Love is a strong word, and while I definitely love make-up in general, it less common that I find products that I truly, truly *heart*.
Step up Clinique‘s Holiday 2011 selection – entitled ‘Sugarfrosted’, and all about eyes. A collection that includes a creamy eyeliner, long lasting eye colour and high impact mascara, the intention is to combine shimmer and impact to get some serious party eye glamour this Christmastime.
Let’s start with the eye colour… Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8-Hour Eye Colour (RRP £17) , to be precise. With sugary-sweet names like ‘Pinkgo Biloba’, ‘Born Fresia’ and ‘Sassy-fras’, these dinky tubes of creamy, slightly shimmery cream-to-powder eye colour also have a rather fabulous, innovative ‘cooling applicator’. This is the metal part you squeeze the product out of and use to apply it to the eyelid. It always remains cold (at least every time I’ve checked), giving a quick revitalisation to the eye area as you apply the colour. Novel and fabulous. The colour itself is apparently laced with nourishing, skin-caring ingredients. Even better.
The Quickliner for Eyes Intense (£13.50) is the true darling of this collection. I am, quite simply, hooked and have not looked at my usual liquid liner since acquiring these beauties.
Creamy and gel-like in its formulation, these self-sharpening eye liner pencils go on effortlessly and, best of all, last absolutely all day without any transference at all. I have now tried day-long wear with several of the shades and have been impressed with the longevity each time.
As I type, I am wearing ‘Intense Plum’. I put it on (over Clinique Colour Surge Eyeshadow in Black Honey, £23, which also stays amazingly fresh for hours on end) at about 8 o’clock this morning. Almost 12 hours on and while I feel less than fabulous, my eyes still look as fresh as when I applied the make-up. And when the time does come to remove this liner, it comes off easily with no need to heavy rubbing or tugging. In four equally gorgeous limited edition shades, I cannot rave about this eyeliner enough.
Completing the Sugarfrosted collection is a limited edition shade of Clinique’s High Impact Mascara (Brightening Black – £15). Also extremely long-wearing, despite not being waterproof, this mascara gives lovely, elongated lashes.
I should also point out that I wear contact lenses and have not (as yet) had any problems wearing any of the above products for the entire day.
We Love: The Quickliner in particular – an absolute winner of a product. Gentle, easy application, stays put all day and comes off easily at night. Fabulous.
Not Crazy About: Nothing to see here. All good. Going to a Cocktail Evening on Friday and can’t wait to use these products to their maximum for truly party-tastic eyes.
Clinique’s Holiday 2011 collection is available nationwide now.
