Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms and Matte Balms

Yes, there are even more new lip balms hitting the drugstore shelves! A few days ago I reviewed the Maybelline Color Elixirs, and now we have the Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms and Matte Balms. At first glance, I thought that these were more Kissable Balm Stains, but they are actually just balms. 

There are 20 shades to choose from in the collection. Half are Lacquer (shine) finish and half are matte finish. I purchased all of the lacquers, but only some of the mattes were available. The display didn't say these were limited edition, so I'm assuming they might be permanent. 

These are the Lacquer Balms, the tubes are all very shiny. As you can see, the packaging is identical to the Kissable Balm Stains, but the formula is different! 

Swatches from left to right: Vivacious, Enticing , Demure, Flirtacious , Provocatuer, Whimsical, Ingenue, Tease, Coquette, and Coy.

Vivacious is a creamy hot pink. Enticing is a creamy deep brownish red. Demure is a subtle nude that contains sparkle. Flirtatious is a creamy bright fuchsia. Provocatuer is a creamy bright blue toned red. Whimsical is a pinky purple that contains sparkle. Ingenue is a creamy medium brown. Tease is a creamy burnt orange. Coquette is a light blue toned pink that contains sparkle. Coy is a creamy coffee brown. These swatches are two swipes each. 

Here are the four matte balms I purchased. There are six other shades that I couldn't find, but hopefully I can get them soon! As you can see these tubes are all matte. 

Swatches from top to bottom: Unapologetic, Audacious, Sultry, and Showy

Unapologetic is a bright coralish-pink. Audacious is a neon orange. Sultry is a brownish mauve. Showy is a bright blue toned pink. These were two swipes each. 

Claims: I couldn't find any claims on these yet. I will update this once I find out.
Pigmentation: The pigmentation on the lacquers is better than the mattes. The mattes aren't bad, but they apply somewhat patchy on the lips. The lacquers are incredibly pigmented, only one swipe is needed to get full color. 
Finish/Texture: The lacquers have a shiny finish and a buttery texture. They're hydrating, but they don't feel greasy, and they didn't feather out of my lip line at all. The mattes are matte finish, but they feel and look a bit cakey on the lips. They also felt a little bit too slippery and drying. It was a difficult texture to work with.
Lasting Power: The lasting power isn't the greatest, I only had about 2-3 hours of wear on both of the finishes. I wasn't expecting them to be much longer than that though, since they are balms and not 'balm stains'. 
Scent: Each balm has a slight minty scent, it's not as strong as the Kissables. It really reminds me of a Tarte Lip Surgence lip pencil. 
Packaging: The packaging is exactly like a Kissable Balm Stain. The tube is a standard twist up applicator. There is no sharpener included. The tips dull overtime. 
Price/Availability: I paid $7 each each at Harmon's inside of Bed Bath and Beyond. 


Likes:

• The lacquers are very pigmented
• The lacquers feel hydrating and buttery
• The mattes are a true matte finish
• Variety of shades/ finishes to choose from (20 shades overall)
• Nice packaging
• Subtle sweet minty scent/tingle
• Inexpensive

Dislikes:

• The mattes are drying on my lips
• The mattes have a cakey look/are a bit streaky
• The lasting power isn't great on these balms (only about 2-3 hours)

Overall:
I'm not exactly sure what these balms were supposed to do, but overall I was impressed by the lacquers more than the mattes. 

What really impressed me was the creaminess and pigmentation of the lacquers. The formula is buttery smooth, I think they will be a huge hit in the beauty community. I'm a huge matte finish lover, but the matte balms just looked bad on my lips. They emphasize lines and create an odd cakey finish, plus they're a bit streaky. 

The lacquers remind me exactly of a Revlon Lip Butter, but in a pencil form! The matte balms weren't good, but they weren't terrible either. They didn't really do much for me.

All in all, I think this collection is really exciting! Are you going to try them?

If you would like to see lip swatches, please watch my video review! 

| Bloglovin' | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter | YouTube |  

Elf Matte Lip Color in Nearly Nude and Tea Rose

I first discovered the Elf Matte Lip Colors earlier this year. I fully reviewed the shade Rich Red, here, which is still a favorite of mine. I loved the formula so much, that I decided to get the other two shades! I'm so obsessed with these.. 

 The two shades I chose are Nearly Nude and Tea Rose

The packaging is a sleek black tube, with a color swatch on the bottom, which is also a sharpener! 

On the left is Nearly Nude and the right is Tea Rose. Nearly Nude is a warm beige and Tea Rose is a dusty mauve. Both have a slightly creamy matte finish, it's not completely matte.

If you would like to see what these look like on my lips, please watch my Elf haul video, here.

Claims: "This convenient jumbo sized lip pencil creates exact color application with twist up ease so you never have to sharpen. The pigment rich color glides on effortlessly and easily to provide long lasting matte color. The enriched Vitamin A, C & E formula moisturizes and hydrates lips for beautiful healthy looking lips."

Pigmentation: These are both very pigmented! You only need one swipe to get full color. 

Finish/Texture: Like I said before, the finish on these is like a creamy matte. It isn't completely matte, but I still think it's pretty and comfortable on the lips. The texture is super smooth, and it applies like a dream. 

Lasting Power: I had about 5 hours of wear with these. 

Scent:  These are unscented. 

Packaging: The packaging is really convenient. I love that there's a built in sharpener and a color swatch on the bottom. 

Price: I paid $3 each at Wal-Mart

Likes:

• Very pigmented
• Hydrating
• Inexpensive, only $3
• Convenient packaging
• Long-Lasting
• Smooth texture

Dislikes:

• The finish isn't really a traditional matte/more creamy 

Overall:

I'm so happy that I finally bought more of these. They are one of my favorite Elf products of all time. I love that the formula feels light, hydrating, and creamy. It lasts throughout most of my day, and the pigmentation is amazing. I love that they are unscented and only three dollars! The packaging is really convenient too, since it has a built in sharpener.

