Review: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain

As I've said before I hopped on the lip colour train really late and ever since then I've been riding it pretty fast. I've tried the lip butters, the lip stains and when I heard about the lip balm stain I just had to try it for myself.

Fast forward a couple months later I spotted the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain at the beauty counter at Chesterfield Pharmacy and I decided to give it to a go. I got the shade Smitten in 030 which is, no surprise, a berry shade. 

First Impression
The first thing that I noticed was the scent. It smelled like winterfresh bubblegum which was pretty surprising. For me this meant that it would probably sting. I haven't had too much fun with cosmetics that have menthol or some sort of similar substance. Let's just say I pretty much burned myself. Thankfully, the smell was just that and there was no tingly feeling at all. 

Application
The stick is pretty much like a big crayon so you feel less than glamorous applying it. In fact, be prepared to get a few odd looks if you're applying it in public. That said, the application is smooth and the colour goes on evenly without dragging. The tip is quite big though so if you have smaller lips then you may want to make sure you are applying in front of a mirror. 

Wear
 This balm definitely lives up to its name and even if you apply several different layers it's still quite moisturizing. The moisturizing feeling lasts for maybe 3 hours without a touch up and the colour doesn't fade if you're not eating and/or drinking. It reminded me of a lip balm alright with that slightly slick feeling. It doesn't melt off in the sun so you won't find yourself wiping around your lip line no matter how sweltering it is. My lips didn't get tight or crack or dry out while wearing it making me a happy camper. 

Look
This isn't a glamorous product- you should be able to tell by the packaging. It's meant to be functional, practical and quick, and true to form it is all of these things. The colour is semi-sheer and can be worn as a wash of colour, a daytime lip colour or a practical office lip colour. If you want something that screams glamour and sexy or siren, this isn't your product - this is for a look that is more soft, feminine and pretty. It looks velvety more than satin-y but it definitely ins't a matte finish.

Kiss-Test/ Transfer
This wasn't super-messy but I did notice that if I sipped something within ten minutes of application then it transferred pretty heavily. If I waited however, the transfer was light or not at all. It didn't come off when I was changing clothes either. The lip balm stain transfers with moisture so a kiss on the lips meant transfer but a kiss on the cheek didn't. I would skip the blot and powder test though. If you want the stain to stick and stay all day then apply a lipliner in a similar shade, blot, then apply the lip balm stain. This should pretty much set you for at least 6 hours.

Conclusion
Overall, I would give this product a 7.5 out of 10
The packaging is a bit un-sexy and the crayon tip means that you can't really apply over another colour without running the two colours into each other. The colour isn't opaque which can be a problem for girls with more pigmented lips like most black women but again, if you are looking for semi sheer or sheer colour this is it. Nevertheless, it lasts, it's pretty and true to colour, it's moisturizing and it smells great. The cost is anywhere between $800 and $1200 depending on where you buy it. 

What do you think of the Revlon Lip Balm Stain? Have any questions for me? Leave me a comment below and let me know.

Till later,
**Jane

(all photos my own)