Today I’ve rounded up nine of my favorite rosy tinted lip balms for the holiday season coming ahead. Many of you loved last year’s roundup on holiday reds for lips and nails. This year’s version is for the neutral lip lover who is afraid to wear bold reds on the lips but wants to try something with some color. If you’re like me and almost always wears neutral colors on the lips, tinted lip balms, treatments and oils offer sheerer coverage and are more natural looking. I have a mix of pink and reds in a number of different formulas. If you’re looking for a good double-duty lip product that offers tint and hydration, I hope this guide will help you find a new one this month.
Below are a mix of potted balms, wand/gloss-like balms, squeeze tubes and twist up sticks. All of these offer a glossy sheen. As usual with most balms, lasting power will not be the same as with lipsticks, but this means that they fade more naturally. Oils often come with a stain built in so there is the hydration aspect but the color will stain the lips and last longer throughout the day. Several of these have been reviewed in depth before. I’ll link previous reviews.
Shown from left to right:
- By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur in Bloom Berry ($56, review) is one of the most expensive lip products I own. Splurging on the regular Baume de Rose made a big dent in my wallet and once the tinted versions launched an even bigger dent was made. This is a super lush thick rose-scented balm. Bloom Berry is my holy grail red lip balm because it for me it’s the perfect shade of berry red. The pot is really large so it will last a long time. I’ve had mine for over a year, there’s still a lot left and it hasn’t gone bad yet.
- By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur Cherry Bomb ($89 for set of 5, review) comes in the full-sized pot, but I have it from a holiday set (both the pot and wand are identical in color). For those who want a brighter cherry red, this one is a lovely color that is bright but not too bright. It will give your lips a natural flushed look.
- Hourglass No. 28 Tinted Lip Treatment Oil in Icon ($42) is the latest from Hourglass Cosmetics. If you’ve tried the original clear lip oil, you are probably aware of how luxurious, hydrating and amazing the formula is. It has anti-aging ingredients and oils to hydrate, condition and soften the lips while reducing wrinkles. The packaging is truly unique with a press-pump dispenser and a gold tip cap. Icon is a sheer glossy see-through red. It’s truly luxurious and gives the lips a healthy glow. Pigment is sheer but noticeable. It does fade to a natural shine throughout the day. Out of all the lip treatments this one feels the most hydrating on my lips.
- Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Smashed ($26, review) is a classic lip treatment that works wonders as a lip treatment. As a tint this is one of the sheerest and lightest in pigment so if you’re super timid with color, this one offers a very natural wash of color. If you’ve tried the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Masks you are probably familiar with the thick but lush hydrating formula. It offers a veil of moisture that is really good for dry lips.
- Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment in Cherry ($18.50, review) is a tinted lip treatment that is a classic red cherry color. It has high shine and comes in a tube with a sponge tip applicator. These also come in the twist up stick form. The stick has more pigment while the tube is sheerer but offers more shine. If you have super dry lips, you may find the color from the tube will settle into lines. The color is a vibrant cherry red but is sheer so it’s not in-your-face bright.
- Burberry First Kiss Gloss Lip Balm in Rose Blush ($26) is a newer lip product from Burberry. I wanted the Crushed Red color but it’s been sold out at my local Sephora (I need to just order it online already). I have a couple of these lip balms sight unseen. Part of me was expecting to be disappointed because I thought they would be basic and sheer. The other part of me had high hopes because I’m a fan of their lip products. These lip balms are really amazing. They offer enough color to show up on the lips and also have an amazingly smooth feel. There’s slip but it’s not greasy. I’m head over heels in love. It’s also scent-free.
- Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in Red ($25, review) is my favorite stick balm formula. You can read the full review with swatches of all the shade options linked above. The only downside is the size and price. They are on the small side which makes them pricey. The formula can’t be beat though.
- bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balm in Punch Pop ($16) is a twist up stick balm oil treatment. If you’ve tried other traditional tinted lip oils you may have been disappointed with the color payoff (I know I have). The oils in stick form from bareMinerals offer more pigment. They swatch sheer on the hands but the texture of the lips really picks up the color. The ones I tested have a slight stain in the pigment as well which makes the color last longer than most balms. The formula is plush and also unscented. I give these a thumbs up for pigment and coverage.
