No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick

RRP: £9.95
# of shades available: 35

--What does the promo say?--
"Nourish your lips with No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick, this moisturising formulation keeps your lips smooth and soft. Hypo-allergenic. Fragrance free. SPF 15. Intense lip colour. Satin finish."

--Packaging--
An ergonomic tapered design whose lid closes securely. The No7 embossed logo, as well as the black casing, is equally elegant, and the lipstick itself is cut to a curve that sits well on the lips during application.

--Application--
Use the stick itself, or a lip brush to apply colour directly to the lips, taking extra care around the Cupid's bow to ensure neatness.

--Scent--
Fragrance free, as mentioned in the promotional materials. Not overly chemical or waxy either.

--Appearance--
As promised, the finish is satin-like: mostly matte with a slight shine. New shades have also been added for autumn: Honey Bloom, Caramel Silk, and Tawny Rose, which I was sent to test by No7's PR. These new shades are dusky and flattering in appearance; even those that on first glance might appear too dark or bright look far more naturally flushed on the skin.

--Texture and consistency--
As promised, these lipsticks moisturise impressively, making them perfect for autumn and winter, when the colder weather begins to dry out skin.

--Longevity--
Lasts impressively, especially given the product's moisturisation qualities (which can make lipstick fade more quickly). You can eat and drink with this on and still not need to reapply for a while.

--Value for money--
This delivers function and form - i.e., luxury and utility. It's also inexpensive, with value increased further thanks to Boots' frequent special offers on No7 products. Would recommend!

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Match Made Concealer, £7.50
Natural Blush Tint Powder, £8.00

Mary Kay Limited Edition One Woman Can Creme Lipstick

RRP: £13

--What does the promo say?--
"Limited-edition Beauty That Counts^®Mary Kay^® Creme Lipstick,  in the shade One Woman Can™, celebrates Mary Kay’s 50th anniversary as the creme lipstick that gives back. Berry-pink shade looks great on everyone. Long-wearing, stay-true formula glides on easily. Helps protect lips with antioxidants. Provides instant moisture."

--Packaging--
The pale gold tube is fairly standard, in all honesty. Something at least partly transparent would be better so that the beautiful swirls of lipstick could be seen more immediately. However, it does the job, with the lid remaining secure.

--Application--
Apply straight from the tube or using a lip brush to clean dry lips. For a subtler look, apply just to the bottom lip before pressing together with the top lip for a paler result. Two dots of lipstick on each lip, and then blending, will do the same thing.

--Appearance--
Depending on which side of the lipstick you get more of when applying, results can vary from a darker berry to a brighter fuschia. The latter may be a bit full-on for some, so I'd recommend blotting for a more muted effect as mentioned above. Nonetheless, both colours in the stick should suit just about everyone. 

--Texture and consistency--
Beautifully smooth and soft thanks to the oodles of natural waxes and oils this contains. Lipstick's come a long way from those very drying days.

--Longevity--
About the same as most modern lippies, to be honest - although longer than you'd expect perhaps for something that glides on so smoothly and has so few artificial additives.

--Value for money--
This is a high-quality product that uses ingredients straight from nature, and its price tag of £13 competes favourably with lipsticks from brands with similar ideologies (Aveda, Origins and Bare Escentuals charge the same for their lip colours in department stores). With that in mind, I'd buy again once my free lippy from Mary Kay's lovely PR people has run out :)

perfect partners
TimeWise Age-Fighting Lip Primer, £16
Satin Lips Set, £19
Retractable Lip Brush, £2

Bohemian Chic Minerals Lip Gloss

 RRP: £15
# of shades available: 19
purchase from http://bohemianchicminerals.co.uk/lip-gloss

--What does the promo say?--
"A natural and organic lip-gloss, made from the finest natural, organic oils and waxes for a smooth application with the right amount of colour and shine to give your  lips a perfectly enhanced appearance of fuller, gorgeous lips! Suitable for acne prone skin and sensitive skin. Preservative free. Nano-particle free; bismuth-oxychloride free; 100% pure and  natural minerals. Suitable for Vegans and Halal use."

--Packaging--
A standard plastic tube with application wand included. My only complaint is that all of the writing on the tube is a bit small, meaning it's quite difficult to read and wouldn't necessarily stand out as being from this particular brand.

