Clarins Satin Finish Age Defying Lipstick: 01 Nude Rose

For Spring 2013, Clarins released a new formula in their lipstick range, Rouge Eclat – Satin Finish Age Defying Lipsticks, which combine highly nourishing, age-defying benefits with luminous , satin finish colour. The formula is enriched with plant based waxes of mimosa, jojoba and sunflower, and also contains cocoa butter and a Nutri-Youth Complex, which according to Clarins, helps to create fuller, younger-looking lips with every use. 

There are 15 shades available in the range, which contains some really nice, soft nudes and pinks (sweet Rose & Petal Pink), as well as some brighter, more vibrant colours (Juicy Clementine & Pink Fuchsia). I've been on the hunt for a new nude lipstick recently, so I opted for one of the more natural colours n the line up, 01 Nude Rose, which is a soft, natural, fairly light, nude pink. 

Now, I'm not sure about the Nutri-Youth Complex and antiaging claims, but I will say that the formula, texture and feel of Clarins Age-Defying lipsticks are really lovely. The lipsticks have a blackberry and liquorice scent, which is a bit different and actually quite delicious It's quite strong upon application, but fades fairly quickly after the colour's been applied. The lip colours have a soft, buttery texture, which glides on nicely and creates a full opaque finish with a couple of swipes. The formula feels incredibly comfortable and light-weight (almost balm like but with less slip), and feels quite hydrating, too. I was really quite surprised at how comfy these do actually feel on the lips considering the colour pay off/how pigmented they are. 

Clarins Nude Rose, Armani 04, Dior 384 & Guerlain 550

Above, Nude Rose swatched next to some other pink-y/rose nude shades; Armani Shine Lipstick 04, Dior 384 Rose Scenario, and Guerlain Beige Nude 550. And below, a photo of the shade applied.

As with most hydrating formulas, I don't find lasting power to be great , but I do get a good 4 hours wear before I need to reapply, and a delicate stain is left behind as colour fades. I imagine the subtle stain would be much more noticeable with the darker, more vibrant shades from the range. When the colour does wear off, I've found my currently dry lips still feel quite soft and comfortable, so the cocoa butter, plant based wax formulation does seem to do a pretty good job at keeping lips nicely hydrated. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with these lipsticks. The comfortable, lightweight formula feels lovely, and Nude Rose is a fantastic natural shade that seems to work well on my fairly pigmented lips. I've been a big fan of the brand's foundation for years, but have never paid much attention to the rest of the make-up on offer. After trying their Age-defying lipsticks, I'm very tempted to give some of the lip products a go (the Joli Rouge Brillant Perfect Shine's look like a nice optiion for summer), and have my eye on a few other shades from the Age-Defy range, too.

All of the shades are available from escentual and cost £14.80.