Product Faves: Essence Juicy Bomb Glossy Butter Balm
I recently went to Target. To this day, I’m not sure what I even went in for, in the first place. This seems to be a relatively common sentiment among most women, or so I hear. I’m hoping some of you can truly relate.
Anyway, after walking the store (and likely failing to grab what I went in for, in the first place), I took a stroll by the beauty section and cosmetics aisle as a faithful reminder and traditional excuse to “treat myself.”
Low-Budget Girlies
As a low-budget girly, I made my way over to the Essence makeup section (shout-out to Essence for always remaining an economically-friendly option). I was looking at some of their other products, when I stumbled upon their tinted chap sticks – the Juicy Bomb Glossy Butter Balms to be exact. That’s when I conveniently remembered: I recently finished one of my own six lip balms, which OBVIOUSLY served as the perfect excuse to replace the one I finished and get a new one!
The Juicy Bomb Glossy Butter Balms come sealed (again, shout-out to Essence for staying on trend and operating hygienically!) While this can feel somewhat frustrating in the moment (as it limits our options as consumers to test out the color of the product), I can certainly understand, value (and RESPECT) why this is done in the first place. SO, thank you Essence for keeping us safe and healthy!
Anyway. There were a few colors on display and I reached for the one I found most suitable for my skin tone – 01 One in a Melon, accessibly priced at $3.99. When it comes to sealed and pigmented products it can feel tricky to land on a color that fits best when we don’t have the option to try it out for ourselves. A product (like this one) might be marketed with bright pink or red labels, but the product itself might not be as pigmented as marketing might lead us to believe. In this case, it was!
Wear Test
I usually go for tinted lip balms that offer a delicate tint – a hint of color that doesn’t stray too far from my natural shade.
When I finally got home and ripped the seal right off (boy that’s always a good feeling), I dabbed it on my lips, slow at first and then a little firmer to really gauge the products pigment (and boy was it pigmented!) The color wears quite brightly, with a strong and glossy pink tint.
At first glance, I thought it was too much. I thought it looked too bright and unnatural but after giving it more of a chance, I grew to like it and appreciated just how versatile this product truly is. Let me explain.
Very, (B)erry Versatile
For starters, this Juicy Bomb Glossy Butter Balm allows you to build up its pigment, according to your own liking. While the product comes across as highly pigmented (especially for a balm), it offers the opportunity to build it up or build it down. You can softly dab it on, offering a more subtle flush of color or you can wear it full on for a bigger statement! Either way, the balm (and this particular shade) leaves a beautiful after-effect, similar to a tinted lip stain, giving the lips a stunning flush of color – as if you just took a bite of a fresh straw(b)erry or took a sip of your favorite Pinot Noir!
Secondly, and most importantly, the balm does what it’s supposed to do – it hydrates.
Lastly and most uniquely, the balm is pigmented enough to act as a make-shift blush! It wears so comfortably on the skin and leaves the most beautiful flush of color on the cheeks. It’s bendable enough to mix it in comfortably. I even did an all-day wear test to see if it’d be gentle enough on my skin and I can safely say it didn’t break me out. A win!
These tinted lip balms come in different shades, offering an array of options for those of us with different needs and wants. Shades include 02 So Berry Cute, 03 Time to Pitaya, 04 Kiwi To My Heart, 05 Choco-Lot to Handle and 06 Wake Me Up Before You Coco.
Small but Mighty
As an actor, traveler and generally creative person who is sometimes on the go auditioning, creating content or out on some type of adventure, I love practical cosmetic products that function well and offer practicality. This is now one of them! It’s small enough to fit in my toiletry bag and has the potential to be incredibly multi-purpose.
For actors, performing artists or content creators alike, this buttery, pigmented and glossy lip balm is small but mighty, offering a pop of color for those looking to touch up before an audition, stand out in an open call, or generally feel their most feminine selves, with very little effort!
