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Lip Balm

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The Best Lip Balms, Oils & Plumpers I’ve Tried

August 24, 2022

Best Lip Balms

I’m the ultimate lip balm junkie. I always have at least one in my purse and a couple on my bedside table. It’s been a while since I did an updated roundup of my favorites! Since everyone has different preferences and tastes for what they want in a lip treatment, here are the best treatments I’ve tried. Split into 3 categories: clear treatments, tinted balms/oils and lip plumpers.

Clear Lip Balms & Treatments

Best Clear Lip Balms La Mer, Summer Fridays, U Beauty, Tatcha

Best Lip Balm Too Faced, Laneige and Biossance

I love a good clear lip treatment and there are so many formulas out there, it can be overwhelming. Here are the best ones I’ve tried.

La Mer The Lip Volumizer Lip Serum ($85 at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus) is my most-worn lip treatment. It’s technically a lip volumizer, but I wear this as a balm. It has a smooth cushiony feel. Love that it has a wand/sponge applicator. I wear this at night when I’m sleeping because it hugs the lips nicely and smoothes them. Has a slightly minty scent. No tingle.

Summer Fridays Lip Butter ($23 at Sephora) is my second-most worn lip balm. I love the clear and tinted formulas. They perform equally well for a softly scented vanilla treat to the lips. Hydrating and smooth. Not sticky. Doesn’t feel like it will slide off the lips. Highly recommend.

U Beauty The Plasma Lip Compound ($68 at U Beauty, Saks, Nordstrom) was gifted to me by a friend. This is the first U Beauty product I’ve tried and it’s the ultimate splurge for the lips. It has a cushiony feel to plump and contour the lips. The metal applicator has an incredibly smooth cooling effect when you apply. It gives you that glass skin look for the lips. This one is unscented.

Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask ($28 at Sephora and Tatcha) is my favorite lip mask. It’s one I’ve used and loved for years. It’s one of the few in pot form that I’ll still use. These days I’m all about having a squeeze tube, wand or some sort of applicator instead. Hydrates, makes the lips soft, love the beautiful packaging too.

Too Faced Hangover Pillow Balm ($26 at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Target) is one of the best cushiony swipe and go kind of balms. Has a soft mango almost minty scent to it. The tinted versions are really fun too.

Laneige Lip Glowy Balm ($17 at Sephora) is the best flavored lip balm I’ve tried (one in the squeeze tubes). It is much better and more effective than the popular Lip Sleeping Mask which I’ve tried multiple times and just can’t fall in love. The Lip Glowy Balm is smoothing, hydrating, love the flavor options in Grapefruit and Gummy Bear.

Biossance Squalane+ Rose Vegan Lip Balm ($14 at Sephora and Biossance) this was an impulse buy at Sephora. After reviewing their skincare a number of you told me this was a favorite of yours from the line. It’s a really great thicker balm. If you’re looking for something that has a good thick texture this is a nice one to try.

Tinted Balms and Oils

Best Tinted Balms and Oils Bobbi Brown, NARS, Hermes and Makeup by Mario

For tinted options there are tons of great tinted balms out there. Most of them to me are more of a makeup product versus having skincare properties which isn’t bad. Sometimes I’m more focused on color, other times I want more hydration. These are some options I think excel equally for color + hydration.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Oil-Infused Gloss ($32 at Sephora and Nordstrom) are my most-worn lip oils. They’re a oil-gloss with tint and the best colors are Free Spirit (left) and In the Buff (right, it’s the one that always gets me compliments). They’re medium in pigment with a glossy finish. Love how they feel and look. Swatches here.

NARS Afterglow Lip Balms ($28 at NARS, Sephora, Nordstrom) if I had to pick one tinted balm formula to wear the rest of my life it would be the Afterglow Lip Balms from NARS. I have every single color and love them. They add the perfect amount of color and shine. Color featured is Dolce Vita. These are the ultimate lazy girl lip tints. Review here.

Hermes Hermesisitble Infused Lip Care Oil ($55 at Saks, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus) these still remain my favorite lip oil for the fun scents, beautiful colors and hydrating formula. The applicator could be improved but the formula is so good I’m not going to dock points off. Review and swatches here.

