Caudalie French Kiss Tinted Lip Balm in Séduction Review

My love for Caudalie is well documented and in my eyes Mathilde Thomas can do no wrong. Which is why I was over the moon when Caudalie announced they were releasing tinted lip balms, their lip conditioner is my most repurchased lip balm (try it it’s amazing). The only issue was choosing a color out of the three lovely shades they have released. I settled on Séduction a medium neutral pink that seemed great for every day, keep reading for my full review.

The French Kiss Tinted Lip Balms come in super cute little pots with wooden lids, they look adorable. Now I have seen various opinions on the tinted aspect of these balms, personally I enjoy the level of color they give, it’s a sheer wash but they definitely have pigment. In a way they remind me of the Dior Crème de Rose lip balm because the top layer of the balm is quite hard and you need to go through that layer to get to the more pigmented and creamier part of the balm (it only takes a few uses). Séduction is a medium neutral pink color which looks natural and helps bring color to the face, the berry toned Addiction is next on my list.

As for the formula, it is very different to the lip conditioner which is great to rehydrate the lips and helps deal with chapped lips. The French Kiss balm is quite different, it feels very cushiony on the lips and has a thicker formula which makes it great to seal moisture into your lips. The balm will prevent your lips from drying out and can diminish the appearance of chapped lips, but if your lips are already quite chapped the lip conditioner would be a better option.

I personally love the glossy plump look from the French Kiss Tinted Lip Balm and I think it’s perfect to put on in the morning before heading out. It looks great on its own but it can also be layered over lipstick and stains. At £10 I think it’s a lovely product and a nice little treat.

The Caudalie French Kiss Tinted Lip Balm is available from the Caudalie website and from many retailers including Feelunique and Naturisimo.  

The French Beauty Solution by Mathilde Thomas

Today has turned out to be pretty gloomy outside (where’s the snow!), which makes it a perfect day to stay inside and curl up with a good book. There could not be a better time to introduce you to one of my favorite books of the years: Mathilde Thomas’ The French Beauty Solution. Be prepared to be inspired and soak up loads of beauty knowledge.

I love Mathilde Thomas’ way of writing, it feels like you’re chatting with a friend and everything feels effortless making it a super pleasant read. The book contains loads of skincare, beauty and health knowledge to approach beauty the French way. Now I read a lot about the subject and I have French roots so most of the information was not new to me, but the way it was presented made it feel fresh and fun. It actually inspires and motivates you to really take care of yourself and your skin. I also love how it really focuses on skincare to make you look your best instead of relying on loads of makeup. The tips are all about common sense, so you don’t have to be scared of crazy routine or applying weird things on your face, it’s all sensible.

Honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading The French Beauty Solution and I think most would enjoy the way it is written. It is actually more about a lifestyle than skincare and I believe it might provide you with the little boost of motivation you need to start taking better care of yourself. After all, we all want to be healthy and having beautiful skin is a pretty great bonus. You can easily peruse the book for specific information or simply settle down and enjoy it cover to cover.

You can find Mathilde Thomas’ The French Beauty Solution in most bookstores, iBooks and Amazon. You can also read more about it here.

Currently Reading: My Favorite Beauty and Lifestyle Books

I have been catching up on my reading recently and I thought I could share with you what I have on my nightstand. I don’t read as many novels as I used to, they get me too wrapped up and I end up going to sleep way too late. This is why I prefer lifestyle and beauty books to unwind, plus I love learning new things. The following books are the ones I am currently enjoying and they all have a similar short sections format that is great to read before bed.

First up is The New Health Rules: Simple Changes to Achieve Whole-Body Wellness by Doctor Frank Lipman (here). I first saw pictures of this on Goop and I loved the styling. Basically, each page contains a “rule” to follow in order to be healthier, they really are more like tips and not preachy. Some advice you might know, but I am sure you will learn something new. I really love it and all the pictures are stunning.

Next is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo (here). This has been generating a lot of buzz online and since I was in a decluttering mood, I thought it would be very useful. The book is based on the simple principle that you should only keep things that spark joy instead of cluttering your home with too many things. I cannot wait to finish it and put the techniques to the test.

Another book I am currently enjoying is The French Beauty Solution: Time-Tested Secrets to Look and Feel Beautiful Inside and Out by Mathilde Thomas (here) the founder of Caudalie. This beauty book is based on French health and lifestyle tips that will improve your skin. I already apply most of them in my lifestyle, but it is written in such a fresh and pleasant way that I am really enjoying reading it. I also cannot wait to get to the diy beauty section. 

Last is The Honest Life: Living Naturally and True to You by Jessica Alba (here), a great guide book to living in a cleaner and more natural home. I have been loving my products from The Honest Company and this book is a great companion to the brand. It is has many sections from food, beauty, fashion and home. The pictures are very colorful and I think it offers great advice that you can easily apply to your life.

There you have it, my favorite books of the moment. They are all available in bookstore as well as on Amazon and in iBooks.