I'm a university student, and a reasonably skint one at that. When it comes to clothes, shoes and accessories, I confess to being a bit of a girly cliche; I can't get enough of pretty, sparkly, shiny things; the cheaper the better. A bit of a magpie I suppose! However, I'm not and never have been much of a make up junkie. I wear it every now and then when I've got a while to spend applying it and playing with different looks, but I'm certainly not a "can't leave the house without putting my face on" girl. When I was bought this Lancome Juicy Tube a couple of years ago for Christmas by my cousin, I was almost scared to use it. All of the make up I had then was very cheap and bottom-of-the-range, I really wasn't familiar with any of the more pricey brands. I knew that this lip gloss was quite expensive and was slightly intimidated by this fact, silly as that may sound. I soon got over that and became hooked, hence this review!
Product Range
Having consulted Lancome websites of different countries, it would appear that the range and the names of the individual Juicy Tubes varies slightly from country to country. Therefore if you want to look at the names/colours currently in the range in the UK, I would recommend checking out the Lancome site (http://www.lancome.co.uk) to see what's on offer right now; besides, whilst a number of shades seem to stay in the range every season, others come and go and this review would become outdated very quickly. With that said, here is my summary of what sorts of glosses are on offer.
Juicy Tubes come in a fairly wide variety of shades, including pinks, purples, reds, oranges and more neutral colours. As well as these shades, they also vary in degree of pigmentation; some colours are very transparent with only a slight shimmer, some are "semi-transparent" with slightly more pigment, and other darker shades give a lot more colour and are a lot more noticable.
This review is based on my Juicy Tube, shade #19, Lychee; unfortunately this is the only tube
I have tried so I cannot comment on other more pigmented shades. However, it would appaer that Lychee is a popular colour and reflects the range reasonably well, so much of what is said can in this review can be applied to other shades of Juicy Tube.
Lychee (#19) is soft, pale pink colour leaning towards the lilac side of pink more than the red rosy side. The gloss contains tiny lilac and gold shimmering particles, which really are very subtle and very decliate indeed; if you have any image in your head of big tacky chunks of cheap, nasty looking glitter, cast them aside because the shimmer in this gloss is really much more "classy" and sophisticated than that. The colour of the gloss itself is a very subtle pale pink colour. As well as this, Juicy Tubes are renowned for their deliciousfragrance, and Lychee is no exception, scented as the name suggests of sweet lychee fruit.
Packaging
Although smaller tubes are available as part of sets, regular Juicy Tubes come in 15ml tubes, that are about 10cm long and 2cm wide. They come packaged in neat little rectangular boxes of with a silver matte finish bearing the brand and product name. I think that boxing the lip glosses makes them feel that little bit more special, but it also means that they're easier to wrap up as gifts (for those of you who are like me; awful at wrapping anything that isn't rectangular!). The tubes themselves are made from semi-transparent pearly white plastic, with the lid of the tube being solid and the body being slightly sqeezeable. The lid simply screws off with a couple of twists to reveal the slanted plastic applicator head (it resembles the slanted head of a lipstick), which bears a small hole in the middle, about 1mm across, from where the gloss is released.
Application
One of the best things about this fantastic product is just how easy it is to apply, even for a make up novice like myself! It really is so easy that you could literally apply it in the dark, or without a mirror (as I have done on several occasions!). I'm sure everyone uses a different technique, so I'll just discuss how I personally apply the gloss to achieve a full, glossy pout on non-made up lips.
I start by squeezing the tube ever so slightly so the gloss rises almost to the top of the little hole in the slanted applicator head. This is a particularly useful technique for when some of the gloss has been used up and the tube is slightly full of air; it allows you to gently expel any air from the tube before applying the applicator head to your lips. Once I can see the gloss about to appear, I hold the tube against my lips and gently squeeze the tube to release the gloss, whilst moving the slanted head over my lips (much like how you would normally apply a lipstick). I would recommend only squeezing very gently and allowing a small amount of gloss to be released at a time, that way you can build up an even glossy finish a sqeeze at a time, without haphazardly "caking" your lips in gloss, making you look like you've just wolfed down a big bag of greasy chips!
Another plus for application of this product is that it's just so much more hygenic than traditional wand-style lip gloss applicators. After application, it's easy just to wipe the solid plastic applicator down with a bit of damp cotton wool and leave it comparatively germ/residue free. The squishy, sponge-like wand applicators of other lip glosses are much harder to clean, so a big thumbs up in the hygiene department for Juicy Tubes!
Results
I've described the colour, fragrance and application of this product, so is it any good when it's actually on your lips? And does it last, without going dull or gloopy? You will be glad to know that the answer to both of those questions is yes!
