Lush Makeup: Swatches & Full Review

I'm sure many of you have heard about Lush's new makeup line Emotional Brilliance. I for one was excited to hear that the brand were stepping back into the makeup world. After the closure of their previous makeup line 'B Never to Busy to be Beautiful' in 2009 due to the company being unable to generate profit, it's somewhat of an unexpected (yet, exciting) step for the eco-friendly cosmetics manufacturer.

I was a fan of the 'B' makeup products and their intricate beaded packaging, so I was enthusiastic to see what Lush had come up with for their second foray into the makeup world.

And the answer is 'Emotional Brilliance'.  It is based around the idea of colour therapy and choosing colours based on your personality and mood. Nothing new on that front, and to be honest I think the idea is a little tired and more than a little gimmicky.

But what matters are the products so here's a quick run through of what you can expect.

Lush provided me with a few samples to try and I've been testing them out for the last few weeks so that I can share my thoughts with you all...

The packaging is cute and quirky as you would expect from Lush, looking more like something you'd expect to see in a lab rather than on your dressing table! The glass bottles that house the liquid products are all recyclable and the products themselves are all 100% vegan. The pricing across the line seems to be set at £14.50, with a couple of exceptions (read on for full info).

First up are the Liquid Lipsticks. For me these are the clear stars of the line. The pigmentation of the shade I tried ('Passionate') is incredible (even if the colour is a little 'out there'!) The wear time is great. They have a smooth creamy texture and leave your lips feeling nicely moisturised.

Another product I was impressed with were the skin tints (which are a little cheaper at £12). I especially like the bronzing makeup base 'Charisma' which leaves you with a nice, glowing complexion (in effect this product is not dissimilar to Chanel's Soleil Tan de Chanel). The pink-iridescent highlighting creme 'Feel Younger' is also a nice product, similar to MAC's Strobe Cream.

Clockwise from top left: Charisma, Translucent Powder, Feel Younger

If I'm totally honest, the rest of the line was a bit of a let-down for me. The mascara (housed in the same glass bottle) is a novel idea but does absolutely nothing for the lashes, and the wand is so short it makes application very tricky indeed!

The cream eyeshadow in Sophisticated is really beautiful when applied, but nothing to write home about when blended (it seems to disappear), especially considering the hefty £14.50 price tag.

The liquid eyeliner (shown below in Fantasy) shares the same problem with the mascara, having a brush too short not only for neat application, but also to reach the bottom of the bottle. Last but not least, the translucent powder is OK, but again, I don't think it justifies the price tag.

So it's a mixed bag for me I think. The line is definitely worth looking at, if only for the lipsticks, but I do think they've set the prices a tiny bit high for a lot of the Lush fan base... I love their bath and body products and purchase them frequently, but I don't think I would do the same with the makeup line.

L-R: 'Feel Younger', 'Charisma', Cream Eyeshadow in 'Sophisticated', Liquid Eyeliner in 'Fantasy', Liquid Lipstick in 'Passionate'

Unlike 'B', the new makeup line will be branded as, and sold at Lush stores rather than being a separate shop. It will be available from this Saturday 21st July worldwide.