I love this lipstick. I think it’s one of my most favourite lipsticks ever. Ever. Perfectly matte but not drying, nude but not unflattering – I just adore it! It doesn’t hide any imperfections, so you have to make sure that your lips are in tip-top condition (no light-reflecting surfaces here!) but if you get it right, it looks incredible. If you’re looking for a lipstick to pair with dramatic dark eyes then this is a very modern option – understated yet supremely sexy. I almost prefer the texture of matte lips to shiny – it’s less contrived, somehow. Shiny is certainly easier to wear – you can gloss over the flakes and create the impression of fullness – but matte, if done properly, looks effortless and stylish.

Excuse me staring off into the distance in the photo – it’s actually a screen-grab from a video edit, so I wasn’t posing. If I had been, I would have given you my full attention! Gorgeous shade, is it not? Quite peachy – far removed from the ‘dead’ looking nude that plagues so many makeup counters. The more I talk about this lipstick, the more I love it – I am wearing it right this minute! Because I like to test things to the max, I have put it through various tests. It has survived tea-drinking and lunch (messy tortilla with chilli and yoghurt and jalapeno peppers!) and it has also survived three hours in my baking hot office with me sweltering away. Pretty good, in terms of staying power. If you like the shade but not the idea of the matte finish, I can tell you that it looks fantastic with a gloss patted on top (kind of defeats the point of the lipstick, but each to their own!) – I used Estee Lauder’s High Gloss in 07, Pearl.

This little beauty is limited edition (part of the Modern Mercury collection) so grab it while you can. Actually, don’t panic – you’ve probably plenty of time, we’re not even in Autumn yet! If you want to take a peep at it online, you can do so here at Boots: http://tidd.ly/a3bf7f46 – it costs £18.50 and also comes in Red and Fuchsia.