--Application--
Dot onto the bottom lip and blend in with your finger for a subtle effect, before pressing lips together to transfer the colour. Use the wand across both lips for a more dramatic look.

-Appearance--
The shade I was sent, Burlesque, is the one that's sampled above. In reality it's less of a red wine colour and more of a slightly rusty or coppery red, which sounds worse than it is! In fact, it's a very natural-looking colour that suits my lips perfectly when applied using the 'subtle' method mentioned above (I felt that using the wand all over my lips would be a bit full-on for me). The wide range of shades available online means that there should definitely be a shade to suit everyone - although the French resident and general pedant within me does hope that by "Bourdoux" they actually mean "Bordeaux"!

--Texture and consistency--
Smooth and not at all sticky. Strangely, not like a gloss at all! More like a lip tint (think Benetint or its numerous copies) in that it 'dries' on the lips. It does this, though, without cracking or being paint-like, and it is marginally thicker than a traditional lip stain (these tend to be more liquid). 

--Longevity--
Excellent - it doesn't quite last as long as traditional lip tints, but will mostly get through a meal, and as its consistency is less like a gloss than normal, it definitely goes above and beyond most products marketed as a gloss. Its lip stain-style qualities are such that it could also be used as a cheek stain.

--Value for money--
£15 initially seems expensive. However, when you consider its longevity, natural-looking colour and multi-use properties, I would definitely purchase another when mine runs out. An excellent product for travel, swimming, and any other moment where you need to save on money, space and time. 

perfect partner
Lipstick, £14 

Vani-T Mineral Lip Colour

RRP: £23.25

Purchase online from www.nuusuite.com or www.sotanned.co.uk

UK stockists: Gemini Beauty Supplies (0774 3879 336), Beauty Revolution (07731950627)

# of shades available: 12 (Babydoll, Bare, Bombshell, Earth Angel, French Kiss, Frisky Business, Glamarazzi, Goddess, Negligée, Screen Siren, Sugar Sugar, Viva La Glam)

--What does the promo say?--

"Infused with Vitamin E, Coconut Oil and Aloe Extract for hydration, Vani-T's diamanté-encrusted lipsticks are the ultimate in creamy, long lasting, colour-rich mineral lip colour. The latest in organic and natural beauty, these luscious lipsticks don't contain any nasty chemicals! Available in an array of 12 colours, you can choose from nudes to apricots, to dusty roses, pinks and reds. A shade for every dance floor, desk, and dinner date!"

--Packaging--

Large chunks of diamanté-style plastic (it is hardly fair to call them actual diamanté) adorn these lipstick canisters to give a bling effect that differentiates entirely from products that are currently available. You'd definitely have no trouble picking these out on the shelf, especially thanks to the metallic peach cardboard boxes they arrive in too. The box has a handy cutout circle on the base so you can see the shade of lipstick clearly, and there's a vintage look to the thing overall thanks to the swirly black script on the box. It's very different, too, to other mineral beauty brands, which tend to go for pale pastels and often shy from anything bolder. The tube twists up normally like a regular lipstick.

--Application--

Slap it on straight from the tube or use a lip brush for extra contouring.

--Appearance--

Quality-wise, the strength of colour competes well with major commercial brands. Unfortunately, though, I didn't especially like either of the two shades I was sent for testing: the bright red Screen Siren proved too brash against my pale skin, while Frisky Business, a pale beige, blended almost too well, making my entire face seem almost the same colour all over. Clever use of bolder cheek and eye colours is needed to compete with it. However, as these are just two out of 12 available shades, it proves that there's almost surely a shade for everyone (I'd be surprised if none of the remaining 10 fit my needs).

--Scent--

Just a very light hint of beeswax: no overwhelming wax crayon or Playdoh-type smells here.

--Texture and consistency--

Super-smooth and soft both to apply and to wear; not at all slippery, greasy or drying. In short: perfect! The coconut oil is probably responsible for that along with the beeswax.

--Longevity--

Sadly I didn't find that the colour lasted any longer than a conventional lipstick. Still, you can't have it all I suppose.

