Editor Review: Testing The New Clinique Nude Honey Lipstick for 2025
Now, Clinique just leveled up its lip game with a new addition to the lineup: Almost Lipstick in Nude Honey. This new shade leans more mauve and neutral than the original's deeper and slightly purple undertone. Think of it as a lip version of Glossier You—the pH-balanced fragrance that adapts to your skin chemistry. Nude Honey works the same way, adjusting to your natural lip tone to deliver a just-for-you nude that flatters everyone.
Ahead, team Cosmo got their hands on Clinique's Nude Honey to see how it stacks up against the OG Black Honey. Keep reading for our full thoughts.
The Nude Honey shade swaps Clinique's classic deep berry Black Honey for a soft brown. At first swipe, the formula looked nearly identical to its cult-favorite sister, but after a few layers, it developed into something a bit more wearable—slightly more brown with a hint of orange-pink, rather than a reddish purple. Honestly, it looks like someone took my natural lip color, bottled it up, and turned it into a slightly bolder lip product.
As someone who doesn't typically reach for lipstick, I appreciated the thin applicator that allows me to be precise and trace around the edges of my lips without a mirror—no smudging or overlining necessary. And while the formula isn't the most hydration-forward, it's still filled with enough emollients (aka moisturizing ingredients) to keep the lips feeling soft and conditioned as I wear it. The finish is subtle—somewhere between a creamy balm and a lipstick—and though it's not glossy, it doesn't dry out my lips, either. The result is simply natural, but brighter, bolder, and better than my bare lips.
Beauty editor Beth Gillette also put the new shade to the test. "I never bought into the Black Honey renaissance, but I did use it years ago in high school and remember loving the vampy look it gave me without all the fuss of more pigmented formulas. My lip vibe as of late, though, is something softer and simpler, hence why I haven't picked it back up in so long. But! Nude Honey is essentially that and everything I would look for in a formula like this in 2025. It's the same shade as my natural lip color, but makes them look plump, smooth, and a little glossy."
If you're looking for a natural lip that gives a little something extra, Nude Honey is that shade. It takes your lip color a bit deeper with a neutral tint that's super easy to wear. I love the original Black Honey for nights out or full glam looks, but it can feel a little too much with softer or no makeup. Nude Honey, on the other hand, is super wearable and works perfectly for everyday. The only downside is that the Almost Lipstick formula is a bit matte. If you want a glassy finish, I recommend topping it with a clear gloss. Or maybe this is Clinique's cue to drop a Nude Honey lip gloss—just saying!
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers everything from beauty trends to buzzy product launches. For this story, she tested Clinique's Nude Honey Almost Lipstick ahead of the drop to give her full thoughts and review. She also tapped Cosmo's beauty editor, Beth Gillette, for her insight.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You'll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it's usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles' entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Cosmopolitan
The Best Blush for Every Skin Tone—How to Pick the Right Shade
Whether you're all about bold, statement makeup or more of a five-minute face kind of person, blush deserves a spot in everyone's makeup bag. In my opinion, it's the unsung hero of makeup. Sure, foundation gets the credit for smoothing out complexions, and people cling to their favorite lipstick to instantly perk them up. I think blush has the ability to do both when done right. And 'done right' comes down to finding the right shade. Yes, placement matters, but if the color isn't quite right, your blush is not going to pop as well as it could. It can be daunting to opt for anything other than a rosy pink, but a wealth of color choices out there are waiting to liven up your look. Makeup artist and founder of Katie Jane Hughes says, "When it comes to blush, I believe things need to be tried and tested. So the best blush shade for you is the one that makes you happy." And while she doesn't subscribe to the idea that there are wrong shades, she does think some look more incredible on different skin tones. More on that, below. "I love using berries, red plums, and deep rust tones on deeper complexions," says Hughes, "and make sure you choose shades that don't have too much white in them." As a black girl who loves blush, I find that I get the most skin compliments when I wear my Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Flushed Blurring Balm Powder in Dancing Queen (you can shop it below). For olive skin tones, unsurprisingly, a mix of bold but mid-toned hues works perfectly. So look for shades of apricot orange, deep peachy tones, or terracotta (a lighter take on rust hues), to really emphasize your complexion. These shades look especially vibrant on sun-kissed skin and make the cheeks look perfectly flushed. "For more fair, pale complexions, I usually opt for varieties of pinks and peachy tones," says Hughes, "something within those hues always looks so fresh on the complexion." Cool-toned pink looks incredible on fair skin–if you're worried about the color looking too stark against your skin, try a blush balm formula, which is easier to build up and gently blend out on the cheeks. Katie Jane Hughes is a professional makeup artist and the founder of KJH Brand. She's Dua Lipa's makeup artist, creating many of the pop star's most iconic looks. Keeks Reid is the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines working her way to Acting Editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal, Salon International and the British Hairdressing Awards. Which is why she is a regular contributor to Cosmo's Curl Up franchise. Now, alongside her Cosmo work, she presents, creates content on social media and works with a range of beauty companies; from magazines and websites to beauty brands and salons.
