Tinted Lip Balms

It's pretty funny, I am a freelance make-up artist but when it comes to doing my own make-up, I usually opt for whatever is the fastest. I have two kids who usually don't give me any peace while I am getting dressed, so I don't usually have a lot of time to do something elaborate or overly artistic.

One of my favorite "go to" items is the tinted lip balm. It's quick and easy and some of them are sheer enough that you can apply it without a mirror. Back when I first remember seeing tinted lip balms, I tried Tarte's and Delux Beauty's. I am not sure how Tarte's are now, but about 12 years ago they were very dry and the color was pretty heavy. I bought two that I never ended up wearing. The package was a pain too because it was a plastic lip balm tube with a metal cylinder over it. My cylinder came off and when I tried to put it back on, I totally screwed it up. Delux Beauty's lip balm was a lovely rosey, pink. But again, it was more like lipstick in a lip balm tube.

Over the years, one of my favorite tinted lip balms is Aveda's Lip Tint. I'm not a huge fan of the flavor, but the color "Peony" is the most beautiful, shimmery pink that can be worn by anyone. For the longest time, it was pretty much the only color I'd use on brides. My only gripe is sometimes it can be a tiny bit gritty because of the sparkles, but it's not enough to keep me from going back to it time and time again. Although, to my dismay, it looks like Aveda no longer makes this product.

Aveda Lip Tint - Peony

A few months ago, I picked up a couple of Tokidoki's Gelato Lip Balm Stain. They come in fun colors, but there are only 3 to choose from and a clear one. They are all creamy colors, without shimmer or sparkle. I have Donutella, which is a coral/peach color and Pink Martini. The colors are nice and clear. I feel kinda like they are like the old mood lipsticks because they tend to get a little brighter on me after the initial application. But remember, I am a super-white redhead. Not many people are as pale as I am. I would still like to try Skeletrina which is a purple color. As for Ciao Ciao, I really don't see the point in paying $9 for a clear lip balm.

I recently picked up a new Baby Lips lip balm by Maybelline and decided to give it a try. I got the darker, purple one (grape) because I figured if it was sheer it would look nice. It was incredibly sheer. Great if you don't really want much color at all. It is light and feels nice on, but if you're looking for color payoff, this is not the product for you.

Maybelline Baby Lips - Grape

Last but not least, on my quest for tinted lip balms, I was sent the new World Balmination from Hard Candy. The packaging is hip and trendy, reminiscent of Tokidoki, but definitely in the Hard Candy style. The color I got is called Lovestruck and is a light pink. At $3.00 a pop, these are by far the most affordable tinted lip balms out of all of these. The texture is quite light and not sticky or thick. The color was very sheer. Now I have to take into account that it is a very light shade. There is a darker pink and a red that may have a little more oomph.

(On the right, Hard Candy. On the left, Tokidoki.)

(On the right, Tokidoki. On the left, Hard Candy.)

So here's the lowdown. If you want a balm you can just throw in your pocket and apply without having to look in a mirror, I'd say Hard Candy is the best deal. The Maybelline is nice, but is about $2 more and doesn't provide anything else for that added expense. If you want color I would have to suggest Tokidoki. Sure they only have three colors, but they are lovely! And $9 won't break the bank. I'm sad that Aveda no longer makes their Lip Tint, but there's nothing to be done about it except scour resources online for a good deal on leftover stock. And I don't really even factor Tarte in since I saw that the packaging has not changed. I really like some of Tarte's products, but I am so not a fan of their packaging. (I once had concealers by them and the names were on the caps, not the other ends of the tubes. So it wasn't hard to get them mixed up. No bueno.)


Bonus - When I got my Hard Candy World Balmination, I also got one of their new sparkly eyeliners, called Stay In Line. The color is a lovely chocolate brown with a lovely splash of sparkly glitter!