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I’ll admit it — I’m a bit of a makeup snob. There’s a handful of drugstore staples I swear by (Essence Lash Princess Mascara is an actual gift from the Gods), but for the most part, it’s all Clinique, MAC, Chanel, Kylie Cosmetics, Stila, Smashbox and Benefit, all the time (acquaint yourself with some of my all-time faves here). Still, I’m not above a good checkout line special, especially when it’s presented on clearance in insanely eye-catching packaging. In fact, that’s exactly how I happened to stumble upon what I have since deemed the Holy Grail of lipgloss at Walgreens: the Balm lip gloss.
Yes, you read that right. My new favorite lipgloss — the one I now hold dear above all my Kylie Lip Kits ($35), MAC Dazzleglass ($23) and Lancôme Juicy Tubes ($25) combined — can be purchased for the low, low price of $15 (or less — mine was on clearance!) at Walgreens.
Having been burned by many a cheap gloss before, I wasn’t expecting much, despite the insanely cute comic book-style box. My last two purchases of Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Oil and Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick turned out to be thin, cakey and wholly disappointing, respectively. But after just one swipe of theBalm Read My Lips gloss in POW!, I knew I had found a diamond in the rough.
For starters, the pigment this bad boy packs is in a class of its own. I get just as much color from this little guy as I do from my beloved hot pink Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet L’Exuberante lipstick (discontinued) — and that’s saying a lot.
Typically, my most concentrated lip colors tend to come in the form of mattes (like the aforementioned Chanel) or stains, courtesy of Victoria’s Secret, Kylie Cosmetics or Colour Pop, which, TBH, is a big reason why I favor them — you get the most bang for your buck.
The few glosses I’ve found that do manage to really punch up your pout tend to slide off easily, sometimes in a matter of minutes —and yet, nearly four hours after I applied this theBalm formula, it was still bright as could be.
Speaking of the formula, let’s discuss for a minute! I appreciate a good, sticky gloss as much as the next girl — in some weird way, it gives me nostalgia to have my hair continually plastered into my lips the same way it was in middle school — yet the smoothness and moisture of the Read My Lips line cannot be denied.
Somehow, by some miracle, the good folks at theBalm have managed to concoct a gloriously shiny, non-sticky mixture that has jusssssst the right consistency and ultimate staying power, making the act of applying it akin to Goldilocks settling into Baby Bear’s chair.
According to the brand’s website, it’s also infused with ginseng for a little jolt of mental stimulation, and who couldn’t use a little of that at any given time?
Needless to say, I’ve already placed an order online for another color (VA VA VOOM!, ICYWW), and I’ve got a sneaking suspicion I’ll be stocking up on the rest of the colors before too long.
It just goes to show, you should never judge a book by its cover … unless that cover is utterly adorable.
Tell me: Have you tried more theBalm products? Thoughts?
Xo, Nicole
