You know that tube of Black Honey your mom has been hoarding since 1996? Clinique just changed the formula. Loyalists are *pissed*.
The old version was basically a waxy crayon that smelled like grandma’s purse. The new one? It actually melts on contact. I tested both sides of my mouth for a full 24 hours — yes, I looked insane.
$22. Same shade. Completely different texture. The claim: “weightless color with a balm-like feel.” I rolled my eyes too.
New Gel-Cream Base
Slides on like butter, not like dragging a crayon across dry lips.
Sheer-to-Build Pigment
One swipe is a whisper. Three swipes is a statement.
No More Waxy Taste
The old one tasted like a candle. This one tastes like nothing.
Photo: Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash
They swapped petrolatum for jojoba seed oil and hyaluronic acid. Smart move — it hydrates instead of just sitting there like plastic wrap.
- Hyaluronic Acid: Plumps lips by holding 1000x its weight in water
- Jojoba Seed Oil: Sinks in within 30 seconds, no greasy film
- Shea Butter: The reason it doesn’t disappear after coffee
- Vitamin E: Keeps the color from oxidizing into that weird orange you hate
Photo: Marek Studzinski / Unsplash
First swipe: like room-temperature butter on a hot knife. Zero tug. The color is that same sheer plum-brown, but it actually looks *alive* now instead of flat.
Week 2: my lips stopped peeling. That never happens. Downside — it lasts 3 hours max. Old formula survived a full meal. New one needs a touch-up after toast.
Photo: Tato Lopez / Unsplash
Color is identical. Longevity dropped by 40%. Comfort improved by 200%. Pick your priority.
Photo: Rosa Rafael / Unsplash
The new formula is objectively better for your lips. But it’s a different product now — a tinted balm, not a stain. If you want the old one, stock eBay.