Is The Multiple Viral Black Honey Almost Lipstick Actually Worth the Hype? (2025)

Main Image – Courtesy of writer

First launched in 1971 in a glass pot that looked remarkably like a gooey honey, and then again in the 80s, enter Clinique’s now-viral-once-againBlack Honey – “A deep, dark raisin color that surprised and delighted anyone who dared to try it.”

Editors, celebs (Emilia Clarke famously loves this shade), and the general public alike all fell for this product – reportedly the perfect “your-lips-but-better” shade for each individual person and skin tone. In fact, this one lipstick has amassed a massive 142 million posts and completely sold out at one point.

Given that I only *really* became a fan of lipstick and lip liners over the past few years, and I’m not really a full coverage gal, this “Almost Lipstick” was firmly on the radar every time I searched for a new lip product or shade.

And with hundreds of thousands of reviews popping up on my FYP and loads of influencers trying it with various lip liners and glosses, I obviously had to try this iconic blotted cherry-looking lipstick.

Here’s how I got on.

The product details

The brand itself calls Almost Lipstick a “perfectly calibrated blend of blue, red and yellow pigments in a creamy, balmy base (not quite a lipstick, but more than a sheer gloss), that melts into your lips and bumps up their color – it’s truly the best version of what you already have, and it works for every skin tone.”

As well as being universally flattering, the brand also claims it can make teeth look whiter (erm, yes please!)

It comes in two flattering shades – Black Honey and Pink Honey – in a fairly substantial0.6oz/1.9g silver tube (£24.50 from Boots UK /$25 from Clinique US). You really do get a lot of product, as you can see from my photo below.

When it comes to the ingredients, this lipstick is allergy-tested and 100% free of fragrance, parabens, and phthalates.

First impressions

In its quiet luxury packaging, this lipstick can look slightly intimidating. A dark red/burgundy colour that did make me wonder whether I’d be left looking like Wednesday Addams or a backing dancer from a really 90s music video.

But, this “goth-like dark stain” transforms into a sheer veil of colour as soon as you slick it onto your lips. More on this soon.

It doesn’t have a scent, and when I initially swatched it over my arm it was surprisingly smooth, glossy, and sheer, and it felt seriously nourishing. No chalky lip pigment to see here.

While this lipstick looks like it might create a really dark statement lip when you look at it in its silver packaging, don’t be fooled. This warm and sheer pigment glides on to create a sort of ‘flushed from within’ shade.

It’s not brown, it’s not red, it’s not too bright, but it’s also not too dark. This is seriously a one-of-a-kind ‘chameleon’ product that matches to your skin tone when applied.

My results

I’m going to be honest, I couldn’t wait to get this on my lips.

While I usually go for a more matte lip, I do like a purple/brown shade, which suits my warm skin tone the most. Since I don’t wear much makeup unless I’m going to an event, I really wanted to see how this barely there berry tint would fair on a natural makeup look.

Before:

The brand says you can easily apply this lipstick without a mirror – bonus, since I always forget to carry one and I don’t want to apply a lip colour without a mirror for fear of it being wonky.

And it’s true, this is so sheer that you really don’t need to pull down your sun visor mirror in your car to apply it on the way to work, and you don’t need to find a mirror in a public toilet to ensure a smooth, precise application.

Applied onto my bare lips, it feels like I’m using a lip balm and, once it’s on, it feels just as moisturising and nourishing. This is something I really like because I do get slightly paranoid that my lipstick has become stuck in any dry bits on my lips or that it’s gone patchy. I find that when I wear a full lipstick, I’m constantly looking in the mirror to check it’s still neat and in place, but that’s not necessary for me with Clinique’s Black Honey.

It’s also really buildable, with lots of people applying it over their favourite lipsticks from other brands, or pairing it with various lip liners for a bolder look.

I applied around 2 – 3 coats, and I genuinely think it makes my lips look softer and plumper.

After:

Since I do like to overline my lips slightly with a lip liner before adding lipstick, usually on my cupid bow and the middle of my bottom lip, I wanted to try this out.

I used Lovren’s Matita Labbra Lp2 in shade rosa notte to slightly line the middle of my top and bottom lip, including the cupid bow to add some fullness, before applying Black Honey.

And, I’ve got to say, I’m pretty impressed.

With lip liner:

The only negative comment I have for this lipstick is longevity. Since it’s so sheer and moisturising, it doesn’t seem to last as long as other lipsticks I use and feels much more like a lip balm than anything else.

But, to be honest, the packaging is so sleek and light that I really don’t mind carrying it in my handbag to top up throughout the day.

Another point to mention is that I often find that if lip balms or lipsticks somehow get into my mouth they can make my throat feel really dry and uncomfortable, I haven’t experienced that with this lipstick.

What other users are saying

While Clinique claims this to be a lipstick for every skin tone, some users don’t agree. Smokylimbs on Reddit writes “Black honey looks like absolute death on me, I instantly hate it as soon as I put it on. Zero Arwen elven princess vibes on me. I’m light warm olive.” Another agrees with this comment, writing “Same! I’m a pale olive and it makes me look dead and it really isn’t flattering to my teeth.”

So, some don’t agree with the versatility of the product as well as its ability to make teeth look whiter.

While over on the Boots UK website, one user writes “Kept reading about this lipstick and the colour being universal and was curious… So when it was on 3 for 2 I decided to take the plunge and bought one for my friend as well for her birthday… The colour suits us both and I love the ease of application, I can do it without a mirror!”

Another, surprisingly, found the product to be drying “I was expecting a little bit more colour. I understand its [sic] a sheer lipstain, but still took me multiple applications to see something. Plus, quite drying surprisingly”.

@victorialyn

Iconic lipsticks you NEED to try: @Clinique Black Honey??? #blackhoney #makeup #beauty #clinique #fallmakeup

? Storytelling – Adriel

Overall value for money

While there are many more affordable lipstick options out there, I really do think this is a one-of-a-kind product that successfully combines a balm, lip pigment, and gloss (I wouldn’t say it’s super glossy though, more dewy.)

But would I spend £24.50/$25.00 on it again? I actually think I would. When you twist the packaging to reveal how much product sits in the tube, you get a huge amount. So it will definitely last me a while and, for a pretty high-end product that’s good for your lips, I think it’s worth it.

While doing my research into Black Honey, I did come across some cheaper dupes from the likes of Kosas, Glossier, elf, and Sephora. And while there are some positive reviews for these dupes, it’s clear that they don’t stack up to the original and most of them are said to be too sheer.

@orianasiphanoum

first impression of the iconic clinique almost lipstick in black honey ??? #cliniqueblackhoney #clinique #blackhoney #almostlipstick #lipstickreview #blackhoneylipstick #cherrylips

? original sound – oriana

The takeaway

It’s pretty mind-boggling that after 50 years and thousands more lip products on the market, this one is still a huge hit. The majority of the influencers reviewing this lipstick (including me), weren’t even alive the first time this product went ‘viral’!

And I can see why it’s so popular. The unusual black honey shade, the dewy feel without being sticky, the nourishing benefits, and the sheer coverage make this a great product for barely-there makeup looks as well as applying over deeper pigments.