--Value for money--

For some people the mineral concept is extremely valuable, and avoiding putting parabens, mineral oils, preservatives, petrochemicals, artificial colours and so on into their bodies is very important to them. Sometimes this can be achieved cheaply (Green People's organic lipsticks go for around £11, with other mineral brands like Bellapierre and Inika also pitching their prices here), but it seems from a quick sweep of Google Shopping that the £20-£25 price bracket is about standard for mineral lipsticks, so Vani-T certainly aren't out to fleece the concerned consumer. Garden Pharmacy and Tender Loving Skincare's lipsticks go for this price, too. But all depends on people's budgets, and the point is that proper mineral makeup (unlike the highly dubious 'mineral' makeup peddled by brands like L'Oreal and Maybelline) is widely accessible to all from about £10 per lipstick. So even if you can't afford Vani-T, it can at least serve as an impetus for you to support the mineral makeup industry, whose products can be just as good, rather than running to the big brands every time. I know it's changed my attitude.

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Pure White Tooth Whitening Gloss, £22.05

Mineral Lip Glaze, £14.85

Mineral Lip Crayon, £16

Mineral Lip Definer, £13.75

Lip Brush, £17.15

Clinique Vitamin C Antioxidant Lip Smoothie Lip Colour

RRP: £13.50
# of shades available: 10

--What does the promo say?--
"We’ve squeezed in the best ingredients, like Vitamin C, and powered-up antioxidants so lips look feel their healthy best. Brushes on luscious colour, shine and moisture."

--Packaging--
Clinque continues to cash in on the fashionable click-pen, as they did with their concealer. This uses a silvery colour scheme, distinguishing between shades with a coloured band at the click wheel end. Looks modern and sophisticated overall.

--Application--
In theory this should be easy: twist the click wheel until the product appears at the pen end and paint onto lips.
However, it's a bit more complicated than that as it appears very difficult to get the right amount of product into the brush, leading to wastage. Literally as soon as you see *any* trace of the product in the bristles, stop twisting: it WILL be enough, even if it doesn't look like it will be.

--Scent--
None; the good news is that this means no slightly-dubious Playdoh smell. The bad news is that this doesn't actually remind you of a fruit smoothie.

--Appearance--
The colour I was sent (Berry Boost) seemed a bit too bright or strong on the lips for me, but I'd be more likely to put that down to my hair colour and skin tone, and a therefore unfortunate choice of shade, than to any inherent fault in the product. The shininess was certainly impressive, however, and when applied very sparingly, the colour does too.

--Texture/consistency--
A little bit sticky, I found to my regret.

--Longevity--
Average.

--Value for money--
The lack of control in the click wheel and the stickiness of the product lead me to feel that this product is perhaps a little expensive (especially considering that you only get 1.5ml for your money). If these things were improved, and if Clinique also played more on the smoothie theme in the scent, the product would be greatly ameliorated overall. It being as it is, however, for now I'd advise (for the same money, or thereabouts) going for lip glosses by Estée Lauder or Too Faced.

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Lip Stick

RRP: £8.99
# of shades available: 24

--What does the promo say?--
"L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Lipstick shades have been created to suit over 30 natural lip shades. L’Oréal Paris’ first range of tailor-made shades, developed according to 4 phenotypes: blonde, light brunette, dark brunette, dark-skin tones. All lipstick shades are classified into 6 colour categories: nude, coral, pink, red, plum and brown. The oils and emollient pastes are well-balanced to create a creamy texture, with stand out colour. L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Lipsticks are formulated to suit every type of make-up look; from neutral day time, to evening high glamour. The textures and effects provide either a glossy, satin or matte finish."

--Packaging--
L'Oreal has reverted to squarish packaging, while the current fashion seems to be for rounder lipstick canisters, and squarer lipgloss tubes. The transparent plastic on the middle band is very Thierry Mugler-ish and edgy, and the lid comes off easily when you want it to, while closing securely when you don't.

--Application--
The lipstick's end is cut off flatly rather than being tapered; whether this aids or hinders application depends on your point of view. I personally found application to be hassle-free. Can be worn with L'Oreal's Studio Secrets matching lip liners and lip glosses, or can be worn alone.

--Scent--
While I can't speak for all 24 shades, Pink 220 for blondes smells like candy floss! Always a pleasant surprise when you're used to the usual waxy odour of current market lipsticks.

--Texture/consistency--
Very smooth on initial application, although can become a little drying later.

