Tinted Love

A review of five tinted lip balms
By Jessica M

There’s a new generation of tinted lip balms showing up in stores these days, and they have wearable colors, soothing moisture, and more natural ingredients than we’ve seen before. To mention just a few: Korres and Burt’s Bees have added new products to their already-adored lip offerings, Tarte has introduced new shades and improved its packaging, LUSH is just getting started with color cosmetics, and Clark’s Botanicals maintains its status as a beauty editors’ favorite.

Here’s how these lip tints stacked up in my own late-winter testing. (I tried to choose colors that work with my own fair, cool/neutral skintone.)

Korres Lip Butter Glaze
Shade: Raspberry
Pigmentation: medium
Texture: smooth and glossy
Flavor: berry-vanilla
Packaging: tube with slant-tip
Price: $14 at Korres.com and Sephora.com
Verdict: feels lush and almost curative on lips, delivers good color pay-off in a health-conscious formulation

Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm
Shade: Pink Blossom
Pigmentation: sheer
Texture: very emollient
Flavor: fruit gum
Packaging: swivel-up stick in cardboard case
Price: $7 at drugstores and Burtsbees.com
Verdict: the most traditionally balm-like of the group, gives a dewy look with fresh, subtle color

Tarte Cosmetics 24.7 Natural Lip Sheer SPF 15
Shade: Tea Time
Pigmentation: semi-opaque
Texture: almost matte
Flavor: light mint
Packaging: swivel-up stick (with metal tube)
Price: $16 at Tartecosmetics.com and Sephora.com
Verdict: a pretty, polished effect, like a lightweight lipstick with the added benefits of moisture and sunscreen

Clarks’ Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip TintShade: Rachel Red
Pigmentation: medium
Texture: shiny
Flavor: vanilla ice cream
Packaging: tube with slant-tip
Price: $19 at Clarksbotanicals.com
Verdict: a bit streaky in its application, looks like a vibrant gloss but fades and slips away quickly; works best as a top coat over lipstick

LUSH It Started with a Kiss
Shade: one color available
Pigmentation: medium and buildable
Texture: semi-stain
Flavor: apple spice cake with buttercream frosting
Packaging: pot with screw-top lid
Price: $6.95 at Lush.com
Verdict: looks scarily bright in the pot, but applies as a flattering (and on-trend) coral-red... and lasts through a coffee break or an actual kiss!


Review by Jessica M
Disclaimer: The Tarte, Korres, and Clark’s balms were purchased by the author. The Burt’s Bees and Lush products were provided as press samples.
Review title is a homage to Soft Cell.
Images: Jessica M for Blogdorf Goodman