Clarins AW15 Colour Eye Launches

There are some gorgeous new additions to the Clarins makeup line that capture the Autumnal vibe perfectly.  I have to say, I’m rather welcoming of Autumn this year as I enjoy staying in, getting cosy with Teddy and watching telly with no expectation of leaving the house unless absolutely necessary – it’s suits me perfectly! Another thing I love about Autumn are the colours; whilst I really enjoy the pastels of Spring and the brights of Summer, the dirgy, muted, edgier shades of Autumn are the ones that really do it for me and the Clarins AW15 colour launches have nailed this vibe perfectly.

First up are the pencil products, starting with the two new Crayon Kohl shades. There’s True Violet and Carbon Black, the latter of which I have.  It has been a while since I’ve used a kohl pencil for upper and lower waterlining but my word things have changed if this is how good kohl pencils are now! When I used to go out at the weekend and get all dressed up, I would line my inner lower lash line before we got in the cab, and by the time we got to the club (maybe half an hour later) you’d already see gaps in the line.  This Kohl was applied before I went out and it was still completely in place when I got home 5 hours later – unbelievably good! It’s also creamy, pigmented, comfortable-to-wear and it comes with a soft blending brush at the other end to smudge it around if you use it as a liner rather than a waterliner.  There are 8 shades in total, for £17 each here – link. There are also new Eyebrow Pencils available in three shades – Soft Blonde, Light Brown and Dark Brown.  I have Soft Blonde which is a little redder than I’d like, but not so much so that I can’t get away with it and it still looks natural.  There’s an extremely well made spoolie at the other end making this a great brow tool, so I hope they’ll add an ashier shade to the line-up.  These are £17 each here – link.

Now on to my favourites of the new launches, which are the new shades of the Ombre Matte eyeshadows.  I absolutely love these and I’ll be picking up some more shades as the formula is perfect.  A lot of cream shadows can be too wet, meaning they slide all the place and settle into fine lines.  The Ombre Matte shadows are more a powdery cream, so you can start with a light wash and build-up to a block of colour depending on your preference.  They also blend very well and stay put until you’re ready to remove.  The newest shades are Carbon, a deep, sooty black with a light shimmer (the formula is matte as opposed to the shade, just in case you’re wondering!) which is the sort of shade that can slot into any make-up kit as it’s very handy, and Heather, which is just the dreamiest, muted lavender with a slightly taupe finish that is so flattering and lovely, yet also quite unusual – I love this shade so much! These are £19 each and there are 8 shades in total – link.

Above I’m wearing the whole lot! I have Heather all around the eyes – completely over the upper lid and as a smudgy liner underneath, then I’ve added a smudge of Carbon on the outer edge to add a little more definition.  Finally, the amazing Crayon Kohl has been used along both the upper and lower lash line.  I like the fact that this is a smoky look, yet as it’s built-around the Heather shade, it isn’t too dark or OTT for day wear – I wore this shopping and didn’t feel overdone.  I think it helps to wear a very neutral lip to keep the look day-friendly.  Clarins are doing some very exciting things with colour for this season, so if your kit is in need of a update, their Autumnal releases are ideal.

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