Lip Balm overview

Winter time equates to tons of lip balm time for me and to a lot of you guys as well.  I’m still on the hunt to find that holy grail product that will moisturize my lips even after it has disappeared from my lips, but still no luck yet.  I thought I would do a quick little overview of all the lip balms I have collected over the two years.  So let’s cut to the chase and let’s goooo~ (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

What I look for in a lip balm:
-Doesn’t leave my lips more chapped then before *cough cough Chapstick cough cough*
-good texture (not greasy or thin); prefer something a bit more on the thicker side but not sticky
-tint/ colour is added bonus

First off, let’s start with the jarred lip balms that I have!

1) Korres lip butters
2) The body shop lip balms
3) Vivito painting sweet lip balm
4) It’s skin macaron lip balm
4) A’pieu Honey & milk lip sleeping pack
5) Banila Co Tint balmOverview:
First off, Korres lip butters.  These were all the rage three years ago all over beauty blogs and on Youtube.  I kept hearing about them time and time again and I finally broke down to get myself the first one which was the mango one.  This was the time when Tangerine tango was the color of the year according to Pantone and I just fell in love with the scent and color.  These lip butters were very nice on the lips, gave quite a bit of color on the lips and did leave my lips moisturized even after they had fully absorbed. However for the price tag of $$12 a piece, I didn’t find it that amazing to repurchase again.  These are super old so I’ll be tossing these out when I finish this post.  Yuck!

Price:
$12

Texture:
Creamy, non-greasy, moisturizing

Color?:
Yes

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
The body shop is one of those stores where if I was looking for make up products, it is not a brand I would turn to.  I do like their body scrubs and soaps but that’s about it.  I bought these when I had to get a little something something to get the most out of the promotion going on at the time.  Overall I do not like the body shop lip balms.  The Born lippy has a slight tint to them but the texture is on the thin and slightly greasy side which I do not like, nor does it moisturize my lips either.  The strawberry lip butter is nothing but greasy in a pot and the honeymania one is the only decent one which I actually find some use for.  Overall, I’d pass on these. No bueno (x╭╮x)

Price:
$6 (but there is usually promotions going on)

Texture:
-greasy & thin
-not moisturizing at all!

Color?:
Born lippys have tints, others do not

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️

Overview:
This lip balm from the Korean brand Vivito came to me back when Memebox was still shipping internationally.  I got this one from the lip care box and I did really like it!  This has a nice gel texture that is moisturizing but at the same time stains my lips!  I’ve never had a lip balm that actually stains my lips and when it is on my lips, it gives the nicest juiciest looking lips.  When I first got this, I swatched it on the back of my hand and the stain stayed on for two days without smudging or anything!! You will definitely need a strong oil base make up remover to get rid of the stain.  Overall I love this lip balm but only wear it when I’m feeling a little more sassy and want a bit of color on my lips.Price:
20,000 won (little less then $20 USD)

Texture:
-perfect gel texture; non-greasy,
-moisturizing

Color?:
Yes

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
I believe it’s skin was the first to invent the macaron case lip balm.  You can always count on Korean cosmetics to invent super cute packaging but still be able to offer affordable price tags.  This is the It’s skin macaron lip balm which, again was yet another lip balm that was all the rage in the online beauty world.  I got so sick of hearing about it and finally decided to try it for myself.  The packaging, obviously, is the most adorable thing ever but the best part is actually the balm.  At first I thought the balm was so so, however the more I used it, the more I found myself reaching for it.  Overall I do find it quite nice, not greasy and not too thin in texture.  For the price, you can’t beat it.  There is even a newer version which is tinted!!  I am tempted to get that one but got to finish these balms I have first haha.

Price:
5,800 won ($5 USD or so)

Texture:
-clear gel texture; not too thin
-non-greasy
-highly moisturizing

Color?:
-original version does not have color but the new ones have a tint to them

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
I got these not too long ago but I’m already in love.  This is A’pieu newest Honey & milk lip sleeping pack that only came out about two months ago, and I knew I had to try it.  I needed something new since the Bite Beauty agave lip mask wasn’t working anymore and this was only $5 so why not!  This lip balm is very creamy and coats the lips nicely, but also stays on for a good 5 hours to my surprise!  Even when it is absorbed, you can still slightly feel it on your lips and it leaves my lips super moisturized.  Highly recommend this if you are looking for a super moisturizing lip balm for a really affordable price.  Also it smells like sweet milk and honey, SO GOOD!

