CoverGirl: LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm

Okay, I’m going to admit something here:

If Eva Chen posts anything on her Instagram or Tumblr more than twice, I consider it worth my time and there is a good chance I will buy it.

This philosophy gets me into trouble A LOT since it’s relevant almost every day.

So, naturally following my own advice, when I noticed her blogging about the new CoverGirl LipPerfection jumbo glossy balms I gave in and bought two at Target.

Left to right: 220 Haute Pink Twist and 205 Ballet Twist

I wasn’t really sure what to expect because CoverGirl is one of those drugstore cosmetic companies that insists on putting fool-proof packaging on their products so that you can’t discreetly test them. (Yes…I am that girl who looks through all the lipsticks and foundations at the drug store until I find one that someone’s already illegally opened just so that I can test it…) The glossy balm packaging allows no way of seeing the real product color, so all you have to go on is the (usually misleading) cap color. LAME!

However, Eva Chen said they were great…so I took the chance. I chose a pretty pale pink, 205 Ballet Twist, and because we know I can’t resist a hot pink, 220 Haute Pink Twist.

Honestly, they were nothing like I expected. The packaging touts “sheer color, soft shine,” so you would expect something, well, sheer and shiny, right? Oddly enough, they were just the opposite.

220 Haute Pink Twist

I was extremely surprised at the color payoff. With two coats, they looked like a regular lipstick; not like the “glossy balm” I was expecting. And as for that glossiness…that’s a good question. I got none. They have a super satiny finish, almost matte.

205 Ballet Twist

I also found that if you put two or three coats of them on, they act exactly like the good old Revlon Just Bitten Lip Balm Stains (and the packaging is almost identical).

These are kind of like a cheap dupe for the Tarte balms, just without the peppermint feeling.

Overall, I really like them and I’ll probably buy more colors, but I’m really annoyed that I was mislead by the advertising.