--Appearance--
Whether Pink 220 just wasn't right for me, or for what I was wearing when I tested it, I just didn't feel that it pushed my buttons. The colour was beyond candy floss - almost a sort of neon pink. Probably would look better on blondes with more tanned skin, which perhaps suggests that L'Oreal should take their personalisation strategy further and match, say, two of the colours available of the 6 per hair colour to skin tone as well (thus subdividing each hair colour category into lipstick colours for pale, tanned, and dark skin). I did like the matte finish, though, and would be prepared to try the nude colours available for blondes.

--Longevity--
Relatively good - I'd say 5 or 6 hours (though as I said, it does become a little drying on the lips as time goes on, even while the colour remains).

--Value for money--
While the concept of this is nice, and L'Oreal have brought their lipsticks properly into the 21st century with this, I would rather go for a lipstick from the brand with a more reliable personalisation strategy (their Made for Me Naturals range, which looks more realistic and is less drying on the lips). They're doing the right thing with this, and allowing consumers to tailor their makeup choices according to hair, skin and eye colour is something that's worked well for them in the past - but with this there are definitely some improvements to be made.

perfect partners
L'Oreal Studio Secrets Ultra-Glossy Lip Lacquer, £7.99
L'Oreal Studio Secrets High Definition Lip Liner, £4.99

Lancôme Laque Fever

RRP: £17
# of colours available: 4

--What does the promo say?--
"Excellent definition of contours. Ultra-polished and even colour. Shine and intensity, maximized colour."

--Packaging--
Silvery, retro and jetsetting, complete with a band of fuschia pink and the matte Lancôme flower logo. The applicator is a little difficult to pull out from the tube, as the plastic 'sponge' is quite large and petal-shaped, but there's no mess and no fuss. Looks young and modern.

--Application--
Apply one coat of the lip colour to your lips, carefully following your lips' natural lines. Blot with a tissue if necessary.

--Scent--
None - not even that usual slightly chemical or waxy scent you can get with lip products. SCORE.

--Texture/consistency--
The best way to describe it is like paint; it combines the liquid of a gloss, but without the viscosity, and the smooth waxiness of a lipstick without the solidness. There are no drips when you take the applicator from the tube. Sadly, on the lips, it can feel slightly sticky, though it is in no way drying (you may wish to use lip balm to combat the tackiness, though you would then lose the lip colour's matte appearance).

--Appearance--
The colour is surprisingly bold and yet somehow still natural-looking (while the range of colours seems surprisingly limited, one of these will suit just about everyone). Blotting works well, however, if you feel it is too bold or that you will look washed out if you have paler skin. The finished look is totally matte with no shimmer or shine, but it unifies the face, draws attention to the lips, and looks great with a subtle shadow, a simple blush, and a wow-factor mascara.

--Longevity--
Excellent - withstands eating and drinking without feathering. Only two applications needed per day (perhaps even just one if you don't do like me and over-blot on the first go).

--Value for money--
The tackiness is the only disappointing thing about this lip colour. The colour range is great in terms of there being something for everyone, the colour itself is long-lasting, and the product is generally of a high quality (and all just for £4 more than a Benefit lip gloss). Good work.

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Lancôme Le Vernis Nail Colour in Piha Black, £14
Lancôme Pink Punk & Black Eyeshadow Palette, £30.50
Lancôme Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black, £17

Clarins Instant Gloss

RRP: €14/$22 (not out in the UK yet, but I'm sure it will be soon)

--What does the promo say?--
"This innovative lip gloss is totally transparent and reacts on contact with the lips instantly transforming their natural colour into a customized shade just for you."

--Packaging--
Pretty innocuous really - while it's different to other brands in the sense that most other gloss tubes are not bright red, within the Clarins brand you wouldn't know this gloss from any other (not sure whether that's good or bad). Can be a little difficult to squeeze the gloss from the tube sometimes.

--Application--
As mentioned above, this is perhaps achieved with some difficulty at times, but just slick this onto your lips and you're good to go. It definitely doesn't gloop all over the place, though - you just might have to squeeze the tube with a little more force than you're usually accustomed to.

--Scent--
Again, as with the previous Clarins gloss that I tried, it's a little soapy. Shame.

--Texture/consistency--
Near on perfect: not sticky, not runny, and feels encouragingly smooth.

