Thwarted, then Impressed, by HiP Jelly Balms

I'd wanted to try L'Oreal HiP Jelly Balms for a long time, but never got around to picking them up at any of the drugstore BoGo sales. Plus, none of the CVS stores around me seem to carry these products. (That's not what I mean by "thwarted" though. I'll explain at the end.)

Finally, seeing them on sale at Target inspired me to take the plunge. And I'm very happy I did!

I went for "Delectable," a candy-red color that makes me look like I've just eaten a bunch of strawberries. (In a good way.) It's not as dark red as I expected on my lips -- more of a natural blush. The swatch looks almost berry-colored on my hand, which is okay since those shades work for me.

It is very shiny, not at all shimmery. It glides on well, almost too well -- this isn't a pot in which you have to swirl your finger around to dig out an application, I found that after a few wears, a thin layer of already-soft goop remained on the top of the balm.



Jelly Balms retail for between $7 and 9. I got mine on sale at Target for $5 or 5.50. I will probably buy this again in other colors, and layer it over lip balms, lip pencil and possibly lipstick, to give a finishing oomph of shine and color.

You might like Jelly Balm if: you want sheer, shiny color that feels smooth on your lips. **My tip is to layer it on top of some lip balm for an extra-smooth experience.

You might not like it if: you want full coverage color, SPF sun protection and dislike balms that come in pots. **SPF if something I try to look for when I can.

Okay, lastly, "thwarted"...After purchasing it at Target I skipped to my car and eagerly ripped off the seal, wanting to try it after months of anticipation. And the jar wouldn't open!! I had *three* male friends try it over the next week and none could get it either. One even got out a pliers and almost busted the thing. (Thankfully, the pliers wasn't big enough. At the time it seemed like a good idea in desperation though.) I finally exchanged the damn jar, where the woman at the returns desk was also unable to open it. She ended up labeling it as defective...so it will thwart no other well-meaning consumer, I hope. :)