Maybelline Color Elixir by Colorsensational Lip Products

Hello!

      I recently purchased these products at Rite Aid (retails: $8.99 ea.) and I thought I'd share my thoughts on these color balms. I have also spotted them at Harmon's for around $7 each. They should be in all or most drugstores by now. According to the Maybelline website, these lip products "deliver the color of a lipstick, the cushiony care of a balm, and the glass shine of a gloss." Do I agree with this? Let's see! The four shades I picked up were 005 Breathtaking Apricot, 045 Amethyst Potion, 080 Captivating Carnation, 090 Rose Redefined. Here are some pictures and swatches first. (Note: I tried to capture the colors on camera as close to true as possible.)

(Left to right) 005 Breathtaking Apricot, 045 Amethyst Potion, 080 Captivating Carnation, 090 Rose Redefined

(Clockwise starting from the top left): Breathtaking Apricot, Amethyst Potion, Captivating Carnation, Rose Redefined

Order of colors same as above. One coat.

Top row: Breathtaking Apricot, Rose Redefined
Bottom row: Captivating Carnation, Amethyst Potion
All with 2 coats.

      The packaging of this product is quite different from other products out there with its bullet shaped lipstick inside the clear container with a nice silver toned cap that makes it look chic and new. It has an angora brush unlike others with the doe shaped applicator.

Colors:
     To begin with, I found that Captivating Carnation and Rose Redefined were quite similar on the lips. Captivating Carnation is a little more muted and is like a "better than your normal lip color" kind of color. It is a very wearable, everyday color. Rose Redefined is a tad pinker in color than Captivating Carnation. It is also a very wearable shade.
     Breathtaking Apricot in the bottle looks like a pink-tangerine color with shimmer. On the lips, it is more of a brighter pink that makes me think of a "Barbie pink." It is a very nice color, however it seems to accentuate lines on the lips, which I find to be true of many of the lighter lip color shades in general, is it just me?
     Amethyst Potion is a nice berry color that is perfect for fall and winter. Color seems to settle a bit into lines over time. The use of a lip liner or lipstick base color underneath may help with this problem.


Overall Comments:

• Application is very nice and smooth. They are easy to apply and there is no bleeding. 
• Two coats will usually give full opacity. 
• They are very pigmented and color is buildable.
• They are definitely very shiny, so if you are not into the shiny look then this product is definitely not for you!
• They feel thick on the lips but are not sticky. They have a creamy, butter-like feeling on the lips.
• Feels moisturizing and color doesn't move around which is very important!
• They have a minty taste/smell to them? If you are very sensitive to taste, then this product may not be for you. I am very sensitive and picky in regards to the taste of products, but I find this product's minty taste tolerable.
• Has a tingly feeling on the lips, which makes me think of lip plumping products.

So I have to say I do agree with Maybelline's description of the Color Elixir's description: "color of a lipstick, the cushiony care of a balm, and the glass shine of a gloss." I was pleasantly surprised by the color payoff and how smooth the gloss feels on the lips. If you are looking for a product fulfilling those three descriptions, then these products are worth a try! There are 20 shades in the collection, so plenty of options to choose from, ranging from nudes to purples and reds. :)