Buzz Feed
2 days ago
- Buzz Feed
35 Beauty Products So Good At Their Jobs That Even Beauty Cynics Will Be Impressed
A tinted lip balm that's eerily close to the same magic as "Black Honey," TikTok's beloved $25 ~universal shade~ from Clinique, that it will genuinely startle you — especially when you see the price. This is a perfect, non-sticky "go-to" lippie that's just a step above the "no makeup makeup" look, giving the perfect subtly polished effect. Gold Bond's firming neck and chest cream your skin will be SO happy to soak up — this is formulated with aloe, salicylic acid, and jojoba oil to help hydrate, tighten, and gently exfoliate your skin so effectively that you should be able to see early results in two weeks. (For some reviewers, it only took a few days!) A travel-friendly SPF 50 Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar, a K-beauty staple with a curved balm stick style that makes it super easy to apply, and a nonsticky, white cast–free formula that plays ABSURDLY well with makeup. If you're looking for a lightweight "soft matte" sunscreen to protect your skin, this is your new BFF. Plus Hawaiian Tropic's SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen Brush, aka your scalp's BFF this summer — reviewers don't just swear by this for face coverage and a protective setting powder, but for protecting their hairline without their hair getting goopy from sunscreen scalp sprays or regular sunscreen lotion. Bonus — this is a heck of a lot cheaper than its competitors, like the $35 Supergoop and $36 Brush On Block! Lumify Eye Drops, a product so beloved by TikTok that despite being more $$ than other brands, it's the number one selling brand on Amazon right now. Reviewers swear by this for instant reduction in redness in their eyes, with visible differences within a minute of use. Lottabody's Coconut Oil Foaming Curl Mousse designed for all hair types to give you satisfyingly hydrated, volumized, frizz-free curls at a FRACTION of the price of its competitors. A limited edition (!!) Eos Marshmallow "Super Balm" lip treatment from the brand's "secret menu" so good that reviewers say it's better than Carmex for healing and better than Summer Fridays for quality. Lip care that also tastes like you're perpetually eating a s'more for less than $5?? My friends, life is good. Medicube Deep Vitamin C Golden Capsule Face Moisturizer, a K-beauty staple that's almost a little *too* fun to use — it comes with liposome capsules you can pop on your skin, helping oxidize, brighten, and smooth your complexion with the added burst of concentrated vitamin C and niacinamide. This is designed to have both instant *and* lasting results, with many reviewers noting an immediate difference in skin's radiance after the first use! A delightfully affordable instant foot peeling spray for anyone ready to go full YEEHAW!! on that at-home pedicure. This not only helps gently remove dead skin, but moisturizes dry and cracked heels, so you'll really get some refreshing bang for your buck. A bottle of the ever-elusive, ridiculously beloved Coconut Coffee Scrub & Wash that reviewers love for gently smoothing and exfoliating skin while leaving you smelling like a warm, tropical daydream. A lot of people note that this used to be easy to find in stores, but most stopped stocking it — enter the internet, here to save the day! Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener, which became the internet's holy grail — now in four shades! — for concealing and brightening dark circles under your eyes so fast that everyone's old concealers are doing double takes. This lightweight color-adapting formula is designed for truly ~invisible~ coverage that makes a drastic difference. Plus Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel, a cult-fave product for your beauty arsenal that will quickly help minimize eye puffiness and swelling thanks to its winning combo of caffeine and hyaluronic acid. It's basically an alarm clock for your eyeballs, because boy howdy are they awake now!! Laneige's Neo Blurring Powder absorbs oil and blurs pores so effectively that you'll be like, " Might be the only explanation for how this can matte-ify your complexion while still keeping it radiant and glowy ✨. Monday Haircare Dry Shampoo with all the oil-absorbing, refreshing power of its competitors, *plus* added keratin for protection against frizz and breakage. The subtle gardenia scent is just extra extra credit after all that. Billion Dollar Brows Eyebrow Powder fills in your brows as