CoverGirl recently came out with a new "natural" makeup line, with ~90% naturally-based ingredients. The only product that held any appeal for me was the gloss balm, as it seemed like a great candidate for an MLBB. Unfortunately, full-price it's $7.50 (from Rite Aid, $6.50 from Walmart/Target), which, as we learned from the Prestige Color Persist lipstick, is more than I want to pay (especially for a balm!). Happily, though, Rite Aid had a BOGO 1/2 off for CoverGirl last week, and I had a $5 off 2 CG items, so I was able to get two of them for $6.25 total (score!). I got two colors: Hibiscus, a cool pink, and Pinot, a shimmery brown-red. The latter was intended for my mother (a warm redhead), and the former for both of us; what did we think?
Pinot is a neutral-warm shimmery brown-red that looks great on my mother. It looks fine on me, too, since the sheerness allows some of my natural lipcolor to peek through, though not as good as on her.
The tubes are thin, and it takes several swipes to cover my full lips; they don't slide around as much as the Jordana Easyshines do, which also means they're not as easy to spread so take longer to apply, but are also less likely to move around after application. They have a faint drugstore lipstick scent (you know the one I mean), which is a bummer, but it fades within a few minutes of application. From the two colors I've tried, I would say the darker shades are a better deal than the lighter, since they last longer, and my mom would buy Pinot again (for a discounted price, of course); Hibiscus would be a pass for me, though.
Overview (averaged scores)
Have you tried any of the CoverGirl gloss balms? What did you think?
Sorry for the bluriness, my camera thought the brick was more important than the lipsticks; Pinot on the left, Hibiscus on the right
The pink, Hibiscus, would be an MLBB for someone with less-pigmented lips, but it's not quite pigmented enough for me.
Hibiscus in shade
Hibiscus in sunlight
Hibiscus in sunlight on a different day
It doesn't last very long, a little more than half an hour, and it doesn't leave my lips feeling parched (it's not terribly moisturizing, though, and can feel a bit waxy on). I wouldn't say it's much of a gloss––the Jordana Easyshines do the gloss balm concept better––but it does give a bit of shine. It's a decent lightweight lip color, but it's nothing extraordinary.Pinot is a neutral-warm shimmery brown-red that looks great on my mother. It looks fine on me, too, since the sheerness allows some of my natural lipcolor to peek through, though not as good as on her.
Pinot in sunlight, out of focus to show shimmer
Pinot in sunlight; shimmer is less noticeable
Pinot in shade
It lasts a couple hours on my mom (half that on me), and even survives some light snacking (though does come out somewhat faded). Though shimmery, it's not annoyingly so, and the sparkles don't migrate. For warmer-complected folk, it's a nice, versatile shade. It also feels less waxy than Hibiscus.The tubes are thin, and it takes several swipes to cover my full lips; they don't slide around as much as the Jordana Easyshines do, which also means they're not as easy to spread so take longer to apply, but are also less likely to move around after application. They have a faint drugstore lipstick scent (you know the one I mean), which is a bummer, but it fades within a few minutes of application. From the two colors I've tried, I would say the darker shades are a better deal than the lighter, since they last longer, and my mom would buy Pinot again (for a discounted price, of course); Hibiscus would be a pass for me, though.
Overview (averaged scores)
$6-7.50 for 0.067 oz, available at drugstores and Amazon
(for $6 with Prime)
(for $6 with Prime)Quality: 7.75
Effectiveness: 3.75 (not as glossy or balmy as it claims)Ease of Use: 5
Senses: 3.75 (drugstore lipstick smell and Hibiscus has a waxy feeling when worn)
Pigmentation: 4.25 (Pinot provides a nice, visible wash of color, while Hibiscus is just too sheer)
Duration: 4 (Pinot lasts significantly longer than Hibiscus)Consistency: 3.75
Price: 3.5 (more than $6 for a glorified tinted balm? No, thank you. Its only saving grace is that it's frequently on sale)
Value: 3 (0.07 is typical for glossy lipsticks, but I don't feel these are glossy or liquidy enough to warrant the small size and high price, not to mention that I doubt I'll ever use up Hibiscus, which makes that a straight-up waste)
Grade: C+