- YSL Volupté Sheer Candy in 04 Succulent Pomegranate ($36) is a pinkish fuchsia color that’s soft and sheer. I’m beyond obsessed with the Volupté Sheer Candy formula although for most it is either a hit or miss. If you want a super lush balmy feel with a glossy shine, these are among my favorite sheer lipsticks that offer hydration. They are scented like grapefruits or mangos (to me it smells like a mix of both) but it’s not overly sweet and they also taste good.
Swatched below in the same order:
Swatched on the lips:
My top picks:
By Terry Baume de Rose Bloom Berry for the best color
Hourglass Lip Oil in Icon for the most hydrating feel
Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector and YSL for the best texture
If you’re a neutral lip lover who is curious about rosy colors for the lips but want something a little more natural than the traditional bold red lipstick, I hope you found this roundup helpful! Do you have a favorite tinted lip balm or treatment?
Press samples featured in this post include items from Clarins, Hourglass and Bare Minerals. All others purchased by me.
I love the agave lip mask, will have to check it out in the cherry color!
http://Www.makeupmusicbooks.com
I love the formula!
The hourglass treatment oil looks so interesting, I've never tried a tinted oil or hourglass lip product. I think I have to get one during the sephora VIB sale.
Kelly // Perfect Shade of Mauve
Definitely something worth checking out 🙂
These are such pretty shades, I really like the YSL one it looks so pretty on you x
Zoe Mountford x
Thank you Zoe!
One of my faves, but not included in your post, is the YSL Teint in Oil. I love that stuff and the tint it leaves behind.
Thanks Kica! I tried a few of the lighter colors and they didn't show up on me 🙁 go figure I picked the wrong shades to try!
I have been so curious about the Hourglass one, haven't seen anything like it before! I love YSL Succulent Pomegranate, it's gorgeous!
KayCakeBeauty
The Hourglass is so plush! I do think the YSL is something you can't go wrong with though.
What a nice shades, I love it.
bojanasblog.wordpress.com
Thanks bojana!
I love them all but absolutely need the Hourglass, Fresh, and Burberry ones! They look absolutely stunning in the swatches 🙂
http://www.misskaylajane.com
Thank you Kayla!
Thanks for the roundup! I wish ByTerry was easier to get over here in Canada, seems like a great line. I've only used Hourglass powders, so I was kind of surprised seeing that they actually have lip products (shouldn't be that surprised). I'll have to ogle them next time I'm in Sephora! 🙂
Glad the roundup helped! Such a bummer By Terry is hard to find in Canada!
These photos are totally fantastic. Love the lippies, they suit you so well. x
madeline, classicallycontemporary.com
Thank you Madeline 🙂
Thanks for reminding me, I need to bust out my Lipstick Queen Medieval! I really love all things Fresh and By Terry!
XOXO!
Thanks for the reviews. My lips are my biggest problem over winter. It's already started. They feel so dry. I have–I'm counting–seven different lip balms on my desk. I do like a lip balm stick, so I'll try the Clarins next.
By the way, did you take down your "links" by mistake? I have you in my dropdown box and then go from your site to the little bit site (can't find her now), makeup and beauty, etc. I'm sorta lost without your links!
Daisy
I found that the BITE agave lip mask was amazing on my lips during the winter – they get so cracked they hurt. It seems to seal them so I could be out during my commute to work without suffering. I prefer the Champagne because I had a reaction to this version strangely enough.
The By Terry is calling my name but I'm trying to resist at that price. lol
Evelyn, thanks for your comments. I went over to Sephora online and added the BITE Agave Lip Mask to my loves. Hope to get it during the Sephora sale.
BTW, I bought some samples of the By Terry on eBay last winter because I just had to try it and didn't want to make that big splurge. I loved the rose scent and the way it felt on my lips, but for me, it did nothing to heal them.
Whoops, I replied and it went out into space!
Evelyn, thanks for sharing your thoughts re the BITE Agave Lip Mask. I went to Sephora online and added it to my Loves. I'll get it during the upcoming sale.
Last winter, I bought some samples of the By Terry on eBay. I wanted to try it, but the price kept me from buying a jar. I loved the scent and the way it felt on my lips, but it didn't actually do anything to heal/improve my lips. I'm glad I didn't splurge.
Daisy
Hi Daisy, BITE Agave Lip Mask definitely does work wonders for dry lips!
I did take the link down for Link Love/Daily Reads. I had some tech issues with one of the places I store images. I hope to have it back up soon.