--Appearance--
Initially all you get is the transparent high shine that you expect from Clarins' lip glosses. Give it a few minutes though, and you get a sort of half-matte, half-shiny, definitely there dusky rose pink colour in the gloss. The colour also lasts way beyond the shine factor, which is interesting. Looks very natural and will fit in with just about any look no matter what your skin tone, so definitely very diverse and adaptable. Good for just about anything from a day at work to a romantic date.

--Longevity--
Interestingly, as said above, the general glossiness lasts averagely, but the colour itself stays the distance, without drying out your lips.

--Value for money--
At the same price (and perhaps cheaper than) a Benefit lip gloss, I think you're getting very good value here, even if the colour change isn't *instant* and generally isn't as good/as dramatic as Thierry Mugler's colour-changing lip colour. You don't need to use very much at a time and the product generally delivers on its promise. A good solid product.

Benefit Posie Tint

RRP: $28/£22.50 for 12.5ml

--What does the promo say?--
"The cheekiest flush you can get from a bottle. Our petal-pink stain plants a kiss of see-through tint on cheeks & lips. With hours of smudge-proof, just-picked perfection, you'll be the prettiest bloom in the bunch!"

--Packaging--
As with everything Benefit, very sleek, fun, and in keeping with their classic, slightly cheeky, 1950s image. The bottle is a shiny pink deal in an equally pink box, with white decoration, though I'd say the box is too big for the bottle and therefore a bit of a case of much ado about nothing. The applicator is much like that seen on nail varnish bottles, and it seems weird to be using this kind of brush to apply something to your face rather than to your nails.

--Application--
The Benefit website provides what it calls 'tips and tricks' for using Posie Tint. "Brush three strokes on the apple of your cheek," it says, "and blend quickly with fingertips. Do the same on your other cheek. Dot on lips & blend with fingertip. For a deeper "pop" of colour, repeat."

--Appearance--
A lurid, bright, almost neon pink liquid is what you first see on drawing the brush from the bottle, which is a little concerning. However, on the face it endows you with a very natural-looking flush on both lips and cheeks, though it is very subtle, and most people (apart from the very palest redheads) will probably need to apply the stuff twice to achieve the desired effect (during my first test, a one-layer application to the lips only, I wasn't even sure if it had worked properly as I could barely see the results).

--Scent--
No discernible scent.

--Texture/consistency--
Liquidy without being too runny, lumpy or sticky. It doesn't cause any irritation to the face, and in fact feels very moisturising on the lips. It also dries in perfect time: not so slowly that you can't continue with the rest of your routine, but not so quickly that you can't finish fast enough.

--Longevity--
The results on the cheeks are excellent: Posie Tint provides a natural blush that lasts all day. However, on the lips, results are poor, with the colour being barely visible to begin with, even with multiple applications, and fading quickly.

--Value for money--
Posie Tint certainly provides the best blusher I've ever used, giving a natural look that lasts all day. However, performance on the lips is disappointing: it's all very well to have a multi-use product, but only when all of the multiple uses work well concurrently (though I realise that this is difficult to achieve). As with the majority of Benefit products, it's also quite expensive for what it is, with the company relying on its pretty packaging to draw the suckers in (luckily for my wallet, mine was a Christmas present). My advice would be to try to procure this on ebay or via other online retailers for less money than the RRP if possible, rather than going directly to the Benefit website or franchises. Once you have done so, you'll have permanently charming winter-flushed cheeks, and a happier bank balance.

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BadGal Lash Mascara, $19/£14.50
That Gal Brightening Face Primer, $28/£19.50
Lust Duster Loose Powder, $18/£13.50

Thierry Mugler Rouge Unique

RRP: €31/$35
# of shades available: 7

--What does the promo say?--
"Indulge your lips with the ultimate pigment explosion. An ultra-sensory texture provides an immediate feeling of softness and comfort, as it glides effortlessly across your lips. Its formula contains a combination of waxes, softening oils and vitamins to protect the lips. The thin, diamond-cut stick offers precise application while the rich colour-intense formula guarantees a long-lasting powerful effect. All shades are presented in a luxurious silver cylinder-shaped applicator adorned with a touch of glass on the cap."

--Packaging--
As promised: silver-bullet style with a touch of glass. A touch of class, too, for that matter: this in no way looks tacky or cheap.

