Review: Benefit Benebalm Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm

Recently, Benefit Cosmetics released four new Hydrating Tinted Lip Balms. As a person who fears lipsticks but loves lip glosses that provide a sheer tint and long lasting hydration, I knew I needed to try this product.
I read a lot of reviews before purchasing my own Benebalm. Many reviews indicated that the product was very hydrating but did not provide much tint. I agree that the level of moisture that this product gives the lips is exceptional. It is very smooth and long lasting, even through a small meal or a glass of water. I love how the product leaves my lips with a glossy finish, almost like a lipgloss (as shown in the swatch below).  It also feels like a light, non-sticky lipgloss. It’s never tacky, waxy, or oily.
As for its level of pigmentation, I was quite satisfied despite the disappointment of other reviewers. My lips have a medium level of pigmentation, and, on me, this balm looks comparable in pigmentation to a layer of Benetint lip and cheek stain, minus the dry feeling. It leaves a noticeable colour on my lips that brightens my complexion and makes me feel put together whether I’m wearing other makeup or not. The shade of this balm is very similar to Benetint with its red base and slight berry undertones—a fresh, rosy colour.

And let’s not forget about the beautiful packaging. With its mirror-like red casing and cute pink dots, this lip balm tube is something worth showing off. It’s also very well made and the cap clicks on with a tight seal so there’s no risk of it falling off and making a mess.

Despite the many positive aspects of this product, it does have a few negative qualities, one being the scent.  The lip balm has a waxy, rosy scent that is a bit unpleasant; however, it disappears quickly upon application and the balm does not taste like it smells. In fact, it really doesn’t taste like anything. Another downside is the price. $22 CAD is quite expensive for only 3 grams of product. I used my Shoppers Optimum points to pay for mine, but, since I really enjoy this product, I would definitely repurchase it with my own money.
Overall, I really like this product and plan to try the other shades of this balm (Chacha, Lolli, and Posie). What are your thoughts on Benebalm?

First Impressions: Joe Fresh Beauty Products

About a week ago I was browsing through the grocery store in search of ingredients to make a taco dip (see this post if you would like to read about the dip and watch a tutorial: http://putbeautytowords.blogspot.com/2011/04/easy-taco-dip-recipe-for-parties.html) when the Joe Fresh Beauty display caught my eye.
Joe Fresh Beauty (http://www.joefresh.com/en/bath_beauty/) has been sold at Loblaws stores since 2009 and I can’t believe that it took me this long to try it out. I decided to purchase three items to see how I liked the brand. I got a lip stain, a tinted lip balm, and a cheek tint.
Since I have only been using the products for a few days I don’t think that I have a strong enough opinion of them enough to write a full review on each. However, I would like to tell you about my experiences with the products so far.
Lip Stain in Peach
I was most excited to try the lip stain because it has been very windy here and I do not like when my long hair gets stuck in my lip gloss. I wanted something that would give my lips a nice flush without a sticky texture. So far the only lip stain that i have tried is Benefit’s Benetint. While I love Benetint, its brush applicator does not always give a precise stain and I often worry that the bottle will leak in my purse. The Joe Fresh lip stain solved these problems because it has a precise marker-like tip that is perfect for lining lips and then filling them in. The package also closes very tightly and does not seem like it would leak. As for the colour, I think that it is very pretty and natural but is a bit more brown than I had expected. The outside of the packaging shows the colour as a true peach but, in reality, it is a slightly more beige-peach. That said, I still really do like the colour. It gives my lips a your-lips-but-better flush. For me, the only downside to to this product is the smell. It has a peach alcohol scent and I don’t mean rubbing alcohol—vodka is more like it! I really do not like the smell of vodka or any other type of alcohol so I do have to hold my breath a bit when I apply this product. Luckily, the scent does not linger for very long after application and the product does not have any distinct taste. It dries thoroughly and lasts on the lips for a few hours. At $6 I think that the price of this lip stain is very reasonable. Next I would like to try the shade Grapefruit for a brighter more coral-pink tint.
*click photos to enlarge*