As discussed before, my Juicy Tube (Lychee, #19, in case you forgot which I was tlaking about!), in the tube, is a pale pink lychee scented gloss containing tiny metallic gold and lilac shimmering particles. When applied to the lips, I have found that it doesn't drastically alter the colour of my lips, but it just makes them look slightly more rosy and delicate looking. As well as this, I believe it really does live up to the "ultra shiny" claim stated on the front of the tube; it makes your lips look full, glossy and pouty without looking ridiculous or greasy. In terms of the metallic shimmering particles, these really help add to that "three dimensional" look that the gloss creates, with light gently shimmering off these tiny particles to give a lovely plump look to the lips. When I wear this gloss, it doesn't feel like I'm wearing tonnes of make up, I just feel feminine, pretty and natural, with just enough shimmer and sparkle to feel special, without going over the top. With regards to the fragrance, it doesn't smell that realistically of lychee, but it's a very sweet and subtle fruity aroma, which is very tempting to lick off as quickly as I've put it on! Perhaps the aroma of the gloss might be a little too sickly for the non-sweet toothed lady, but given that the fragrance is subtle and not overpowering, I think it would appeal to most tastes.
So, what does it feel like? When I have finished applying the gloss to my lips, it feels rich, thick and a quite sticky (perhaps not one to wear with your hair down on a windy day then!). However, I really like the texture and feel of the gloss, it feels like it's there to last and that it won't come off as soon as you lick your lips. Some may dislike the stickyness that is there after the initial application, but I've yet to come across a lip gloss with no stickyness at all. At least this is a gloss that whilst it might be sticky, actually sticks to your lips too.
Durability
In terms of the durability of the gloss, it's pretty great compared to other brands that I have tried in the past. Granted, I've never used a lip gloss this expensive, but most other glosses seem to last less than an hour, whereas I've found this one is still shimmering and shining away a few hours after application. Like all glosses, it doesn't last forever, but it has a pretty good stab at it! It's one of those products that I can just slick onto my lips and forget about, knowing that it won't let me down and that it'll still look attractive for a good few hours after application. When the lip gloss does start to give up, the first thing to fade is the glossiness; after several hours the gloss turns rather dull and becomes a little "tacky". Left a little longer and the gloss completely goes, leaving your lips shimmering slightly from the few glittery particles that have been left behind. But if this does happen it's really not a problem, given how easy it is to apply, you don't even need to excuse yourself to go to the bathroom to do it, so it's barely an inconvenience at all. Obviously the gloss goes considerably faster when eating and drinking is put into the equation, but this is hardly surprising or disappointing. All I can suggest is drinking through a straw where possible, and even after eating, so long as you aren't too messy it should only need a quick touch up with some gloss to get it back to it's full glossy glory.
The Juicy Tube itself also lasts a very long time! I've been using mine for about a year and a half now, and you really can barely tell from looking at it that it's been worn that many times. If you keep the applicator hygienically clean, then the tube itself can look as good as new for many months. With this product, a little really does go a long way, and given the excellent application method, there's no more awkward trying to poke the applicator wand into nooks and crannies to get out the last bits!
Availability, Price and Value for Money
As my Juicy Tube was bought for me as a gift, I can't comment directly on the price or where my particular tube was from. However, a quick glance of the internet and the high street reveals that Lancome Juicy Tubes are readily available from some Boots branches (larger ones with specific branded cosmetics counters like Lancome, Clinique etc), large department stores such as John Lewis, as well as from many places on the internet. According to the Lancome website, the RRP is £13, but it can certainly be found for a few pounds less than this; prices seem to vary from place to place, so shop around for the best deal!
Are they good value for money? I definitely think so! You're paying for a high quality product that is considerably superior to its cheaper counterparts, both in the look, feel and packaging. As well as this, the gloss itself lasts a long time (so doesn't need applying very much), and it would take a very long time to get through a tube; I would say it's a good investment for a make up item you will use time and time again.
My Verdict
For women that don't want to check the mirror every five minutes when they're made up on a night out, for women who want a beauty product that combines excellent quality and durability, for women who want to enhance what beauty they already have, and for women wanting to treat themselves to something a little bit special, I would recommend this product. Being not much of a make up wearer, I never thought I'd speak so high of a product like this, but it really is fantastic. If you have a few spare pounds lying around, then splash out on one of these. I'm sure you won't regret it!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Have to give this a try - didn't realise there was so much to it! Great review x
nicholaf 10.07.2006 20:04
wow, what a great review! x
venice105 02.06.2006 09:27
Fabulous review! I love this, and agree they are value for money as last far longer than cheaper versions, look classier as you said, and smell delicious! I need a new one for summer though methinks! ;-)
Lancome Type: Juicy Tube Plump - #61 Moods Size: 15 ml Gender: Female Description:Lancome Lip Care by Lancome, 15ml Juicy Tubes Plump - 61 Moods A new version o...
Postage & Packaging: £4.39 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: lip gloss that stays put! Delicious, irresistible, (redeemable via Boots Advantage points too) Disadvantages: expensive, may be prone to be sticky sometimes, some colours may be too sheer
Advantages: lip gloss that stays put! Delicious, irresistible, (redeemable via Boots Advantage points too) Disadvantages: expensive, may be prone to be sticky sometimes, some colours may be too sheer
May 31st, 2006
exceptional by (9%):
very helpful by (91%):
