Daily faves: Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balms

Just before unboxing!

I'd been eyeing these lovelies for awhile now as I do just about ANY balm-stain formula. While my love for Revlon's affordable offerings is well-documented, I found myself longing for more wearable, fresh, easy colours in summer. Revlon's berry and bright pink shades are unrivalled but their neutral lip, Honey, had just a bit too much brown in it for me to be completely happy with. It's not too bad in winter but seems too dark and heavy for summer.

But at a full price of US$16 they were just too pricey to buy on a whim and a prayer. So when I spotted these on sale at Asos some months ago (yep, sorry) for HKD100 each (about USD$12) I POUNCED like a starving lioness on three shades: Unique Pink, Baby Bare and Rosy Red.

I haven't stopped using these babies since. In fact, I've worn Unique Pink down below the top of the pencil (they're twist-up btw) and Baby Bare is headed in a similar direction.

Going nuts for Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

Well what would you expect really? I love Lip Stains, I adore tinted lip balms and they've gone and combined the two into my ULTIMATE lippie - complete with the crayon format that Clinique made us all covet with their Chubby Sticks. And to cap it all off... they're mint flavoured. It's like they made it from my personal lipstick wish list!

Revlon has really been knocking it out of the park lately with their Lip Butters and now this!

As you can see I hauled quite a few. I spotted these online before they were available in Hong Kong and immediately ordered two (Cherish and Smitten) on eBay. Then, they launched in Hong Kong at a discounted price of HKD75 (Down from HKD98) so I hauled three more! If the other shades hadn't been so unappealing to me I'd probably have bought every colour they had. 

So here's the general overview

I love them because...

• They go on like a balm, stay like a stain
• Once the sheer glossy layer has worn off they're kiss proof
• And can last through most meals with only slight fading. 
• Are pretty darned pigmented yet still sheer
• They are lightly minty
• And can be toted around throughout the day for touchups
• Also, unlike most stains, they can be used OVER lip balm instead of only on clean lips.

Absolutely natural: Topicrem Rouge Á Lévres Phantom

On my power whizz through a French pharmacy in Cannes, this unusual lippy stopped me dead in my tracks. Completely clear, with silver sparkles it looked like the toy plastic lipsticks I used on my Barbie dolls once upon a time.

Muddling through the French explanation I gathered that it would go on clear and morph into a natural pink shade based on my lip chemistry / heat / god knows what. 

I swiped it on my hand and it did indeed slowly morph into quite a pretty clear pink. Most importantly the silver sparkles didn't show up AT ALL. 

I impulse bought it and after a few uses was completely and utterly in luuuuurve.