Makeup By Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum ($22 at Sephora and Makeup By Mario) love these for the hydrating soft balm formula and color. Every single color is beautiful. I’ve been ordering all of the Makeup by Mario exclusive colors that have been dropping Mondays this summer on their website. Will review + swatch soon.

Lip Plumper Treatments

Best Lip Plumpers Charlotte Tilbury, Dior, Lawless and PatrickTa

I rarely use lip plumpers because I already have full lips. I’m also very sensitive to tingles so I tend to only use plumpers that have a more smoothing effect.

Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath ($35 at Sephora) is my favorite plumping lip product. It smooths lips, adds a lovely shine, adds volume. Refresh Rose and Pillow Talk always get compliment’s anytime I wear them alone or on top of a liner. Swatches here.

Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss ($38 at Sephora and Dior) are also staples in my routine. I almost always have one of these with me in my bag. They’re smooth without any sting. Love the color range for a sheer wash of color. My favorite is Rosewood which I’ve used up and need to restock.

Lawless Forget the Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss ($25 at Sephora) in Cherry Vanilla is 100% worth the hype. This formula has so many mixed reviews. Some love it, others hate it. I’ve tried a wide range of colors and like some of them, others are too pale and thick. Cherry Vanilla is the best one for both the formula and color. It’s a sheer red that gives you the most luscious glass like pink red pout. It’s what I wanted the Fenty Gloss Bomb Heat to look like (but that one stings my lips too much).

Patrick TA Major Volume Plumping Gloss ($24 at Sephora) are really nice! Love these for a glass like shine, smooth texture, soft hint of color. These have a subtle cinnamon scent to them.

Tarte

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip and Plump

Last but not least I had to give a shoutout to Tarte. You girls know I’m a huge fan of the Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm ($21 at Tarte, Sephora, Ulta Beauty) for a tinted balm. They’re the perfect effortless swipe and go kind of lip balm. The best shades are Grapefruit and Rose.

I also really love their newer Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump ($21). The colors are all very wearable. These have a noticeable plumping effect on the lips with a tiny bit of tingle. 100% recommend both.

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What are your favorite lip treatments, plumpers or oils?

Skincare

Spring Lip Balm Testing Hits + Misses

February 27, 2019

Best and Worst Lip Balms for Spring

By popular request I’ve put together a round up of all the lip balms you’ve been asking about. I’ve included thoughts on tinted options, clear ones and a few lip plumper formulas. I know it’s not officially spring yet, but I’m calling this a spring lip balm roundup because seasonal beauty collections launch ahead of the actual season. I put around a dozen formulas to the test. Most of the tinted color options are newer for the season but I also mixed in some clear options that are new to me for those who just want a treatment without color. Formulas covered today:

The Hourglass No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil in the new tinted shades are ones I’ve been getting the most questions about. I have used both the clear and red ones in past years, used them up and didn’t repurchase. The formula is one of the most beautiful luxurious lip oils I’ve tried. It feels like a spa treatment on the lips but doesn’t have a bad taste. I ordered the neutrals sight unseen. I think they’re amazing for the beautiful neutral soft pink tints but on my lips all three look pretty much the same. Bare is a soft beige pink, Cameo is a rose, Adorn is a soft pink. Coverage is on the sheer side and like any oil color won’t be long lasting even if you can still feel the product. I think they’re insanely expensive. I was prepared to be thoroughly disappointed just because of the price but after playing with these I think they’re a really nice splurge. I don’t think you need all the neutrals that I bought, to me they’re really similar, if I had to pick one it would be Bare. (Scroll down for swatches, after the Givenchy bit.)

Hourglass No. 28 Tinted Lip Oils

The Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto is a hydrating lip balm that comes in tinted colors now. The original ones are supposed to be color shifting according to your lip/body chemistry but it didn’t do anything for my lips. I tried it once, wasn’t impressed but kept it for future testing. I swatched some new colors on my hand in store and they looked so pretty I had high hopes. I bought two of the new tinted colors 101 Glazed Beige and 201 Timeless Pink which looked promising but I hate them. It’s rare that I’ll full on hate a product, although there have been plenty of products I’ve given a negative review on the blog. I try to be fair in the sense that my personal preferences don’t always make a product bad (ie sheer isn’t always bad, frosty isn’t bad as some like extra shimmer, super matte also isn’t bad as some want that extra matte look). Sometimes I’ll give something a bad review because I think the color is boring or unflattering, or sometimes I think a product is simply not worth the price tag. I actually hate this formula. It has horrible patchy application, not hydrating and sinks into my fine lines.  Even blending doesn’t work to smooth out the color. The only nice thing is the pink packaging and slim style of the tube. All that being said the online reviews are overwhelmingly positive for this formula.

Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto 101 and 201

Swatches of the Hourglass and Givenchy shades:

Hourglass Tinted Lip Oils Bare, Cameo and Adorn, Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto 101 and 201

Hourglass Tinted Lip Oils Bare, Cameo and Adorn, Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto 101 and 201

Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tints are probably the next best option to the classic Dior Addict Lip Glows. Over the years I’ve received a lot of messages from readers who like the concept of the Dior Addict Lip Glows but their body chemistry causes the colors to turn almost fluorescent on their lips which they think is unflattering. I think the Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tints provide a more subtle tint, but this of course is going to be different on everyone. You can read my review of last year’s options here. These are nice hydrating balmy tints that feel moisturizing without being thick. This year I tried Bare Pink (subtle pink on my lips), Bare Nude (sheer subtle beige flush) and Bare Blackberry (perfect soft berry color, think Clinique Black Honey toned down a few notches).

YSL launched a new addition to their Volupte line with the Volupte Plump in Color. I’ve been sitting on these for months and finally put them to the test. I bought the neutrals which barely show up. I normally don’t mind sheer balms but the two I picked 01 Mad Nude (soft pink) and 07 Furious Gold (shimmery pale gold) aren’t flattering on me. These have a super sharp tingle with the plumping factor. It stung my lips so much so that I could not feel my upper lip after 2 minutes which made me panic. When this happens I usually get an allergic reaction and my face looks like I’ve been stung by a bee. I removed it immediately with makeup remover, washed my face and lip again and then used a cleansing water to make sure it was 100% off. I really loved their Volupte Tint in Balm and prefer the color and formula 100%.

Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in Bare Pink, Bare Nude and Bare Blackberry YSL Volupte Plump in Color

Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in Bare Pink, Bare Nude and Bare Blackberry YSL Volupte Plump in Color Mad Nude and Furious Gold swatches

Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in Bare Pink, Bare Nude and Bare Blackberry YSL Volupte Plump in Color Mad Nude and Furious Gold swatches lips

NARS launched another version of the Afterglow Lip Balm in a clear option with SPF 10 called Clean Cut. This is a nice non-irritating lip balm. Since Clean Cut is clear I feel like the Afterglow Lip Balm Orgasm version is more special. It’s a really nice smooth balm. Lips are noticably softer and smoother. I really love the way it feels. I’m not sure I feel it’s worth the price for clear. Formula gets a solid A+ though.

NARS Afterglow Lip Balm Clean Cut Review

Dior makes some of the best lip plumpers and color transforming balms. No matter how many other brands come out with their own version I think Dior still does it best.

Dior Lip Maximizer Rosewood, Purple Holographic, Pink Holographic, Lip Glow to the Max in Coral and Rosewood

The Lip Maximizers aren’t really lip balms but they had new shades that were launched with new balms so I’ve put them in this roundup. In the past I’ve felt the color lineup of the Lip Maximizers were pretty basic. Not a bad thing necessarily but even the tinted ones didn’t do much except add a lush plumpness to the lips. The new ones are sheer but show up better on my lips. I’m LIVING for the Pink Holographic and Purple Holographic ones. They have noticeable shimmer chunks but it’s 100% smooth and not overly frosted. I also bought Rosewood which is new to me (I’m not entirely sure if it’s new) and it’s a sheer effortless beige pink which I love.

As a Lip Glow Addict Lover I was really interested in trying the new Lip Glow to the Max shimmer/tint swirls. I have such mixed feelings about these. If I have a choice between matte and shimmer, I almost will always want the shimmer. The shimmer in these is a little much for me. It’s not frosty but it has a very metallic look which I don’t think is flattering on me. It’s almost a little too glowy. Lips look super lush and full with the shimmer + tint and I like that they are very pigmented. I prefer the Holo Rose Gold and Holo Pink options or even the classic non-shimmer ones instead.

You can see my previous reviews of the Dior Addict Lip Glow here.

