You wore it all summer. It tasted like vanilla frosting and made your lips look expensive. But now the heat’s off and your pout is paying the price.
Three days into a cold snap, my lips felt tight *underneath* the balm — like the product was just sitting on top, a pretty barrier doing zero actual work.
It’s a $24 tinted balm from Summer Fridays that promises 12 hours of hydration. The “viral” claim? It’s the one everyone’s grandma asks about for Christmas.
The Slick
Goes on like melted shea butter, not sticky — but that slickness fades fast.
The Tint
Sheer, buildable color that actually flatters. Not a lipstick, not a stain.
The Tube
Bigger than expected. You’ll lose it in your bag for a week.
Photo: Mockup Free / Unsplash
Shea butter and jojoba oil are the workhorses here. They soften the surface, but there’s no humectant pulling water into the lip — that’s the winter flaw.
- Shea Butter: coats and smooths, doesn’t penetrate
- Jojoba Oil: mimics skin’s natural sebum
- Peppermint Oil: gives that tingle, can irritate cracked lips
- Vitamin E: antioxidant, but weak on its own
Photo: ibnu ihza / Unsplash
First swipe: dreamy. Like a warm spoonful of honey. It absorbs in 20 seconds, leaving a satin sheen.
Week two in 20-degree weather: my lips looked fine for an hour, then the line between “balm” and “lip” started to feel dry again. It’s a cosmetic, not a treatment.
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
No peeling, no cracking, but also no miracle. My lips stayed soft for about 90 minutes per application. That’s it.
Photo: El S / Unsplash
It’s a great summer balm that’s out of its depth by December. Keep it for the gloss — buy a heavy-duty ointment for the freeze.