Hello everybody!
It’s not a secret that matte lipsticks are very popular now. I adore matte in make-up, so obviously for me - matte lipstick isn’t just a trend, but a personal necessity. In my collection there aren’t any shimmer lipsticks, nor just simple lip glosses.
❦❦❦ About The Balm
These lipsticks were the first product I bought by that brand. I was looking at them for quite a while, as I liked the "pin-up" design very much. But they were pricey, which was the actual reason for me not to buy them immediately. But one day, I just decided to spend money on them, as I really wanted to get to know the matte lipsticks better. So, the question arose: “which color to choose?”
It was a miracle, but in The Balm line there was a set of 6 mini-sized lipsticks (1,2 ml) in the following colors:
- Loyal
- Charming
- Committed
- Sincere
- Doting
- Dedicated
❦❦❦ The price
$29 on the official site
❦❦❦ DESCRIPTION
Say hello to a truly loyal long-lasting liquid lipstick—Meet Matt(e) Hughes! Take your pick from eight dreamy shades—each as long-wearing and comfortable as the last. These matte, vanilla-mint liquid lipsticks are stuck on you without feeling clingy.
BENEFITS
Long-wearing, comfortable matte finish with a subtle vanilla mint flavor
SUGGESTED USE
Apply using the doe-foot applicator, or with your favorite lip brush, for color that lasts all night.
❦❦❦ Outer look
The packaging
Light beige in a thick cardboard box. It's really beautiful!
I like that couple, romantically sipping the cocktail from the same glass 
There’s a bid transparent window, through which we can see the product inside.
It reminds me of the shop window with mannequins. And our “mannequins” are steady in their stand.
I usually don’t keep the products in their boxes, and throw them out. But in this case, no, I like the box too much. And I quickly got used to the fact that each lipstick is on its own place. So my “mannequins” live in their “shop windows”.
These mini-sized lipsticks are almost the same as the full-sizes ones.
The only difference is in the drawing. Minis don’t have the picture of the couple on the box. The tube is of transparent plastic, and all the letters are of silver color. They are well seen and are of a good quality.
The color is written in the middle of the brackets. The cap is of the same as the letters. It’s also silver and matte.
The applicator has the classic doe-foot applicator. On my average sized lips it gives sharp contour. I don’t have any problems with it. I’m 100% delighted with that applicator, and I’ve never seen any better. It takes out the right amount of the product, as much as my lips need.
I want to highlight the scent of the lipsticks: it's GREAT! Not very strong - vanilla with some mint aroma. It’s so confectionery, but not too sweet!
Let’s look at each color separately
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1. Charming
The color
deep mauve
My love!
Cool undertones, I can clearly see something plummy, quite bright, but not too much, not vulgar.
Complicated and beautiful color!
The swatches
1.-straight after the application
2.- a minute after applied
Application
I don’t know why, but that color is the most difficult for me to apply, sometimes I go out of the contour with that “hairy” applicator.
And one more thing that I like about that product is the opportunity to touch up and correct the contour line, as the lipstick doesn’t dry out immediately, but in a minute or so.
The finish is ideally matte
Make-up
Lasting power
In the morning this product can live through snacks and a couple of cups of tea. Then, it becomes “eaten” in the inside. But, the contour of the lipstick is ready to stay with me till the evening.
However, after lunch, I wash the lipstick off and reapply it once again (I love that cooling effect). One evening my lipstick lived through dinner and I didn’t even need to touch-up!
The test of staying power:
1.The contact with water
2.I rubbed it a bit after the contact with water
3.I rubbed with micellar water
As you can see from the photo, the lipstick is impossible to remove not only with the simple water, but with the micellar water either! And here’s the same swatch, but 24 hours later
The staying power is amazing 
5 stars. I won’t take out one star for the complicated application, as, probably, the problem lies in my skills.
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2.Sincere
The color
dim terra-cotta
The first color, that I tried in the line.
I’d say that it’s of warm undertone. Despite that I don’t like the warm colors, that one I liked a lot!
I associate it with pin-up models.
The swatches
1.-straight after the application
2.- a minute after applied
You can see that there’s almost no difference. That color dries up immediately!
Application
That color is easy to apply from the first time!
The application is thick, which cover my lips totally.
The finish is also ideally matte
Make-up
Lasting power
The lasting power of that color is much less than of the previous one, but it also fades more evenly. It disappears completely in 4-5 hours.
5 stars
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3. Committed
The color
dusty pinky nude
I love it very much
It a little bit reminds me of the «Sincere» color, but lighter and cooler. I think, it’s the most versatile color, which will suit to any color type, as it’s so difficult to make out the color type of the color itself.
It’s cool, but at the same time warm. It suits to any clothes and any mood, by the way.
I always carry it in my purse, as it’s very calm and pleasant color.