--Application--
Using a lip brush, or just directly from the stick, carefully sleek on the lipstick (for a full-on effect) or gently dab on, for a more understated look.

--Appearance--
This is where things get interesting: I bought this lipstick almost solely for the fact that it has recently come out in blue. The blue magically turns pink when applied to your lips, and this idea very much has an air of 1990s retro about it - it was a time when all the ten-year-old girls in England were buying mood rings and mood lip glosses that allegedly changed colour to reflect your mood. I also couldn't get out of my head the perhaps childish idea of how undyingly chic it would be to be wearing one of my favourite outfits (dark blue Ralph Lauren skinnies, white Fat Face top, blue peeptoe stiletto heels, relevant co-ordinating jewellery, and a white and blue Liz Hurley beach bag) and then utterly complete the whole vision by whipping out a blue lipstick.
Initially I was sceptical and was worried that it would be too purple (and thus draw attention to my fluorosis-plagued teeth). However, while initially the colour turns to a bold purplish-pink, it soon calms down and even starts to look a very natural, berry-stain pink (although it is still brighter than your average nude lipstick). You also need to make sure you rub it into your lips quite well, unless you like that irritating feathering effect at the inside edges of your lips.

--Texture/consistency--
Very smooth, although no more so than other, cheaper lipsticks (e.g. the L'Oréal True Match ones). However, if the promotional material is anything to go by, this could potentially contain more natural materials to achieve this. (The list of ingredients reveals the inclusion of castor seed oil, candelilla wax, synthetic beeswax, and carnauba wax.)

--Longevity--
Sadly, not amazing - although not terrible. Expect to reapply at least 2-3 times a day (although make sure your lip brush is completely dry for optimal results).

--Value for money--
I have no problem admitting that this is the most I have ever spent on a lipstick - I don't think my Guerlain one even cost this much. However, you are buying into an intelligent, young and edgy brand that I think most under-30s would be proud to be associated with; what's more, you are also buying a unique product. If anyone has seen other companies do this colour-changing lipstick thing, please say: but at present none come to mind, and it's perhaps worth your money for the uniqueness factor alone. It's also advisable to buy from a US retailer if possible: as is perhaps self-evident, they get a better deal on Thierry Mugler stuff generally (or so it seems). Don't expect much difference from other brands in terms of longevity or softness - however, I'd be surprised to find anyone displeased with this.

perfect partners
Thierry Mugler Flash Lips Lip Foundation, $39/€31
Thierry Mugler Plexi Gloss, $40/€35

No7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick

RRP: £9.50
no. of shades available: 6

--What does the promo say?--
"No7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick provides sheer, glossy, moisturising colour with SPF15. Hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free."

--Packaging--
A sleek, silver, slightly curvy package, with the No7 logo at the top of the lid in black. It's discreet, subtle and chic, and at 3-4 inches tall, a convenient size too.

--Application--
Apply to the lips straight from the stick. You can use a brush if you so desire, but the consistency of the lipstick (see below) means that this is probably unnecessary.

--Texture/consistency--
To me, this lipstick is the Holy Grail of both a lipstick and a gloss in one easy stick. I think that No7's marketing executives have missed a trick there, with there being no mention of this lipstick's unique consistency in its promotional material. It has the colour and intensity of a lipstick, but with the high shine and the smoothness of a gloss, which is just an absolute joy to wear.

--Appearance--
Shiny, but with a depth of colour not usually seen in lipglosses. There is also a very fine shimmer to this product.

--Longevity--
Sadly not great - it is this product's one downfall.

--Value for money--
I would buy this again in an instance for its amazing texture and natural wetness and colour, especially as part of one of No7's deals.

ELF All Over Color Stick

RRP: £1.50
no. of shades available: 4

--What does the promo say?--
"3 in 1 color for your eyes, lips, and or face! Get the color that illuminates for a healthy glow, and instantly soothes and conditions the skin for fresh and natural color all day long."

--Packaging--
Short, sweet, simple, and oh so dinky. White twisty bottom with ELF logo and product name adorning it in silver text; see-through pull-off protective lid. And that's it! Measuring at a mere two inches tall, you might even be able to fit this one in your purse.

