Clinique Fall 2011 Collection - Black Honey

Black Honey from Clinique is one of the collections that I was most excited about at the beginning of the season, this one might actually be up there with Chanel and the new Urban Decay products.  Considering that I really like Clinique but rarely get as hyped about their new collections as I do about the above-mentioned companies, that is a huge feat!  This collection is based on their cult-favorite, best-selling Almost Lipstick shade in Black Honey, a favorite shade of mine for the past three or four years.  This collection releases limited edition Black Honey shades that are now for cheeks and eye now.  Black Honey can now be worn all over your face this fall!

Clinique states, "It's not just for lips anymore.  Cult-favorite Almost Lipstick in Black Honey now shares the love with eyes and cheeks."  I'm not sure that I would wear this whole look on my face at once, especially if the eye makeup is very pigmented.  Black Honey lip products may be sheerer than it appears in the tube but it stills leaves a very noticeable stain on the lips, I wouldn't pair this with strong eye makeup unless I wanted to make a very dramatic statement.

The Black Honey-inspired collection...

Lipgloss/Lipstick Duo - Cult favorite Black Honey gets even more seductive in an exclusive 2-in-1 lip duo.  One side brings you original, emollient-rich Almost Lipstick; the other features a coordinating, can't-buy-it Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 for extra shine.
- Black Honey - deep blackened raisin

Almost Lipstick - Sheer, glossy slip of lightweight lip color in our exclusive Black Honey shade.  This best-selling lip colour is universally flattering yet looks a little different on everyone.  Emollient-rich formula gives lips a sleek, moist finish.
- Black Honey - deep blackened raisin

Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad - Four coordinating shades of velvety colour in a limited-edition Black Honey-inspired palette.  Create the look you want, from natural to dramatic.  Creamy, intense shadows build quickly, blend easily for long-lasting colour.
- Black Honey - pale champagne shimmer/medium berry pink shimmer/deep berry shimmer/deep raisin shimmer

Brush-On Cream Liner - Creamy eye lienr brushes on deep, smoky, eye-defining colour.  Long-wearing, waterproof formula comes complete with a mini Eye Liner Brush.  Ophthamologist tested.
- Black Honey - deep blackened raisin

High Impact Mascara - Kicks up the volume and length of each and every lash for a look that's lusher, plusher, bolder.  Pure, deep colour only adds to the impact.  Wear it once and you'll feel naked without it.  Ophthamologist tested.
- Black/Brown - blackened brown
- Black - deep rich black

Gradient Powder Blusher - Versatile powder blush creates the look you want, from a subtle glow to a cheek-sculpting intensity.  Brush on all shades, or use lighter shades alone to highlight.
- Black Honey - gradient of a pale rose to a deep berry

Blush Brush - Perfectly sized and softly tapered to deposit the right amount of powder blush on apples of cheeks and cheekbones.  Highlights temples, bridge of nose and chin.  Unique antibacterial technology helps ensure the highest level of hygiene.

This collection will appeal to a very specific customer, in order to really wear this collection well, you will need to have a cool skin tone that looks good in berry and plum toned shades.  This collection does really leave out the warm-toned customer, I doubt that any of these shades will work on warm toned skin.  But this collection will be great for my cool-toned skin so I am just going to go with it.

My favorite piece of the collection is the blush, I love the gradient of it and every single hue found in the gradient will work for my skintone, I am so excited to try this product out.  I hope that it is highly pigmented because I will be very disappointed if the lighter hues don't show up well on my skin.  The same applies for the eye shadow quad, love the shades and I hope that they are as pigmented as they appear in the picture.  Unfortunately, Clinique has not been known in the past for top quality pigmentation so I am slightly nervious that the blush and eye shadows are going to look much sheerer when I have them on.  Which will destory the look completely.  If this collection was from NARS, I wouldn't worry about pigmentation but Clinique is not a leader in the pigment-intense arena.

The eye liner in this shade is very intriguing, it was already sold out on the website and Clinique's cream products always have great pigmentation and true to color on application.  The last item that I want from the collection is the Almost Lipstick/Lipgloss combination, this shade will also be great in a gloss to add a bit of berry tint to the lips.

I love Black Honey and I love that Clinique has recognized how great this shade it and has created a line inspired by it.  My only regrets on this collection?  I would love this shade in a nail polish and a full pigmentation cream lipstick....

photo courtesy of Clinique