The Clinique Almost Lipstick hardly needs an introduction: Nearly every time we write about it, it becomes a HuffPost Shopping bestseller, as it did in February 2026. But what you may not know is that the tinted lip balm’s popularity just led the brand to launch their lipliner, called the Quickliner , in the Almost Lipstick’s three iconic shades: Black Honey, **** Honey and Pink Honey. The liner claims to be long-lasting and help the Almost Lipstick stay in place. Once we heard this, we knew we needed to put it to the test.
Wait, so why is this lipstick so popular?
The Almost Lipstick is a tinted lip balm that’s sheer but buildable, and meant to be more hydrating than your average lipstick (hence the name), somewhere between a traditional lipstick and a balm. It’s made with emollients like seed oils to nourish the lips for comfortable everyday wear.
It’s primarily known for the always iconic shade Black Honey, which has deeper berry tones, but it also comes in two others, Pink Honey (a rosy pink) and **** Honey (a brownish **** with a “your lips but better” effect). Black Honey in particular is a social media star, perhaps due to the brand’s claim that it “looks incredible (and different) on everyone,” and apparently Clinique sells seven tubes every minute.
Now, you can match your liner and lipstick thanks to the Quickliner’s three new shades.
First, we tried wearing the Almost Lipstick on its own.
“My favorite part about the Almost Lipstick is how comfortable it feels on the lips,” said senior shopping writer Tessa Flores. “It really does strike the perfect balance between feeling like a nourishing balm that gives a perfect sheen, without feeling sticky like a gloss. The color... is incredibly customizable and can be built up to look more obvious.”
As someone who usually only wears lip gloss or a true lip balm, I appreciated the ease of application but the feel took some getting used to. It’s true that it’s more nourishing than a traditional lipstick, but I still usually preferred to wear wearing lip balm underneath for my always-chapped lips.
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When we added in the Quickliner, there was more nuance in our takeaways.
If you’re new to lipliner or have mature skin, this may be a good product to start with.
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We did wear tests for both the balm on its own and with the liner, to see how its claims of being long-lasting stood up.
This is where the Quickliner saved the day for some of us. “I think the overall effect lasted longer when I used the liner plus the balm,” Alig said. “When I wore the two together, I didn’t feel like I had to reapply the balm as often because the liner made the overall look more intense. It faded nicely.”
Naturally, shade preference was dependent on skin tone.
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So, is the Quickliner worth the buy in addition to the Almost Lipstick? In our opinion, it doesn’t hurt. I was glad to have it around as a way to bump up the balm (and cut down on reapplication), and even those of us who don’t regularly use lipliner were pleasantly surprised by how beginner-friendly the Quickliner’s formula was. (I also think it’s worth looking into the two shades besides Black Honey, because though they’re less viral, they may be more suitable for everyday wear depending on the type of makeup look you prefer.)
Still, whether you complete the lip duo or just opt for the Almost Lipstick on its own, it’s pretty clear why this product has gained such a cult following. It goes on smooth, adds a buildable wash of color and won’t dry out your lips. Personally, I would buy this again and again, and I could see some of my fellow testers doing the same.
Get them from Amazon: the lipstick for $21.25+ (available in three shades) and the Quickliner for 21.25+ (available in 12 shades).
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