[unpaid/sample] So, I’m back and I’m ever so sorry for the prolonged absence – I just got totally felled by a triple whammy of sickness, covid and anxiety and had to listen to my body and take a break to rest. I’m making a few changes and going to try just working mornings for a while so I can ease back in and take things at my own pace. To be honest, I thought I was winning at covid until the tiredness arrived and then boom – I just broke! In fact, the pictures I have for this were taken while I had it and I think the next day I couldn’t get up. Anyway, it’s done now, Mr BBB has been stellar at looking after me and my favourite jeans fit again. Every cloud, etc. Thank you for all messages on Twitter, Instagram and here.

The Tone on Tone collection from CHANEL is interesting because it’s split by undertone – either rosy or golden to give either a fresh or a luminous finish. It’s not necessarily about tone matching but more about tone complementing and tweaking neutrals so that they are as natural and effortless as possible.

Above is: 199 Inattendu (rosy undertone), 196 A Demi-Mot (rosy undertone), 209 Alter Ego (golden undertone), 206 Illusion (golden undertone – suits me best), 212 Caractere (golden undertone).

In the same order bottom to top: 199 Inattendu (rosy undertone), 196 A Demi-Mot (rosy undertone), 209 Alter Ego (golden undertone), 206 Illusion (golden undertone), 212 Caractere (golden undertone). There are six lipstick shades with the rosy undertone and six with the golden – I don’t think it’s too important to worry about what your own skin undertones are because this is a collection with nuance rather than with specific intent to tone match but if you know you suit pinker tones or more golden tones it would be sensible to head that way when making a choice. I suit Alter Ego best and it has golden tones which would be true to my own tones but I can’t say that I would have naturally shied away from the rosy tones – Inattendu looked pretty good, too.

It’s exactly the same theory with Le Vernis – I’m wearing all the shades I have above: thumb first: 953 Essentiel (golden), 939 Singularite (pink), 943 Enigme (pink), 949 Denude (golden) and 945 Emotion (pink). I’m wearing Illusion. In promo pictures I’ve seen more or less all shades on a good variety tones – six basic shades that work across the myriad of skin tones in the world. These are the shades that you can slip on as easily as your favourite jeans (wearing now!) – absolute no-brainers that won’t ever be wrong. My advice is to see them in real-life if you have a counter near you. Lipsticks are £35 each HERE and Le Vernis is £25.