The last matte lipstick I truly felt any affinity for was the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet and it was lovely to know that so many of you found the formula wearable too. Matte lipsticks are a little tricky because they can actually be less flattering if you don’t have properly prepped lips, and are always potentially drying. I don’t know, it must be something that goes into making matte lipsticks, that make them all feel the same way. A little dry and a little drying.
Recently, I was urged to give a new matte lipstick a go. It was the Clinique Long Last Soft Matte lipstick which is, interestingly only sold online here in Malaysia, on Clinique’s website. I thought to be quite an interesting marketing tactic, because for the most part, consumers here are of the test-before-they-buy mentality and it would be interesting to see how it goes down.
I was actually given Matte Crimson but as luck would have it, my resident makeup loving pixies have spirited it away and I couldn’t find it. Long story short, I decided to test out the Clinique online store and pick up these online exclusives while I was at it. Would you buy lipstick online, sight unseen?
Shopping online at Clinique.com.my
I thought I’d share briefly my experience with shopping at the Clinique online store. It’s relatively painless and it’s laid out in a similar layout to the international website and everything’s easy to spot.
There are 8 shades available in the new Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick and unfortunately, the swatches aren’t quite representative of the actual lipstick. It isn’t surprising but it will be a challenge for anyone who buys a shade expecting the colour they see on the monitor and get something else. Online, Matte Crimson looks like a darker brick red. In reality, which we’ll see below, it’s a fairly bright crimson as the name suggests. Matte Beauty online looks like a blah pink nude, and in reality, is a soft pink.
My suggestion therefore is to do what I did and go out there, do a quick search online for swatches on beauty blogs and gauge the colours from there before you make your purchase.
After that, add the colours you want to your bag, and check it out. You will be prompted to sign up before you check out and there is a shipping fee of RM12 (boo!) for purchases below RM250. Above RM250 it’s free shipping. For RM12 I expected the product to arrive the next day. It didn’t. It turned up 3 days later. Boo! It’s shipped by courier from DKSH who I believe handles the online store so it isn’t Clinique themselves who are handling it, but their partner. Personally, because let’s face it our market and geographical location is fairly small, it isn’t impossible to have products delivered the next day. Poslaju does it and it doesn’t cost RM12. /rant
I happened to find a code floating around online that I don’t see anywhere on the site, so if you are planning to make an online purchase on the Clinique website, use the promotional code TTCC which gets you a deluxe sample of the Take The Day Away Makeup Remover and Moisture Surge CC Cream. I happen to like the CC Cream so it was a very handy code to have. (It was valid when I used it, and I’m not sure when it’ll expire).
Your purchase will arrive in a sturdy white box, with a Clinique paper band around it. We don’t have many brands locally who have their own online store so I think it’s great to be able to shop with confidence at the actual brand’s website, knowing you’re getting the real deal. I think it’s a great facility and a positive step forward but ultimately still needs some improvement in the shipping time and cost.
Now, onward to the Long Last Soft Matte lipstick which is an online exclusive, and my thoughts on it.
Clinique Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick – Matte Crimson and Matte Beauty
I quite like these, if I’m to be honest, and I surprised myself that I liked them.
Although they are supposed to be matte lipsticks, I found the texture quite creamy and they do have a soft cream sheen to them so they aren’t flat and dry the way a lot of matte lipsticks are. That is both a good and bad thing. Good if you aren’t really looking for a matte lipstick, but instead want something that’s not glossy or shiny. Bad if what you really want is a true matte.
Clinique Long Last Soft Matte lipstick Left: Matte Beauty Right: Matte Crimson
These are the swatches of the lipstick, in just 1 swipe. They are fairly well pigmented and I found that Matte Crimson was quite creamy so it slid down my arm without any tugging. Matte Beauty felt a little drier. Also, don’t extend the bullet too far. My Matte Beauty broke off at the base because I tried to do a swatch with the bullet extended. Bad idea. Bah 🙁
That’s because I found that I quite liked Matte Beauty and how it looked on me. Matte Beauty is a nice natural looking pink that doesn’t wash me out at all which is quite a feat since a lot of pink lipsticks do. Matte Crimson is a straight out bright red lipstick that’s quite incredible.
