A Lip Product a Day
I know, I know…it’s been awhile (again), but I’m finally back with another blog post. Since it’s been some time since you last heard from me, I couldn’t imagine writing about anything other than one of my favorite topics: makeup, and, more specifically, lip products.
If you know me, you know that I am an absolute sucker for a good lip product, and with social media now being a place where people can’t wait to share their purchases with the world, I’ve definitely given into my “impulse to spend” more than I’d like to admit. However, the silver lining in this is that I’ve been introduced to some products that I probably never would have known of or thought twice about had it not been for seeing them in other people’s social media posts…which brings me to the topic of today’s post.
If you’ve been around the blog for some time, you know that I love experimenting with new makeup products – so, my latest experiment with makeup involved buying and trying some of the most talked about lip products of the past year…ranging from treatment to gloss and lipstick, here’s my honest review of four of the most popular lip products on my social media – first impressions and beyond.
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From One Lip Treatment to Another – rhode Peptide Lip Treatment vs. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
I’d like to start off this comparison with a *disclaimer*, of sorts – if you’ve read some of my previous blog posts, you’d know that this was not my first time trying the Peptide Lip Treatment from rhode. It’s actually been a constant in my routine for the better part of the past year. However, with the number of videos I’d seen on TikTok comparing this product with the Lip Butter Balm from Summer Fridays, I had to see if this product could really give my tried and true a run for its money.
Let’s start with the rhode Peptide Lip Treatment, which, without a doubt, lives up to its name. It’s a Lip Treatment, and, quite honestly, one of the best, if not the best, I’ve ever used. It goes above and beyond the normal expectations of a lip product…hydrates beyond belief and has an incredibly long “life span” – you can literally put it on at night and still feel the “residuals” of the product after a full night’s sleep. I do have to say, my first impression of the product was not this – to be honest, I was kind of indifferent… didn’t love it but didn’t dislike it either. It was good, but so were a lot of other products I’ve tried. It wasn’t until after a few weeks of using it, when I truly started to see the impact that the product’s formulation was having on the hydration of my lips, that my general like for the product turned into the love that you see here.
Now, for the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (purchased in Vanilla)…Just like I love the rhode Peptide Lip Treatment, I also love the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm. It’s the perfect “throw it in your bag so you always have it with you” kind of product. It’s thick, which I love, so it stays put for ~long~ periods of time, and locks in moisture in the process. Not to mention, it comes in a variety of shades, in addition to their clear version (Vanilla), so not only is this product a perfect gloss, but, if preferred, it can also be used in color to add a different dimension to your day’s desired makeup look.
I would be remiss if I didn’t call out any differences between the two products – In hindsight, I do not necessarily think that these products were perfect candidates for comparison. While they are both formulated with ingredients to hydrate the lips, I feel that the Peptide Lip Treatment, packed with Peptides and Shea Butter, is truly more so a skincare product, with the ability to play on the makeup side, as well. On the other hand, the Lip Butter Balm, formulated with Shea Butter as a key hydration ingredient, is, in my opinion (and for my purposes), more so a makeup product, with the ability to play on the skincare side. I know you’re probably thinking, “didn’t she basically just say the same thing twice?” To answer that, yes and no. When I think of the rhode product, I think of a restorative product, one that, from the outside inward, has deeply and completely re-hydrated my lips. When I think of the Summer Fridays product, I see it as one that helps to maintain the health of my lips. In a sense, for me, it locks in the moisture throughout the day that the rhode helps to restore each night/morning. Therefore, I don’t really see these products as being mutually exclusive, so to speak. Don’t get me wrong, you can use one or the other and ultimately accomplish the same goal. However, in comparing them to one another, I also think that they can work wonders when used together.
So…my final rating on both of these products – without hesitation, 10/10; You truly can’t go wrong with either ~or both~ and, for me, personally, I will be purchasing both again ( I even might have already;) ).
Let’s Add Some Pink into the Mix – Dior Lip Oil vs. Kylie Cosmetics Gloss Drip
Now that we’ve covered the lip treatments, let’s get into the “glosses”. If you’re a regular on social media, TikTok specifically, you’ve probably seen countless rave reviews of the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil. Following the 2021 holiday season, the Dior Lip Oil was sold out everywhere, and for months, with few sporadic and limited restocks being the only opportunity you had to get your hands on one of these. Well, when I was walking through Sephora a few months back, I happened to stumble upon a restock in progress – and in several shades – so I couldn’t miss the chance to finally get my hands on this extremely in-demand product.
I chose the shade “007 – Raspberry”, which is a medium shade of pink, to compliment the pink blush that I typically choose to wear…and let me tell you, the color did not disappoint. It’s truly the perfect shade of pink – not too light so that the color can’t be seen, but not too dark so that it’s too much for your casual wear. It’s thick, especially in terms of a lip oil, but not sticky, and has a very sweet and subtle mint-like scent. It does, however, come with a $40 price tag, so definitely on the higher side for an everyday lip product, at least in my opinion…but for special occasions, I think it’s the perfect product to dress up your look with.
TIP – to deepen the appearance of the color on your lips, pair the Lip Oil with its matching shade of the Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm…and if you choose to do this, you might want to add an extra layer of the Lip Oil for a longer lasting shine – I found that the Lip Oil “absorbed” quicker when put over the lip balm!
Now, for the Kylie Cosmetics Gloss Drip in shade “Besitos”, another medium shade of pink to ~rival~ the Dior Lip Oil. Even though this product launched only this past summer, reviews of it flooded my social media almost as soon as it got into people’s hands…and if you’ve read any of my previous makeup/skincare-related posts, you would know that I’m a seasoned buyer of Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin products, so once I heard about this new product (which launched along with a cream blush (Glow Balm) – another new favorite of mine), I knew that I needed to try it…and I’m so glad that I did.
It’s thick, which, at this point of the post, you know I love a thick lip product, and it creates a more dramatic look with its slightly deeper shade of pink. Also, for a lip gloss, it stays on for a pretty good period of time, which was one of main things I noticed about it upon first use…and, for comparative purposes—from a price perspective, this one comes in at $16, so, in my opinion, probably a more desirable price point for something that gets everyday use. A con – it’s sold out often (unfortunately even right now), so it’s not the easiest thing to get your hands on at this point in time.
& again, my final thoughts: two ~similar~ products, both extremely popular, with different price tags…but still no wrong choice.
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Well, that’s a wrap on my latest makeup experiment. I hope this review gave you a little bit of insight behind the popularity of these lip products, and maybe even some direction if you’re contemplating your next lip product purchase. Let me know in the comments if you decide to try any of these products out, or your thoughts if you already use one or more of them!
Until next time…