Price:
5,000 won ($5 USD)

Texture:
-very creamy
-highly moisturizing

Color?:
No

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
I also got this one in a past Memebox (the Banila Co box) and at first I was confused as to how this was a tinted balm since it was completely clear.  I swatched it on the back of my hand and magically, this turned into a beautiful pink flushed color. You can see in my pot since I have used it before, there is the pink shade that appears on the skin. The pink shade reminds me a lot of Dior lip glow but this one is a lot more moisturizing and longer lasting.  You can also use this on your cheeks, which is also the reason why I keep this in my bag at all times.  Kill two birds with one stone!

Price:
9,000 won (little lest then $9 USD)

Texture:
-lightweight, non-greasy, coats the lips well
-moisturizing even after fully absorbed

Color?:
Yes, a natural pink glow.

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1) Bite beauty agave lip mask
2) Pure smile snail lip treatment
3) Amore pacific moisture bound lip treatment

Overview:
I got this Bite Beauty agave lip mask when it first came out after I used the little sample I got and fell in love!  At that time, I wasn’t exposed to any peeling gels or even the peeling lip gel I use from time to time now.  This is super thick in texture and stayed on my lips all night and even when I woke up, it was still on my lips.  I was impressed, impressed enough to get the crushed berry shade as well however I still like the original best because I don’t need a mirror to apply it.  Sadly I believe my lips got too used to this and it doesn’t work for me anymore.  For the high price tag of $26, I won’t be repurchasing this.

Side note, I had a co-worker that was having a severe case of super dried, cracked lips to the point where her lips were completely swollen and peeling.  I gave her this to use and after two weeks, her lips were completely cured.  So this does work really well, just my lips got too used to it.

Price:
$26

Texture:
-thick, long lasting, heavy lip balm/mask
-Stays on all night during the time I’m asleep; stays on four hours when I use it during the day (however my hair sticks onto it way too much for me to bother)

Color?:
Original is clear, there are also two other shades (red tint, bronze tint).

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
This also was another lip treatment I got in a past Memebox and it also came to me as a surprise as to how good this is.  This is from a Korean brand called “Pure smile” lip treatment but sadly this  has been or is being discontinued.  I got this one from the tropical box last year and just started using it randomly when I ran out of the Bite beauty lip mask.  To my surprise, this worked great and was a lot easier to coat onto my lips then the Bite beauty one, and the price tag is significantly lower retailing at $5.  I believe these are more widely available in Japan drugstores, but again it is being discontinued for some odd reason.  I used this right before I went to bed and woke up with it still on my lips, and my lips were left moisturized and softened as well!  Maybe it could be due to the snail mucus in it hehe.

Price:
$5

Texture:
-shiny lip gloss texture
-coats lips well and adheres to my lips for a long time

Color?:
No.

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
I got this couple months ago and thought it would be at least a decent product.  This is from Amore Pacific, which is a high end luxury Korean brand, which they even have moisturizers priced at $250.  Oh my goodness.  I was not going to fork out that much money for a moisturizer so I thought I would start small.  There is absolutely nothing special about this “lip treatment” and does nothing for me but just a topical moisturizer that stays on for 2 hours at most.  Would not recommend anyone to get this product unless you have money to burn.

Price:
$35
Texture:
-generic lip gloss-ish type texture
-does not stay on my lips for long

Color?:
No.

Stars given:
⭐️
The tube type lip “balms”.

1) The body shop born lippy
2) Maybelline Baby lips
3) Bite beauty BB for Lips
4) Fresh sugar lip treatment
5) Dior Lip glow
6) YSL

Overview:
Just like the other body shop lip balms, I got this one while shopping during one of their promotions and needed a filler item so I picked this up.  I actually really liked the first one I tried which was the lychee one and thought it was nice and moisturizing for before I went to bad.  Not sure if they all are suppose to have the same texture, but this grape one does not work as well.  It is a decent lip balm and it would work for the time being, but not something I will recommend or repurchase.

Price:
$6

Texture:
-slightly on the thin side
-does not adhere to the lips well enough to make it long lasting

Color?:
Yes, there is a variety of color to choose from and leaves a slight tint on the lips.

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️

Overview:
Yet another lip balm that I bought from all the raves online.  I didn’t want to pick any of these up because they just didn’t appeal to me and for the price of $5 CAD each, I could find better products in the Korean market.  I did like these in the beginning since it gave my lips a really juicy look, however they didn’t leave my lips anymore moisturized then before I applied it, so for that reason I will pass on this.

Price:
Approximately $3.50 each.

Texture:
-slightly thin in texture
-feels decent when on the lips; does not leave my lips anymore 

Color?:
Yes.

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️

Overview:
Honestly I picked this Bite beauty BB for lips because there was the words “BB”.  I’m super obsessed with BB anything at the moment, but don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about the Western BB products which ends up to be just tinted moisturizers unlike Korean BB creams.  This lip balm is also decent and works well in the moisturizing department, it also leaves a nice tint on my lips as well.  I would possibly repurchase this in the future if I feel a little more fancy but most likely I won’t because the Korean market has better lip balms that are affordable and works better.

