I’d read many good reviews about the Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm (link) but Clarins as a brand is always overlooked by me. No longer! I got me a Clarins Colour Quench lip balm to see what the hype is all about 🙂
The colour I got is #05 (Cherry/Strawberry) which is a colour presently discontinued I think because I don’t see it on their website. Why I still choose to review it is not for the colour but for its texture, as this lip balm is still part of the Clarins line. It so happens however that I love the colour in 05!
Clarins calls this a lip balm. On the website however, they refer to it as a lipgloss. A little confusing yes? But I call this a lipgloss because even for a tinted lipbalm, the pigment is amazing! However unlike other lip glosses, this one is not sticky, and does not dry out your lips.
The Clarins Colour Quench lip balm comes in a tube not unlike Lancome Juicy Tubes lip glosses. I’m not a fan of Juicy Tubes because they are thick and goopy and I dislike thick and goopy on lips.
The applicator on the Clarins lip balm is a slanted applicator which makes it easy for you to apply it straight on your lips. I don’t like doing that because it means I lose control over the application. Therefore, I usually use my fingers which can be messy but hey, thats what tissue papers are for! 😉
The nice thing about Clarins Colour Quench lip balms is that it is seriously pigmented. Just look at these swatches.
The colour is strong which is nice. It is also not sticky which again is nice and it is also moisturizing or rather, not drying. This is overall, a very “nice” lipbalm/lipgloss/lip colour.
There is however, a rather strong sweet fragrance to the gloss. I’d prefer if there was no fragrance at all, but I guess you can’t win them all. It does not last (thank goodness!) but its there if you are fussy.
As a lip balm, it performs fairly well. It keeps your lips moist and flake-free and adds colour to boot. If your lips are peeling and dry, then you might want to exfoliate a little before applying this lip balm so you don’t accentuate the flakiness. Once exfoliated, my lips remain soft while using the this lipbalm. Otherwise, unlike many lip glosses I have tried, this one keeps my lips soft.
#05 is known as Cherry/Strawberry depending on which part of the world you are in. The colour is a red-pink which is rather bold for a lip gloss. It is certainly not as sheer as lipglosses tend to be but I like red lips so I liked this one tremendously! I liked it even more when I took it on holiday with me because it kept my lips moisturized and yet added a touch of colour so I did not have to bother with separate tubes of balm, gloss and lipstick! Travel light yo! 😀
A 15ml tube of Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm retails for RM58 at Clarins counters. I purchased mine online at Strawberrynet for RM105 for a pack of 2 with the usual loyalty discounts so I ended up paying much less. I’m now tempted to get more… and I know I shouldn’t 😛
Pros: Keeps lips moisturized, Pigmented colour, Fair price for a lip gloss
Cons: Pricey for a lipbalm
Paris B’s [rating:4/5]
Monstro says
March 18, 2009 at 11:30 amThat is SUPER pretty!
I love the colour and how pigmented it is!
ParisB says
March 18, 2009 at 12:07 pmHey Monstro
It was surprisingly nice and you know how I’m not a lip gloss girl 🙂
Cerise says
March 18, 2009 at 12:03 pmThe colour is really cute, isn’t it? It looks super gorgeous on you!
ParisB says
March 18, 2009 at 12:07 pmHi Cerise
Yes it is and thank you!
Nikki says
March 18, 2009 at 2:14 pmI always overlook Clarins especially for cosmetics, i am more looking into their skinare, but after this post, you’ve changed my mind PB!
ParisB says
March 18, 2009 at 3:40 pmHi Nikki
You know what? Me too! I always thought Clarins = skincare without looking at their makeup but now I have 2 items from there heh…
Amanda says
March 18, 2009 at 4:45 pmThe colour is beautiful. The only thing I’ve ever bought from Clarins was the sunscreen.
ParisB says
March 18, 2009 at 6:13 pmHey Amanda
Thanks I’ve never used anything from Clarins before this!
Amanda says
March 20, 2009 at 1:49 amI checked it out at Clarins counter yesterday. They’ve all the colours and they’re really pigmented and pretty. However, I found them overpriced here. They’re around 18,50€ (approx. RM87!). I may get them at airport dutyfree shops on my next business trip.
ParisB says
March 20, 2009 at 1:47 pmHey Amanda
That’s terribly expensive where you are! Try strawberrynet if you can’t wait or else there’s always duty free 🙂
Nette says
March 18, 2009 at 6:42 pmI’m not promoting Clarins but I loved Clarins’s Sparkle Puff Blush and still loving till this moment…
ParisB says
March 19, 2009 at 9:59 amHi Nette
That sounds pretty! I’ll check it out!
gio says
March 18, 2009 at 8:46 pmThis color is bautiful and looks great on you!
ParisB says
March 19, 2009 at 9:59 amHi Gio
Thank you!
MisSmall says
March 18, 2009 at 9:08 pmI agree, Clarins is a brand that hasn’t been given enough credits. I, too, have just started paying more attention to their makeup after hearing some beauty bloggers singing their praises. 🙂
jojoba says
March 19, 2009 at 3:34 ami can’t believe you got this too!!! yay!!! i really like it. looks like i’d better start shopping online so i can’t save more money on mu (esp something like clarins.) wow that colour looks great on you. i don’t have that. should i get it? i am still trying to score #11 which is totally OOS in malaysia. sigh…
ParisB says
March 19, 2009 at 10:06 amHi Jojoba
I think #5 is discontinued. I couldn’t find it at the counter nor on the Clarins sites. I love the colour!!
jojoba says
March 19, 2009 at 5:14 amgirl, i had refer back to my own review on this product: http://mymakeupreviews.blogspot.com/2008/09/reviews-clarins-colour-quench-lip-balm_28.html
and i didn’t see #5 listed on the swatch pic!!1 OMG don’t tell me this shade is not available to us. 🙁 i love it, seriously love it!!! you don’t know how much i adore these lip balms…
OMG! you have just created a new lemming for me. #5 and i have yet to sure #11!!!
darn it.
Vonvon says
March 19, 2009 at 2:05 pmOoohhh….it’s only RM58? When I was at the clarins counter last week, the SA told me it’s RM75.
But I love lip glosses…may be should get one???
Never tried Clarins before until last week when I bought their Nature temptations eye palette. 😉
ParisB says
March 20, 2009 at 1:40 pmHi Vonvon
Yes, that’s what I was told. I detest lip glosses but because this one’s non sticky and pigmented its a keeper!