Lush Is Getting Emotional About Makeup With Their New Emotional Brilliance Makeup Collection

Wearing Lush Emotional Brilliance Liquid Eye Liner in Motivation and Cream Eyeshadow in Happiness on my eyes, and Liquid Lip Color in Power on my cheeks

I’m feeling emotional today…but for once it’s not because Tabs is ignoring me or because I’m PMS-ing.

Shocking, I know! 🙂

It’s because of Lush and their new Emotional Brilliance Collection, the brand’s first-ever line of color cosmetics. It launches tomorrow worldwide at Lush stores and online at lushusa.com, featuring 13 Liquid Lip Colors, 11 Liquid Eyeliners and 6 Cream Eyeshadows, each priced at $22.95.

From the left: Liquid Lip Color in Power, Liquid Lip Color in Vibrance, Cream Eyeshadow in Happiness, Cream Eyeshadow in Wise, Liquid Eye Liner in Motivation and Liquid Eye Liner in Feeling Secure

Instead of basing the colors on trendy seasonal shades, Lush tried to tap into their emotional side, choosing a pigmented palette and giving the pieces names like Happiness and Motivation.

According to Lush, each of the product names/shades can help you draw on the power of suggestion. Say, “happiness, happiness, happiness,” visualize yourself feeling better, and apply golden coral Cream Eyeshadow in Happiness on your lids, with the idea being that the happy color and name could lead to a positive change in behavior.

Sounds worth a try. I could always use a little extra happiness.

Or maybe you’d prefer one of the Lip Colors, like shimmery red Power, to help you through that big meeting at work.

Even the little jars look therapeutic with their dropper caps, like vintage medicine bottles.

“Apply two of these, Karen, and call me in the morning.”

Yes, Dr. Tabs. 🙂

Kinda touchy-feely, but Lush is crunchy granola like that (as am I sometimes).

Some first impressions on six of the 30 new pieces…

The Liquid Lip Colors

First I powered up with Power, a shimmery reddish orange that glides across my lips like a drag queen down a runway. With the doe-foot applicator (the dropper handle is just for show), it applies smoothly, like whipped butter, and feels lovely, but it also got my hopes up dangerously high…

When I tried shimmery golden Vibrance, I was surprised by its almost chunky consistency — not at all like Power. I had to pat it down to get the color to spread across my lips.

Hmm… Seems like these lippies vary widely, although both of them are unscented, unflavored and feel as light as feathers. MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

The Liquid Eyeliners

At least for me and my small hands, the quaint dropper handle makes the liner brush a little tricky to control, so I skip it and use my trusty Sonia Kashuk Bent Brush instead.

Both bright, shimmery teal Motivation and matte purple Feeling Secure dry in less than a minute, so they’re probably better suited for sharp liner looks than smudged ones (Note: not recommended for water lines; I tried ’em, and my eyes started tearing up).

Of these two, I definitely prefer shimmery Motivation. Compared to it, Feeling Secure looks dull and lifeless. MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

The Cream Eyeshadows

Shimmery golden coral Happiness and matte khaki Wise latch on to my lids like eagle talons!

Like the liners, both of them dry very quickly, completely setting in less than a minute, and on the one hand, I appreciate being able to just swipe and go, but on the other, I miss not being able to blend out the edges.

As for layering, neither one likes it, and both begin to look uneven and patchy when I apply too much. MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B-

Swatches from the left: Liquid Eye Liner in Motivation, Liquid Eye Liner in Feeling Secure, Cream Eyeshadow in Happiness, Cream Eyeshadow in Wise, Liquid Lip Color in Power and Liquid Lip Color in Vibrance

Almost there!

We’re almost to the finish line. I hope your school or workweek is ending on a good note.

Things are going well on this end, although I’m very sleepy right now… I had a late lunch (an heirloom tomato sandwich with fresh mozzarella, basil, balsamic vinegar and pesto, yum!) and now my eyelids feel heavy.

I’d try to take a nap, but that rarely works. Tabs sees an open tum and pounces like a puma!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen