Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stains in Romantic, Sweetheart, Lovesick and Rendezvous review

What’s better than finding a beauty product you really truly love? Finding that same beauty product you really truly love at an even cheaper price!

Ever since Clinique’s Chubby Sticks became a total beauty blockbuster, every cosmetics company with half a brain has been inspired to create similarly chunky, lovely lip crayons (hi Sisley Phyto Lip-Twists!). As someone who just can’t get enough of all vaguely-pencil shaped beauty products, I’ve been lapping up these Chubby cousins with open arms – and wallet! – but perhaps the most dupe-tastic have to be Revlon’s ColorBurst Balm Stains.

Confusingly formerly known as Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stains, Revlon’s ColorBurst Balm Stains (and it pains me every time to write the word “colour” without the “u”, I promise) are so similar in appearance to Clinique’s Chubby Sticks that they could easily commit some sort of cosmetic crime and pin the deed on their identikit twin. They’re chunky, they’re crayon-shaped, they even have the same convenient twist-up applicators – good luck making it through that police line-up!

Nevertheless, eagle-eyed beauty detectives will spot a few differences:

– Revlon’s ColorBurst Balm Stains are very helpfully labelled on the bottom with their individual names and colours. This sounds like such a small thing but I LOVE it because I store my Chubbies (and their extended families) upright in a pencil tin, so this means I can pick out the right colour instantly. Revlon 1 vs Clinique 0.

– Revlon’s ColorBurst Balm Stains have a slight cooling menthol scent. It reminds me of peppermint candy canes and therefore, I approve. Revlon 2 vs Clinique 0.

– Revlon’s ColorBurst Balm Stains are generally more pigmented than Clinique’s normal Chubby Sticks, but less so than the Chubby Sticks Intense. This equals a stronger more obvious colour, which is definitely more of a lippie than a tinted lip balm. But I’m a fickle sort and sometimes I want strong colour and other times, I want a “my lips but better” light tint, so it’s points all round here! Revlon 3 vs Clinique 1.

– Clinique’s Chubby Sticks have a more buttery soft texture than Revlon’s ColorBurst Balm Stains, feeling nicer on the lips. Revlon 3 vs Clinique 2.

– Clinique’s Chubby Sticks also feel less drying and more moisturising in the long run than the Revlons. Final score: Revlon 3 vs Clinique 3.

Left to right: Romantic, Rendezvous, Sweetheart, Lovesick

So as you can see, there really ain’t that much to pick between them in terms of the product itself – well, other than the PRICE. The Revlons are around two thirds of the price of a Chubby Stick, which is a definite wallet win. But because both brands have a range of different colours, I’ve found that they complement each other in my stash pretty well… and actually, I couldn’t be without either. So there there, no need for fisticuffs as I love you both equally.

Romantic was pretty much my first must-have from the Revlon Kissable Lip Stain ColorBurst Balm Stain collection – because my friends, it’s a real true red. On my hand, it leans towards brick… but on my lips, it’s proper Snow White stuff. It’s more opaque and just, well more RED than Clinique’s Chunky Cherry (which looks pale and pink-leaning in comparison). It’s just a great natural everyday red that my collection totally needed. High five!

Sweetheart has unexpectedly become one of my favourites, a sweet bright bubblegum pink on my hand that becomes a totally-hot-but-cool-leaning raspberry cerise on my lips. It’s basically an amped-up version of Clinique’s Pudgy Peony that verges happily on the neon – enough to work as a sugar-sweet colour pop but not enough to be crazy rave party fluro. I really love this colour and find it very flattering with my complexion; it’s definitely the kind of colour you find yourself reaching for when the sun is out and your endorphins are high!

At first glance, Lovesick is pretty similar to Sweetheart – but soon reveals itself to be a different but just as rad beast altogether. Lovesick leans a little more blue/purple than Sweetheart and feels even cooler-toned, destination fuchsia. It’s a vampier, sexier, edgier take on hot pink and I love it far more than I ever thought I would. It’s also the name of a Misfits song from Jem & The Holograms so it really can do no wrong in my book! It’s nearest comparison in Chubby terms is Plushest Punch, which isn’t as bright and leans more red. [Rach trick: I love blending Lovesick with Clinique’s Grandest Grape together for a beautiful deep berry-wine that takes the edge off Grandest Grape’s Goth tendencies!]

Rendezvous is a screaming summer colour, a total tangerine when swatched on my hand. On my lips, it thankfully blends with my natural lip colour to create a much less garish orange-red – another fab colour pop kick. It’s a bit starker and cooler-toned than Clinique’s Heftiest Hibiscus; Rendezvous feels more high fashion compared to Heftiest Hibiscus’ easy summer charms. It reminds me most of MAC Morange actually, another fab orange lipstick I find myself wearing A LOT ‘cos it looks freaking awesome with my complexion. Whilst Morange brings plenty of pigment to the party, but Rendezvous is ultimately rather kinder on my lips so it still gets lots of mileage round these parts.

All smiles for Revlon’s Sweetheart!

Wear-time for most of these is more comparable to the Chubby Sticks Intense rather than the normal balms – six to eight hours, and you’ll at least get a lingering stain post-food. Unlike the Chubbies, Revlon has also introduced a couple of other finishes to the ColorBurst Balm Stain collection; some matte colours, which looked awesome, and some shimmers, which didn’t (not glossy enough in my opinion).

Whilst I do find myself leaning more towards Clinque’s Chubby Sticks for the comfort factor, the added pigmentation and range of bright colours Revlon has that Clinique doesn’t means they’re more than deserving of a spot – or ten – in my make-up collection. Long may the crayon-shaped lip product craze continue!

Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stains, $108, available from selected Watsons and Mannings stores in Hong Kong