Trinny Woodall has always been a troubleshooter, both in the realms of fashion and beauty, so it’s no surprise that her Trinny London brand centres on foolproof products. In that vein, she's now created her first-ever traditional lipstick, Trinny London Just Joyous, a feelgood formula designed to make you smile.
It's joining a stellar line-up of simple makeup pleasures from Trinny London. From stackable makeup pots that streamline your dressing table to multitasking base that can be applied with just your fingers, the prevailing sense is that beauty can be innovative without being intimidating or complicated, and that you should be able to swipe it on in a moment’s notice, because...life. Akin to the Marie Kondo of makeup, but more exuberant, with less underwear folding.
Fittingly, ‘get up and go’ also sums up the feel of Trinny’s Just Joyous lipsticks, £26 each. Hydrating, simple to swipe on and layer and available in 11 shades, they’re along the lines of a lipstick/ lip balm hybrid, with biomimetic peptides to trigger the skin’s natural repair processes, and featuring three different weights of hyaluronic acid to keep lips plump and moisturised. So far it sticks to Trinny’s USP, but does Just Joyous bring easy cheer to the GH beauty desk?
Trinny London Just Joyous: the GH verdict
I got my hands on a ‘nude’ (light pink Charlotte), a coral pink (Valerie) and a vibrant orange red (Poppy) and am happy to report that each shade applies smoothly straight from the bullet and is buildable without any flaking, unevenness or a heavy feel. The finish isn’t quite as glossy as expected but there’s a gorgeous sheen that makes lips look instantly fuller and each shade dries down to a stain that lasts until beyond lunchtime in the face of multiple lattes and much talking.
Trinny Just Joyous Lipstick in Poppy (please forgive my cuticles)
The fact that the brighter shades look punchy but require very little in the way of precision, dexterity or lip liner is also a huge plus for rushed mornings or impromptu evenings out (just use the edge of the lipstick to get into the corners of your mouth).
Trinny Just Joyous Lipsticks in Charlotte, Poppy and Valerie (l-r)
As for the balmy credentials, the texture feels light and smooth rather than particularly rich or buttery but it does keep lips soft; there’s no peeling or chapping to speak of. Most of all I’m impressed by both the colour payoff and the versatility of the formula; it can be sheer or more striking in just a few coats but feels silky and hydrating however you wear it.
In short, it’s a lipstick with added jazz hands, as is Trinny’s way. It’s made it into my daily commute edit, not least because you can pretty much wing it in the reflection of a train window if you’re desperate and you’re still highly unlikely to end up with a wonky lip line. It’s the little things.