Dior Lip Maximizer Rosewood, Purple Holographic, Pink Holographic, Lip Glow to the Max in Coral and Rosewood swatches

Dior Lip Maximizer Rosewood, Purple Holographic, Pink Holographic, Lip Glow to the Max in Coral and Rosewood lip swatches

 

Clear Balm Options from Drunk Elephant, Lipstick Queen, Sol Janeiro, Laneige and Fresh

Clear Lip Balms from Drunk Elephant, Lipstick Queen, Sol Janeiro, Laneige and Fresh

Last but not least I have a roundup of some of the clear Lip Balms options I’ve tried over the past few months. Thoughts on how each one performed:

  • I bought the Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm in a holiday set and was pleasantly pleased. It’s a nice basic hydrating lip balm I think makes for a great unisex option. It’s lightweight and hydrating but does the job at fixing dry patches. It’s a clean formula with avocado, mongongo, cranberry, and marula oils. It’s non-scented and doesn’t have a taste. Finish is semi-matte.
  • Lipstick Queen came out with a new Lip Restore Balm which is a really nice thick clear option. It has a twist up applicator with a plastic end. I’ve kinda fallen out of love with Lipstick Queen lipsticks over the years as I feel other brands have better colors/formulas, but this was a really nice one. I used it during the day and also over night and think it’s a solid option to try.
  • The Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Kiss has the cutest fun bright packaging I decided to give it a try and am throughly impressed. It’s on the thick side but very moisturizing with a natural glow. It’s heavily scented but not too overpowering for me. I can’t use their body products because I find the scent too strong for me to handle but the lip balm is better. If you’re sensitive to scents this may be too strong for you. It has cupuacu, açaí, and coconut oils.
  • Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask came out in a Vanilla option. I asked for thoughts on stories because I feel it’s so heavily hyped. Thoughts and opinions were either extreme love or hate. I can’t use the original berry version, the scent is so strong it nearly knocked me on the floor in the store. I think the Vanilla one is much better in scent. It’s a smooth hydrating lip balm, but I don’t think it’s the best and for me it doesn’t live up to the hype. Bite’s Agave Lip Mask is much much better and more hydrating.
  • Fresh Sugar Mint Rush is their latest for the lip balm line. It has a nice fresh minty sweet finish that isn’t too strong or sharp. It has a pleasant soothing cooling feel. I left it on overnight and lips were nice and soft in the morning. I feel the Bite is more hydrating and effective for super dry lips.

Summary:

  • Best: Best tinted ones are Bobbi Brown and Hourglass and favorite clear options are Drunk Elephant and Sol de Janeiro
  • Worst: Givenchy, YSL Volupte Plumping (because it’s painful) and I think Laneige is just ok

I still think the By Terry Baume de Rose, Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask and regular Dior Addict Lip Glows are among the best formulas I’ve tried. I love trying new formulas though, especially tinted ones! There are a few formulas and colors that I probably would not have bought to try but so many of you were asking for reviews I did. I hope you found this roundup helpful!

Quick update, a lot of you have been messaging me about more budget-friendly options. This post focused on newer formulas that just launched. I have a lot of others I’ve tried in the past that I consider excellent staples too. My top budget-friendly affordable balms include Vaseline Lip Therapy Mini Cocoa Butter (love the minis), Lanolips Strawberry, Lanolips Multi-Balm Coconutter, Aquaphor.

 

Press samples include NARS Afterglow, Lipstick Queen Restore, Bobbi Brown Extra Pink, Fresh Sugar Mint Rush. All others purchased by me.

 

Bobbi Brown Lips

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Review

February 4, 2019

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review and Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Bobbi Brown launched a new lip formula called the Crushed Liquid Lip Balm ($26 each for 6 ml/.2 fl oz). These are saturated balm-like colors with a liquid lipstick kind of vibe. There are 14 color options with neutrals, bolds and brights. They’re very comfortable on the lips with a moisturizing but lightweight feel. The Crushed Liquid Lips are scented just like her regular lipsticks – it’s a little fruity with a lipstick scent mixed together. Finish has a soft shine cream with medium to full coverage. Everything applies smoothly and all the colors are very wearable for any kind of occasion or mood. There were only two shades I felt was a little streaky because of the contrast to my lip but it smooths out with a little extra blending. Lychee Baby and Cool Beets needed a little more blending but they weren’t too high maintenance.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review and Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review and Lychee Baby and Juicy Date | The Beauty Look Book

