happens. plus Clarins' Ever Matte foundation is the SH*T"

The other product pictured is the Mineral Powder Compact, which is delightful. It has a sublime fresh scent; like sweet cucumbers. I suck at describing things. But trust me, these products are seriously worth checking out, even if your skin is normal. Do. It.

Artificial Light Natural Light

The foundation is available at counters for £24 and the powder is available for £25