MANY of my friends no longer wear lipstick, instead, we’re all mad for tinted lip balms.
They add a hint of colour and loads of moisture and you can reapply without a trip to the bathroom.
These are three of my favourites . . . 
BUDGET
Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm, £12 for 10ml, spacenk.com: I have to confess that this is my absolute go to.
I’ve pretty much got one in every handbag.
The formula is thick enough that it stays put for hours, but it doesn’t feel heavy or gloopy, and the colour is the perfect level of pigment that tints lips and makes me feel put together without adding too much colour that I’ve got to worry about reapplying.
I accidentally put one through the washer a couple of weeks ago after leaving it in my trouser pocket, and was over the moon that it came out unharmed.
MID-RANGE
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm, £23 for 15g, spacenk.com: If you’re on , I would bet good money you’ve seen one of these balms on your feed.
The cute pastel packaging is major eye candy, and the flavours are good enough to eat – the pale pink “Birthday Cake”; is my niece’s favourite, but I prefer the deep-red “Cherry”; flavour.
It has a silicone applicator tip that feels soothing on lips and helps evenly distribute the product, which is helpful as it’s on the more pigmented side.
It wears off faster than the Naturium, which means I have to reapply more regularly (and use up the tube sooner) but otherwise, I can’t pick any flaws.
LUXURY
Lancome Lip Idole Butterglow Tinted Lip Balm, £34 for 3g, boots.com: I love the bullet format of this balm – and the super luxe packaging – you can immediately see what you’re paying for, which makes parting with the cash slightly more justifiable.
How much colour payoff you get differs with each shade – the darker ones are more pigmented, which is to be expected.
I love how silky it feels on my lips, and the glossy shine isn’t at all sticky which is always a worry.
My mum is super fussy about lip products but I’ve got her hooked too.
PICK OF THE WEEK
WHETHER it’s food, beauty or fashion, cherries have been in the spotlight for much of this year, and that doesn’t look to be changing.
Pop star ’s latest fragrance, R.E.M. Cherry Eclipse, £45 for 50ml EDP smells far more grown up than the barbie-pink campaign imagery would lead you to believe.
Notes of black cherry, jasmine, marshmallow, amber and musk, make a romantic, cosy scent.
See theperfumeshop.com.
