Product Review: L'Oreal HIP Jelly Lip Balm in Ripe

My favorite lip product has to be tinted lip balms and my HG is MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner. But since I am out of it, I decided to look for cheaper alternatives. I read really great reviews on MakeUpAlley about L'Oreal HIP Jelly Balms and saw swatches as well. I wanted to get Ripe since it's corally based on reviews and swatches. When I saw it on eBay, I immediately clicked on the Buy it Now button with high hopes for this product. Now let's see if it met my expectations due to all the praises and positive reviews.



What I like:
- I find this moisturizing. I remember applying this at night and woke up with moisturized lips.
- Smells good. Not overpowering.
- I like the glass packaging.
- Looks pretty on the pot.

What I don't like:
- It's part of the HIP (High Intensity Pigments) line but where the heck is the pigmentation here? It's almost like a clear gloss. I honestly have no idea how it looks sooooo pigmented on the swatches at MakeUpAlley because even if I piled on like more than 5 layers on my lips, there just isn't much color. Please refer to the swatch. I already layered it 5 times and that's the best it can get. My lips are kinda pigmented but I expected more from this since some of those who reviewed it claimed they have pigmented lips and said the color showed up.
- A little sticky and gooey to be a lip balm though it is moisturizing. But of course, it isn't as sticky as MAC lipglasses.
- It was kinda expensive for PHP350.

Overall rating: 2/5 (2 for the moisturizing property and for the packaging) as it was an utter disappointment for me.

Will I buy again? A big NO! Since I got frustrated with it, I did a little experiment since I do not want this to go to waste. I mean, I paid for a little less than half of the cost of one MAC TLC so I should at least be able to use it.

THIS is how it looks like now!


Remember my diy tinted lip balm project last year? I did it again! I cut the remaining MAC Marisheeno lipstick from the tube then a little of Revlon Colorburst Soft Rose (since it already melted) then half of my Palmer's Cocoa Butter Lip Balm and melted them altogether on a big metal spoon with the stove benetah it. And check out the swatch.


It now has the pigment I was expecting it to have. But of course, it is no longer L'Oreal HIP Jelly Balm. I am happier because it smells better - smells like cocoa butter, and is now kinda pigmented. :P

Anyway, happy Tuesday! :P