Polished Lips with Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors

Many years ago, I bought my first Clarins Eclat Minute lip gloss in France, when the product was first launched in a single shade. "Eclat Minute" is the original name in French, called Instant Light in English, but I think "Instant Radiance" would have been a better translation. The products in this small range by Clarins are sheer, subtle or natural shades meant to flatter the complexion and make you look naturally radiant. 

The Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector now comes in 6 shades, and Santa brought me a set of 3 last Christmas. I don't think the set is available anywhere anymore, but all 3 shades are part of the permanent range: 01 Rose Shimmer, 04 Petal Shimmer and 06 Rosewood Shimmer. 

They come is a narrow squeeze tube with a slanted applicator covered in fuzzy material - if you've ever tried Too Faced Melted Lipstick, the packaging is almost exactly the same. The applicator makes it very easy to use, but it isn't the most hygienic. I try to clean it regularly with makeup wipes or a cotton ball soaked in liquid makeup remover, and I refrain from applying the Lip Perfectors on top of lipstick directly from the tube (I don't use it that way very often anyway, but I always use a brush in this case). 

I would describe the texture of the Lip Perfectors as a creamy, cushy gloss that is neither sticky nor tacky. It has a mild vanilla scent and feels really comfortable on the lips. You can see some fine shimmer in the swatches on my arm, but I only discovered it when editing the pictures (The name of the shades should have been a hint, but the tubes only show the shade numbers). On the lips, the Lip Perfector have a medium shine milky finish, and while I'm sure that the shimmer contributes to the glossiness and brightening effect, it is completely invisible. 

All shades are sheer and barely tint the lips. 04 Petal Shimmer is much lighter than my natural lip color, but its translucency prevents it from washing me out. 01 Rose Shimmer gives me a natural pink tint, while 06 Rosewood Shimmer is more of a nude on me. All 3 shades make my lips look full, plumped and soft, and give me a healthy-looking pout. My lip lines are a little less visible and my lips look smoother. 

I prefer to wear them on their own when I want a fresh, natural "no-makeup" look, paired with a simple brightening cream eyeshadow and peachy blush color. I also use them when I want understated lips with a heavier eye look. Wear time is not great, but the little tube is easy to carry around in your purse for frequent re-application. While very comfortable on drier lips, I don't find the Lip Perfectors very moisturizing or nourishing. They soften my lips but don't replace my lip balm, and I wouldn't call them tinted lip balm for that reason. 

Overall: Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors are pretty and comfortable glosses for daily use. If you like light makeup that flatters without being too noticeable, you're likely to love those. 

Where to buy?

The product featured in this review was purchased by Lulle. I received no compensation to write this post, which only reflects my personal opinion. This post contains affiliate links.