“I want to write a love letter to these”

That was what I told my roommate when I came back from Target with every color they had available of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stains. There are actually a lot more colors than pictured above, but these were the only ones available at the store near me.

I have been on a quest for as long as I can remember to find the perfect lip stain. I never wear lipstick because I don’t have the kind of money you need to invest in one that is long lasting, non-smudgy, and highly pigmented. So I have spent hours scouring the shelves of drug stores to find the perfect stain. Stains are fantastic because they go on extremely thin and actually really do stain your lips. They’re the definition of long lasting.

Now, I’ve tried a lot of stains. So many of them are too thin. The lighter colors show up translucent and are completely ineffective. The dark colors tend to turn the skin around your lips a darker color – making your makeup look smudged and messy. On a whim, I picked up the 025 Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain because I wanted a hot pink lip. I tried it at home and was astonished – the color was so pigmented and bold! I fell in love. I wore it all day to work, through my night class, and every meal. I left the dorm at 9am and returned at 10pm. The stain was STILL there! Not only was it still there, but it was the same hue, texture, and color. I was beyond thrilled. When I went to take off my makeup, I literally scrubbed my lips for several minutes because the stain was that strong. I will say that the only difference between 9am and 10pm was that the look was much more matte and not a gloss anymore (which I like better anyways). If you want to keep the glossy look throughout the day, I would just dab on a bit more stain to the lips to freshen it up occasionally. But besides that, there’s no need to touch it up at all.

I was a little weary about buying the 040 color because I hardly ever buy anything with orange in it. However, I was excited to see that it wasn’t a tacky neon  color – but an understated and mellow orange. As far as the other colors go, the 001 is a very natural look – it was the exact hue of my lips which was perfect. I love wearing natural colors on my lips for a polished everyday look instead of just going with some chapstick. The 055 is a deeper red – it has darker tones to it and is more of a wine red than the typical bright red lip. It’s the perfect shade for the holiday season!

Anyways, two huge thumbs UP for these stains! I’m so impressed. Highly pigmented, long-lasting, ability to be a gloss or matte, and very beautiful colors – I couldn’t ask for anything better. I’m so glad I can say I have finally found the perfect lip stain!