naturally and realistically as the $23 Anastasia Brow Duo version for less than half the price. Reviewers are stunned by how effective this is and how long it lasts, especially at such a low price point. L'Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Spray Mist so darn phenomenal at its job that one reviewer calls it "hairspray for your face," and several compare it to the $34 One/Size setting spray at triple the price. This ultra-fine formula sprays on lightly and leaves a natural finish, but just one spray is designed to LOCK IN your look for 36 hours. MagicMinerals AirBrush Foundation, which lives up to its name and THEN some — one quick spray of the foundation on the included brush, and it glides so smoothly and subtly over your skin texture that you'll feel like a makeup artist did it for you. Reviewers in their thirties, forties, and up especially swear by this lightweight but effective formula, and love that it's ridiculously easy to use. Color Wow's "Raise The Root" thickening and lifting spray gives your hair some instant ~~VAVOOM~~, no teasing or heat styling gymnastics required. CeraVe's Hydrating cleanser made with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin — aka, all the good stuff to hydrate your face and remove makeup and oil without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. Psst — a lot of reviewers with sensitive skin and acne swear by this, because it's super gentle *and* super effective. Medicube Turmeric Overnight Wrapping Peel Off Mask, which has already made itself a TikTok sensation — unsurprising, since the K-Beauty brand Medicube knocks it out of the park again and again. This mask goes on before bed and uses hydrolyzed collagen, vitamin C, and turmeric to help even out skin tone and improve elasticity. A bottle of sulfate-free biotin shampoo that thousands of reviewers swear by for helping restore their hair and promote healthy hair growth over time. It also includes nourishing ingredients like rosemary oil, zinc, and coconut oil to help moisturize locks and give them a fuller, more volumized look. La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 40 Tinted Sunscreen, aka the "holy grail" of tinted sunscreens — reviewers love this lightweight, buildable formula so much that a lot of them replaced their foundation with it altogether. If you're in the market for some subtle but effective coverage that won't get goopy or settle in pores, this is your sunscreen match made in heaven. E.l.f's Lash XTNDR Tubing Mascara, a GODSEND for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. This uses lightweight ~tubing~ technology to wrap around lashes and give them a natural-looking, smudge-proof extension so good it almost looks fake. The real boon, though, is how easily the "tubes" slide off in clean, easy swipes at the end of the day when you're washing your face — absolutely no smudging, over-scrubbing, or special eye makeup removal products required. A "flossing toothbrush" with two layers of bristles — regular firm bristles, and longer ones that are 10 times thinner to clean deep in between your teeth and gums to mimic flossing. Reviewers love how deep the clean feels, and also how soft it is on sensitive teeth! A set of super affordable hydrocolloid nose pore patches (compare to the $16 Mighty Patch equivalent) that will make you go "boy HOWDY" when you see how much gunk collects on them overnight. Reviewers swear by these for gently lifting out sebum from pores and pimples and minimizing their appearance! A shockingly affordable "Glow Up!" Vitamin C Face Serum that packs a punch as powerful as the $30+ versions — reviewers swear by this for reducing dark spots, brightening skin, restoring tone, and giving skin a more radiant, firm look. This particular serum's secret is the 3-O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, which helps boost ~radiance~, in addition to the hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and vitamin E to help with hydration. Mise En Scene Perfect Serum, a beloved K-beauty staple reviewers compare to the $46 Gisou version for MEGA hair hydration and heat protection up to 450 degrees, so you can style your hair without sacrificing on ✨shine✨. This unique blend of seven-oil blend Moroccan argan, olive, coconut, apricot, Marula, jojoba, and camellia oil not only protects hair, but helps correct damage from dryness, *and* reduces drying time. Black Girl Sunscreen's Make It Pop Sungloss with SPF 50 (!!) that reviewers *adore* both as a glossy shine on bare lips, or