I’ve been meaning to write about Chanel’s Jumbo Longwear Lip Crayons for a while, but the arrival of what could potentially be my all-time perfect lipstick shade (“Discretion” from the AW18 collection) suddenly made this review a bit more urgent. Because the new colour is just sublime; a pale peachy-nude that manages to look creamy and plump despite the matte finish.
Chanel’s Jumbo Lip Crayons are a triumph anyway, in terms of texture and ease of application – they glide on almost without friction, feeling more like a liquid than a crayon, and have reasonably good longevity without the usual associated dryness. But where Chanel’s standard Jumbo Crayon has a sophisticated sheen, the matte version (from the aptly-named Le Mat de Chanel collection) has a very modern, understated flatness. Like a high-pigment lipstick that’s been blotted down.
And paler shades can be so difficult to get right – if the texture of the lipstick is too sheer and juicy then your natural, darker lip colour tends to show through and it looks patchy. Too matte a finish and the lips look dead, or as though they’ve been plastered in chalky concealer. Too waxy a lipstick texture and the effect is almost grotesque – a thick, clay-like coating that looks like two plasticine sausages rather than human lips.
None of these problems with the new Rouge Crayon de Couleur Mat (sounds excellent in French); it glides on and seems to gently rest on the skin like a silky veil. Just fine, concentrated colour.
One of the greatest appeals of this Jumbo Crayon is the fact I can use it as liner and lipstick – I’m always forgetting to throw a lip liner into my makeup bag when I leave the house and so this dual function just makes my life a tiny bit easier.
(I make it sound as though I throw things into my makeup bag frequently, like one of those power players in the movies who rushes about in stilettos shouting at the children to eat their cereal because she needs to be at the White House press briefing in minus three minutes. In fact I don’t leave the house at all more than about four times a week, and that’s only if I’ve run out of crumpets, but I like to imagine.)
The only snag with this luxury lip wonder? The Jumbo Crayon doesn’t seem to ever fully set. It doesn’t smear around like sauce on an uncooked pizza base, but neither does it hold fast like one of those 24-hour stay-put jobs that need a blowtorch to remove them. Personally, I never feel the need for such levels of indestructibility and so the slight movement in this one isn’t a problem, but those looking for semi-permanence may wish to look elsewhere.
You can find the new Chanel Jumbo Longwear Matte Lip Crayon online at Feelunique here* and Selfridges here* – it’s £31. As well as the nudey Discretion I love the shade Provocation – a hot orange-red that looks amazing against sunkissed skin.
Hey Ruth
I, too, had the Discretion crayon and it was the BEST colour ever for me! I don’t seem to be able to find a similar colour anywhere and wonder if you’ve been able to?
I despair and don’t wear lipstick anymore as I just can’t find the right shade!
Love, Dani
Love your youtube channel and now I am checking out your blog, which now I also love!
You should check out the Rodial lip crayons. They last a long time. I love all their colors, but they only have a few right now.
Your skin looks absolutely amazing. I would love to know what other products you are wearing. You have a great natural glow that I can never seem to achieve. (Perhaps access to REAL sunlight?)
I’ve watched the recent video on the beautiful Chanel skin products too, but you look slightly more tan here, and I was just hoping to glean some inside info
Much love as always..
OK, so it’s Isle of Paradise light tan drops (four) mixed into face cream the night before. Then Clarins Skin Illusion foundation (just launched) in shade 110! x
Thank for the reply, I’m afraid I am going to have to prod you a little further! You see I find the whole serum, moisturiser, primer, foundation, highlighter, blemish removal and powder to quite literally a recipe for disaster! Everything is sliding around allll over the place. Experimenting with some and not others reveals equally fruitless and frustrated endings.
I know it’s because you know your own routine (and what works for you) off by heart, but I confess, with foundation, I’m just a complete newbie!
Due to the wax and wane of my self tanners, I can never find any foundations that match. I would be happy to buy to try and mix them, however then my face, neck, shoulders and décolletage are different colours.
Help me Ruth Crilly, you’re my only hope!
OK so what’s your skin like? How old are you? What are your skin concerns? Are you fake tanning all the time, all year round, and doing face and body to match? Just trying to get an idea of your situation! : )
Oh Lovely Ruth! Only you would take the time to answer. I warn you now.. this is going to be an exhausting answer!
