What’s the most instantly cheering-up-est thing you can think of right now? For us, opening a package of the new lip colours from L’Occitane is pretty near the top. And pretty, pretty, pretty they are – not surprising from this much loved French natural brand but it’s always comforting that they never let us down.

 ‘All About The Lips’ is a gorgeous, sunny, yummy collection of lip-cherishing products in delicious colours, to add to last year’s range (which we were still using through lockdown spring…). As usual with L’Occitane, they’re chockfull of hydrating, nourishing, natural ingredients, such as mandarin, raspberry, pomelo, pomegranate and carrot, with a garnish of vitamin E.

Lets start with semi-matte, long-lasting Intense Fruity Lipsticks/£18. Four new shades to choose from including a Limited Edition Sweet Rosé – a soft natural shade to suit all skin tones that’s the result of a collaboration with beauty and wellbeing writer Niomi Smart, who’s also a sustainable fashionista.

For a bit more warmth, we’d go for fresh pink Sunday Pinknic or rosy-gold Sunset Walk (Sarah’s favourite). Want the ‘wow’ factor? Purple Patch is a wonderful deep raspberry – mmmm.

New this year are Delicious Lip Oils/£12 – fresh-scented, hydrating veils of colour for glossy, plumped up lips. We’re mad about Pink Mecanic, which gives a scrumptious, mid-hue, rosebud shine. Two other shades: deeper You Carrock!! (no, we don’t know either…) and pale, peachy-toned Spicy Nude. 

The range of Lip Balms is still fab – no newbies there but please remember the indispensable Le Petit Remède/£10, a teeny tin of multi-purpose balm with sunflower seed oil and shea butter that smooths lips, cuticles, flyaways, dry patches – anything really.

Almost forgot! Before you apply the lippies, do try the new Sweet Melon Delicious Lip Scrub/£15. You can use this ‘slush puppy’ textured scrub to gently slough away dead skin cells, leaving lips soft and smooth. And it does indeed taste and smell of melon. There’s a companion melon-based Invigorating Face & Eye Mask/£29 for a big pot. Unlike many masks, it’s actually designed to go over the eye area, to bring down puffiness as well as instantly perking up your complexion. It’s lovely to use and really does give your skin a brightening boost.

Feeling better? We are just writing about them and, we promise, actually using them is a guaranteed mood-enhancer.

£10-29 – buy here

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