I seriously wish Elf would make more colors, I'd love to see some brights! Have you tried these yet? 

| Bloglovin' | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter | YouTube |  

ELF Matte Lip Color in Rich Red

My local Target recently started to carry Elf items that were previously only available online. I went crazy and bought a whole haul of things to test and review, but this Matte Lip Color pencil is my favorite item from my haul by far! It's quickly becoming one of my favorite drugstore lip products because of the creamy formula, long lasting color, and affordability.

Elf Matte Lip Color is packaged in a sleek, twist-up pencil applicator, and has a coordinating color swatch on the bottom, which is also a sharpener! The small pencil-like tip gives a precise application, which eliminates the need for a lip brush! 

Rich Red is a bright, blue based matte red. I think that this shade can suit anyone, which is another reason I love it. This swatch is one swipe, the pigmentation is amazing! 

Here's Rich Red on my lips. The finish doesn't look as matte as most matte lipsticks, but I would still consider this matte. It didn't emphasize any lines on my lips, and it feels hydrating! 

Claims: "This convenient jumbo sized lip pencil creates exact color application with twist up ease so you never have to sharpen. The pigment rich color glides on effortlessly and easily to provide long lasting matte color. The enriched Vitamin A, C & E formula moisturizes and hydrates lips for beautiful healthy looking lips."
Pigmentation: This lip pencil is seriously bright and pigmented! I was pleasantly surprised that only one swipe is needed to get full color and opacity. 
Finish/Texture: The finish is matte, but not as matte, for example as MAC Rubywoo. The texture is smooth and creamy. It also felt hydrating on my lips, unlike most mattes which feel dry.
Lasting Power: I had about 4-5 hours of wear with this lip product. 
Scent: This product is unscented.
Packaging: The small lip pencil tip is great for getting a precise application. I was so happy that the bottom includes a sharpener, I can take this everywhere and use it on the go! 
Price/Availability: I paid $3 at Target

Likes:

• Great pigmentation
• Hydrates lips/doesn't feel drying
• Creamy formula
• Inexpensive, only $3 
• Easy to use
• Sleek packaging/comes with built-in sharpener
• Long lasting

Dislikes:

• This matte isn't a traditional matte finish (not as matte looking, but doesn't bother me)
• The tip will need to be sharpened eventually

Overall:
I can't rave enough about this lip pencil! I've been wearing it non stop lately. I even brought it with me on vacation right now! Rich Red is a universally flattering shade that has excellent pigmentation, and a hydrating formula that leaves lips feeling smooth. The packaging is sleek, comes with a sharpener, and has a small tip that allows for easy application. It doesn't have that traditional matte-dry feeling that I'm used to, which is the reason why I love wearing it. The lasting power is just as long as most of my matte finish lipsticks, but it feels like I'm wearing something light and creamy.


This is one of the best e.l.f. products I've ever tried, and it's definitely worth the $3 price tag. I already want to go back and get some of the other colors! 

Covergirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Plum Twist and Ruby Twist

Covergirl has always been one of those "hit or miss" brands with me. I rarely try their new products because of it. I feel that Covergirl's quality, for the most part, is lower than most other drugstore brands. Being a fan of jumbo lip pencils, I really wanted to give their Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm a try. (Read about my last Covergirl experience here.)

The packaging is very standard, a twist up pencil stick with a color coordinated cap. The name is what intrigued my to try this product. It states that it's a gloss and a balm, unlike most lip pencils which only claim to provide color. I'm always on the hunt for a moisturizing lip pencil!

The two shades I chose are Ruby Twist and Plum Twist. Ruby Twist is a warm orange-red with a cream finish. Plum Twist is a cool mid-toned purple that also has a cream finish. I prefer Plum Twist over Ruby Twist, because it matches my skin tone nicely. 

Claims: "Twist up the color and glide on the shine. Treat your lips to a balm fortified with shea and mango butters for a smooth look with a hint of color."
Pigmentation: The pigmentation is decent. I wasn't expecting it to be much, since the claims say a "hint of color".  I always like it when the brand clearly states how much the color payoff  will be so that I won't be disappointed. 
Finish/Texture: The finish is a little shiny, but I wouldn't say glossy at all. The texture is smooth, but it's not silky. They feel a bit slippery on the lips. They are slightly moisturizing, but nothing that could replace a lip balm. The moisture doesn't last throughout the day either.
Lasting Power: There isn't much lasting power with these since they are slippery. I only got an hour of wear, but if I ate or drank it slid off completely.
Scent: There was no scent.
Packaging: The packaging is a standard twist up stick. The pointed tips eventually wear down.
Price/Availability: I paid $7+ tax each at Target

Likes:

• There are 16 shades to choose from
• They are easy to use/good for on the go 
• Pigmentation is good

Dislikes:

• They aren't glossy
• Have a slippery texture 
• There isn't much moisture
• Overpriced for the quality
• Not much lasting power

Overall:

There are better jumbo lip pencils out there. I thought that these were just okay, there's nothing special about them. The one thing I enjoyed most was the color selection. They don't provide a glossy finish, which really disappointed me. There was a bit of moisture, but it didn't last, and the product itself felt slippery. The lasting power was very insignificant, maybe an hour if you don't talk, eat, or drink. I also feel that these are way overpriced for a drugstore lip pencil that barely performs. Nothing stood out to me when I was trying these "gloss balms". Maybe next time I try something Covergirl it will work out for me.