Pritha O.

Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint

TL;DR misguided pricing prevents a Pritha’s Pick achievement 

Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in Bare Pink and Bare Raspberry

Quick Scores

  • Effectiveness: 4.25 (out of 5)
  • Taste: n/a
  • Smell: n/a
  • Packaging: 4.5
  • Value: 4

Price: $32.00 (per balm)

Available At: Sephora or Bobbi Brown

A Deeper Look

A little background for y’all: I used lip balm before I started this blog. I know. SHOCKER. I did not, in fact, begin transcribing my extremely strong opinions into the electronically-written word from the moment I discovered this skincare gem.

this is all of you (I know)

Ergo, there are many a product that I have used and loved (and hated) that I have not yet had the chance to turn into poetic musings on lip care for this website. Read: not yet. But I thought I’d begin to correct that failing, starting right now.

First up: the Bobbi Brown, a line many of you may know from their extremely popular foundation, powder and various other makeup items, or whose name you may recognize from simply being one of the most influential makeup artists of all times.

Bobbi, it ought to be said, became known for her “revolutionary” contribution to the world of makeup when she introduced “natural hues” to palettes worldwide. It seems pretty obvious in today’s world of inescapable “you, but better” branding, but, at the time, it was a big, fat deal.

So who better to bring sheer, tinted lip balms to the world?

First things first, I love applying this balm. “Sheer but tinted” may sound crazy but the Bare Pink gives my lips a beautiful kiss of color and shine that makes me look like I showed up to the meeting, but am not trying to take over the company (photo below). The texture is sticky, but not in a waxy way, more in an I-want-to-smack-my-lips-together kind of way. The tube is understated and sleek, and the amount in there will last you longer than you think.

yep, it’s me again

That said, does the hydration live up to that of my favorite, oft-hyped untinted balms? Or even that of this perfect, clean tinted one? No. But I’ll tell you a little secret — I grade tinted lip balms on a curve. (Double shocker!). When you’re buying a product for both color and moisture, you’re rarely going to be satiated on both fronts.

And let’s remember that tinted lip balms are meant, often, to sub in for lipstick, or, as I like to call it, a centuries-old desiccant for whose outdated “services” you pay. (Too strong? Maybe.)

However, unlike other tinted balms, where this one wins big is that you can reapply as often as you need for moisture without worrying that the tint will leave you looking like a two-year-old who rifled through her/his mom’s handbag after naptime. Others could not say the same.

this will not be you if you use the Bobbi Brown

One last note. Clearly, I have a big soft spot in my heart for this balm. So why did I deny it the coveted status of “Pritha’s Pick?” Beyond its inability to transcend the curse of the tinted balm, I ask you to look no further than the cost stat up top. Pricier than my beloved Shiseido, you say, with no notable advantages to justify it? Naw man. That ain’t me.

Why don’t you pocket that extra $6 and buy yourself something nice, instead.

Important: Gluten-Free (?), Really Effing Expensive