Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain: Rendezvous

I'm sure you've all heard about these little beauties by now.
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains had a lot to live up to, following the raging success of their cousins, the infamous Revlon Lip Butters. As I have said before on my blog, such was the hype surrounding the Lip Butters that I almost didn't want to like them, but alas, I just couldn't resist their charms, and to be honest, I think few people could. So after having been won over by them and by Revlon's Photoready foundation, I was very much looking forward to the release of these chunky pencils, although, never having purchased a similar product, I wasn't sure what to expect.
The Balm Stains have a smooth, slightly waxy texture, and require some pressure when being applied, but for me, the fact that they are not too slippery bodes well in terms of staying power. I find it easy to get an even colour all over my lips, and I like that I don't need to be as meticulous with this as I might a lipstick, with which any little mistake is glaringly obvious. Another definite bonus is the lack of sharpening required as the product wears down, thanks to it's handy 'twist up' mechanism.
So, onto the shade I chose.
Being a huge fan of orange lip colours, Rendezvous was the obvious choice for me (although I now wish I had picked up several of the other shades too!). It's a juicy tangerine shade, a true orange with no pink, red or coral undertones, and while that might sound scary to some of you, it's actually incredibly wearable. It's not just because I personally enjoying using these sorts of shades, either - I can honestly say that this, out of all the orange lip colours I have ever tried, is by far the easiest to pull off. If you have never tried anything similar, why not take the plunge and give it a go? Applying a light layer leaves you with a pretty orange sheen, whereas a bolder look can be achieved with a second. I'd say that pigmentation is pretty good, though it's definitely buildable.

- I'm afraid these photographs haven't really captured the true colour very well, but I decided to include them anyway because I always prefer to see them in reviews. Rendezvous is really much more, well, orange than it looks here, and as I mentioned, not at all red. - 

I have actually heard that, out of all the colours available, Rendezvous has the least staying power, but not having tried any of the others, I can't really comment on that. What I can say, however, is that regardless of this, I have been extremely impressed. I have never, in my life, found a lip product that stays on my lips for more than about ten minutes! I don't know why that is, but I tend to apply one, have a drink, and that's it - gone. And yes, even the most long-wearing lipsticks and stains are included in this. I do have a Topshop Lip Marker which is able to stand the test of time to some extent, but I must say, it does not fade evenly at all and leaves my lips looking patchy.

So imagine my delight when I tried this little treat out for the first time, went about my daily business, hadlunch, and then looked in the mirror to find that it had stayed put! Yes, admittedly it had faded to some degree, but not really much - and even better, my lips were still a lovely, even colour! 

Now, while these are 'balms' as well as stains, I wouldn't say that they are hugely moisturising, but then they are certainly not drying either. However, as with every lip product, I would recommend giving your lips a good exfoliate prior to application to achieve the best results. If you already have dry patches then they are going to show up, but I have yet to find a lip product with which this is not the case.

One more thing to mention is that these pencils do have a light, minty scent, which for me is not a problem at all and is actually rather pleasant, but if any of you dislike scented products then this mightn't be your cup of tea. Maybe this is childish of me though, but I would have quite liked it if the pencils had had fruity scents, as I always enjoy those.

So, as you have probably gathered, I am really enjoying using this product, and it has barely been off my lips since I got it! I will definitely be buying some more, although I think that Rendezvous is going to remain my favourite shade. Revlon really have come up trumps here again, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with next!

A little summary of the main points mentioned for you:

• Good staying power
• Fades evenly
• Reasonably moisturising, though not hugely so
• Pigmented but buildable
• Handy twist-up mechanism
• Light minty scent

So I hope you enjoyed reading, and that perhaps if you have been on the fence or hesitating about trying these then this might have helped you make your mind up!

If you have tried the Balm Stains, what did you think?

Happy Friday! :)

xx