The glossy trend has firmly established itself this season. Whether you identify as a clean girl, a strawberry girl, or the spouse of a mob boss, lip gloss has likely become a staple in your makeup routine. It amuses me to reflect on how just a couple of years ago, I only had one gloss in my collection that I never reached for, and lip liner was the last thing on my makeup investment list. Fast forward to 2023 and now 2024, and gloss and lip liner are absolute must-haves for me.
In recent months, a completely new lip product has taken the market by storm, aligning perfectly with the glossy trend – glossy plumping balms. Blending the pigment of a lipstick, nourishment from a lip balm, and the glassy effect of lip gloss, this innovative product has captured the beauty community's attention. I must confess, I succumbed to this trend as well, and today, I'm reviewing one of the most luxurious options out there – the Volumizing Glossy Balm from Hourglass.
Available in eight shades, I opted for the shade Trace (105). The balm is housed in a golden pen with a twist base that dispenses a small, controlled amount of product. The entire packaging exudes a substantial weight, contributing to its overall expensive feel.
Upon application, the balm instantly plumps the lips, accompanied by a pleasant tingly sensation signifying its effectiveness. What sets this product apart is that the plumping effect is visible without causing any discomfort – a relief compared to some lip glosses that enhance lip size but come with a painful trade-off.
The glossy finish is truly stunning, creating a glass-like effect that surprisingly lasts a long time. So far, it stands as the longest-lasting lip balm of this type in my experience. While it may not survive numerous drinks and meals, if left untouched, I usually find myself topping up after a couple of hours – an impressive feat in the world of lip glosses.
Overall, I genuinely love this balm despite its higher price tag. My only wish is for a broader shade range, as none of the current options resonate with me the way, for example, Nars's Sweet Disposition does. Given the popularity of this balm, I can envision Hourglass expanding the shade range in the near future.
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