I’m going through a horrible period in my life. An implanon rod (which had been unnecessarily in my arm for over ten years!) was finally removed. The result of which has been a cacophony of previously muted hormones coursing through me, making up for lost time. I will be forty next birthday but only now am experiencing the full force of .. well…almost everything! Cystic acne, adult acne, really red spots and red dry patches. Some red scar tissue possibly forming.. It’s all been too much, and I’ve become a very weepy, and depressed wee soul.
I used to favour lovely Garnier body lotion that lightly tans, the night before, shower off in the morning, then minimal makeup in the morning, just a golden glow (Using something lovely like Oskia’s ‘Get up and Glow’, mascara, brows, a little swish with a bronzing brush and lip gloss and away! Now I’m desperately trying to paint on foundation, dab on colour correctors, use stippling brushes to press more product on in an attempt to hide all the marks (that are so bad, I feel I look like I have a BAD case of scurvy :( ) It all just ends up looking insane! Everything clashes, there are a million products on and none of them work. I just want my glow back, but until then I would be happy with just a healthy presentable face that doesn’t look either a dusty pastel white or burnt orange striped lunatic. (as these seem to be the only options for me when I try foundation), and clearly looking very heavily made up with powders and such. I just can’t get it to work for me.
I’m SO sorry! I know all of this really isn’t in your wheelhouse, I’m just so teary all the time because I look so awful. I LOVE all the lotions and potions of a morning, Sunday Riley and Luna oil overnight, but making makeup work for me seems to allude me. How frustrating it is to watch all the beauty Vloggers, there seems to be no-one doing videos for dark hair, dark eyes and extremely fair skin? The lovely Eldridge looks too are beautiful, but depressingly do not translate, as the ingredients that make her looks, gorgeous and regal are simply her fantastic genetics!
Forgive this indulgent waffle, I am just so depressed by buying things that make others look ah-mazing, and feeling like a troll that should remain under her bridge for everything new recommended seems to be another disappointment. What are the best concealers? How on earth do I know which shade to choose? I am beginning to think that there might be something to this idea of a tray of mixable foundation colours on a pallet. same for the concealers! Except —- when the lovely beauties of Vlogging step away from there EXTREMELY well lit makeup stations, do they not just look mental in the cold harsh light of day? Absolutely no disrespect intended but so many vids I’ve found are unpractical for that alone. They tend to be great for ‘going out’ looks, but for day to day?
I’d like to make clear I LOVE these videos, especially yours Ruth as it really is more beauty based than makeup. I would still have been scrubbing my face with hand soap it it hadn’t been for you and the Liquid Gold revolution :) I am so grateful to you for opening up this word for me, I don’t know why I’m thanking you using this torturous response! Eeeesh! Blame the hormones and the fact I look like an Oompa Loompa with measles that are green (to combat the red?)
Gosh I really feel if you made it to the end of that nonsensical rant, then a) thank you so much, even just for having the grit to follow through and b) yeah, I’m sorry you had to read all that :)
All I can ask of you is any pointers. You have been using your formidable blog for good, and I think it’s a BEAUTIFUL thing to do, to share what you have leaned. Thank you so much Ruth you’re an absolute inspiration. xx
I am going to have to check these out because I adore Chanel lip products!
Danielle xx
https://www.fashionbeautyblog.co.uk/
I wish I could wear this kind of peachy nude shade, it looks amazing. Doesn’t work on very pale cool toned skin sadly!
It Looks lovely on you, but these peachy shades never quite work on my skin tone.
Anne|Linda, Libra, Loca
Gosh, £31. I was totally sold until that point. That’s punchy even for Chanel. Great review though! Your description of the issues with nude formulas is spot on. Plasticine sausage lips!
Yeah the prices are steadily creep-creeping up, year on year! Like the bags..
I bought this at a Chanel counter at John Lewis in Bristol today (love it, thanks Ruth) and it was £26.35! There wasn’t any kind of discount thing going on, so not sure why the price difference!
They do that never undersold thing don’t they? I think it doesn’t count as sale but they match the lowest UK price.. x
I misread blow torch hahahahaha
SOUNDS GOOD, CHINA