I am personally not much of a lipbalm fan. I don’t use any, in fact, which surprises some and shocks others. The only concession I have to lip balm is the Lucas Papaw Ointment I use at night as an overnight lip treatment. But I couldn’t help myself when I got hold of the Silly Lips lipbalm.
I loved the packaging. See how important packaging is? 😛 I must say that I was taken in first by the concept and then by the cheeky packaging. Silly Lips lipbalm hails from Florida, USA and each of the 3 available flavours are named after the founder’s friends – Tracy, Katie and Bekah. Each lipbalm has a different flavour and a different “personality” to it. That’s a lot of thought put into a simple lip balm!
However, I was also interested to see how they fare especially in hot tropical weather, whether the scents are too strong and just generally, how did I like it.
There are 3 flavours available in the Silly Lips range for now. I will have to tell you that these aren’t your run of the mill RM6 lipbalm you pick up at the pharmacy and call it a day (Actually, I have no idea how much a run of the mill lip balm costs. Is it RM6? 😛 ). Let’s just say that these are a little pricier than normal at US$12.50 (RM40) each.
Each of the 3 flavours come with its own distinctive packaging and colour:-
- Kinky Katie (pink) – Vanilla Mint flavour. “kinky katie is the ultimate temptress…she’s quirky, outspoken and plays by her own rules. Her stunning looks and captivating charm is an irresistible combination. Be prepared to surprise yourself with kinky katie.”
- Bangin Bekah (red) – Sugared Strawberry flavour. “bangin bekah is always having fun…her beauty and radiant energy always draws a crowd wherever she goes. Dancing is her middle name and music is her life. Get ready to rock the night away with bangin bekah!”
- Tasty Tracy (yellow) – Peach Coconut flavour. “tasty tracy is a true exotic beauty. Her love of the beach matches her sunny disposition and free spirit. She may be laid back but she’s full of life. Make sure you are ready for some fun in the sun with tasty tracy…”
The metal slide out tin cases are retro in feel as well as the illustrations on the box and on the cover. The top of the tin has a well constructed layer of clear resin over it so it does have a solid feel to it. The scent when you slide out the tin is quite strong. Thankfully, it does smell quite natural, reflecting the flavours stated on the box, so it isn’t all that bad.
You will have to use your fingers to apply the balm so I was quite thankful that they aren’t heavily tinted. I don’t mind applying balms with my fingers. In fact, it is just barely tinted when applied on lips. Texture wise, the balm is well, balmy and you don’t have to scoop out a chunk of it for it to be effective. I found that I only had to rub at the surface and then apply on my lips. It was emollient enough.
Taste was my primary concern. Silly Lips say that their lip balms aren’t sweetened and while scent is quite strong, it doesn’t taste quite as strong as it smells.
- Kinky Katie (Vanilla Mint) – I feel a very very slight cooling sensation thanks to the mint and there is quite a strong vanilla scent primarily.
- Bangin Bekah (Sugared Strawberry) – The strawberry flavour is quite light but quite unmistakable. There is no sweet flavour though.
- Tasty Tracy (Peach Coconut) – I thought this was the most interesting and brings to mind a tropical holiday. There is a rather stronger coconut taste but there is an underlying tart peach flavour to balance it so it wasn’t too overwhelming. I’m not a fan of coconut flavours at best, but this was interesting enough that I didn’t mind it.
Here is the ingredient list. Silly Lips are formulated with shea butter and beeswax, and I will attest to its moisturizing properties. My lips do feel nice and moisturized without a waxy or oily feel. There is a slight shine but not the sort of shine you get with lipgloss, so it looks quite natural.
In terms of performance, considering I’m not much of a lip balm afficionado, I will say its pretty good. With it, my lips feel soft and smooth. It is not so oily that you can’t use it under lip gloss or lipstick if you prefer, and the effects seem long lasting. Some lip balms dry my lips out over a prolonged period. This one seemed to work well enough in the past month that I’ve been trying it out.
In this horribly hot weather we’re having here though, I will have a small caution about carrying it around because it is more prone to melt if you are out in the heat a lot. Indoors, its fine but outdoors, even I will melt!
In a nutshell
Silly Lips lipbalms come in 3 flavours for now with 3 distinctive personalities to match. There is little to no tint on the lips but it does have a slight shine. I find that it does keep my lips moisturized and lasts quite long without feeling waxy or sticky. The scent is stronger than the taste which suits me fine. I prefer my lip products not to taste too strong. These aren’t the cheapest lipbalms out there but they are quirky, do a fairly good job and make excellent gifts!
Pros: Adorable packaging that feels quite sturdy, Sliding mechanism is quite smooth, Light flavour, Keeps lips feeling moisturized and soft
Cons: Only available online, A little pricey for a lipbalm
Who will like this: Anyone who likes a fun quirky lipbalm and packaging, Anyone who is a fan of lipbalm
I thought I should mention that the pan of the lipbalm can be slid out and detached from the cover, so once you start hitting pan on one end, you can swap it around and start at the other end. It will last quite a while, I anticipate and what I like most is casually pulling it out in company. Among girls, they’ll squeal with delight and among guys, they will be trying very hard not to stare at the interesting packaging. Either way, its a great conversation starter 😉
Oh and once you are finished, I reckon you could melt your own lipbalm into the case. Its too adorable to toss! I ordered a couple for use as gifts (shipping was pretty quick!) and I think the girls I gave them to liked it too. If not for the formula, for the packaging 😉
So which are you then? A Kinky Katie, Bangin Bekah or Tasty Tracy? 😉 Is the Silly Lips lipbalm something that appeals to you?
Paris B
Silly Lips lipbalm Price: US$12.50/11g (RM40 at today’s exchange) Availability: Online at Silly Lips website International Shipping: Yes at US$10 flat rate for a sizeable number of boxes
I’m not really a fan of applying products with my fingers but the quirky retro packaging is so beautiful!
I think I’m the only one who doesn’t care too much about the packaging lol!!
Tasty Tracy is calling my name! Peach Coconut sounds so yummy! I like the vintage picture design and tin case, only thing is having to use fingers to apply the lipbalm – hmm, this one, I don’t quite fancy. But for Peach Coconut, I think it’s not a biggie lol!
Sure thing, Tracy! 😉 I noticed most people aren’t into the packaging. I think I’m the only one not fussed lol!
I am such a sucker when it comes to packaging! Lip balms are not in my beauty routine yet I bought the Cranberry from body shop BECAUSE of the gorgeous tin it came in! Was told it was last Christmas’ special edition! Thank goodness it was 50% off – so it was like, what the heck!
As for Silly Lips, am loving the color in bangin bekah but packaging wise, kinky katie rocks!
Are you liking the TBS balm? I used to use their lipbalms way back in uni lol!
Hey Paris…have you tried Vintage Sister’s lipbalms? They have tons of flavors and they come in a slide out tin too! It’s much cheaper and they usually have flavors during the holiday season, Halloween, etc…shipping is very affordable as well 🙂
http://vintagesister.com/
Hi Yee, no I haven’t come across them, but they are really cute too!
I think I’m a kinky kate but I love the tanned babe Tracy… These balms look delish. I love Hawaiian-pin up girls on lip balms. Sucker for them…just like the brand-The Balm.
I know! These pin ups are so cute and refreshing, instead of just boring plain lipbalm sticks right? 😉