Dolce & Gabbana Miss Sicily

I have to say it – the Dolce & Gabbana Miss Sicily colour balms are exceptionally good. There’s some kind of magic in these that makes them long lasting, sheeny and sheer but they’re on the edge of sheer: there definitely a colour pay off that isn’t obvious in the swatches but springs to life on the lip.

The texture is such that they’re at the tipping point of solid becoming liquid: they’re very, very soft (and don’t over rotate the stick – you need to keep it really low in the bullet for it not to smoosh if you go at it too hard). But the softness – oil ratio, I guess, means that you get a glorious sheen and a kind of radiance on the lip that’s glossy but not drippy.

There are 16 shades, nominally broken up into nudes, pinks, purples, corals and reds, but I’ve separated them into ‘brights’ and ‘not so bright’ for swatching purposes.

So, as you can see.. they’re not that glamorous in the swatching: it’s quite rare to come across something that swatches so poorly on the arm but is a whole other thing on the lip, but prime example right here! From bottom to top: Lucia, Concetta, Maria, Rosa, Isabella and Caterina.

While the emolient ingredients aren’t listed, the formula does feel hyrating – very much so actually – and it’s not sticky at all. Most importantly, despite a (very mild) vanilla fragrance, it doesn’t leave a back-taste in the mouth.

From bottom to top: Carmela, Anna, Onofria, Annunziata, Antonia, Angelica, Carmela (accidentially got this twice!) and Agata.

Recommended shades are Onofria if you want to try a vampy wine-stain sheen but find full pigment too much, and everything summer, Caterina, in a glorious orange shade. They’re £27 each and launching at Harrods any day now.