New Lip Product Launches 2018

New Year, new lipstick (or six)...a far more manageable mantra, wouldn't you agree?

Let me talk you through some lip products - and trends - that will be gracing the shelves, cosmetic bags and lips, of those in the know in 2018 and most likely beyond - you didn't expect matte liquid lipstick to just quietly exit through stage door left, now did you?

New Lip Product Launches 2018

If Rihanna says lip gloss is both back and cool, who are we to disagree? Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer is a game changer, leave any preconceived notions of what you expect a lip gloss to be at the door and get ready to embrace, a suit-all, shiny nude that plumps, glistens and moisturises the lips in one quick step. Yes the dusky, golden-flecked pink nude looks good on everyone (no really it does), and sure it tastes great (sugary and ever so slightly cherry based) but the real magic is the texture: non-sticky, comfortable, hydrating and did I mention not at all sticky? This isn't a lip gloss, this is a damn revelation. Get it here for £16 - link.

Apparently 2018 is going to be the year of stripped back beauty: think thick but natural eyelashes, delicately flushed cheeks and a slip of lip colour. With Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer all you need to do is track down the perfect cheek tint, and maybe book in for eyelash extensions to be ahead of the beauty curve. Get it here for £16 - link.

New Lip Product Launches 2018

As someone who owns a million and one lip pencils, it takes a lot to convince me that the wheel so to speak can be re-invented, and even so, is there any room in the market for yet another slightly chunky lip pencil? In the case of Buxom Plumpline Lip Liner Pencils, the answer is a re-astounding yes - not only is the shade range both expansive and spectacular (seriously can I have the other 19 shades please and thank you) but the formulation is second to none. Imagine all the best parts of a traditional matte lipstick, combined with a truly great lip liner and a pain/tingle free lip plumper and you have the Buxom Plumpline Lip Liner Pencils. Don't be fooled by the slightly rotund appearance, these pencils glide flawlessly onto to the lips, offering a saturated yet matte dose of colour that is both comfortable and long wearing - I also find that the formula gently plumps the lips, especially any pesky fine lines. There is also the added bonus of the built in lip brush, which you can use to line, fill and define the lips in one quick step. If ever you have struggled with matte lip products in the past, this is the product to try before completely calling off the search - I truly wouldn't be surprised if this is the surprise beauty hit of 2018. Grab yours here for £15 per pencil - link.

New Lip Product Launches 2018

It will come as little surprise that liquid matte lipsticks are and will still be big news throughout 2018 (there's a few new huge launches in the pipeline), on the plus side it does mean we are all spoilt for choice and sub-par formulations will not survive the test of time...or the somewhat vengeful wrath of the beauty consumer. Two recent arrivals that I do think are worth checking out are the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments: a lighter than air formulation, beyond comfortable, long wearing, beautiful shades (I pretty much live in the shade American Woman) but they can be a tad prone to leaking from their physical container and bleeding ever so slightly on the lips. You can peruse the entire shade range here for £23 per shade - link.

New Lip Product Launches 2018

My other recommendation is the YSL Tattouge Matte Stains (photographed above is Fuchsia Intime): again beyond lightweight in textire, come in a range of bright, bold and on-trend shades and have the most precise applicator I have ever stumbled across. If you in anyway struggle applying liquid lip products, the angled doe-foot applicator of the YSL Tattouge Matte Stains is nothing short of a revelation: it allows you to easily line and fill the lips, with one swift swipe of colour and due to the design it never loads the "brush" with excess product. They are currently on sale via Feel Unuique for £24.65 each - link.

New Lip Product Launches 2018
New Lip Product Launches 2018

If you are bored of the matte "norm" of liquid textures and launches, there is a few recent releases that experiment with different finishes and even mediums that may be of interest?

We have all owned or in the very least tried various lip glosses, balms, pencils and traditional tubes of colour but have you ever dabbled with a lip powder? On first inspection, it does seem both a tad odd and dare I say messy but the arrival of the Clinque Pop Lip Shadows have all but proven me wrong. The general idea is that the loose powder formulation of the Clinque Pop Lip Shadows deliver a soft-finish, matte lip colour that can be worn alone or onto of other lip products. For innovation alone, I do think this is a great product but truthfully I couldn't get past the texture - yes they are wonderfully pigmented but it very much feels like I'm wearing eyeshadow on my lips...which quintessentially is true. Personal application and wear issues aside, isn't it wonderful to see a brand think outside of the box and express a little creativity? Find them here for £16.50 each - link.

New Lip Product Launches 2018

With a huge space and demand for soft, muted, semi-matte, lived-in, splashes of lip colour, expect to see more tinted lip balms (minus the often glossy finish) in the coming months. Forget perfectly lined lips and douse your lips in the carefree, balmy texture of one of the two new shades of Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors: Hot Pink (almost a neon coral) and Plum (a rich but easy to wear red/berry).The great thing about this particular lip covering is that the longer it on the lips, the better it looks - not to mention that they also gently hydrate and perfect the lips but plumping and softening the skin. This is the cool girl lipstick of both 2017 and 2018, and you need at least one at your disposal at all times.

So you heard it here first, gloss will be huge in the coming months - let's hope that windy days are few and far between in that case...