to make their signature lippies pop. Who knew sun protection could look so chic? Dr. Melaxin "Peel Shot," a K-beauty staple for serious exfoliation that buffs out dead skin and leaves your complexion looking glowy and refreshed. If you're looking for an effective way to kick dead skin cells, blackheads, and sebum to the curb, this deeply penetrating rice water extract formula is just the ticket. Dae's Hair Cactus Fruit 3-In-1 Styling Cream & Taming Wand, which is basically the brand's "holy grail," TikTok-famous styling cream in the form of a mascara wand. This versatile lil' tool helps you carefully target flyaways, style edges, and smooth frizz. First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance Pads, a set of compostable (!!) beauty prep pads you can use before putting on makeup to gently tone and exfoliate your skin, making it the ultimate primer for getting the most out of your foundation. Bonus — unlike a lot of toning products, these are super gentle and sensitive skin–friendly! A hair identifier spray to make shaving or dermaplaning *that* much more efficient — this not only highlights where your hair is so you don't miss a spot, but also moisturizes and protects skin while you're shaving. This is also a great way to ensure you aren't *over*-shaving areas, since you'll know right away if the hair is taken care of! L'Oréal Paris BB Cream, a FAST-acting, anti-redness moisturizer with results that feel like legitimate magic — especially considering its competitor, the Dr Jart+ Cicapair Color Correcting Cream, is over twice as expensive. Reviewers especially love this as a base for their makeup, because it leaves skin super soft and primed. Joesoef's pharmaceutical-grade anti-acne sulfur soap that people with acne, rosacea, dermatitis, and clogged pores swear by for helping clear their skin and relieve the tenderness. A lot of reviewers noted that they found this specific product after their dermatologists recommended it to them! A reviewer-beloved anti-dandruff shampoo to relieve flaking and itching and help prevent outbreaks by getting directly to the root. A lot of reviewers mention that it not only started working from the first use, but it *also* helped with shedding and hair loss caused by dandruff in the first place.
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Cosmopolitan
Who Is Sofia Carson Dating?
If you haven't noticed, Sofia Carson is kinda having a moment rn. The Netflix romcom queen keeps churning out hit after hit—which of course begs the question: Who is Sofia Carson dating IRL?? Sadly, it doesn't seem like she has an off-screen romance with her My Oxford Year costar, Corey Mylchreest (womp), but she *is* rumored to be seeing someone (more on that later). Back in May 2019, Sofia told Cosmo that she was currently putting romantic relationships on the back burner. 'I've never tried dating apps,' she said at the time, later adding, 'I'm dating my career.' But perhaps things have changed! Wanna know more about Sofia's hush-hush love life? Here's who the Descendants alum has been linked to in the past—and who she's currently rumored to be dating. Yes, Sofia was once rumored to be in a relationship with Modern Family actress Sofía Vergara's son, perhaps fueled by this video Manolo posted of himself bench-pressing Sofia back in 2018: Or this tweet from 2017: But tbh, I'm getting friend vibes from these two. While filming Purple Hearts back in 2022, Sofia once again stirred up romance rumors, this time with her onscreen love interest, Nicholas Galitzine. I mean, the chemistry is undeniable, no? However! Though the two did plenty of flirting on the press tour, nothing ~romantic~ was ever confirmed between them. Sorry! Who is Hugh Evans, you ask? He's an Australian humanitarian who's the co-founder of both The Oaktree Foundation and Global Citizen, and he and Sofia first crossed paths (as far as fans know, anyway...) back in 2023, when they teamed up for that year's Global Citizen Festival. Their relationship seemed totally professional—that is, until May 2025, when a DeuxMoi tipster claimed that Sofia and Hugh were actually an item: A fan on Reddit also claimed that Sofia joined Hugh at the first Global Citizen NOW action summit in Rio de Janeiro in November you'll have to take all of this with a grain of salt, as there is exactly zero evidence to back the claims up. Whether they're the real deal or not, it seems to me that Sofia's looking to keep her private life under wraps—so I guess I'll just go watch The Life List again!!
