Now its starting to get sunny (cue rain) its finally appropriate to take you through Clarins amazing new collection for Summer!
The Enchanted make up collection for Summer is inspired by India 'where traditional patterns and intense colour reign'. In line with this, the idea with these products is to create an intense eye and and bronzed complexion, and shimmery just-touched lips.
So to create the bronzed complexion? Three shades of Bronzing Duo SPF 15 Mineral Powder (£26)! 01 Light includes two shades of peachy bronze with a slight shimmer, 02 Medium is a shade darker with shimmer, and 03 Dark is slightly darker then 02 and has a matte finish without the shimmer. As with all good bronzers, these are easily buildable and blend really well. The light shade even looks good (lightly swept) on my skin, and I'm pale as could be.
The star product of the collection is the Enchanted Colour Quartet and Liner Palette (£30) - a limited edition collection of four shades of smooth mineral eyeshadow (embossed with pretty Indian designs that I've thoroughly messed up) in champagne beige, bronze, gold and violet, plus a golden brown eyeliner.
Even the case is beautiful: the signature Clarins gold compact is embossed with a sari-inspired print. Two applicators - a pointed one for defining and a double-ended one for shading and blending - are including. The champagne shadow is my favourite: it's a pretty unique shade which seems to leave a wash of shimmer instead of a colour - which looks beautiful when it catches the light. I find it's also really effective for highlighting the inner corners of the eyes.
The eyeliners in this collection have had me more excited about eyeliner then I've been since I discovered Inika's one had a sharpener in the lid.
HOW AMAZING IS THAT? A smooth, tapered handle that holds a chunky kohl nib, almost like a crayon - it's just beautiful in itself. I didn't even want to swatch them in case I ruined it, but of course I did (below). The Kohl Kajal Long Lasting Eyeliner's (£15) are also limited edition, and come in two colors, black and violet. The formula includes rose and mimosa for their soothing and softening benefits, and the finish is really soft and highly pigmented.
The lip products are summer-practical lip balms but with an injection of colour - the Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balms (£16.50) are really cool: a core of colour surrounded by a clear solid gloss. These come in four colours, pink, red, coral and violet (both below) - though not quite lipstick, they distribute a good wash of colour and are really moisturising without being sticky. They also smell really good.
A new product, Colour Quench Lip Balm (£15), finishes off the collection - a soothing, moisturising balm with shimmery, natural colour. Below are Jaipur, a pink and the nude Delhi, both with gold shimmer.
Shop the Clarins Enchanted collection from Selfridges.com.
