Anastasia Beverly Hills Kiss Theory Lip Balm | ABH’s latest launch really captured me from the shades, and I’m pleased to say that the formula doesn’t disappoint either.
It’s a little bit thicker for a tinted balm in a pleasant way, one that feels like it’s not going to slide around but rather has some body. They’re very comfortable – plush, enveloping, smooth – and also not overly glossy, which is a plus for me personally.
Surprisingly, the brand’s arm swatches of this product are fairly accurate, so you can feel pretty confident in your selections if referring to those, but I do not hold the lip swatches in the same regard.
Regarding the pigment level, unless you’re using one of the lighter shades, I would recommend applying with a mirror. They deposit a decent amount of color to where you can swipe a bit on one lip, press your lips together to spread the pigment, and then blot on additional product to fill in the rest of your lip area. If you’re using a deeper shade, you don’t need a lip liner because the product does stay in place without bleeding, etc. – but you will want to be aware of placement during application. Deeper shades like Phantom are not necessarily prone to settling into lip lines; however, I have had some settling of color on the very edge of my lip lines such that I would feel more comfortable with a liner.
The packaging is honestly beautiful. It’s sleek, it’s thin, it can fit so easily into any handbag or pocket. The applicator is thinner than even the Hourglass Phantom Balms, so you can get some serious precision with it.
I knew going into this purchase that the component was slim (and was excited about this!), so having less product as a result of that actually doesn’t bother me given the price point of $18. It’s still a high end product, but the lower price feels very mindful and intentional. For reference, the Hourglass balms are ~$4/g more than the ABH.
Overall, I’m so pleased with these and might end up picking some additional colors because they’ve already become staples. ABH seems to be one of the few brands lately releasing *actual* cool- and neutral-toned products.
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