Review: Innisfree My Lip Balm.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled SoulTree reviews to bring you this special post on these Innisfree Lip-balms.

 

THE BACKSTORY: Who can resist a new lip balm? Not me. I picked one of these up from a Korean site during Black Friday sales last year after I remembered how they were initially launched with Wanna One’s members’ faces plastered across them. While I was tempted to buy those Limited Edition ones, I figured I would wait it out and buy them when they were re-packaged. Was never a huge fan of Wanna One anyway. Soz. Please don’t kill me.

Anyway, these Lip Balms are now available locally too.

 

P. S. Half of the shades featured are in Limited Edition packaging, for the 2020 New Years collaboration between Disney and Innisfree. The Lip Balms up for retail now come in their regular packaging.

 

 

INGREDIENTS: [1] Petrolatum, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate, Microcrystalline Wax, Beeswax, Helianthus Annuus (SUNFLOWER) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (JOJOBA) Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Silica Silylate, Isostearic Acid, Mentha Viridis (SPEARMINT) Leaf Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Diisostearyl Malate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Sodium Saccharin, Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Tocopherol, Water / Aqua / Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Orchid Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Citrus Sudachi Fruit Extract

 

 

 

THE PRODUCTS: So, these Lip Balms come in tubes with slanted applicators. The graphics on the regular packaging is minimal and elegant and they are also colour-coded. Limited Edition designs, however, will vary accordingly. Anyhow, the tubes themselves can be a little stiff so you might want to squeeze a little harder to dispense the balm but it’s not a deal-breaker in the least. If anything, I would prefer if other popular Lip Balms came in tube packaging, as tight as they may be, as they are one of the more hygienic options.

 

I’m also aware of how Petrolatum (also known as Petroleum Jelly – you know, the thing that Vaseline is made of) is the first ingredient of this Lip Balm. I know a lot of my friends don’t prefer Petrolatum-based balms because they’re not hydrating enough but this Lip Balm really isn’t meant to be your intensive, slather-over-lips-at night pick. If you’re looking for one of those, I would ask you to take a look at the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask or the Aritaum Sugar Overnight Lip Mask. Or Boroline. Boroline always works.

 

So, again, is this going to be your best friend at night before you go to bed? Will it give you smooth, plump lips the next morning when you wake up?

 

No, my friend.

 

But… These are so much fun as your run-of-the-mill Lip Balm that you just smack on without looking in the mirror and giving a second thought.

 

The texture is buttery smooth and, therefore, an absolute delight to apply. If you’re looking for a tinge of colour to be injected into your lips, you need not look any further. The tinted variations within this line are sheer, natural-looking and perfect for daily use. Some of the stronger colours need the tiniest bit of work but, again, it’s no deal-breaker.

 

Also, these perform surprisingly well as a Lip Balm. Even if they’re not the most hydrating, reparative formula out there. These are hydrating, comfortable and great to wear over longer stretches of time because of their unexpected longevity.

 

With names and colours inspired by different teas, it’s like they’re sucking you in to buy them all. Don’t do that, though. Pick the colours you actually like. Not much of a selection, to be frank. They’re mostly reds and oranges with the occasional pink. If colour’s not your thing, you can pick them based on the scent. The scents resemble the names. The fragrances themselves are lovely and delicate.

 

My only gripes with these are the price they retail for locally and the fact that their sole minty flavour isn’t minty enough. Rather tame for me, wouldn’t you say?

 

 

GIRLFRIEND’S TWO CENTS: I gifted a set of these to the girlfriend since she enjoys tinted lip balms (and also because that way I’d have more shades to feature in my post). She took those lovely floral photos you see right above. Moreover, this is what she had to say about them, “I really like these lip balms. They’re super smooth and I like that they’re tinted.” Short as usual. And inconsequential. But, oh well. She’s cute, I guess, so I’m happy to sneak this bit in here.

 

 

SWATCHES AND SHADES AVAILABLE: Internationally, there are 11 shades available but in our country there are only 6. Damn. Why. Why is it always like this? Following are the shades available locally.

 

• 01 Green Peppermint Tea – Clear. It’s not minty enough for me, sadly. But it’s nice. ♦
• 03 Homemade Lemon Tea – Sheer light pink.
• 05 Wild Hibiscus – Coral.
• 08 Sunkissed Cherry Tea – Cherry red that’s one of the more pigmented ones. ♦
• 10 Ruby Grapefruit Tea – Pinkish coral, another one of the more pigmented ones. ♦
• 11 Wedding Peach Tea – Gorgeous baby pink. ♦
• 07 Dried Rose Tea* – Unavailable locally. Rosy red. ♦

 

 

PRICE AND QUANTITY: 750 INR for 15 grams of product (retails for 10 USD in America and 8,000 KRW in S. Korea).

 

AVAILABILITY: Cosmetic-love, RoseRoseShop, iBuyBeauti, StyleKorean, Nykaa (local) etc.

 

♥ OVERALL: I enjoy these a lot and would say they’re worth the money. The sheer tints are super pretty and they’re great to use throughout longer working days. Not your best bet if you’re looking for an intensive, heavy-duty lip-balm but it’s cute as a sheer tinted lip balm.