For me, lipstick is the best pick-me-up ever. If I could only wear one item of makeup, lipstick would be it. So I always love the opportunity to try out a new lipstick or two. Luckily for me, Clarins, one of my go-to French cosmetics brands from before my blogging days, obliged.
I received two Joli Rouge Velvet lipsticks and Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil.
Joli Rouge Velvet Matte & Moisturizing Long Wear Lipstick
I’m sure you’re tired of me complaining about my dry lips, but that is a key factor in how I evaluate lipsticks for my own use. So “matte & moisturizing” sounded promising to me. Here’s how Clarins describes the lipstick:
“Created with exclusive Velvet Booster+ Complex, this creamy lightweight texture delivers intense long-wearing, luminous, matte color that softens, comforts and moisturizes lips for 6 full hours. Hydrates with Organic Marsh Samphire extract. Nourishes with Organic Apricot oil.”
In terms of the formula, Joli Rouge Velvet is a winner for me. It is pigmented, goes on quite smoothly, covers in one swipe though it can be intensified further with an additional swipe, and it doesn’t bleed. It has a matte finish but never makes lips look dry. It does last for me for about 6 hours (which is what their testing showed). If I eat a meal, the color fades somewhat but my lips still look like they have color.
Joli Rouge Velvet is comfortable for me to wear. It is very lightweight. Although I can’t say that it feels like moisturizing lipstick like say super creamy Too Faced La Crème, my lips feel fine while wearing Joli Rouge Velvet. For my dry lips, I would say the sensation is neither hydrating nor drying for most of the time it’s on. Toward the end of the 6 hours, my lips feel a little drier than when I first applied, but that’s how my lips are with just about any lipstick.
I love the elegant muted gold tubes with the slant top and “Clarins red” inside the cover of the tube. The tip is embossed with the brand name and is shaped to fit the contour of the lips for easy application.
The Joli Rouge Velvet line comes in 20 shades ranging from neutrals to reds to deep plums with cool-toned and warm-toned shades. On the website, you have to scroll right to see all of the shades. I received two shades that are perfect for me:
- Spicy Chili 761V: warm-toned orange-red
- Rose Berry 731V: cool-toned MLBB rose-mauve
I am always on the hunt for a good orange lipstick, and Spicy Chili truly fills the bill. On me, it definitely look orange, but the hint of red in the formula makes it more wearable than a straight orange shade. I love it!
Rose Berry is a perfect, pretty everyday shade.
$30 USD for 0.1 oz. Joli Rouge Velvet is sold on the Clarins/Clarins USA website and at US department stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s, and Harrod’s and Selfridge’s in the UK.
Ingredients: Diisostearyl Malate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone, Helianthusannuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire D?Abeille, Paraffin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea)Butter, Polyethylene, Prunus Armeniaca(Apricot) Kernel Oil, Disteardimoniumhectorite, Synthetic Wax, Octyldodecylpca, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum/Fragrance, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Propylenecarbonate, Hydrogenated Microcrystallinewax, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Tribehenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Lactic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, +/- May Contain/Peut Contenir : Mica, Tin Oxide, Silica, Calcium Aluminumborosilicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ci 77891/Titanium Dioxide, Ci 77491/Ci 77492/Ci 77499/Iron Oxides, Ci 15850/Red 6/Red 6 Lake/Red7/Red 7 Lake, Ci 15985/Yellow 6 Lake, Ci42090/Blue 1 Lake/Blue 1, Ci 75470/Carmine, Ci 19140/ Yellow 5/ Yellow 5 Lake, Ci 45410/Red 27/Red 27 Lake/Red 28/Red 28lake, Ci 73360/Red 30 Lake, Ci 17200/Red33 Lake, Ci 45380/Red 21/Red 22 Lake, Ci 77742/Manganese Violet.
Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil
I rushed out and bought Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil when it first came out. It was during Ulta’s 20% spring sale about 3 years ago, I think. It was the first, or at least one of the first, lip oils on the market. I also had the opportunity to try the lip oil from Milani, and Clarins’ Lip Comfort Oil was the hands down winner. So I was thrilled when Clarins sent me a sophisticated-looking square glass gold topped bottle of the Lip Comfort Oil in gorgeous Red Berry Glam, red with gold flecks that you can see in the bottle.
Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil is formulated with 100% pure plant oils from hazelnut and organic jojoba for plumping and soothing lip protection. I can never have enough of hydrating, protective lip products like this.