Tinted Lip Balm in Papaya
I bought this product because I have heard a lot of good things about it. First I must say that the colour in the tube looks nothing like the colour that shows up when the product is applied to the lips. In the tube Papaya looks like a hot pink with slight orange undertones. On the lips Papaya shows up as a pretty light pink. Normally pink lipsticks turn an orangey brown on me which is why I usually stay away from them. When this product is first applied it looks slightly orange around the edges of my lips but the orange quickly fades to reveal that pretty natural looking light pink colour. In the centre of these balms is a lip conditioner and I have to say that the product leaves my lips very moisturized long after the product fades. It does have good lasting power though and I love how it leaves the lips looking glossy and moisturized. I am really impressed with the packaging. The mirror-like tube looks very classy and expensive and somehow picks up very few fingerprints which is always a plus. The best part of this product is definitely the scent; it is very sweet and fruity and lasts for a long time once the product has been applied. I can actually smell the product while it’s on my lips! I only wish that the product had an equally good taste. It really has no flavour at all. Overall I really do like this product but at $8 I think it is a bit expensive for a lip balm.

Cheek Tint in Pink
The last Joe Fresh Beauty item that I purchased is the Cheek Tint in Pink. Like the tinted lip balm, this product looks a lot brighter in the tube that it does on the skin. In the tube it is almost the same colour as the tinted lip balm in Papaya with that hot pink base and slight orange undertones. On the cheeks this tint shows up as a pretty rosy pink that gives that just came in from a jog look. It is very flattering and makes the skin look smooth and glowy. The product has a very faint and subtle shimmer that is not visible on the cheeks. I like how it is easy to blend and dries to a smooth finish that does not leave the skin feeling sticky like some cream blushes do. There is no scent to this product which is probably a good thing because it decreases its potential to cause irritation or reactions on sensitive skin. It comes in a plastic tube and twists up like a lipstick. At $4 this product is very affordable and definitely worth trying.

Overall I am pretty impressed with Joe Fresh Beauty products so far. In addition to the pros and cons that I have highlighted about each of the three products that I have tried, I want to point out two other advantages of these products: 1. They are sealed very well so you don’t have to worry about buying a product that has been opened or used in the store. 2. They do not do any animal testing!!!!

EOS Lip Balms

If you have not tried these round lip balms from Evolution of Smooth I am sure that you have heard of them. Over the last year or so these balms have become extremely popular due to their cute spherical packaging. I purchased a few to see if the product itself is as impressive as the packaging.
The set that I bought (pictures below) came out during the holidays. It contains one limited edition flavour (pomegranate raspberry), and two permanent flavours (sweet mint and honeysuckle honeydew). Of the three flavours, my least favourite is honeysuckle honeydew. I do not like the taste of real honeydew melon and this balm smells exactly like it. Its taste is more sweet than anything. I do not detect the smell of honeysuckle. The sweet mint is very refreshing. Its scent is unlike the typical mint scent that most balms have which leans towards eucalyptus rather than mint. Sweet mint has a true peppermint scent and flavour that is very creamy and refreshing. Pomegranate raspberry, like the honeysuckle honeydew, has a sweet taste. Its scent reminds me of fresh berries and is probably my favourite from the set.
At first these balms are a bit difficult to apply to the lips because their exterior is a bit hard. However, after a few uses the product softens and applies very smoothly. They have decent staying power and do not leave my lips feeling dry like some balms do. I also like how they are not waxy like balms from the Chapstick brand. I only wish that they were easier to find. It seems as if they are only sold in the USA. International customers must order online and shipping rates are very high.
Overall, I am impressed with these balms and am happy that the product itself is as appealing as the packaging.
These balms can be purchased in drugstores in the united states or online at http://www.evolutionofsmooth.com/
My rating: 4.5/5
*click photos to enlarge*