Fashion

Saint Laurent CEO: Heritage Must Keep Moving

Fashion

Giorgio Armani CEO Touts Links to Chinese Culture

Fashion

Compromise Is Underrated: Prada Group CEO

Shop
Beauty

Clinique’s New Nude Honey Almost Lipstick Is a More Versatile, Flattering Shade of the Brand’s Iconic ’90s Lip Product

The newly released hue sits right between a neutral mauve and a milk-tea brown, and it builds beautifully without ever looking overdone.

By Claire Sullivan Plus Icon

Claire Sullivan

Recent Articles by Claire Sullivan

June 20, 2025, 6:11pm

Add us as a Google Preferred Source

Clinique Nude Honey Almost lipstick with swatch; woman testing Clinique's Nude Honey Almost lipstick

Courtesy

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, WWD may receive an affiliate commission.

The Clinique Almost Lipstick franchise has a new darling. Today, the brand is introducing Nude Honey, a sheer, balmy lip color that channels the same effortless appeal as its cult-classic predecessor. It’s only the third iteration in the Black Honey family, and if history is any indication, this one’s poised to fly off shelves just as fast.

First launched in 1971, Black Honey has long held icon status — one of the rare beauty products (alongside stalwarts like Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream) to stay relevant across generations. While other formulas have come and gone, Clinique’s sheer raisin-tinted balm has never been retired. Its genius lies in the way it enhances lips without masking them — making it a universally flattering tinted lip balm.

Related Articles

Autumnal Glam Was All the Rage at the Time 100 Next Gala

The Art of Gifting Well: 21 Luxury Christmas Gifts for Men Who Appreciate the Finer Things

Clinique Almost Lipstick swatches in Pink Honey, Nude Honey, and Black Honey (left to right).

After a 2021 resurgence fueled by TikTok, Clinique Black Honey has only amassed more fans — the brand now sells seven tubes every minute globally.

The buzz even sparked renewed interest in tinted balm-meets-lipstick hybrids, all while nude lips continue to trend across this year’s red carpets, from the Golden Globes to the Met Gala. Think soft-focus browns, pinky beiges, and tawny neutrals that reference the fleshy to true brown ’90s lip trends in a more refined fashion. Nude Honey taps directly into that energy: part of the same sheer lipstick family, with a new shade profile meant to flatter bare skin, glazed complexions, and softly sculpted lips.

While Clinique Black Honey’s claim to fame was subtly enhancing the lips’ natural tone, Nude Honey may be an even closer match to that “your lips but better” brief. After testing it for the past two weeks, here’s our full review.

Sign up for WWD Shop’s newsletter to get the scoop on the best in beauty and style with in-depth reviews of exciting new releases and buyer’s guides to find the products you need to try ASAP.

WWD/ Claire Sullivan

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Nude Honey

$25

Buy Now at ulta

Price upon publish date of this article: $25

Clinique Nude Honey Almost Lipstick Review — Editor Testing Notes

Fans of Black Honey will instantly recognize the appeal of Clinique’s new Nude Honey shade: It’s a sheer wash of color that requires no mirror to apply and no second thought. But where the original leans berry and wine-stained, Nude Honey shifts the story to something earthier and softer — less fresh-picked fruit, more early-aughts minimalism with the sheen of a modern lip gloss. The shade sits right between a neutral mauve and a milk-tea brown, and it builds beautifully without ever looking overdone.

What surprised me most was how incredibly wearable it is across different makeup looks. On bare skin, it adds just enough color to make lips look polished. With lip liner (I tried it over Make Up For Ever’s Wherever Walnut liner), it takes on a quietly sculpted effect that feels elevated, but still low-effort. It never pulls orange, and it also doesn’t veer too pink or too beige. Similar to the original Black Honey, the magic is in the neutrality of its undertones.

WWD Shop writer Claire Sullivan with bare lips (left) and after two swipes of Clinique’s Nude Honey Almost Lipstick (right). WWD/ Claire Sullivan

As with the rest of the Almost Lipstick line, the formula is balm-forward — hydrating, smooth, and lightweight. Where Black Honey adds oomph with every swipe, Nude Honey is the subtler counterpart that enhances what’s already there. It’s the shade I’ve reached for during Zoom calls, Sunday errands, and even a wedding, proving its versatility in real time. Nude Honey is a new neutral in the best sense — one that could rival the success of Black Honey in short order.

