There was a time - long, long ago - when I used to wear red lipstick on a daily basis. I used to consider it my signature look, which made snogging my now-husband incredibly tricky - and messy. Now, on the other hand, I never wear it. The upkeep, the panic that I'd catch it on the sleeve of my favourite white shirt and the inevitable fading that makes you look unhinged is just not for me. Which is why in recent years my absolute ride or die lip product has been a tinted lip balm.
And ladies and gentleman, let me tell you that the tinted lip balm game just got a chic upgrade. Victoria Beckham, purveyor of some bloody good beauty products (have you smelt her fragrances? Did you try her brow gel? No? I urge you to rectify that immediately) has just dropped her very own Posh Balms and they are fantastic.
The wonderful thing about a tinted lip balm is that it sits in that beautiful space between a nourishing lip treatment and a bright pop of colour for your lips. Packed full of skin-conditioning ingredients, but delivering a wash of colour it is the ultimate skincare make-up hybrid. In my opinion, I can't think of a better product to keep on you at all times.
There's already a Posh Lipstick in the brand's repertoire, which if I'm honest, I do dabble with a bit when I get the urge to return to something with a bit more colour pay off. However, I skip over the reds (of which there are some really good ones) and instead go for Twist - which is a super wearable neutral pink.
Katie wearing Posh Balm in Colette
But we're hear to talk about the Posh Balms. There are three shades to choose from and a clear, everyday lip balm.
Colette - my favourite - is a bright poppy red that lets me cosplay lipstick-wearer without the drama or stress. Cassis is a sheer, but deep blackberry that can be built up easily. And Fleur, which is a beautiful girly rose pink that gives off the most incredible shine. Glacé is your transparent balm that gives good glass lip effect.
Each balm has adaptive pH technology, which means that the shades will be ever so different on each wearer. Colette, even though the bullet looks red actually comes out a more fuschia for me. And Cassis is more of a raspberry than blackberry with my undertones.
They're all formulated with murumuru seed butter complex - which I still don't really know what that is, but what I have come to learn is that it rather cleverly cares for the skin barrier, boosts collagen, moisturises lips and improves elasticity and firmness. I'm not entirely sure that my lips needed firming, but I'm jolly glad that its there if I ever did need it.
There's also plant-derived lanolin alternative (Posh Balms are 100% vegan) and cucumber seed extract, which further nourishes the lips.
The packaging is, as we have come to expect from Beckham, paired-back and sleek. The creamy outer shell is smooth and slim and feel incredibly tactile. The narrow bullet is great for easy on-the-go everyday application, so mistakes can't really be made so you don't need a mirror.
The formula itself is rich and thick. It doesn't exactly melt into the skin, so you can feel it when it's on, but it's not sticky. Twisting the bottom clicks the bullet upwards - be careful as you cannot twist it back down again.
Katie wearing Posh Balm in Cassis
Clinical trials are something that I, as a beauty journalist, look for when a product makes big claims. Typically it's a pretty punchy active skincare brand that promises great things, but VB has started testing on all of her products that come in contact with the skin.
And these lip balms deliver some seriously impressive results - they are clinically-proven to offer 24-hour lip moisturisation and visibly improve lip texture and smoothness up to 24 hours after application. Not bad eh? I can confirm that after wearing these for the past two weeks, my lips have been in the best shape. I find myself reapplying purely for the pleasure, rather than with necessity.
Right, let's quickly discuss the price. Because I know that £30 for a lip balm, albeit a tinted one, is rather steep. But my argument is that I have used my Colette every single day since it dropped onto my desk two weeks ago, and I've barely made a dent to the bullet. There is still a lot of life left in it. VB Beauty is a luxury brand, so inevitably it will be on the pricier side. But it's a luxury brand with the goods to back it up.
So if you too love a little luxury and wear lip balm everyday of your life, I really don't think you'll regret this purchase.