--Application--
Be prepared for this to get messy. Using your fingers (unless you want to cack up all your brushes, you just can't win here), carefully smear this stuff onto your eyes and lips, though you can get liberal with the stick itself on your cheeks before blending. After blending, prepare to wash your hands...
Simple, but messy.

--Appearance--
The stick itself is virtually indistinguishable from its more expensive counterparts at NARS: shimmery, soft, and with a very natural colour. On the face, you can easily fashion for yourself a natural rosy glow for daytime, or vamp up for evening. It's also surprising how good having the same colour all over your face actually looks: sophisticated, effortless and unified.

--Texture/consistency--
Unlike its NARS rivals, this stick is quite soft. While this means the colour blends easily, it also means it's easy to overdo (which can be easily rectified by blending, but still leads to wastage).

--Scent--
The website promises 'sugar orange', and sugar orange is what you get. Deeeeeelicious (though don't hold me responsible if you actually are stupid enough to eat it).

--Longevity--
You shouldn't need to touch this one up all day for your cheeks, but on your eyelids you may struggle with the creases. You may also wish to apply this with lip balm on your lips, as it can feel dry and powdery on its own.

--Value for money--
As with most cream-based formulas, there are more troubles associated with the multi-use concept than there may initially seem. However, this is still an excellent value product that can easily give its higher-end competitors a run for their money.

e.l.f. Elements Customisable Compact

RRP: £7.50 for one refillable compact + 4 'elements' of your choice
no. of shades available: 10 eye colours, 10 lip colours and 5 face powders

--What does the promo say?--
"Start with your compact. Mix and match your desired colours. e.l.f.’s philosophy is that beauty comes from within and it's our goal to enable every woman to look and feel her personal best through the perfect blend of both the inner and outer person. With that goal in mind, e.l.f. cosmetics was born – a line of simple, luxurious, problem-solution tools that allow you to showcase and believe in your unique, personal beauty. Our cosmetics are designed to improve and accentuate the individual, not hide her away."

--About the brand--
e.l.f. (the three letters standing for 'eyes, lips, face') started in New York in 2004 and has been taking the world by storm ever since. It has just arrived in Britain, and claims to offer high quality cosmetics at low low prices. The brand admits that animal testing does take place in the formulation of its products, but only when no other method is available.

--Packaging--
Your customisable compact is about 8cm x 8cm, taking the form of a white, square, plastic flip-top compact. The e.l.f. logo is written on the lid in silver. You fill the four circles with the colours of your choice, and all compacts come with an eye brush and a lip brush, and their own mirror. The little circles could do with some sort of peel-off adhesive so that the elements would actually stick there and not move about when you're trying to apply them, but they don't fall out, so it's OK. I'm also not so sure that I like the white plastic as it looks a bit chavvy, but this is a fairly superficial comment (for the benefit of any Americans unfamiliar with the chav revolution, I think this probably about covers it).

--Application--
It's pretty simple - use the brushes provided to apply the eye stuff to your eyes and the lip stuff to your lips. You'll need your own brush to apply any face powder you include in your compact though.

--Scent--
None particularly.

--Appearance--
The good news is that the lipgloss doesn't look greasy. This is a good start. The face powder and eyeshadow elements have either a little face silhouette or a little eye silhouette 'embossed' into the solid powder, which is quite cute to look at. Once everything you've chosen is on your face, there's one thing that rather suggests to me that the whole business of choosing your own elements of the compact is idiot-proof: the fact that despite not even trying to match the colours to one another, they all went very nicely together and matched my skin tone. RESULT.

--Texture--
Lipgloss nicer than the Too Faced compact I also own - just the right consistency (not too thin or too gloopy) and with a really nice natural-looking amount of colour, making these compacts perfect for creating everyday looks. The face powders and eyeshadows also go on smoothly and cause no irritation.

--Longevity--
Powder = brilliant, it lasts all day. Lipgloss = not amazing. Eyeshadows = better than some more expensive products I've used.

--Value for money--
Given the quality of the products, £7.50 for a full compact is brilliant value, especially for a bespoke product. It makes a really nice gift for anyone and it really is fully customisable: if you or the person you're buying for doesn't like lipgloss, for example, then that's fine as you can just substitute the lipgloss for an extra eyeshadow or face powder. Buy one now :)

L'Oreal Made For Me Naturals Lipstick

RRP: £7.99
no. of shades available: 12

--What does the promo say?--
"Enjoy irresistibly natural looking lip colours with Color Riche Made For Me Naturals, a new range of illuminating nude lipsticks created by James Kaliardos. Offering dazzling definition and complementary shades, you're sure to find one that suits you perfectly."

