Many of us will remember Clinique’s universally flattering lipstick shade Black Honey from its wildly popular makeup reign in the 90s.
During the era of minimalism it was a dewy, flattering star in a sea of otherwise muted brown lipsticks and lip gloss.
The sheer plum hue with a balmy texture was actually first released in 1971 in pot form. Clinique founder Carol Phillips named it Black Honey because the texture of the gloss looked like an actual pot of honey.
It was reworked into a more user-friendly and hygienic sleek tube known as ‘Almost Lipstick’ in 1989, just in time to be added to the handbags and vanity counters of a plethora of beauty fans around the world as the perfect, ‘no-makeup makeup’ for an understated look. The finish was a unique cross between lipstick and gloss.
Incredibly, Black Honey Almost Lipstick has remained available on counters since then. It’s lightweight, wearable texture and suits-everyone colour made it an easy option for makeup novices and experts alike.
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More recently it has had a resurgence in popularity as a new generation discovers the way the deep burgundy that looks intimidating in the tube, transforms into a subtle transparent hint of colour that slightly deepens and complements your natural lip shade. It also miraculously flatters all skin tones.
It makes everyone’s lips look amazing, and because of this, a viral wave of social media posts and TikTok clips have helped drive the its current must-have status. The hashtag #blackhoney now has 83 million views on the platform, with a huge number of clips showing people trying the universally flattering lipstick.
Unsurprisingly given the recent hype, Clinique has jumped into action and has just released a brand new version of the colour.
Black Honey is included in a shiny new gloss formula that also comes in nine other sheer shades.
The original Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (L) and the new Clinique Pop Plush Creamy Lip Gloss in Black Honey (R and pictured).
Clinique Pop Plush Creamy Lip Glosses are formulated with nourishing plant butters to help condition lips and hyaluronic acid to help lock in moisture. They leave lips looking glazed and looking plump with hydration, a finish that’s undoubtedly bang on trend right now. The finish has more of a patent-looking shine than the balmy original.
Will the new glosses, including Black Honey, be a similar hit? Only time will tell, but they’re a great option for the upcoming summer season.
