With Spring and Summer in mind, I picked up these & Other Stories Total Tint Sticks after spotting them in & Other Stories. Yes, as soon as miserable January hits us, all I'm thinking of is the warmer months! These versatile, multi-use, creamy sticks of colour can be used on the eyes, cheeks, lips and the whole body. They're perfect for a quick slick of colour on rushed mornings, or to add a highlight to the face or body.

Non-greasy, the gel-cream consistency isn't at all heavy or sticky. Whilst the formula doesn't dry down to a powder completely and stays slightly dewy, there's no wet-feeling to them, so they would make a great choice for those who are nervous about trying cream, makeup products. It's a fine, frosted shimmer that gives these sticks their strong sheen, rather than a chunky glitter or sparkle. Unless you're up-close to someone in harsh lighting, then the shimmer isn't glaringly obvious or unflattering, but instead gives a luminous, glowing finish. When applied straight from the stick, the colour is intensely pigmented and opaque. But, using either a brush or fingers, it can be sheered out easily and any harsh edges can be blended without any trouble. To avoid having to correct a severe stripe of colour, I prefer picking up the product on a stippling brush and dabbing it onto my cheeks.

How these tints wear is average, with the colour fading after around five hours, on my skin. To improve the longevity, the tint needs to be applied in layers, but if you don't have time to build it up in the morning, then the sticks are small enough to pop into your bag to touch up with later. Also, I find that when wear a foundation with a higher coverage or more of a matte finish, rather than a lighter BB cream or tinted moisturiser, then the colour has more to stick to, which extends the lasting-power further. When using them as an eyeshadow, I have to run some concealer or primer across my lids first, as the tints can crease when used alone, even though my eyelids aren't particularly oily to begin with. Or, I'll use them as a creamy base to apply powder shadows on top of, to enhance their pigments.

Overall, I'd say the Total Tints are quite impressive. At £10 each for 8.5g of product, these sticks make a great, high-street alternative to the cult-favourite, Nars Multiples, which are £30 for 14g. They still may be rather expensive for their size, but the formula is pigmented and build-able and, as they're so versatile, you can get good use out of them. Although, if you have very oily skin, the longevity may be an issue for you. Packaging wise, the twist-up sticks are handy and they'll easily fit into a makeup bag, but they do feel quite cheap and the actual bullet of colour has fallen out of one of my sticks, already.

Have you tried the & Other Stories Total Tints?

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