--Packaging--
A nice gold-coloured lipstick package that doesn't peel off after a while like some gold/silver effects do.

--Application--
As usual - pull off the lid, twist up, and apply the lipstick to your lips either direct from the stick or using a lip brush.

--Appearance--
The appearance of this lipstick sort of falls halfway between shiny and matte, without any shimmer or glitter. The lipstick definitely lives up to its promise of a) looking natural and b) being in keeping with your skin tone and hair colour. They are possibly the nicest lipsticks I've ever worn in that respect.

--Texture--
Very smooth and conditioning.

--Longevity--
Not great - if you've eaten you'll need to apply it again. But then again it never claims to be long-lasting, so I'm happy to make that sacrifice!

--Value for money--
Excellent, given that a good quality lipstick should last months and months. This is also in no way up there with the most expensive lipsticks on the market in terms of price.

--Other comments--
Can I just say, I am LOVING this whole personalisation strategy that L'Oreal has got going on. It not only removes the trial and error element of finding the perfect shade of lipstick, but it also makes the buyer feel that the product has been tailored just for them. The range of shades is excellent and since they've extended the concept to some of their eyeshadows, I'm loving it even more. L'Oreal, you may have just redeemed yourselves.

MAC Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolour

RRP: £15.50 for 8ml tube
No. of shades available: 14 in Lustre range, 17 in regular Longwear range

--Packaging--
Comes in a slender black cardboard box, with white writing detailing the name, shade, ingredients etc. Very sleek and stylish, but obviously the box wears with age. The tube itself is actually comprised of 2 small tubes, linked by a black handle in the middle. The black handle has "MAC Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolour" written on it in silver. Off the right-hand side of the handle you have the lipcolour itself, and off the left-hand side you have the shimmer/sealant.

--What does the promo say?--
"A two-step application of lightweight colour + mirror-finished top coat. Apply the colour. Let it dry. Apply the top coat! Provides sheer to medium coverage with a rich, lustrous, moisturizing finish. Longwearing, comfortable on the lips. Won’t shift, transfer, feather or smudge. Replacement top coats available."

--Application--
Twist the handle and pull to your left to release the applicator for the lipcolour. Apply the lipcolour all over your lips. One coat is fine, but two is better if you're looking for it to last all evening. Push the applicator back into the lipcolour and twist to close. Leave to dry (should take no longer than 5 mins) and then twist the handle and pull to your right to release the applicator for the gloss. Apply as you would a regular gloss and reapply as needed.

--Appearance and scent--
The gloss and lipcolour complement one another really well. Beware that the colours look slightly lighter/more subtle on the website than they do in reality - it's really better to go into a MAC store and try some samples for yourself. There is not really a strong scent - it smells slightly waxy, as most lipsticks do, but that's pretty normal and you don't notice it. The difference between the Lustre Pro Longwear and the regular Pro Longwear is that the Lustre has a slight glitter effect in the gloss, whereas the regular one doesn't. When it's on, the stronger shades in particular are very striking, so I'd recommend minimal makeup elsewhere on the face for maximum impact.

--Texture--
The lipcolour is quite smooth, though while it's drying on your lips it does feel like paint. The lipgloss is lovely - very smooth indeed and I wouldn't wear the lipcolour without it.

--Longevity--
Excellent - just apply two coats of the lipcolour and then keep reapplying the gloss for long-lasting colour. I find it much better than the Max Factor equivalent (Lipfinity).

--Removal--
Slightly tough to remove, but not impossible. You do have to scrub at your lips a bit, so to remove it, I wouldn't recommend using a removal cream with cotton pads like I would normally do - buy some of those makeup removal wipes so that you don't get removal cream in your mouth.

--How do your lips feel afterwards?--
Fine, but I would still recommend using a good lip balm afterwards (Nivea or Vaseline) just to be sure.

--Value for money--
I won't lie, it is expensive, but a tube lasts a very long time, it does what it says on the tin, and is way better than the Max Factor equivalent. Admittedly I am biased (I do have 3 tubes), but I would definitely recommend it as a treat.