Price:
$24

Texture:
-coats lips well, adheres on for a good 2.5 hours before fully disappearing
-leaves my lips slightly moisturizing; not enough to recommend

Color?:
Yes, there are 5 shades available.

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overview:
Two years ago or so, Sephora was giving these out as the birthday gift and I fell in love!  These Fresh sugar lip treatments are the ultimate lip balms but they are very pricey, retailing for $22.5 ($30 CAD for us Canadians) which was the ultimate deal breaker for the bank.  I do sometimes pick the little sets they have during the holidays which I did do one year but never ended up using all of it up before it went bad so I never repurchase them again.  The one in the picture is almost 3 years old and I’ll be tossing it out.  On the lips, it is super moisturizing, smells like sweet sugary lemons and there are many colors to choose from which is a nice option when you don’t feel like wearing a lipstick.  These do leave my lips moisturized when it disappears but not enough for me to repurchase over and over again.  I still have not find that holy grail that will make my lips moisturized even after it is fully absorbed sadly, hence my harsh reviews here.  I just want to find that perfect product! 

Price:
$22.50

Texture:
-super creamy, highly moisturizing
-gives the lips a nice vibrant tint
-doesn’t leave my lips moisturized after it disappears

Color?:
Yes

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
I tried Dior’s rose lip treatment last year in hopes to find “that” one prefect product but was a flat out disappointment.  After that I sort of gave up on Dior product but one day with my shopping itch, I picked this “Dior lip glow” up and kind of liked it.  This gives my lips the slightest, most natural tint of color and was moisturizing enough for about 2 hours before needing to apply again.  Again, I do like this product and it does its job for the time being but maybe not something I would splurge on again.

Price:
$33

Texture:
-creamy, glides on the lips nicely but not effortlessly
-moisturizes my lips for about 2 hours before needing to apply again

Color?:
Yes, there are two shades: Pink and coral.

Stars given:
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overview:
I know these might not be a traditional “balm” but I though I would include these anyways.  I’ve been really liking the YSL tint-in-oil because it gives my lips the prettiest, flower petal, juicy lips look.  I don’t really like it for its moisturizing properties (which I think it doesn’t really have that much of) but mostly for the natural tint it gives and I use this product for an effortless but seamless looking gradation lip.  I first dab the tint in oil in the center of my lip, let it warm up for a bit and then just spread the rest of the oil on my whole lip.  I’ve found a lot of times when I try and use tints on my lips to do the gradation lip, it always looks choppy and unnatural.  With this method, not only is it easy, it looks super natural and is effortless!  Moisture wise, the oil in my opinion is on the more greasy and thin side rather then moisturizing for me.  After the oil absorbs onto my lips (30 minutes or so), I’d have to apply a balm on top to keep my lips moisturized.  I know, it kind of defeats the purpose but the color is just too nice!

The other YSL lip product I’ve been liking to carry with me in my bag is their YSL sheer candy lipsticks which technically isn’t a lip balm but I have been using it as a tinted lip balm.  Moisture level isn’t that amazing but I do like the sheer plum color it gives on my lips so I will forgive.  I would recommend this if you are looking to burn some cash and want something which you can use without having to coordinate with the rest of your make up look and want just a little something something to throw onto your lips when you don’t feel like wearing make up.  Overall this is yet again a decent product in terms of being a “balm”, but not something I will repurchase for that purpose.

Price:
$32 (tint-in-oil)
$36 (sheer candy)

Texture:
(Tint-in-oil)
-oil is not my ideal oil texture; a little too thin and greasy
-does not really leave my lips moisturized during or after it is absorbed

(sheer candy)
-also doesn’t have much moisturizing properties to my chapped lips; not very long lasting either (at most 1.5-2 hour wear)
-on the thin side in terms of texture
-does leave nice tint to lips

Color?:
Both have a range of shade to choose from.

Stars given:
(Tint-in-oil)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
(sheer candy)
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I hope the little overviews wasn’t all over the place.  There isn’t much to lip balms when it comes to reviewing them and I actually found it hard to describe the texture of each one, but a balm usually just have the same balm texture HAHA.  Hopefully you guys found this decently helpful.

Let me know down below if you guys have tried any of these products and what you thought about them.  Which products have worked well for your lips?? I’m still in search for the perfect one and I’m slightly restless since I have so many detours with these products.  Some were crap, some were okay, some where better then average but none where I would kill someone if it was discontinued.  Let me know ;), I love conversating with you guys.

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