Hello all! I was intrigued by the K-beauty brand AOU Cosmetics as it was a started by a Korean Makeup artist who does looks for Blackpink, CLC, Aespa and more. The Makeup artist promoted this new intruiging brand by releasing the first of its kind; the Glowy Tint Balm. So I purchased the #01 Apple Balm as judging from the promotional pictures; it seemed very saturated, very glowy and would not only enhance the look of my lips, but make them look even pink-er.
So in this review, I wanted to show you some swatches, show you the colour pay-off, my experience, and swatch and compare this balm with other balms to see how they fare and if there are any dupes and better alternatives.
Available at Olive Young Global: LINK
Contents:
Blackpink’s Lisa wore the Glowy Tint Balm which sparked a lot of intrigue in the brand
Price, Packaging + Info
What is this and what does it do?: A coloured lip balm meant to make the lips glow. This is meant to melt onto the skin without causing stickiness or a thick layer.
The shade I bought: #01 Apple Balm
Volume: 3.5g
Price: ~£16.48
Made in: South Korea
Expiration Date: 36 months after manufacture and 12 months after opening.
The product came in this box. It did not come with a spatula or a hygiene tab (The Laneige lip sleeping mask does for example).
This is a very small pot (4x4cm).
How to use: Either use your fingers or a brush. The brand recommends using a lip pencil for a thicker, overlined-lip look.
Scent?: This has no scent to it.
Skin-beneficial ingredients?: Cranberry and Raspberry extracts: Moisturisation (and helps keep the lips feeling soft).
Ingredients: Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Diisostearyl Malate, Microcrystalline Wax, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Synthetic Wax, Silica Silylate, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Tocopherol, Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Titanium Dioxide, Sunset Yellow FCF, Lithol Rubine BCA, Tetrachlorotetrabromofluorescein
As you can see, this looks very saturated and colourful in the pot.
Swatches
As you can see from this swatch (I rubbed quite a bit of product onto the skin) the tint is very light.
Swatch Video:
As you can see, this is not sticky or tacky. It doesn’t feel greasy on the lips either. Although the product looks very potent in the pot, actually when rubbing it onto the skin, it is isn’t that saturated, even when adding a second layer. And if you want coverage, you would want to keep adding product to get a decent sort of colour, but that also means that you will run out of product relatively quick too.
Review + Experience
My experience: This definitely feels smooth on the lips. It does not feel sticky. However I noticed that this product is very sheer which; the promotional material below made it look like this product was super saturated and pigmented on the lips, so that’s what I was hoping for. If I really wanted saturation or colour, I would either have to use up a lot of product to layer it on the lips (and this is only a small 3.5g pot), so I’ve hit pan already. Personally, I’ve found that this works really well as a cheek blush! I like how natural it looks on the cheeks and because it’s not that shinny, sticky or glossy and is very natural and blendable, it works well on the cheeks! so instead of using this on the lips where I don’t really get the colour payoff or results I want, I’ve been enjoying this as a cheek tint.
Most people (including the makeup artist herself) actually use this to apply on top of actual lip tints and more saturated and matte lipsticks (using this like a lip gloss that’s not sticky) and of course it does a better job (but I still have to use a lot of product to even get a good and decent amount of gloss on the lips).
Promotional materials used by the company for the product launch
My issue with these promotional images is that it makes it look like the product is really intensely saturated, but if you notice in the promotional material and videos; often this is used on top of a more saturated lip tint / lip stick, so this is used basically as a gloss. And a very very thick amount must be used in the top pictures in order to get that much saturation/colour out of this product.
Even with the picture Lisa posted; the makeup artist applied a tint underneath and then this balm on top (and even with this promotional picture with the model above).
Personally I did not want to use this to layer on top of another lip product, I wanted to use this solely as a tinted glowy balm that is very pigmented and very gloss. So I’ve been disappointed.
- I also think as I am a Warm-Golden Skin-tone, this lip colour specifically (01 Apple) is simply not dark or deep enough and doesn’t contrast or make my lip colour pop. Deeper shades (especially if the saturation is not high) would show up on on my lips.