Matte Beauty, as you can see, can catch a little on lip lines. It actually doesn’t look as bad as it does in the photo, but be warned that it can look like this. So, wear a lipbalm underneath if you’re prone to dry lips or better yet, don’t get this one and get a glossy, more moisturising lipstick instead like the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense (love love love!)
Matte Crimson is more forgiving in texture and as I’ve mentioned above, feels almost like a creamy lipstick isntead instead of a matte. I didn’t find either texture too drying although I wouldn’t call these moisturising lipsticks. I don’t mind wearing them (and I’m picky about lipsticks that feel drying) but I wouldn’t wear them daily.
et voila! Here’s how they look on me in a full face shot.
Matte Crimson would be a fun, glamourous lip colour while Matte Beauty is something you can wear everyday in the day, or if you prefer, pair it with heavier eye makeup for the evening. With Matte Crimson, it doesn’t matter what your eye makeup is, all you’ll see are the lips! 😀
IN A NUTSHELL
The Clinique Long Last Soft Matte lipsticks are a new range of creamy, matte lipsticks which in Malaysia are only available from the Clinique online store. There are 8 shades available and I’d advise you to look at online swatches before you make your purchase, just to have a better idea of how each colour looks. I find the texture of the lipstick fairly creamy and not dry so it is quite easy to apply without tugging on the lips. However, you do have to have fairly well maintained lips as it will still accentuate flaking lips and lines. Of the 2 shades I have, I found the texture of Matte Crimson more creamy and has a slight sheen, while Matte Beauty was a little drier. I did not find either one particularly drying but I wouldn’t wear these everyday, even if I like the colours.
PROS: Texture is quite creamy and not too drying, Does not tug on lips if you don’t have dry or flaky skin on lips, Colour is well pigmented and flattering, Affordable
CONS: Online swatches aren’t true to shade, Not truly matte in texture for those who are looking for a true matte lipstick
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who prefers lipsticks that aren’t too glossy or shiny
Have you tried shopping at the Clinique online store? Would you buy a lipstick online?
I often buy makeup online sight unseen, but I don’t think I’m able to speak for the majority as I’m a bit different and perhaps a little more daring. Also, I do tend to do my research quite extensively before I pick my colours online and even then, I’m known to make some horrendous mistakes. As I said however, I don’t think I’m in the majority here, so what say you? 🙂
Paris B
Clinique Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick comes in 8 shades Price: RM70 Availability: Exclusively sold at the Clinique online website (Malaysia)
I’ll pass on the lipstick, because I have too many already. But I must say, I like your necklace.
Thank you Cecilia 🙂 It’s by Comyns 🙂
You wear both well but red always looks better on you 🙂 I’ve bought makeup online without testing quite a few times and thankfully, they’ve all turned out fine. I do research swatches though and that really helps.
Haha thanks Lyn! 🙂 I think the trick to buying makeup online is doing a lot of research for swatches and knowing what colours suit us best. It’s hard to buy it blind otherwise especially when you get it and it looks nothing like what you thought it should be!
I want to try matte plum from this range! I tried these in stores here and absolutely loved the light weight feel on the lips..matte beauty looks gorgeous on you!
Ooh Matte Plum sounds pretty! The texture is really nice, I’d agree 😀 Thanks Parita!
The shipping charges as well as the minimum purchase amount to get free shipping are high! I wonder if the prices of the items online are exactly the same as if one were to get them at the counter? I’ve always wondered that but always slip my mind to check whenever I’m around a Clinique counter.
I’ve purchase a few lipsticks online before and have experienced that a number of them broke easily. It made me wonder if it was actually the lipstick formula itself or whether it had something to do with the shipping process which “weakened” the lipstick -for instance, being exposed to our Malaysian heat.
