Tokidoki Gelato Lip Balm Stain in Pink Martini Review and Swatches

The boyfriend has gone back east, which is very sad for me.  On the upside, I have some time to do some reviews!

Next installment in the HG Lip Search series: Tokidoki Gelato Lip Balm Stain in Pink Martini!

When I was browsing Sephora a few months ago and looking for something to put me over $50, I came across the then-new tokidoki lip balm.  The 10 or so reviews it had were all positive, and I figured it was worth a shot.  I went for Pink Martini, the hot pink option, because purple (Skeletrina) tends to make me look dead, and peach (Donutella) is often too warm for me.

1 swipe on the left, 3 on the right

If you're looking for an intensely moisturizing lip balm, this is not it, but if you just want something that maintains the existing moisture level, this is a safe bet.  The balm part doesn't hang around as long as the color (the former ~25 minutes, the latter ~1.5 hours), which is fine by me because I can always top off with my trusty Jack Black.  (An aside: I caved and bought the Grapefruit and Ginger single, and it smells EXACTLY like grapefruit.  It is my new favorite.)  The packaging is meaningless to me--I don't know who the figure is or what's up with tokidoki in general, but those who are looking for something more grown-up may be put off by it.  The biggest problem I have with this balm is that it easily crosses over into being too bright if you put on more than one layer.  The color also isn't as natural as I'm looking for, since it is really very pink, even at sheerer doses.  However, I don't regret buying it, because it's a fool-proof way to add a little color when I'm out and about, and it doesn't dehydrate my lips.  It also has a fantastic smell; they claim it's cherry, but I don't get that at all--rather, it smells like passionfruit-guava or something vaguely tropical, and tastes a little sweet.  So yum!  Having seen swatches of Donutella since I bought this, I would be interested in giving it a try, too--though not at full price ($9/0.15 oz).

Overview

Pros: Buildable color, mildly moisturizing, decently long lasting, awesome smell/taste

Cons: Not a sufficient balm on its own, lacks real staining properties, a little expensive for me

Quality: 8 
Effectiveness: 3.5 (it doesn't fulfill either of its promises--that of being a balm, or of being a stain--but I like it nonetheless as a quick and easy way of providing moderately moisturizing color)
Ease of Use: 5
Senses: 5 (smells delicious!)
Pigmentation: 4
Duration: 4
Consistency: 5
Price: 3.5 (it's really more of a tinted lip balm than a moisturizing stain, so $9 is just too high)

Value: 4.5 (you don't need much for color payoff, and it comes with 0.15 oz, the typical size for lip balms and lipsticks; I've had it for a few months and still have plenty left, though I certainly don't use it daily)

Packaging: -0.5 (the stick of product isn't stable in the tube, and knocks against the edge, and the packaging just feels cheap)
Grade: B