e.l.f. conditioning lip balm swatches and review

I had almost forgotten that I put these items in my shopping cart for my birthday e.l.f. Haul! So it was a pleasant surprise to take them out of the box when I received it in the mail. That's the only good thing about 25-day processing and shipping times- when you finally do get your hauls, it's like Christmas because you've forgotten what you ordered!

In the few days I've been wearing them, I am SO satisfied with these balms. I am NOT a lip balm person- the only balm I've ever liked wearing is Burt's Bees lip shimmer in Raisin (a deep red). I was especially wary of the packaging- though very professional-looking and pretty, I HATE HATE HATE sticking my sore, cracked fingertips into pots of sticky gloss and attempting to smear it across my lips. Can you say ew?

However, I found that I DO like the packaging! The square twist cap is so easy to open and close, even if you're wearing gloves or have sticky/greasy fingers. There's also no guesswork as to whether the container is closed or not- no worries of drips in your bag!- and the plastic is thick enough that I wouldn't have a heart attack if I dropped it onto the floor like a would with a powder compact or a lipstick.

My ONLY gripe about the container is that it is bulky. It wouldn't fit in a small makeup bag or pocket. I tend to just toss it right into my backpack or purse, though (I carry a large hobo bag, a clutch wouldn't work to carry this item) because it is so sturdy.

Now onto the product- I really do enjoy this formula. A few things in particular that impress me about it:

-It doesn't melt/separate or freeze! No worries of opening it and finding a gross goopy mess all over the lid and rim of the jar.

-It smells soooo good. Like coconuts and baby powder. And there's a very subtle coconut taste that is just gorgeous.

-It's the perfect consistency for dipping a pinky into. I just place my fingertip on the surface and swirl it a few times until I'm satisfied with the amount of product I have. I don't have to rub.

I got the shades Peaceful Pink and Romantic Rouge, swatched here: 

Sorry for my hairy arm.

 

The pigmentation of these is surprisingly very strong for a “balm” or even a gloss! As a certified lipstick junkie, I approve of this level of colour payoff! Peaceful Pink is such a pretty pink- a cross between a rose petal and bubblegum. I was worried it would sheer out too much and appear uneven and junky, as the shade is lighter than my natural lip colour, but it turns out my fears were for naught! I bet it would look even better with a nude primer or lipstick underneath. 

THIS IS A TERRIBLE PICTURE.

 

Romantic Rouge is a nice blue-toned popsicle red, again very opaque. It's glossier than Peaceful Pink, and would look nice with any skin tone.

And... sorry for my nose.

The downside of the formula is that it can feel a bit greasy. I would suggest using a pencil lip liner or lip-lock stick to keep the product from feeling like it's all over your face.

I use so many hydrating/scrubbing products on my lips that I can't speak for the conditioning quality of this lip balm, but the pinky I used to apply the balm certainly felt softer than usual! :)

This would be good for: People just starting to test out strong lip colours, people whose inner child is strong and likes yummy-smelling cosmetics, people who like the look of a juicy lip!

Pass if: You have very thin lips (tendency to slip and migrate), you hate scented cosmetics and/or coconuts, you carry a clutch purse/no purse at all, you like matte lipcolor, you like the feel of “grown-up” cosmetics.