Review: E.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Kiss Balm
Aaaaaah! My first lip product review!!!! If you didn't know, I love love loooovvvve lip products. They were the first few makeup products that I owned and hold a very special place in my heart. I also used to buy a lot of E.l.f cosmetics because they were so cheap, so this post is extremely nostalgic to me. Anyways, today I'll be reviewing the E.l.f cosmetics lip kiss balm in the shade Berry Sweet.
First of all, let me emphasize, THIS IS NOT A SHEER LIP BALM. I personally wouldn't even consider this a lip balm, the product is pigmented kind of like a lipstick.
(In the picture the color is more pinky/red than in real life)
On the E.l.f. website there are currently 4 shades, Berry Sweet, XO Red, Flirty and Perky Pink, and Pouty Raspberry. Each one is priced at a low cost of $2.00. (I also know that you can also buy these products at your local Target.) The website claims that," This beautifully tinted lip balm helps create baby soft lips ...each color provides a sheer tint of coverage...help nourish, protect, and moisturize lips." Again, I must emphasize that this product is in now way shape or form a "tinted lip balm", instead it has a high color payoff. When you first apply the product you will notice that it has an extremely minty smell. When you apply it onto your lips there is a slight tingling/burning feeling, but it fades after a while. Because the product is so pigmented, it's hard to make a clean and precise line around your lip and cupid's bow. The shape of the balm is not made to make precise lines so I highly recommend that you use a lip brush when applying this product.
Considering that this products is marketed as a lip balm, it's not very moisturizing at all. Unlike other lip balms, it's very thick and doesn't glide on your lips like other products. It's quite waxy and lacks some oil and/or other nourishing ingredients. The first swipe tugs at your lips the most, but after the base is set the other layers apply better. However, since it's so thick, I feel pretty confident that the color won't slip and slide everywhere.Once applied to the lips, the product is not very glossy and will stay put as long as you don't eat food. You can drink with this balm on and the majority of the product will still be there.
Now onto the packaging. To put it bluntly, I really don't like the quality of the packaging. The packaging itself looks nice, but is very cheap. Within a few weeks of having the lip balm, there is already a crack in the cap. The actual product was placed a little lopsided in the tube and feels quite wobbly in there. I also don't like how the balm doesn't completely scroll down. Some of the product peeks out from the inner tube. This makes it hard to take off and put back on the cap without damaging the balm. However we must all keep in mind that the products is only $2 after all and you get quite a lot of actual product for the price. So in that sense, the packaging could've been a lot worse.
The E.l.f lip kiss balm is a good option if you want something that is more pigmented than a tinted lip balm but less pigmented than a full coverage lipstick. It's a very affordable product and if you consider this more as a lipstick rather than a nourishing balm, it is definitely worth the price. However, If you are looking for a product that moisturizes and tints your lips at the same time, this would NOT be the product for you. Keep in mind that this is not a product that you can swipe on and go, it takes time to put this on. You need a mirror, a lip brush, and a steady hand if you want the application to be precise. For all of these reasons I would give this product a 3 out of 5.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this incredible long review! :)
-Kat
