The Gloss Report: Cheek and lip tints

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The Gloss Report: Cheek and lip tints

We don't always have the time (or space) for bronzers, powders and polishes on the go, but we do have time for a glorious pop of colour from the multi-tasking marvel that is the lip and cheek tint. Dual-functioning, handbag sized and available in a range of cute colours, you've no real reason to ever leave home without one. So, to help us go from glum to glam in just a matter of minutes, we've tried and tested 10 cheek and lip tints to see if any of them can restore our healthy glow. Here's what we found...

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Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks

Price: £19

Buy online: www.bobbibrown.co.uk

Feedback: “Creamy, lightweight with just the right pop of colour for my lips and cheeks – now this is what I call an all-round multitasker! Not only did it blend well, but it also left a slight dewy, healthy-looking sheen behind. A great size with a handy mirror in the lid and a brilliant shade range too - I won’t be leaving the house without it.”

Was it worth the money?

Yes, it's a handbag must-have.

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes, definitely.

Score: 10/10

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NARS The Multiple in Portofino

Price: £30

Buy online: www.narscosmetics.co.uk

Feedback: “Portofino is a lovely pale rose colour that blended easily and gave my cheeks a natural, outdoorsy flush that lasted most of the day. Colour-wise it worked well on my lips, but unfortunately I found it quite drying and a bit tricker to apply with precision. I steered away from applying Portofino to my eye area for risk of looking like I had been sobbing in the loos, however other lighter shades would work well as shadows and highlighters. The speedy application is a major bonus, and it’s a great tool for brightening up your visage and creating definition without looking too 'done'."

Was it worth the money?

Yes, worth the money as long as you love a matte lip look.

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes, I'd recommend it to a time poor friend.

Score: 7/10

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Kiko Glow Touch Lips & Cheeks

Price: £4

Buy online: www.kikocosmetics.co.uk

Feedback: “In a handy tin which will be living in my handbag from hereon in, the texture is somewhere between a creamy blush and a lip balm, with no stickiness to speak of. Highly pigmented, just a dab to the cheeks was enough to create a pretty pink blush; I found it a little hard to blend at first as it's such a strong colour but with a bit of effort I was pleased with the dewy finish which was long-lasting too. As a lip tint it gives a gorgeous dense colour yet feels very light. I much prefer it as a blusher but would happily use it to top up my clear balm with a bit of colour when needed for multi-purpose beauty on the go.”

Was it worth the money?

As with all of their products it is a bargain, so yes!

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes, but more as a blusher.

Score: 7/10

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Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip & Cheek Balm

Price: £20.50

Buy online: www.amazon.co.uk

Feedback: “I tried the balm on my lips as they’ve been feeling a bit drier since the weather has turned, and I really liked the texture - it was soft, moisturising, and it didn’t feel like it ‘pulled’ my lips when I applied like others have done. The tint of pink enhanced my natural lip colour, while keeping it subtle. But then it became sticky, and my hair loved it a bit too much. Because of this sticky situation, I didn’t try it on my cheeks. Also, for the price, the pot is incredibly small - but then you’re paying for the gorgeous packaging and the big name behind it."

Was it worth the money?

For the balm not the brand? Unfortunately not.

Would you recommend it to a friend?

No - too sticky!

Score: 4/10

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Revlon Baby Stick Lip and Cheek Tint

Price: £2.75

Buy online:  www.amazon.co.uk

Feedback: “I really liked the packaging of this tint as it's small enough to carry with you everywhere you go - the downside, though, is that there's not a lot of product in there for your buck. I had the Sunset shade and it's really quite baffling; to look at it you see a coral-red stick, yet when putting it on the balm-like formula was almost transparent. With a lot of applications I eventually got a slight wash of translucent coral colour on my cheek but by that point they were red all by themselves because I'd pressed so hard. Other online reviews suggest the other shades are more pigmented but I'm sad to say I won't be finding out.”

Was it worth the money?

Sadly not!

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Unfortunately no - the colour payoff was too disappointing.

Score: 2/10

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Smashbox O-Glow Intuitive Cheek Colour

Price: £22

Buy online: www.smashbox.co.uk

Feedback: “I was really fascinated to try out this product as it claims to give you a truly customised colour by reacting with your own skin chemistry. It gave a lovely velvety feel to my cheeks and lips, however the colour was very faint on my dark brown skin even after applying a pretty hefty dose. Lovely texture with a great concept but unfortunately for me, it didn’t live up to the hype.”

Was it worth the money?

Unfortunately not.

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes, if they have fair skin.

Score: 5/10

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Benefit Benetint

Price: £24.50

Buy online: www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Feedback: “I have three words of advice: blend, blend, blend. And blend fast. And screw the cap on. Otherwise things get messy and you look more clown than cherub. The nail polish style bottle is handy and transportable but I found the brush far too flimsy and imprecise for application; my fingers worked much better. As both a blush and lip stain it was impressively long-lasting, but I found it very drying on my lips so would advise using with a balm.”

Was it worth the money?

Not unless you're already a devotee.

Would you recommend it to a friend?

I'd only recommend it to a very neat, orderly friend, otherwise carpets and cheeks might be in trouble!

Score: 5/10

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AERIN Multi Colour for Lips and Cheeks in Natural

Price: £30

Buy online: www.johnlewis.com

Feedback: "I really loved this product! The shade worked perfectly for me and my olive skin but it's versatile enough that it would add a good neutral flush of colour to fairer skins too. It lasts for a long time (though more for cheeks than lips I have to say) and it gives you a very soft bronze colour. Usually I steer clear of cream blushers as I find them too heavy on the skin but this one has a lovely soft and dewy texture. Finally, the packaging is beautiful and perfectly practical for a small make-up bag on the go."

Was it worth the money?

Yes, absolutely.

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes!

Score: 9/10

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Liz Earle Healthy Glow Cream Blush

Price: £16.50

Buy online: uk.lizearle.com

Feedback: "Though this is a blusher, it can also be used on lips thanks to its vitamin E-rich formula. The texture of this felt quite thick and heavy at first, which for me is a bit of a turn off.  Personally, I prefer a stronger lip so rated it as a lip colour rather than a blusher; it gave a lovely soft texture and a really pretty tint. As a blusher, it's a little too much for me but if you're looking for a rich and creamy alternative to powder it does the job. I wasn't overly keen on the packaging though - there's something slightly medical-looking about the navy blue and white!"

Was it worth the money?

Yes, if you have the right skin tone and can get past the packaging!

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes.

Score: 7/10

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Becca Beach Tint for Cheeks and Lips in Watermelon

Price: £20

Buy online:  uk.spacenk.com

Feedback: "Some of the best things come in small packages and this little product has been one of my make-up bag staples for many years. Why do I love it? Well I don't always use it on my lips and cheeks (or chips and leeks as my mum once said in a tongue-tie!) but it seems to be the perfect cheek 'flush' colour - the colour that you get when you've been on a long windy walk. It's foolproof to apply and takes me from pallid to perky in seconds even if I've had very little sleep. You can use it on your lips too for a raspberry stain or try any of the other sumptuous colours from Peach to Guava and Papaya."

Was it worth the money?

Yes - an absolute beauty staple.

Would you recommend it to a friend?

Yes yes yes!

Score: 12/10