Constant Colour

You're probably sick of seeing them and they're old news by now, but I thought I might as well do a post on my collection of Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, now that they've recently been released in Australia. Priceline is currently holding a buy one, get one free sale on all Revlon nail and lip products, meaning you can nab two of these for $17.95. They're a little cheaper than the Revlon Lip Butters which are $21.95 each. I've already written about the first one I managed to get my hands on, Charm, so I'll focus on the three others I've since bought, Honey (from my New York trip), Precious and Sweetheart (from the Priceline sale).

l-r (first row, then second row): Precious, stain after Precious is taken off, Honey, Sweetheart

l-r: Honey, Sweetheart, Charm, Precious

Honey (001) This was the shade that I wanted to get the most after Charm, as it seemed the most suited for everyday wear. It's a bit darker than expected, especially since my lips are already quite pigmented. It's a rosy, slightly brown colour, kind of like a dark, muted raspberry, though it applies on my lips more like a light raisin.

Precious (050) I surprisingly really like this one. This is probably what I'd hoped Honey would be closer to. Precious is a pinky nude that is slightly peachy. It tones down my lips without looking too brown or washing me out. Like Charm, it stains brighter and darker than the colour itself, almost to a coral shade. I really don't like this aspect of the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, as it seems to negate the whole point of having lighter shades if they're all going to stain much darker and not true to colour.

Sweetheart (025) Michelle first alerted me to this shade, and ever since, I'd been leaning towards getting it. Sweetheart is a medium, teeth-whitening bright pink with a stain that just goes on and on. Seriously, this one doesn't come off. Ever. I applied this on a whim at night, showered, double cleansed my face, and it was still there. No matter, I thought, surely it'd be gone in the morning. Woke up six hours later, and it was still there, bright as ever on my lips. Once you apply this, be prepared to have it stay on your lips for at least 8 hours. That's surviving futile attempts to wipe it off, multiple reapplication of lip balm, and even trying to remove it with a bit of Bioderma. The unbeatable lasting power means if you want a hot pink lip to last a whole night, and then some, Sweetheart is for you.

I find these lip crayons to be slightly on the drying side, in that you need well moisturised and exfoliated lips for these to go on smoothly. They're a little inconsistent and unpredictable, in that the staying power differs depending on the shade (with Sweetheart being miles ahead of the rest), and the lighter colours stain a totally different colour to how they initially apply. I cannot fault the packaging however, and for the most part, they're a fun and (still) novel way to add truly long lasting, transfer-proof colour to your lips.