Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Maybelline Baby Lips in "Peach Kiss"

These retail for about $4-7 CDN, and can be found anywhere Maybelline products are sold. They are sold in 6 different flavors/colors/scents: 005 Quenched, 010 Peppermint, 015 Cherry Me, 020 Grape Vine, 025 Pink Punch, and 030 Peach Kiss.

Each tube holds 4.4 g of product and contains an SPF of 20.

Seen left to right: 015 Cherry Me, 020 Grape Vine, 010 Peppermint, 030 Peach Kiss, 005 Quenched, and 025 Pink Punch

Maybelline claims that this is more than just your basic lip balm. The website boasts that you will see "visibly renewed lips [with] 8 hour hydration." Their exclusive 'lip renew formula' is supposed to protect and moisturize the lips for 8 full hours, and after 4 weeks, lips are supposed to be "visibly renewed and reborn."

Well I've finally been able to find these "babies" in Canadian stores, I even bought one as a Christmas present for my cousin. I purchased "Peach Kiss" from London Drugs for about $5 (including GST). Later that day, I found them for $4 at Walmart, oye.

Essentially, these are tinted lip balms. I find it exceptionally intriguing that Maybelline is taking this route - I never really expected them to market lip balms ever; however, the prospect intrigues me. And needless to say, I was not disappointed this time around...

The Baby Lips are packaged in sturdy twist-up tubes. Peach Kiss is in a purple tube with a transparent cap. Each flavor/scent has a different color associated with it, so it's very easy to identify (without looking at the product itself) which one you're picking up. The packaging is very fun and youthful - not sleek and sophisticated like some other chapsticks/lip balms one can purchase (so if that's what you're looking for, stay away), but definitely more eye-catching and different.

Peach Kiss is a rosey peach nude in the tube with very tiny flecks of green and silver shimmer. It applies very sheer in the first application, but can be built upon to add a decent amount of pigmentation to the lips. It comes off more nude/brown on my skin than it appears in the tube, but on my lips it doesn't really show up at all. There is a hint of pigmentation if you look closely, but it's mostly just the shimmery sheen left behind, since it's not pigmented enough to overpower my natural lip color that shows through. This product also adds a little bit of shine, as it is moisturizing, so it's sort of like a sheer lipstick and lip gloss in one. The shimmer isn't overly noticeable, if at all, it just adds a slight sheen to the lips.

On my lips, this color doesn't show up exceptionally well - which is all right for my purposes. My lips are fairly pigmented, so I didn't expect too much there. Peach Kiss tones down my natural lip color, if anything, making them appear slightly less pigmented and lighter, which can go really well with a darker, smoky eye makeup look.

This lip balm glides easily across my lips, but isn't too thin. I am one of those girls who really likes to slather on her lip products, especially chapstick/lip balm. I like feeling that thick layer on my lips - where I can rub my lips together, and they slide smoothly across each other. But I don't need to apply too much with this product to get that desired effect. It's thick enough to be comfortable (for me), without applying fifty layers, or needing a knife to scrape it off afterwards.

Because this is a tinted lip balm, the product is not going to last on your lips for a very long time. As you eat, talk and kiss, the product is going to wear off, as it's not meant to be long lasting like a longwearing lipstick or lipgloss. Yet as far as lip products go, this is reasonably wearing, which was a surprising observation.

In addition to being named after a fruit, Peach Kiss also smells, get this, like peaches! It does not taste like peaches, but has a very peachy smell. When first applied, the aroma is a lot stronger, but as you wear it, it dies down. I really enjoy the scent, just because I love the smell of peaches - and I find it uplifting to be able to indulge in this scent while wearing the product. It is not a 'fake' peach scent, but you can also smell a whiff of the lip balm mixed in with it, so while it isn't a true peach odor, it is a very realistic likeness.

As far as moisturization goes, this product is very effective. It makes my lips feel protected and comfortable, and even after it's worn off, I can still feel the effects slightly. I find myself always wanting to reapply it though, after it's all gone, just because I enjoy the way it feels on my lips.

One minor drawback is the way the color, or at least from what I've experienced with Peach Kiss, can sort of grab at the dry patches on your lips and pile up, making the color look uneven on your lips. In severe instances, I found that this can almost draw attention to the most chapped parts of your lips. However, if your lips are just mildly chapped, this drawback is hardly enough to dismiss the prospect of purchasing the Baby Lips altogether, it's just something to keep your eye on. I can not speak to how the other colors apply, but I feel that if the other colors just give your lips a 'stained' look, this would not be as much of a problem as with Peach Kiss where there is a more opaque transfer of color and a bit of shimmer to match.

Overall, is it worth it? I would say, "yes!" I would really love to go try some of the other flavors/scents like Grape Vine and Cherry Me. If you're one of those people who wants a bit of color on their lips, but not too much, this is a great, affordable alternative for you. Even for on the go, it's a really easy way to 'slap' on some color and moisture and just be out the door. Also, it's a lot more fun to whip out a tube of this and put on some pretty color, but knowing the whole time that you were just looking for some relief for your chapped lips. I love the convenience and practicality of this. I love how it moisturizes

Deal breakers for some people might be the scent, the price in comparison to a cheap $2 tube of Blistex, or the way the color can cling a little bit to the dry patches on your lips. However, it's not that big of a deal if you try one or two.

4 out of 5 stars.
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