L'Oreal Color Riche Balm - Rose Elixir

 L'Oreal Color Riche Balms are slightly tinted, glossy balms available in 8 shades. I have Rose Elixir, the second lightest shade of the collection. Color Riche Balms have SPF 15 and contain Shea Butter as a moisturizing agent. Unfortunately L'Oreal products are tested on animals, and this balm contains non-vegan ingredients such as carmine. L'Oreal promises that this balm will give kissable, luscious color that will smooth the lips instantly, all while delivering 8 full hours of continuous hydration, resulting in lips that are softer and more supple. I'm having a hard time finding conclusive information about where L'Oreal products are made, but after some digging, I found that 20 of L'Oreal's 37 production plants are in France, 8 more in the US, so It's safe to assume that this product was made in one of those two countries. I purchased my Color Riche balm at Rite Aid for $3.75, with a $4 off coupon. The MSRP is $7.95, but I've seen prices vary from $5.25 to nearly $9, so these balms can get quite expensive.

 May I say that the Color Riche balm's packaging is beautiful? It's so fancy and elegant! I give it 5 Quites. It looks so high end compared to most of it's drugstore counterparts. Lol I'm ranting about packaging again. A square, gold base with gold twist up mechanism is matched up with a pink, translucent, plastic cap that snaps on securely. The cap slants slightly and features the word "Balm" in gold lettering, written sideways. This packaging is a thing of beauty, but also functional and sturdy. I've dropped this tube onto concrete with not even a scratch of damage done.

 In the tube, Rose Elixir appears to be a medium, neutral, rosy pink. However, once swatched onto the skin or lips, Rose Elixir shows it's true color; clear. There is a slight, super sheer pink tint, but it's negligible. If you have any natural pigmentation to your lips, this won't add any color, just a tad of glossiness. Don't get me wrong, the glossiness is pretty, and natural looking, but I was really disappointed with the near complete lack of color pay off. I mean it's called Color Riche. I assume that would mean it's rich in color, but I'm no French expert. Honestly, I don't feel like L'Oreal was upfront with how sheer their Color Riche balms are. Pretty sure they mentioned "luscious color" in their product overview. Luscious and Sheer are not synonyms. I have a feeling L'Oreal was trying to play on their Revlon Lip Butter fad with this product, but didn't bother to come up with as pigmented of a formula.

 Despite failing in the color category, this is a pretty good balm. The texture of this balm is kinda a median between the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters, which to me, are dry and waxy, and the greasy, slippy texture of Maybelline's Baby Lips balm. On the lips, it wears very comfortably, like a smoother, more moisturizing Chapstick. After L'Oreal's balm has sunken in a bit, it feels like what healthy lips should feel like. Silky, smooth, and a little bit moist. It's really enjoyable.
But do you really get 8 hours of continuous hydration? Sure, if you apply this balm 3 or 4 times in that eight hour span. From one application though? No. It's really about two or three hours of moisture. I feel a definite need to reapply after hour three. I don't really mind though, in my opinion three hours is a good amount of wear for what is essentially a clear balm. Unfortunately, because of frequent reapplication, I'm going through Rose Elixir rather quickly, not that you get a ton of product in the first place.

L'Oreal claims that their Color Riche balms continue to condition the lips even after removal. Normally I'd totally discount a claim like that. It doesn't really make sense does it? But I kinda believe it. Even with fully bare lips, my lips look much smoother and healthier since I've started using this product. Impressed.
These balms don't have an assigned flavor, but they do have a taste. Rose Elixir has a light but noticeable sunscreen taste and smell, which I partially expected considering the SPF content. To me, it's mildly pleasant, but others might find it bothersome. 

L'Oreal Color Riche Balms are one of those products that has so many pros and cons that I can't really give it an appropriate amount of praise or hate. It's one of those product that you have to take a (slightly expensive) risk on and try for yourself and form your own opinion on. This balm is beautiful, never have I had such a perfectly packaged product before, the moisture and conditioning it gives is fantastic, and it's natural, glossy shine is pretty, but the utter lack of color payoff is a total put off, along with the nearly eight buck price tag. Rose Elixir is a product I'll enjoy while I have it, but I won't be repurchasing, unless I have another $4 off coupon.

Ingredients:
Polybutene, Octyldodecanol, Ozokerite, Isopropyl Myristate, Petrolatum, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Diiosostearyl Malate, Shea Butter, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Candellila Wax, Polyethylene, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dog Rose Oil, Pentaerythrityl, Tetra Di-t-butyl, Hydroxyhydrocinnimate, Silica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Argan Oil, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite Alumina, Benzyl Alcohol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Tin Oxides, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Acrylates Copolymer, Fragrance

May Contain:
Titanium Dioxides, Mica, Iron Oxides, Red 7, Red 22, Red 28, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Carmine