Even without any other makeup, a swipe of something something on the lips can make you feel a little more put together, a little more presentable and confident. I don’t want to sacrifice the hydrating, functional duty of my balms when choosing a tinted version – they need to do both, colour and condition. I like to splash out a little on a balm; as something I use frequently throughout the day I like it to feel a little luxe and special – why scrimp on something ‘everyday’ and only splash out on the ‘occasion’ items? My mum was never one for keeping the good china hidden away, and so I’m of the opinion that you should get as much use out of those little luxury items as possible. These are my current faves:
Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in Bare Pink is always on hand. I happily recommend this to anyone who will listen, as its a conditioning treatment in lipstick format and has the perfect ‘just something’ colour. It only pink-ifies your lips ever so slightly. There are seven shades available for different moods and skin tones, but you can’t go past this for long lasting hydration and comfort on the lips. It’s a classic.
I was a fan of the original Lip De-Luscious from Mecca Cosmetica back in it’s original hey-day of white tub packaging – a great balm with lovely scent and pinky tone. While the tinted pots, now more stylishly housed, are still available, it’s also been reformatted into Glide form, a slick lipstick style tube. Natural is the original colour, with a (you guessed it) natural pink tone that’s flattering, if a tiny bit whiter than it’s potted version. It features SFP 15 and the sleek pink case with magnetic lid is handbag friendly.
Tom Ford Lumiere Lip is the fanciest of the bunch, with it’s classic white and gold lipstick packaging. I have shade 13 Lumiere which looks frighteningly orange in the tube, but appears extremely natural on the lips – just a slight light. This is supposedly colour adapting to each wearer’s lips, and infused in hyaluronic acid for extra hydration and plumping. I’m eager to try out 13 Rougir which looks a fabulously fuscia colour in the bullet. These seem to cause a mixed reaction across reviews, with some loving them and some not finding they pack enough of a hydrating punch. While definitely not as juicy as the Bobbi Brown, I really enjoy this, especially as a pre-lipstick balm, when you don’t want anything too gloopy.
Find Extra Lip Tint at Bobbibrown
Find Lip De Luscious at Mecca
Find Tom Ford at Sephora