CLOVE + HALLOW burst onto the green beauty scene last year and I’ve been swooning over their gorgeous products and classy branding ever since. I had the opportunity to test out some of the company’s best selling lip items recently and I’m excited to share my thoughts on everything. (Spoiler: they’re all pretty amazing!)
Brand Background
CLOVE + HALLOW was founded by professional makeup artist Sarah Biggers after her own health challenges convinced her to eliminate conventional makeup and personal care products in lieu of healthier, clean alternatives. When she ultimately wasn’t able to find makeup products or shade ranges that she was completely happy with, the idea for CLOVE + HALLOW was born. As the brand's website states, “Clove + Hallow was founded to marry clean cosmetics with the swoon-worthy aesthetic, performance, and shade range of your favorite conventional brands at a price-point that doesn’t cause sticker shock.” What more can you ask for? The line is 100% cruelty-free and vegan and combines natural ingredients with minimal safe and well-researched synthetics. [Find out more about C + H’s Clean15™ formulation and ingredient guarantee HERE.]
Let's get right into the products…
Angelic Lip Glaze
Let's get right into the products…
Angelic Lip Glaze
The lip glazes are non-sticky lip glosses that pack a pretty serious amount of pigment. The glosses come in a twist-up pen with a brush applicator and are rich, creamy, and moisturizing. The formula is thicker and more substantial than many glosses and, as such, the color lasts longer on the lips -- I get a good three hours before I need to think about reapplying. The lip glazes also offer moderate shine -- they're not the shiniest gloss out there, but nothing to scoff at in that regard either.
Ultimately, to me, this isn't the type of gloss that I'd reach for to layer over a lipstick -- although you certainly could -- but rather a great lip product in its own right, perfect for when I want a lighter, more sheer or glossy lip. The Lip Glazes have a light citrus scent that’s mild and unobtrusive.
Ultimately, to me, this isn't the type of gloss that I'd reach for to layer over a lipstick -- although you certainly could -- but rather a great lip product in its own right, perfect for when I want a lighter, more sheer or glossy lip. The Lip Glazes have a light citrus scent that’s mild and unobtrusive.
Angelic is a lovely neutral light pink -- very pretty and very wearable for just about any skin tone.
The Lip Crèmes are your standard bullet lipstick and I think they’re, overall, my favourite of CLOVE + HALLOW’s three lip options. Beautiful rich pigmentation and a lush and moisturizing formula that feels incredibly comfortable on the lips. They last well, wear naturally, and are an all-around fantastic product. The Lip Crèmes never look dry on the lips, something I often struggle with with other full-pigment lipsticks, and they really do leave my lips well moisturized.
I also love the look of the clean white tubes, and they have a magnetic closure that adds a little something extra too! Like the Lip Glazes, the Lip Crèmes have a mild citrus scent.
I also love the look of the clean white tubes, and they have a magnetic closure that adds a little something extra too! Like the Lip Glazes, the Lip Crèmes have a mild citrus scent.
Desert Rose is a beautiful dusky pink nude with a satin finish. It's a great everyday shade and one that I've been getting a lot of wear out of.
The Lip Velvets are CLOVE + HALLOW’s take on a matte liquid lipstick and they're unlike anything else I've used in the green beauty realm. They come with a traditional doe-foot applicator and quickly dry down after application. If you need your lipstick to last or are worried about bolder colours moving around or smudging, these are just the thing!
The Lip Velvets are intensely pigmented and, once set, completely matte. They're a product where you definitely want to take your time with application and quickly clean up any mistakes as, at least in the case of Uptown, they have a tendency to stain. They’re also incredibly longwearing. The colour starts to wear off first on the inside of the lips -- the wettest spot -- and the Lip Velvet needs to be touched up/reapplied after about six hours. My one caveat with the Lip Velvets is that, while the first reapplication is great, any more than that can have them starting to look a little dry, cakey, or crusty. At that point, I'd suggest removing the product and starting fresh rather than multiple reapplications on top of itself. (And, speaking of removal, you do need a good makeup remover or oil to get these off your lips -- dry tissue or even just water won't cut it.)
In terms of comfort, the Lip Velvets aren’t an especially hydrating formula, but they're not drying either. They’re comfortable and I don’t really feel them on the lips -- kind of comparable to wearing nothing all day. My lips sometimes start to look a little dry a few hours in, but they still feel fine. I like to top them off with a lip balm for the look alone, but I haven't found my lips any worse for wear either way.
The Lip Velvets are intensely pigmented and, once set, completely matte. They're a product where you definitely want to take your time with application and quickly clean up any mistakes as, at least in the case of Uptown, they have a tendency to stain. They’re also incredibly longwearing. The colour starts to wear off first on the inside of the lips -- the wettest spot -- and the Lip Velvet needs to be touched up/reapplied after about six hours. My one caveat with the Lip Velvets is that, while the first reapplication is great, any more than that can have them starting to look a little dry, cakey, or crusty. At that point, I'd suggest removing the product and starting fresh rather than multiple reapplications on top of itself. (And, speaking of removal, you do need a good makeup remover or oil to get these off your lips -- dry tissue or even just water won't cut it.)
In terms of comfort, the Lip Velvets aren’t an especially hydrating formula, but they're not drying either. They’re comfortable and I don’t really feel them on the lips -- kind of comparable to wearing nothing all day. My lips sometimes start to look a little dry a few hours in, but they still feel fine. I like to top them off with a lip balm for the look alone, but I haven't found my lips any worse for wear either way.
Uptown is a dark neutral berry/mauve and on my fair skin, it’s a reasonably bold colour. I feel pretty vampy wearing it -- partly just a comfort level thing, I'm sure -- but I've seen it look a lot more natural on other ladies, dependent on skin tone.
Note: The Lip Velvet ingredients are mostly natural, but they do contain isododecane and two silicones. Per CLOVE + HALLOW’s policy, these are safe synthetics that are necessary to achieve the performance of the product and they aren't anything I'm personally too worried about.
Note: The Lip Velvet ingredients are mostly natural, but they do contain isododecane and two silicones. Per CLOVE + HALLOW’s policy, these are safe synthetics that are necessary to achieve the performance of the product and they aren't anything I'm personally too worried about.
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| Top to Bottom: Uptown Lip Velvet, Desert Rose Lip Crème, Angelic Lip Glaze |
CLOVE + HALLOW has knocked it out of the park for me! All three of these products fully live up to the brand’s claims of healthy, high performance makeup with a beautiful aesthetic and a reasonable price tag. I'm usually more of a sheer lip girl, but, surprisingly, this time it's the two more pigmented items that have me especially hooked. The Lip Crèmes offer a perfect balance between comfort, wear, and colour, and the Lip Velvets are a unique liquid lipstick formula that's unlike any other green beauty product I've used. I’m definitely interested in picking up more shades in the future and am also super curious about the company’s Conceal + Correct Concealer, which also garners great reviews.
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Have you tried CLOVE + HALLOW? What are your thoughts on this young brand?
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