The swatches:
1.-straight after the application
2.- a minute after applied
It dries out quickly. The finish is matte and very beautiful!
Application
The applicator allows to apply the lipstick evenly, and beautifully on the contour (as though the contour was done with a lip pencil)
The coverage is thick and covers the natural lips’ color completely. That color isn’t patchy, applies evenly and doesn’t flow out of the edges.
In general, the application is very comfortable!
Make-up
Lasting power
It’ll live through a couple of cups of coffee. After a snack, the color fades on the junction of the lips, but it’ll be almost unseen, so it’s not such a problem. So, before lunch I don’t even care about my lipstick on the lips.
5 stars. I love that lipstick color because of its universal characteristics and the color!
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4. Doting
The color
peachy-beige
Intensive, warm, summer color.
It’s bright and a little bit neon. Not actually very suitable my color type, I just don’t like this color.
However, one hot summer day, when my skin will get some suntan, I will definitely apply that color with a beautiful bright dress!
The swatches:
1.-straight after the application
2.- a minute after applied
Application
The color is whimsical!
I don’t like the fact that it’s impossible to apply this color fully the first time.
But on the other hand, you can still apply a second layer, which is a great advantage for a matte lipstick.
Make-up
Lasting power
I can’t say anything about its lasting power, as I didn’t it wear more than 10 mins. However, it takes time to remove it, so I presume that its lasting power is good, at least the same as of the other ones.
5 stars with a minus. As it’s a bit patchy in application in one layer, but there’s a possibility to apply a second one.
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5. Dedicated
The color
intense berry like
Bright-lilac, almost fuchsia
It’s very intense! I like that color, but it certainly isn’t for everyday use.
But, as an evening lipstick, that color is just perfect. I sometimes apply it at work, when I wear a smart black dress or a white office shirt, and it looks very effective!
The swatches:
1.-straight after the application
2.- a minute after applied
It takes some time for this color to dry.
Application
Despite the bright color and my prejudices, that color can be applied almost ideally (I think) from the first time. It’ll live through the second application, if needed. As promised, the color is great to layer!
But there’s a small disadvantage - it takes time to dry (more than 3 mins). And all the 3 mins you need to keep your mouth opened. If you don’t, the lipstick will dry and look really awful.
But, in general, I’m delighted with that color!
The finish of that color isn’t totally matte, it’s more velvety. In the photo it looks a little bit glossy, but actually there’s no any gloss in reality.
Make-up
Lasting power
If the product wasn’t dried fully, it would leave the stains on the glasses, cups, cheeks of the beloved man.
If you dry it properly, it’ll stay on the whole evening. Or in the morning, after a couple of cups of coffee, the color will fade away on the lip’s junction. On the contours it stays beautifully and for quite a while!
It’s very difficult to remove that color even with a micellar water.
5 stars with a minus. As, in comparison with all the others it takes too long to dry.
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6. Loyal
bright true red
That’s an ideal red color!
Intense, bright and saturated. I like the fact that it isn’t light at all.
I think that light red makes my teeth look yellow, but this color doesn’t do that.
The swatches
1.-straight after the application
2.- a minute after applied
3. - a few hours later.
Application
Oops, I can’t apply the red lipsticks evenly!
I need to use the lip pencil, as one wrong move and the product is out of the contour, alas.
But, honestly, I can’t apply the even contour with a lip pencil even.
I want to say a few words about one interesting detail of that product:
In one layer the lipstick looks ideally matte. But, as you can have already guessed, I can’t apply it evenly in one layer. And the second layer doesn’t look matte. It looks glossy then, and I don’t need that!
Even, if I dried the first layer properly, the second one will not dry under any circumstances. As the result, hello stains everywhere: glasses, cheeks of my man...
For example:
Make-up
Here, I decided to turn my fantasy on
Lasting power
In that respect, it’s almost the same as the light colors of the line. But this color is eaten much faster, because it’s bright, especially on the lips’ junction. That color is easily removed with the micellar water, I don’t even need to rub it.
4 stars. For the long time of drying out and problems in layering!
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❦❦❦ General impressions
I don’t feel this lipstick on my lips at all! Maybe that’s because of the fact that I have some bad examples to compare with. But this product doesn’t dry or tighten my lips at all. After I wear it, there are no peeling parts that appear. And the most pleasant is the mint (in all the colors, of course), the cooling feeling stays on my lips for quite a while.
Yeah, the last two colors are quite whimsical, but in comparison with all my other matte lipsticks, these are PERFECT ones (everything need to be compared)
A few words about the advantages:
- great lasting power
- beautiful colors
- pigmentation
- the feelings on my lips
- the scent
- even coverage
- thick coverage
- no dryness or tightening
- no peeling parts after wearing these lipsticks
For me, these are the best and I do love them very much. Of course I will recommend you buying them! And, as for me, I’ll continue thinking about what color to buy as a full-sized product
Thanks for your attention!