I love everything about these. I love the packaging where you can see the actual color from the tube. The applicators are really cute too with a beveled tip sponge – it’s not your typical sponge tip, I think the design is really well made.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review and Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Colors and swatches below. I feel like the reds look really similar on me:

  • Lychee Baby is a soft peachy nude, this one requires a little blending but you’ll see in the lip swatches it smooths out, I thought it would be too pale for me but it’s not!
  • Hippy Shake is a pale cool mauve pink
  • Juicy Date is the perfect pinky brown cream
  • Give A Fig is a pinkish fig pink
  • Peach and Quiet is a medium bright pink peach
  • Mango Mood is a bright coral red
  • Main Squeeze is a bright pinkish red
  • Cherry Crush is a bold deep red cherry
  • Big Apple is a bright red
  • Bitter Sweet is a mauve plum with blue tones
  • In A Jam is a berry mauve plum with neutral tones
  • Smoothie Move is a brown pink
  • Haute Cocoa is a cocoa brown
  • Cool Beets is a dark purple in the tube, it applies more like a berry stain, this one also requires a little blending, I think it would be flawless over a matching lip liner pencil

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

All swatched on bare lips, the colors cover the lip entirely. They don’t bleed or migrate.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

I tried hard to find one downside and was hard pressed to find any. Lasting power isn’t like a liquid lipstick since it has a balmy feel. You will have to reapply but I found they stayed put well for a few hours. They adhere better to the lips compared to a stick balm like the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines or YSL Volupte Shines. I think these have a solid A+. I mixed Lychee Baby and Juicy Date together for a perfect neutral. I’m not sure that I could pick a favorite, but when I tested these I started from light to deep. I was impressed with every single color.

Below wearing Lychee Baby with new hair highlights! It’s been three months since my first appointment and I went in for something different and a little bit lighter. Makeup worn:

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Lychee Baby Makeup Look

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

You can find the Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Color Balms out now. There are 14 colors available and they retail for $26 each. Available at Bobbi Brown, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora, Neiman Marcus and all other Bobbi Brown counters.

 

 

Crushed Liquid Lip provided by Bobbi Brown for review.

Lips Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Lip Balm

September 29, 2018

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Review | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Labs has launched one of the best tinted lip balms I’ve ever tried with her Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balms ($38 each for 3.5 g/0.12 oz, made in USA). She previously released a clear version (reviewed here which I bought and love) and her sparkly Astrals (I bought the Nude one, but the others looked a bit too sparkly for me). This month she launched 9 new non-shimmers in tinted colors which I think are absolute perfection. I really liked the formula of her clear version even though the price point was pretty high. Having color added feels like I can justify the price point a little more for a lip balm, but seriously ALL her lip products are phenomenal.

There are 9 perfect colors ranging from nude, pink, beige, to bright pink, plum and red. I think the color selection is very good, there’s not a single bad color in the launch. I also really appreciate that she offers sets on her website that give us a price break versus buying individually. You can find the Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Everything Kit for $275 with 9 colors or three variations of Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Trios for $95 each.

Pat McGrath Labs Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Review | The Beauty Look Book

For tinted balms my favorites have been the Dior Addict Lip Glows followed by any of the YSL Volupte line (Tint-in-Balms and Volupte Shine Oil in Stick). The Pat McGrath Balms aren’t as soft in density which makes them have a less slippery feel on the lips. As much as I love super emollient balms that have an almost buttery feel, the Florida heat can make those feel like they are sliding off the lips sometimes. The Pat McGrath ones have a balmy feel but without the sliding feeling. You can feel and notice lips are moisturized but it’s not heavy. There’s no detectable scent or taste to me.

