Lancome Hypnose mascara and New CID i-pout lipstick

Clearing out your old make-up is a must. Nothing lasts forever and a change of season is a good time to do it. Going from summer to autumn is always slightly depressing, I feel, but I've been considerably cheered by two products sent in for testing from Lancome and CID.

Lancome Hypnose

This mascara has become a best-seller and it's no wonder as it really does do what it "says on the tin". It creates a great look for your lashes with a wand that boasts "1000 sensor bristles" – I haven't counted them! – so with each sweep the mascara glides through your lashes evenly from base to tip with perfect separation.

Hypnose contains silicone, glycerine and vitamin B5 to keep lashes soft and subtle. Certainly the mascara applied well and I found there was no clumping or smudging. Its effect is great with just one coat and, if you have more time, go for a more dramatic effect with more coats for evening wear.

In this range there are three other mascaras: Hypnose Drama and Hypnose Precious Cells. The latest is Hypnose Doll Eyes and I don't know why the John Lewis press office didn't send that one but they didn't.

PWT rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Lancome Hynose mascaras are available from John Lewis priced £20.45.

New CID i-pout lipsticks

I chose Damson from this new range of seven colours from New CID and was not disappointed. This lipsick come in a traditional case with a difference – there's a mirror on the side and it has built-in lights so you can apply whenever you need to wherever you are.

New CID's International Make-up Artist, Mikey Phillips suggests that you "apply i-pout with the new CID lip brush for longer wear, press lips together to flatten out the colour then reapply for more depth of colour."

I didn't have the lip brush but it went on very well straight from the tube and it felt great on my lips. The creamy formulation contains vitamin E to leave lips smooth and soft.

PWT rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

New CID Cosmetics won the 2011 Newcomer of the Year Award at QVC and are available at ID Studios nationwide and online at www.newcidcosmetics.com and www.qvcuk .com Lipsticks retail at £15.