It comes with a big, curved applicator that delivers just the right amount of Lip Comfort Oil to deliver deep hydration and a mirror-like tinted shine with subtle gold flecks to my often parched lips. It feels so juicy and soothing going on.
The Lip Oil can be used alone on lips for subtle color and shine, under lipstick to nourish lips or over lipsticks for a glossy finish. I tend to wear it either alone or over lipstick.
Considering how emollient this Lip Oil is, it is not hugely sticky. I don’t know how they do it, but it isn’t a terrible hair magnet, lol. I’ve been trying out a lot of lip balms lately, but this one is so unique and the juiciest of all.
Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil comes in 7 shades. The bottle contains 0.1 fl. oz. and is priced at $26. It is sold on the Clarins website, Sephora, Ulta and department stores.
Ingredients: Polyglyceryl- 2 Isostearate/Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Corylus Avellana (Hazel) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Fragrance, Vanillin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diisostearyl Malate, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Ci 42090/Blue 1 Lake, Tocopherol, [M3143A/03].
Have you tried Clarins lipsticks or the Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil?
What gorgeous shades! It’s nice to hear that the mattes are lightweight and comfortable. They look so beautiful on you! That lip oil is definitely something that I would wear all of the time. I will have to go check it out!
You rock Spicy Chili, they both look great on you but I love the bold lip! I need that lip oil in my life. It’s got the right amount of tint!
I very rarely wear lip products with shimmer etc in them so I’d probably still do better with one of the clear popsicle-like oil colours, but oh wow yours is SO PRETTY. Next time I’m in the department store I’ll have to see if they have a tube of that one just so I can turn it upside down and watch the shimmery bits move around like a snowglobe. <—- so easily amused. lol
And I should pick up a Joli Rouge lipstick while I'm at it. Those velvets look lovely. Judy is right- you rock that chili shade! 😀
The Clarins Instant Light Lip Shimmer Oil feels so freakin’ great on my lips! And it does give a bit of a color boost to bare lips or amps up the color of lipsticks and adds a little shimmer – not over the top though. The Clarins lipsticks are pretty darn fabulous, though pricey. If you search online, however, there are deals to be had. Also, there are 3 finishes: matte, satin and something else but I can’t remember what – glossy, maybe? I’m wearing Rose Berry today, but I agree Spicy Chili is my kind of shade. Thank you xoxo
I love Spicy Chili and Rose Berry on you, Allison! I haven’t tried much from Clarins, for some reason, I am never drawn to the brand but these lipsticks are tempting me!
I understand, Shireen. Clarins tends to be a classic French beauty brand that may seem a bit quiet compared to all the indie brands and big budget brands around today. But they have some terrific products. I love both of these matte hippies, and I don’t tend to gravitate to mattes. Their Lip Comfort Oil was a very innovative product when it launched 3 years ago, and I still love it.
I have one of those lip oils and i absolutely love the applicator for it! Ands it’s super shiny!
You hit the nail on the head, Claudia!
Spicy Chili is perfect for you!
Thank you!
Those lippies are so pretty on you. I’m intrigued with a moisturizing matte and I’d love to try that lip oil.
Thank you! I can wear the Clarins Joli Rouge Velvet lipsticks all day. At the end of the day, my lips may be slightly drier than in the morning, but truthfully, my lips are dry at the end of the day regardless of what I have been wearing. But these are definitely wearable and comfortable, while most mattes for me are not. The Lip Comfort Oil is just that – divine.
You know I love Rose Berry. I haven’t tried Clarins makeup in ages, but I recently picked up the BB Perfector from duty free in Singapore, and am obsessed – tinted mineral SPF that’s so easy to reapply!
I think both are pretty on you.
Those lippies are so flattering!
What a pretty lip oil! I’ve used many tinted balms, but I think this may be the better way to go to keep my lips soft.
I love Spicy Chili, that is the perfect orange!
I agree – the red in it makes it so wearable!
Love spicy chili. It looks like a fantastic lipstick.
Ooo I love Rose Berry! Then again I also just LOVE lipstick!
I just started using the lip oil again. I forgot how great it is!
I’ve never heard of lip oil before! Now I want to go investigate!
This is a new to me brand and I am loving that Rose Berry. Looks like a shade I could pull off.
i love clarins lispticks! they are really comfortable to wear and their formula is so good!
I’m glad you’re a Clarins fan, too, Claire!
I tried a lip balm by Clarins that I really enjoyed — now I’m intrigued about that lip stain!
I really love both of the lipsticks. It would be hard to choose. The Clarins lip oil is still on my wish list
You would absolutely love the lip oil, Shelley, but check the ingredient list just in case!