Coral lipsticks are the crowd pleasing shade that I reckon anyone and everyone can pull off. Red can be too daring for some, nude too boring for others and pinks can feel a bit too girlie sometimes – but corals? Well corals sit in the middle of the colour spectrum giving a muted take on a bold shade, combining the brightening effects of a red, the ‘goes with everything’ quality of a nude and the flattering tones of a pink. They’re basically all I want to wear in the warmer months and I usually fall back into the clutches of some MAC Lipsticks in limited edition shades which would basically be one huge tease for me to rave on and on about those for the next few months, so I found an alternative and here’s the best bit – it’s an absolute bargain…

It’s the L’Oreal Colour Riche Matte Lipstick in 228 VIP which is part of a 14-strong new colour launch to the line. I can’t seem to find it online, but I picked it up from one of those cardboard stands at the end of an aisle in my local Boots and my receipt tells me that it was £6.99. Yep, it’s a steal. It’s creamy to apply, despite being marketed as a matte finish and has a buildable texture. I tend to wear it dabbed on and blended in with my fingers as a bit of a stain, but you can smooth it on with a bit of pressure from the bullet if you want a full-whack of colour and when I’ve tested it out like that it’s lasted hours before a touch-up is needed. It’s pretty hardy stuff. It’s a true coral with a mix of red, pink and peach and as the finish has a bit of slip to it, I don’t find it to be drying on the lips.

The only drawback is the scent. If you’ve used one of the Colour Riches before, then you’ll know what I mean. There’s a bit of a Parma Violets whiff to it that you get used to after a while, but it’s pretty pungent when you first apply it. A bit of a bummer but for such a pretty colour, I’ll stomach it.

Drugstore-wise I feel like L’Oreal have done it again. Firstly the Collection Prive nudes and then the reds range where I practically loved every single one and now this? A coral for all. Give it a swatch…