Lipstick Queen Belle Epoque

These Lipstick Queen Belle Epoque went on sale last summer (and have since been discontinued) and on impulse I picked up Belle Wine along with two All That Jazz lipsticks and a Saint Mauve (will review later).

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

This is actually a lip balm in a pot, a type of product I've grown to hate. Trust me, having to chase a 2-yearold around the house does not inspire one to dig her fingers into anything, least of all a lip product prone to contamination. Speaking of which, I've been shopping around for a couple of lip brushes LOL I have a few tubes of used up lipsticks I love so much I want to dig out every last bit of them, just not with my fingers ^.^"

I think this balm is rather thick and has a unique texture--it's neither waxy nor oily. Instead, it has a cushy, jelly-like feel that makes picking it up surprisingly difficult given the thickness. For the swatch below, I literally had to dig some out. However, once applied, it melts into this balmy layer that's smooth and moisturizing and not at all sticky. In short, I like the balm but hate the pot. I wish this was in a squeeze tube.

- Belle Wine: isn't really wine but more like a blood red in the pot and a transparent rosy mauve once applied. On my lips it gives a sheer wash of color that's just perfect for lounging around. I wouldn't carry this out and about with me though, precisely because it's in a pot and requires digging with fingers. Urgh.