SS10: Clarins Neo Pastels

Landing from the week of 17th January is Clarins Neo Pastels, a small collection for Spring. We had a quick look last week at another new product which'll launch in January too. Handsome Claude introduced Skin Illusion foundation as well as the spring lineup, so lets take a look at that now, shall we?

That's the limited-edition Neo Pastels Eye Colour and Liner Palette above (shot under artificial light), and it'll cost €35. Clarins is changing the packaging of its products from this collection on and everything is now in gold compacts, including the Neo Pastels palette.

Six soft powder shadows and one black cream liner make up the offering here. Purples are going to be huge for spring - Lancome has a violets collection in-coming, Guerlain's colours are plums and purples and Tom Pecheux's collection for Estee Lauder is called Wild Violet. So Clarins is firmly on-trend with its shades.

We got to work a look using the purple and violet shades at the launch event. I'd describe the depth of pigmentation with these pastels as sheer-to-medium but you can use them wet to increase the intensity.

And despite a table full of beauty writers muttering "purple? ON MY EYES?"  - me included - once we'd finished the look (dark shade on the lid, lighter shade blended into the crease and black liner on the lash line), we were all pleasantly surprised at how soft and nice it looked. I guess it pays to stray from your comfort zone every now and then, eh?

There are some new permanent collection blushes in-coming too.  Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour comes in six shades for €32 a pop. Pans are big  - 7.5g, which helps to offset price, and shades are Lovely rose, Soft peach (above), Miami pink (a fab medium-bright pink, below),  Sunset coral, 05 Rose wood (below) and Spiced mocha, which you could use as a bronzer.

The powder is moulded into two areas of matte and two of shimmer, but there's no noticable or chunky glitter here so they're flattering and easy to wear.

Likewise, some new lipsticks will launch as limited-editions. Rouge Hydra Nude Smoothing Cream Lipstick comes in four shades: Nude rose, Nude Coral, Nude Beige and Nude Caramel. They're €20 each, very sheer, glossy and moisturising and are really easy to wear. There are also three Joli Rouge Sheer Lipsticks, €20, landing at the same time and they'll join the permanent collection.

To the right is some of the brand's brushes. These aren't new to launch, but aren't they pretty?

Instant Smooth Line Correcting Concentrate is €26 and is formed along the same lines as the brand's lovely pot of siliconey goodness, Instant Smooth, which you can use under makeup for a cracks and crags-filling effect. This is designed to take about with you, has added dermaxyl - which Smashbox also uses in its very similar Filter product and has treatment benefits in the form of peptides - and comes in a twist-up tube with a soft, flexible nib.

You can use it above or under makeup on lips, around eyes and on the forehead and it does definitely provide a smoothing effect. The idea's not new - tons of brands have debuted these instant line-fillers like Estee Lauder, Revlon and Smashbox, but this is a really nice one.