Rimmel London Nude Lipstick Collection by Kate Moss + Lip Conditioning Balm

They say that a nude lipstick is timeless. For me, nude lipsticks are more like an endless search for the right shade. Luckily, Rimmel has launched a line of four new shades of the Lasting Finish Lipstick through the Nude Collection by Kate Moss plus a lip conditioning balm ($7.99 each). I tried the three darkest shades (#42, #43 & #45). 

Unfortunately, none of the shades really work for me. The only one that comes close to being suitable for my colouring is #43 (tan nude). The other two appear patchy and emphasize lines due to my highly pigmented lip colour. None of the shades lasted more than 4 hours (despite the "up to 8 hour" claims). 

What DID work for me was the Lip Conditioning Balm. It smells like a sweet, fruity candy that I can't quite put my finger on. It's not overly mushy and it's thin enough that it can be worn underneath or on top of lipsticks. It's a tad pricey for a lip balm but I like the look of a lip balm in lipstick packaging - it makes me feel mature. 

Overall, not a fan of the nude selection or formulation of the new Kate Moss lipstick collection, though I like other non-nude shades of the Lasting Finish Formula. I'm preferential to the formula of nude lipstick collection launched by Essence (though I feel like the shades of the Kate Moss/Rimmel Collection are less white-based and more universally flattering).