Pros:
- Smooth
- Not sticky
- Moisturising
- Natural colour (sheer)
- Blendable
- Really nice as a natural cheek blush
- Very small pot so easy to travel with
Cons:
- Not very saturated
- I feel like my lips absorb this quite quickly (not as glossy or reflective as I would like)
- Doesn’t stain the lips (i.e. not a long-lasting colour as it’s more of a balm > a tint)
- Quite pricey for the payoff i.e. because I have to build and use a lot of product to get some hint of colour, I’ve already hit pan with this product and that hardly happens with me and lip products or balms (I’ve been using this for 2 months)
Comparison + Dupes
I wanted to show you some comparisons of the AOU Glowy Tint Balm against other Tinted Lip Balms, to see how they differ in terms of saturation and glossiness.
The swatched products are:
- The Lanolips Jelly Balm – Watermeon (LINK)
- the AOU Glowy Tint Balm – Apple (LINK)
- The Chanel Lip + Cheek Balm – Red Camelia (LINK + LINK)
- The Ultraviolette Sheen Screen- Ripe (Ultraviolette Reviews + Swatches HERE + HERE)
- The Lanolips Tinted SPF Lip Balm (Apple LINK) – (Lanolips Reviews + swatches HERE)
Angle 1
Angle 2
As you can see, the AOU Glowy Tint Balm is quite sheer compared to the other tinted balms. Yes it is smooth and slightly glowy, but the Ultraviolette Sheen Screen (Swatches + Review here + here) is shinier (and more saturated) and also the Lanolips Jelly Balm.
The Chanel Lip & Cheek is most similar to the AOU Glowy Tint Balm. When I wear it, it is also just as sheer as the AOU Balm. So these two are very close alternatives/dupes of eachother.
I would definitely recommend the Lanolips SPF30 Balm (Swatches + Review HERE). They do offer a more pinky shade (this was called Apple the same as the AOU Glowy Tint Balm).
Although these are tinted lip products, they all sit differently on the lips and have very different colour payoffs.
More Dupes: Here’s how the Glowy Tint Balm fared against more sheer-coverage Lip Balms:
So as you can see: The Glowy Tint Balm is quite similar in terms of finish and somewhere in-between the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask and Glowy Balm. The Glowy Balm is slightly more saturated and the Lip Sleeping Mask is slightly more glossy (But less pigmented).
NOTE: If you want to see more swatches on the lips and a comparison between the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, Laneige Lip Glowy Balm and Laneige Lip Treatment Mask; then check out the video below!
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm + Lip Sleeping Mask Swatches, Comparison + Review:
K-Beauty Recommendation: Another very good K-beauty dupe that is just as glowy, and very saturated is the BBIA Ready To Wear Water Lipstick: LINK.
I know it is titled a Lipstick > a Balm, however this feels like a lip balm because it’s very moisturising, not sticky or tacky and although it is pigmented, its still not as pigmented as a lipstick, and doesn’t last as long as a full-cream lipstick or a liquid lip, it wears more like the tinted balms (doesn’t dry-out my lips).
Swatch Comparison: BBIA – Ready to wear Water Lipstick – 03 (Wet Camelia) VS AOU – #01 Glowy Tint Balm (Apple)
As you can see, the AOU Tint Balm is definitely a tint, it’s not as pigmented as something labelled a lipstick (although I still think this feels like a Tint Balm on the lips). The BBIA is more saturated and even glossier and a similar shade to the AOU Apple Shade.
Conclusion
Overall I had very high expectations for the AOU Glowy Tint Balm as the promotional material led met o believe that this would be very saturated, and highly glossy. Overall, it’s more like a natural, semi-sheer lip balm that works better for:
- No makeup makeup days
- for use on top of a lipstick / matte lipstick (i.e. a lip topper)
- Or as a really nicely blendable cheek blush!
I personally have been using this product as a Cheek blush! I really like the natural and blendable tone of it so it doesn’t really look like I’m wearing any blush (looks natural), and then I wear the BBIA Ready to Wear Water Lipstick or the Ultra Violette Sheen Screen on the lips.
My Skin Type: I am acne prone and have slightly dehydrated combo skin. My skin is usually tight where the cheeks and eye area is and the outer parts of my face. My T zone is oily. My skin isn’t a fan of thick/heavy formulas so I opt for lightweight formulas to prevent it from clogging up. My skin doesn’t like essential oils either and I try to avoid fragrance when I can.
Disclaimer: I am a skincare enthusiast and not a skin expert. I am not qualified to give out dermatological advice. This type of advice should only be given by a medical practitioner. Upon trying / using any of the reviewed products on the blog, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings and please seek medical advice if needed.
My Skincare Regime 
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