HiP Jelly Balm - It Does Exist!

So following up on my earlier lead, Suman and I went to Walgreens to investigate the HIP Jelly Balms, and lo and behold! They do exist!

Basically a form of pot glosses, HIP Jelly Balm comes in six colors, all basic shades of red and pink. The shade I picked up is called Delectable; it's a translucent pinky red, almost watermelon-like. Other shade names include: Succulent, Ripe, Plush, Luscious, and Savory.

You can apply the balm with your finger or a lip brush, and they provide a nice tint to the lips. I'm not thrilled with having to use my fingers to apply, but luckily these aren't super sticky and don't leave a film on your fingertips.

While I haven't tried the MAC Tendertones that these have been compared to, Stila used to have a similar product (now discontinued) called Lip Pots. The HIP balms are along the same lines, but are sheerer than the Stila ones, which verged on the opaque.

These apply with a very suble hint of color. They've got a pretty strong scent to them - a burnt caramel fragrance, super-yummy but super-sweet. They have the same scent as the HIP Shine Struck Liquid lipcolor, for a point of reference.

The packaging of these is very similar to the HIP Cream Eyeliner pots; a pretty sturdy glass pot with a black screw-off lid. However, unlike the eyeliners, these just come shrinkwrapped without a box.

They're located in their own special display, apart from the main HIP fixture, so it's unclear as to whether these are limited edition. But I do recommend them for a casual makeup day, as a no-fuss lipcolor for a girl on the run. Many drugstores often have HIP products as part of Buy One Get One Free sales, which make them a really economical alternative to lipstick.

$8.99 @ Walgreens