WWD/ Claire Sullivan

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Nude Honey

$25

Buy Now at ulta

Price upon publish date of this article: $25

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

$25

Buy Now at amazon

$25

Buy Now at nordstrom

$25

Buy Now at ulta

Price upon publish date of this article: $25

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Pink Honey

$25

Buy Now at amazon

$25

Buy Now at ulta

Price upon publish date of this article: $25

Why Trust WWD

Since 1910, WWD — often referred to as “the fashion bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities, while also informing the consumer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for both fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors continue to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections. Learn more about us here.

Meet the Author

Claire Sullivan is a contributing commerce editor for WWD and Footwear News, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion, and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as an editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the products that make a meaningful difference in your skin and hair. Sullivan has worn Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick for over a decade and tested the new Nude Honey shade for two weeks to write this review.

Tags

beauty
shop

Newsletters

Sign up for WWD news straight to your inbox every day

WWD Recommends

Ferran Torres Talks World Cup and That Hat

Character Study: Classic Men’s Looks with Modern Updates

Thom Browne and Teyana Taylor: Designer and Muse

CEO Talks: How Gucci Westman and David Neville Are Building a Luxury Beauty Brand for the Ages

Icebreakers with François Arnaud

Getting Ready for Marc Jacobs 2026 with Nicky Hilton

'Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans' Stars Talk Costumes and Society

Getting Ready with Kerry Washington & Michael Kors

Head to Toe: How to Style Outerwear for Everywhere

A Tour of the New Hermès Madison Avenue Flagship

Adidas Terminates Yeezy Partnership With Ye With Immediate Effect

Louis Vuitton Launches New Exhibition in NYC

Willy Chavarria Takes Us Backstage of His Energetic SS23 Collection Minutes Before Showtime

Head To Toe: Transitioning Your Wardrobe

A closer look at LaQuan Smith's new collection and designing for Beyonce

WWD Report Card: Beyoncé’s Fashion ‘Renaissance’

Men’s Spring 2023 Trend: Skin Show

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Stars Kim Chi and Trixie Mattel Launch Beauty Collaboration

Zoey Deutch Shares Her Red Carpet Favorites and What it's Like Backstage at the Met Gala

A Look at Serena Williams’ Best On-Court Tennis Outfits Over the Years

Megan Fox’s Best Fashion Moments Over the Years

WWD Report Card: Selena Gomez’s Fashion Evolution

The Biggest Fashion Collaborations of 2022 — So Far

5 Things To Know About The Louis Vuitton And Nike Air Force 1 Sneaker Collection

LAUNCH PAD: First Look at the New J. Crew

WWD Report Card: Brad Pitt vs Ryan Gosling

Report Card: Rating the Looks from Paris Couture Week

First Impressions: Paris Men’s Spring 2023 | Day 5 | Kenzo, Hermès, Thom Browne

First Impressions: Paris Men’s Spring 2023 | Day 4 | Junya Watanabe, Dior, Officine Generale

First Impressions: Paris Men’s Spring 2023 | Day 3 | Issey Miyake, Amiri

First Impressions: Paris Men’s Spring 2023 | Day 2 | Lemaire, Givenchy, Reese Cooper

First Impressions: Paris Men’s Spring 2023 | Day 1 | John Elliott, EgonLab

First Impressions: Milan Men’s Spring 2023 | Day 2 | Versace, Fendi, Armani, MSGM

First Impressions: Milan Men's Spring 2023 | Day 1

First Impressions: Milan Men’s Spring 2023 | Day 3 | Etro, Prada, JW Anderson

Hot Summer Bags

WWD + Beauty Inc. at Cosmoprof 2022

On the Red Carpet at the 2022 Met Gala: All the Looks

'And Just Like That' Costume Designers Talk Process for New HBO Show

Netflix's 'Halston' Costume Designer Talks Working with Ewan McGregor

Video: J Balvin on the Deeper Meaning of the J Balvin x Air Jordan 1 Sneaker

Video: How Princess Diana’s Fashion Choices Hinted at What Was Happening Behind Palace Doors

Video: Do These Outrageous Celebrity Fashion Looks Hold Up?

Video: Sarah Cooper — Writer, Comedian, Trump Impersonator, and More

Video: Bob the Drag Queen Grades Legendary Fashion Looks

Video: Supreme Court Style: Inside the Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Collars

Video: The Origins of French Girl Style à la Chanel

Video: WWD Presents 'Creating Queer'

Video: Model Shaun Ross Talks Diversity in the Fashion Industry

Video: Fashion for All CEO Hannah Stoudemire On Her #BreakingtheSilence Campaign⁣

These Inclusive Face Masks Provide Functional PPE to All Frontline Workers

Most Popular

WWD

Get all the top news stories and alerts straight to your inbox.

Enter your Email

Sign Up Sign Up

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.