-Would I get this again or recommend it: Yes-but as nice as it is, it's fairly expensive. -Why: It's one of the rare lipstick tubed lip products that work well on dryer lips with lines in them. It's easier to put on and carry than a gloss tube. It's a very flattering color (Swimsuit) that should work on everyone in a variety of skin-tones. -Ingredients: Octyldodecanol, Polybutene, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Polyethylene, Diisostearyl Malate, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Cera Microcristallina/Microcrystalline Wax/Cire Microcristalline, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Ethyl Vanillin, Mica, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Prunus Persica (Peach) Kernel Oil, Sodium Saccharin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Silica [+/- May Contain/Peut Contenir: Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Red 22 Lake (Ci 45380), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Iron Oxides (Ci77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891)] -Standout Ingredients: sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, peach kernel oil -Color: Swimsuit, it looks red with orange in the center in the tube. On the lips it's a mix of cherry red and strawberry red with a hint of pink. It’s not as harsh, bright or stark on the lips as in the tube. It’s more of a lip stain than lip stick on the lips. -Formula: This is not an opaque lipstick and it is not matte. It is a glossy balm but with quite a bit of tint and coverage. It's more oil based than wax based. -Scent: It smells a lot like the lovely vanilla of a MAC lipstick. -Allergens: No gluten or wheat listed, but do note it has some plant oils (see ingredients). If you have a nut allergy it does have sweet almond oil. Pros: -Very nice on dry, cracked lips that tend to have lines. I don't wear lipsticks that wear like lipsticks, but wear like balms or glosses. This is one of the few in a tube I can wear (Zoya lipsticks I can but they aren't even close to the moisture of this one). -The color (Swimsuit) should be flattering on pretty much everyone. It's a good universal color for all skin-tones and coloring. -Flattering and not too dark even if you have pale skin. I'm super pale (think Nicole Kidman pale) with neutral-cool coloring, dark brown eyes and red-auburn (a little strawberry blonde) hair and it's not too harsh or dark on me. -It may look dark or harsh in the tube but you can sheer it out on your lips easily. I did have to by applying a little to my lips and then using my finger to sheer it out. (I tend to do this with most lip products.) -Don’t be afraid of this color (Swimsuit) even if you don’t’ normally wear red lips, it’s not a scary color on the lips but a natural berry lip stain that looks soft and natural. -Very moisturizing and feels good on the lips. It doesn't feel dry or tight on the lips. -Nice lipstick tube that looks nice and closes well and adjusts up and down well. Cons: -The tube has a flat top for the lipstick-balm. It's not tapered like a normal lipstick, it's flat like a lip balm or a chap-stick. -With this much pigment and color, I would have strongly preferred a standard lipstick style with the taper. It's easy to accidentally get it past your lip line and over apply due to the flat vs tapered cut of the lipstick-balm. -Because it's so oily and moisturizing (it's not overly oily, but it's a lot slicker than a standard lipstick and not waxy like a balm, it's highly oil based which I love), for some (not me) it may tend to smear or bleed out of the lip line. -Because it's oil based you'll have to reapply more than a matte or waxed based, it will also transfer more. -This is fairly expensive for a lipstick-lip balm, but it is very good and one of the rare ones in a tube that's friendly for dry lips with lines. -I did find I did better not applying it heavy and fully like lipstick but lightly and only partially and then blending it out with my finger. I don't think I could (for myself) apply it without having to use my finger to sheer it out (but this is true for me with most lip products). Final Thoughts: -It's pricey, but if you struggle with lipsticks being too dry and need a balmy oil based one in a tube, it's a good option.
