Pritha O.

Tarte Quench Lip Rescue Balm

TL;DR shiny, tingly goodness

Tarte Quench Lip Rescue Balm in Nude

Quick Scores

  • Effectiveness: 5 (out of 5)
  • Taste: 5
  • Smell: 5
  • Packaging: 4
  • Value: 5

Price: $19.00

Available At: Tarte or Sephora

A Deeper Look

Let me be totally upfront from the start. It’s tough for me to give a critical, discerning review of this lip balm because I just love it SO GOSH DARN MUCH. In fact, the trigger that finally forced me to write this post is that I’ve nearly used the product down to an insignificant nub and would soon be unable to graphically describe the intense joy it brings me whenever I apply it.

But I resisted. And by the grace of my superior self-control, you get a rundown of the newest Pritha’s Pick! (Don’t you feel lucky?)

Let me start with its weak points: the packaging. While it suffices, and there are no glaring issues that threaten my ability to use the product (unlike some other balms I have reviewed), it feels really cheap. It feels like a close cousin (first, not second, and not removed) of the cardboard tubes you get dimes in at the bank. (Do they still do that? I haven’t seen a bank teller in years.) It’s painted in pretty colors, sure, but I still feel as though I won it in a crane game at the movie theater for 25¢.

That’s where the negatives end, though. And the positives tumble out as soon as you remove the cap. It gives off a light but perceptible waft of herbal tea (maybe peppermint?) that provides a feeling of warmth and comfort. On application, the texture against your lips achieves the perfect balance between melty liquid and waxy solid. The just-moisturized delicate shine it leaves behind is attractive, but not distracting. The tint (nude, for me) looks put-together but not try-hard. And the coup de grâce: a pleasant, tingly feeling that stays on your lips well beyond use.

So, yeah — when can I order some more?

Important: Vegan, Clean at Sephora, Paraben-Free