I thought that about the shipping too Isabel. It does make me wonder why it has to be that high when it’s just local shipping after all and we know it’s not THAT expensive. Or at least offer us next day delivery at those prices! The prices are exactly the same as what you get at the counter since it’s the official site after all, and the only difference would be the GWP which are different online and in store, if that’s your thing 🙂 I don’t usually have a problem with lipsticks bought online breaking but it could well be an issue with heat or perhaps it dropped. In my case, I was just a bit too careless. Sigh 🙁
I see more brands have started online shopping like MAC and Clinique. They should tho, considering they are not easily reached for those staying outside KL. Hope to see more brands to follow their steps.
Yep I think the reach to people who don’t otherwise have easy access to the brands makes it an excellent idea to have an online store! I also just found out recently that MAC too has an online store but since I don’t buy anything from them it didn’t appear on my radar but I think that’ll make many people living out of town, or where MAC doesn’t have a counter, very happy! 😀
Those two shades are perfection. And I do love “matte” lipsticks that are not very matte 🙂
I do too, Marina which is a little oxymoronic but I feel they look more flattering than a true matte 🙂
Oh Goooood I LOVE Matte Crimson on you SO much!!! It is absolutely made for you, Paris! I haven’t tried these yet. I have to admit matte is probably not my favorite finish ever, but occasionally I do find one or two that I like. I had to buy my Berry Cheek Pop online because those are online exclusives here. By the time they became available, there were already so many swatches in the blogosphere and that made choosing easy!
Haha thank you so much Sunny! It’s soooo bright! Like you, I’d rarely pick a matte lipstick over a creamy/glossy/shimmery one… ok, less shimmery these days LOL I think bloggers exist to help people out when buying stuff online because seriously, some of these stock swatches are really off!
I’m really impressed with how well you wear the two very different colours, Ms. P. You have such a lovely skin tone (canvas) for colour. I used to love matte shades but have found them not doing any recent justice to my dry lips and am currently going through a glossy phase. Would I buy lipstick based on swatches? I buy almost everything else online so yes, sure! I would, however, Google for some blog review swatches where available because I find them to be more accurate than the company’s own graphics.I do the same for dresses that I’m ordering online from companies like ASOS etc…a blogger’s review usually more real world than the catalog shot.
Thank you SG 🙂 Matte lipstick is very unforgiving so it needs a very smooth canvas and let’s face it, few of us have that perfect pout to wear a true matte so one with a more forgiving sheen is, I feel, preferable 😀 Like you, I’d do my homework before taking the online plunge. There’s so much info out there these days, there’s little excuse not to! For clothes, I’m a little more careful. There aren’t many clothes reviews out there are there? Or maybe I just have a weird body shape LOL 😀
The red looks good on you!
Thank you Evan! 😀
I love matte lipsticks with a slight sheen and these look very pretty. That red looks amazing on you!
Thanks Gio! I too tend to prefer an untrue matte because true matte lipsticks can be so unforgiving!
Yay for an online store! Yay for convenience but boo for crying wallets. However, not too fond of the fact that free shipping is only available for orders above RM250. RM12 is simply pricey when Poslaju is cheaper and faster.
PS: Is it just me or does every lipstick colour look great on you?
Haha trust me, not every colour 😉 But thank you! The shipping costs were too high I felt especially because it wasn’t even next day delivery which I’d expect from a courier service. Still, I suppose this is good for those who have no access to a Clinique counter. It allows them to reach a wider customer base 🙂
Matte Crimson ftw! You’re almost the only person that I know who can carry off most lipstick shades with minimal effort lol. Granted, you are the resident Lipstick Queen too 🙂 Sorry to hear that Matter Beauty broke. And of course, the RM12 delivery fees – no, no no.
Aww thank you Jennifer 🙂 So long as they’re fairly bold or pink shades, I can handle them but once we get into brown or light coloured territory, I’m definitely not your poster girl for those shades! Haha Wish the shipping fees would be more reasonable, or that the free shipping total could be lowered. It’s a great idea, but ultimately offputting.