Aah yes, I'm to contribute to the onslaught of Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm reviews, but what can I say, I really would like to share my thoughts on these! As soon as they were announced, there has been much hype surrounding them and they were just recently released here in Australia where I bought a couple during a buy one get one free sale. Revlon also brought out a range of Lacquer Balms which contain chunky shimmer - an element I am not a fan of - besides, the Matte Balms are where it's at!
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| Complex, Audacious |
Like basically all other crayon type lip products out there now, these are housed in a twist-up packaging with a matte exterior matching the colour of the product within.
The last lip product I reviewed (a L'oreal Colour Riche Moisture Matte lipstick) was based on the similar premise of a non-drying matte lipstick, so naturally I'll be drawing a few comparisons. The texture of these Matte Balms is creamy and almost balmy feeling (as the name would suggest) but without the slip (obvs) and providing a velvet, soft matte finish that isn't chalky or dry looking. Their texture is very similar to the L'oreal, also being quite airy and light feeling on the lips. One difference between the two is that I'd say the Revlon catches on dry areas the slightest bit more. Don't get me wrong though, for a matte lip product, it's excellent at not accentuating dry patches or looking dry on the lips. I've heard people say they find the Matte Balms hydrating, which I wouldn't particularly agree with. After four hours of wear, I find my lips to feel and look a bit dryer than when I first applied, and a few dry flakies/patches start to appear, and a little more accentuation of lines. It's not badly drying and it's definitely still comfortable, but just a little harder to reapply straight on top. I find the L'oreal doesn't dry out my lips at all. The pigmentation of these balms is very good - you can get full blown opacity within a few strokes.I find lasting power can be upward of four hours depending if you are eating. The product does wear away in the centre of the lips and depending how bright the colour, it can look obvious. The brighter colour I have (Audacious) does stain slightly but nothing impactful.
Eek! My face looks quite pale in these photos... These lip swatches were done on pre-exfoliated lips.
Audacious is a bright orange toned coral that was the definite must have for me out of the range. It is super bold but still very wearable and can look more orange or more coral depending on the lighting. I'd say it's somewhere between MAC Morange and Maybelline Vibrant Mandarin. It's a stunner of a shade and I think it will be lovely for Summer!
Complex is a light peachy-brown nude shade which I first heard raves about from Suzie and Anna. I initially dismissed it because nudes are notoriously horrible on me, but the more I stared at the swatch on my hand, the more I fell in love and decided to risk it and take it home with me (it was basically free anyway...)! I'm so glad I did though because this is probably the most flattering nude-nude (for me) on me. Because it is very much warm and peach-toned, and not pink, it doesn't clash with my skintone or make me look dead, but is a shade I can wear with heavy or light makeup. As you can see though, this lighter shade does accentuate dry patches a bit more than Audacious, and has a slightly shorter lasting power but isn't too obvious when it wears off.
I absolutely love the shades I picked up, and their formulas are in general lovely for a matte lipstick - a finish typically associated with dry and chalky looking lips. While I do like these, I would say I prefer the L'oreal option more, but they are very similar. The Revlon Matte Balms retail for AUD$17.95.
What are your thoughts on these matte lippies?
