Late to the Revlon matte balm party, but better late than never, right? Last month I posted a photo of myself trying out "dohwasal makeup", or peach blossom makeup, a makeup look that's popular in Korea. In the photo, I was wearing my then-newly acquired Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Mischievous. After posting the photo I received a couple of requests to do a review, so here it is!
REVLON COLORBURST MATTE BALM IN MISCHIEVOUS
Revlon claims: Vibrant colors infused with a Triple Butter Complex give you a bold, beautiful lip. It's a burst of matte color with a balm-like feel.To be honest, I'm not a fan of matte lip makeup. I like juicy-looking lips, so I much prefer lip tints. Even so, there are a few exceptions that I'm willing to make. One of them is for MAC's Sushi Kiss. I fell in love with the color when I saw it years ago, but sadly, as it was a limited edition color, I never even got the chance to swatch it. Luckily, a kind soul from r/MakeupAddiction recommended Revlon's Matte Balm in Mischievous as a close dupe. Even luckier—I found a local Instagram user selling her tube of Mischievous. 80% of product for less than half the retail price? I was sold.
PACKAGING
Revlon Matte Balms come in chubby crayon form, with the color of the tube the same velvet matte shade as that of the actual lip color. It's retractable, meaning no sharpener required. Since I got mine off of someone else, it doesn't have the pointy tip anymore. Some bloggers suggest following the original shape when applying, so you don't lose the pointy tip. I just use a lip brush, since that method is much easier for me.TEXTURE
The texture is quite velvety and balm-like, just as Revlon claims. Even though it's matte, it's infused with a Triple Butter Complex of shea, mango, and coconut butter, so it isn't as drying as most matte lip colors. By itself though, it's not very moisturizing or hydrating. It's just the right amount that it doesn't look dried out when applied. The finish when applied is a different story though, but I'll get to that later.
COLOR
Mischievous is a punchy light orange. Somewhere right between neon and pastel, if that makes any sense! It's a great spring / summer shade that goes well with several makeup looks. On my arm it looks super bright, but on my lips it looks more like a muted coral. At first I thought it was just the lighting or my phone's camera that was making my lips appear pinker, but when I took a photo with the tube right next to my face, the color of the packaging looked the same – still orange. It was only my lips. So strange!SCENT
First thing I noticed upon application was the mild peppermint scent (and flavor?). Because it was made to be a balm, maybe? It goes away after a while, so I don't think it's particularly bothersome. I know some people might be put off by the scent, but I LOVE minty scents so I like it a lot.
FINISH
Here it is, the deal-breaker. The ONE problem I had with Mischievous—it settles into lip lines and accentuates dry patches. Accentuates x 9999. My lips were super dry at the time these photos were taken (blame 37° weather), and this only made it all the more noticeable. At first I thought it was to be expected; lipsticks in lighter colors have a tendency to highlight cracks and dryness, after all. I gave it another go a few days later, but this time I tried exfoliating my lips beforehand, and applying my usual lip balm underneath the matte balm. Sadly, the result was the same. No matter what I did, I couldn't get a perfectly even finish. From a distance it isn't that noticeable. Passable. But in person? Not so cute.PRICE & AVAILABILITY
For a lip color, it's a bit over my budget at P575, but that's because I'm a cheapskate and can't justify spending that much for something I'll rarely even use (I still prefer lip tints and lacquers. overall). Still, it's more affordable than most matte orange offerings in the market. It's also not a limited edition item, unlike Sushi Kiss, so you'll have no trouble looking for it. This product is easily available at all Revlon counters.
Final verdict: it's okay. Looks-wise, Mischievous really is similar to Sushi Kiss, so I'm okay with it, but that's only because 1) I haven't actually tried Sushi Kiss, and 2) I got this for more than 50% off. If I'd paid the full price for this, I'd probably be more disappointed. It's a shame that it didn't work out for me. If you were looking to try this lip color out, but stumbled upon my not-so-stellar review of it, I suggest you check out Audacious instead. It's a brighter, more neon coral than Mischievous, but I hear the formula is much better. Rendezvous from the Balm Stain line is also popular.
Do you own any colors from the Matte Balm line? Also, suggestions for a good Sushi Kiss dupe? Let me know in the comments! ♡