Color swatches very sheer on the arms/hands. Once on the lips the color shows up in a sheer to medium coverage. Even with the light ones I see my entire lip covered with pigment. They’re sheer compared to her lipsticks but have enough color that you can see them on your lips. Application is smooth and perfect with every single color. Color descriptions:

  • 521 Blow Up is a warm beige
  • 522 Love Supreme is a cool rose cream
  • 523 Succexy medium coral peach
  • 524 Passion Flower is a light pink peach (turns pink on my lips)
  • 525 Full Fantasy bright pink
  • 526 Wild Cherry is a deep cherry red
  • 527 Dark Devotion is a mulberry wine
  • 528 Ultra Vixen is a deep wine plum
  • 529 Flesh 3 perfect red brown rose

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Review | The Beauty Look Book

Also shown in direct sunlight below:

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Blow Up, Love Supreme, Succexy, Passion Flower, Full Fantasy, Wild Cherry, Dark Devotion, Ultra Vixen, Flesh 3

Swatches, first straight from the tube:

Pat McGrath Labs Swatches Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm

Swatches applied with a lip brush:

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm

Lip swatches, done on bare lips, for reference my skintone is MAC Studio Fix NC35. Note Passion Flower turns pink on my lips, I triple checked and triple lip-swatched to make sure I didn’t have any remnants on my lips from other colors mixing in. Also quick note, I take my photos with a flash – depending on your screen the lip swatches may look a tiny bit more glossy below. I’d describe these as having a soft sheen finish.

Pat McGrath Labs Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Lip Swatches

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Review + swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Individual close ups, I’m having a bad skin week so please excuse the patchy skin, I packed on tons of extra powder and foundation to cover up some scars and skin breakage. All lip swatches are taken indoors but with a flash:

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 521 Blow Up | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 522 Love Supreme | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 523 Succexy | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 524 Passion Flower | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 525 Full Fantasy | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 526 Wild Cherry | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 527 Dark Devotion | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 528 Ultra Vixen | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm 529 Flesh3 | The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Review | The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line perfect. EVERY single one is perfect. Lasting power is better than your average balm, it still won’t last as long as her LuxeTrance or MatteTrance lipsticks, but for a balm I get several hours of wear without fading. Formula is hydrating and really does moisturize the lips nicely. I love the natural sheen these have and also the fact that once you apply they don’t feel like they’ll slide off. I still have some more lip product reviews from other brands that I’m working on including some of the new Tom Ford Boys and Girls, Sisley Le Phyto-Rouge and more, but being the gloss girl that I am, I love these balms. They’re easy to wear, effortless, apply flawlessly and the colors are perfect. I think it’s a little odd Passion Flower turns straight pink on my lips when it looks peach in the tube but I love it regardless.

You can find the Pat McGrath Labs Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balms online at Pat McGrath for $38 each. Also available in her Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Everything Kit for $275 with 9 colors or three variations of Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm Trios for $95 each.

Many thanks to the Pat McGrath team for sending these for review.

 

Lips Sisley-Paris

Sisley-Paris Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder + Phyto-Lip Delight Review

June 13, 2018

Sisley Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder and Lip Delight Review and Swatches

I have a few different products to review from Sisley for you today. One is the Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder which I’ve had my eye on for a while and the other is a new product for lips called the Phyto-Lip Delight. To me both are perfect for the upcoming summer season.

The Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder isn’t new but it is new to me. It’s been on my wishlist for months and I finally caved and bought it. It’s a unique formula that’s a bronzing gel powder, similar in concept to the NARS Dual Intensity Blushes where it’s a powder but not quite like a traditional powder. The one from Sisley is a warm bronze. It’s dense in formula and can be applied sheer for a soft wash of bronze. If you need more color you can use a dense brush for more color. It’s probably the most expensive bronzer I’ve ever splurged on. It was worth it for me but I still think the price point is very very steep.

Sisley Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder review and swatches

Swatches, heavy vs. blended:

Sisley Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder swatches

Swatch comparisons:

Sisley Bronzer swatch comparisons

Quick note that if you need a truly natural looking bronzer I’d still recommend the Becca Sunlit Bronzers. The Sisley Phyto-Touche Trio is also very natural looking, especially on lighter skin tones. The Chanel Les Beiges multi-stripe bronzers this year are also very natural.

Up next are the new Phyto-Lip Delights which are tinted gel-balms that transform into oils upon contact with the lips. They are sheer tinted oils but have enough pigment that you can see the color if you layer them a little. There are three perfect everyday neutrals in #1 Cool which is a nude beige, #2 Pretty which is a perfect pink and #3 Sweet which is a peachy coral. There is no shimmer to them to me they aren’t scented although they do have a subtle makeup scent. The finish is transparent and light for a soft tint. They plump and nourish the lips. You can wear them alone, under a gloss for more moisture or on top of a lipstick for added shine. The Phyto-Lip Delights have a nice comfortable feel that isn’t heavy or sticky. Right now they are available online at Sisley-Paris, they should trickle out to counters later in the summer. Circle straw bag shown from J.Crew. Sandals shown also from J.Crew.

Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight Cool, Pretty and Sweet swatches

Swatches:

Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight Cool, Pretty and Sweet swatches

On bare lips with around two to three layers:

Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight Cool, Pretty and Sweet swatches

Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight Cool, Pretty and Sweet swatches

Swatch comparisons below to some other colors. They’re really quite unique compared to others I thought they’d look like off the top of my head. Turns out the Sisley Lip Oils aren’t quite the same color-wise:

Swatch comparisons

All three applied below with different cheek combinations:

Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight Cool, Pretty and Sweet swatches

Ingredients:

Sisley Ingredients

Sisley Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder and Lip Delight Review and Swatches

Bottom line my love for Sisley-Paris makeup continues. I’m a huge fan of the Phyto-Lip Twists (Baby is my favorite shade) and the new Phyto-Lip Delights are no exception. They are quite expensive but in my experience their products have been worth the splurge for me. I was fortunate to get an early sneak preview of the Lip Delights but have purchased a number of things from the brand. My top two tips are to 1) sign up for their Beauty Subscription Program to get a monthly sampling. I reviewed 6 months’s worth of boxes here and it is the only subscription program I’ve kept. 2) Make a list and save purchases for GWPs. The Sisley-Paris website often has promos running on a regular basis. I also like the Beauty GWPs you can find at Nordstrom.

The bronzer is a gorgeous addition for me but I do own a wide range of other bronzing powders so I cannot call it a must-have. I do think I will be getting regular wear out of it this summer though.

You can find the Phyto-Lip Delights available now at Sisley-Paris.com. The bronzer can be found at all Sisley counters. I bought mine from Nordstrom.

Phyto-Lip Delights provided courtesy of Sisley for review. Bronzer purchased by me.

 

NARS

NARS Orgasm Collection 2018 Review + Swatches

June 11, 2018

NARS Orgasm Collection 2018

For summer 2018 NARS has four new color items to expand their Orgasm Collection. Three launched last month and one was just released last week so I’ve waited until I had all the items to swatch and review. Last year’s collection brought us four new Liquid Blush Colors. This year we have two new lip colors and two complexion products. There’s something so perfect to me about peachy pink gold colors. I think every single item in this launch is perfect for a fresh glowing summer look. Items include:

(Also shown above include the Staud Mini Shirley Bag and Kate Spade Johanna 53 mm gradient sunglasses.)

Up first are the lip products. I really liked the Orgasm Lipstick from last year (which you can still find). On my lips it gives me the perfect wash of peachy pink with a soft golden sheen. The Afterglow Lip Balm this season has a more emollient finish since it’s a balm. It’s smooth, soft and has a very moisturizing feel. I cannot detect any scent. Swatched on the arm or hand it’s almost transparent. On the lips it’s a sheer glowing pink for me. There is shimmer in it but it’s not really apparent on the lips. Color is just my lips but glowing. Lasting power is average for a tinted balm – the texture itself is like a regular lip balm, it won’t last all day but I don’t mind reapplying. The Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer is a high shine high frost peachy gold. It’s quite metallic and opaque but can be smoothed out with blending or if you layer it on top of the balm. To me it has a very subtle vanilla scent. It’s very glossy but isn’t sticky. I prefer the balm or lipstick version for a more natural look but the full vinyl lip lacquer is still very nice. I’m eager to see the other colors in this formula. Lasting power was pretty good with this one. It stayed put until I had a snack or drink. Otherwise it adhered well to the lips without sliding off or budging, but still was light enough to let the lips breathe.

NARS Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm and Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer

 

NARS Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm and Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer swatches

Swatched on bare lips:

NARS Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm and Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer swatches

 

For the two complexion products there is a new Illuminating Loose Powder and an Oversized Orgasm Powder Blush. The Illuminating Loose Powder comes in a small jar and the product is a very pigmented metallic shimmering peachy gold. If you apply with a dense brush or dip a lot of product it’s quite intense with an almost foiled look. If you use a loose brush or apply just a soft wash it gives the skin a more subtle luminous glow. A little goes a long way so I’d recommend playing with a little bit and layering more on if you want more color. There is a supersized Orgasm Blush this year. If you followed me on Instagram stories you may remember that I mentioned it looked slightly different than the original version. This was off the top of my head and a side by side swatch proved my thoughts correct. This year’s oversized version has slightly more pink with less gold shimmer. The difference is noticeable on my face with my skin tone. Your mileage may vary depending on how light or deep yours is.

