[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] Oh my! Love at first swipe for these delicious balms from Hourglass – they are my ultimate texture and finish and every single one looks nice on me. They’re very similar to the Deck of Scarlet ones I tested a little while back but the Hourglass Phantoms have a little boost of plumping and a very discreet (thankfully) ping of mint.
If you’re eagle-eyed you might notice that the first one in the line up isn’t pristine and that’s because when I opened it I had to have it on my lips immediately – could.not.wait. I like to keep products immaculate for photography so you see them at their very best but it was just somehow out of my control. The lustred finish is really next level – it’s beyond gloss really in that the light reflection has a kind of iridescence to it that just makes lips gleam without being sparkly.
This kind of ultra balm is a formula that’s quite recent – I saw it in Italy at Wycon (but spotted it on my way out of the shop and the train wouldn’t wait for me to queue again) so I think it’s something that will filter through the price ranges but the quality level will change. The formula is so melty that the moment it touches your skin it’s delivering shine and colour – you barely need to press it to your lips; in fact don’t, you’ll over deliver and this product will go down fast so try to just whisper it across. And, keep them out of the sun. In terms of lip conditioning – all boxes ticked … my lips feel better after wearing than before and that goes a long way to justifying the price of £34.
The other thing I should mention (and it’s the same with other brands) is that you can’t wind back so when you wind up to get the colour, don’t go too far. The lid has space but I found myself trying to rewind and it doesn’t happen.
Oh, gosh, I am only just looking back at these and I think you can see how much I like them! I’m so happy in all of them. From left to right, it’s Lucid, Trace and Lure with Lure being the surprise because it looks so dark and winey in the tube and yet is completely wearable. If you like mattes, these certainly aren’t for you but I think I like them so enormously because they allow you to wear bright lip colours in a way that isn’t dominating or too much.
From bottom to top: Lucid, Lure, Trace, Slip, Thrill, Entice, Mist and Haze. The best place to buy seems to be FeelUnique because they have all shades in stock with free postage (and various offers depending upon your spend) HERE. I particularly like the Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm for ageless style – they’re just great on anyone but if your lips run to dry or are a little creased (like mine) these have a visual smoothing action that is second to none. There’s plenty of hydration to them and they’re very brightening.
non-affiliate HERE.
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