NARS Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder and Large Blush

Swatches:

NARS Orgasm Blush Swatches

Close up:

NARS Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder and Large Blush close ups

Two beauty looks, Look #1 wearing:

NARS Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm Swatch/Look

Look #2 below wearing same makeup as above with different lip and cheek. On the cheeks is the Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder heavy vs blended. Orgasm Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer on the lips.

NARS Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder and Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer

One last set of swatches:

NARS orgasm swatches

NARS Orgasm Collection 2018

Bottom line stunning. My favorite is the new Afterglow Lip Balm. I also love this year’s large Orgasm blush. It’s the perfect soft pink with a tiny bit of gold shimmer for me.

You can find the new NARS Orgasm Collection pieces out now. Online at Sephora and NARS Cosmetics.

Balm, powder + blush provided as press samples. Lip Vinyl purchased by me.

 

Becca Lips

Becca Lush Lip Colour Balm Review + Swatches

August 22, 2017

Becca Lush Colour Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Becca launched eight tinted lip balms called the Lush Lip Colour Balm ($22 each). These are creamy tinted balms with a lipstick feel. They have a vanilla scent similar to that of MAC lipsticks which is soft and creamy. Pigment is medium but buildable if you layer and they feel hydrating without feeling heavy or like they’ll slip off the lips. The texture is smooth and they’re comforting on the lips and I like them even in the hot humid weather. My lips have been on a the dry side a bit with the chlorine and salt water from swimming combined with heat – these helped hydrate them significantly after a day’s wear. Lasting power isn’t the best as it is an emollient balm. They’re not going to stay put like a longwear lipstick or liquid/matte lipstick – but they don’t disappear on me quickly and it’s something I don’t mind re-applying.

Color options have a good range from light to deep and they’re all fairly conservative wearable shades. I did have some streaking with the deeper colors as they had a bit of contrast with my natural lip tone and when I swatched these I did have some peeling going on my lips – but it’s something I can fix with more blending.

Becca Lush Colour Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Becca Lush Colour Balm Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Colors include:

  • Cafe Au Lait is a pale peachy beige which looks a bit streaky with one swipe, but add a few more and it smooths out to an impressive level of smoothness, often times I cannot wear such pale colors because they are super streaky, I was really surprised by this one
  • Ginger Vanille is a soft pink coral, it pulls a bit more coral on most people I’ve seen it on, since I have a lot of olive and yellow, especially when I’m in the sun a lot, it looks a bit more pink on my lips
  • Almond Fraise is a pretty soft pink rose cream, on me it pulls a little bit cool
  • Chai Creme is the perfect creamy soft brown pink shade on my lips
  • Milk Chocolate is a mauve brown cream, this one felt sheerer than the others
  • Toasted Hazelnut is a deeper brown
  • Cherry Ganache is a burgundy red, this one had a little bit of streaking with my dry patches
  • Black Violet was a bit streaky on me as well, but without any dry lips it looks smoother, it’s a purple cream

Lip swatches below on bare lips. The bases I’m wearing include NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St Moritz, MILK Makeup Flex Concealer in Medium set with Armani Luminous Silk Powder in #4.

Becca Lush Colour Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Becca Lush Colour Balm Review Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line love and I think the price is reasonable for the amount. Nicely hydrating with good color payoff for a balm. Smooth finish and a delicious scent. For a balm they are on the lightweight side but not weightless – I can definitely feel product on my lips, but since it’s a balm I don’t mind. My favorite is Ginger Vanille but it’s really hard to pick one favorite. If you need more color/pigment then I’d recommend opting for the Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipsticks (even though they are a lot more expensive, review on all shades soon). By comparison the YSL Volupte Tint in Balms have a more glossy finish and emollient feel. As a sheer lip lover I like both – I think for neutrals the Becca has more options while YSL has more brights.

You can find the Becca Lush Lip Colour Balms at Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics.

Balms provided courtesy of Becca for review.