Sometimes products appeal to me immediately while other times I don’t end up trying something until long after it has launched. Tinted lip balms have become a phenomenon in the beauty industry at the moment and so many brands are putting out their version. I had heard rave reviews constantly about the Tower 28 Beauty LipSofties and finally ordered one of their holiday kits that contained four shades to try. After the first swipe, I instantly understood what everyone was raving about! Tinted lip balms and lip tints are one of the best ways to prevent chapped lips while also adding a bit of color. Most tinted lip balms are formulated with various skincare ingredients so you are giving your lips a treatment in addition to adding color.
The Tower28 LipSoftie Lip Treatments are a makeup/skincare hybrid lip product that gives you the hydration of a lip mask with a sheer wash of color for the lips. There are currently four tinted options in the range, one clear option and one new shade that just launched. Additionally there was another limited edition shade in their holiday kits that I have and will share swatches of in this post. This post will be dedicated to reviewing the formula, shade range and overall performance of the Tower28 LipSofties.
Tower 28 LipSoftie Review
I have so many tinted lip balms and while many do perform similarly, the Tower 28 LipSofties are by far one of my favorite formulas I’ve ever tried. From the feel, to the shade range and price point, these are an absolute must have! Here’s a breakdown further of the product details:
Price Point
This price point for the LipSoftie definitely less than many of the other popular tinted lip balms and retails for $16 for .38 oz. A brief comparison if you are interested: Summer Fridays is $24 for .5 oz, Rhode Lip Tints are $18 for .3 oz, Naturium Phyto Glow Lip Balm is $10 for .34 oz (this is the best deal IMO) and Ole Henriksen is $22 for .4 oz.
Formula
This is first a lip mask so the formulation contains a ton of great skincare ingredients. Shea butter and jojoba oil to boost hydration and lock in moisture. Lysine to prevent dryness while also smoothing and softening lips. Additionally it is made with food grade non artificial flavors to avoid further drying out the lips.
Shade Range
I really like the shade range and feel there is a nice mix of neutral shades with some bolder more vibrant shades.
Pigment
While these will never be as richly pigmented as a traditional lipstick or gloss, these can definitely be worn alone and provide a nice wash of color of the lips. The deeper and brighter shades are a tad more noticeable on the lips but still give a nice sheer wearable tint.
Packaging
The packaging is cute and similar to most tinted lip balms. There is a dome applicator as opposed to a slanted applicator which is fine with me as it applies the product easily and evenly.
Longevity
As with most tinted lip balms, these are not designed to last a long time and usually need to be reapplied a few times throughout the day.
Finish
These give the lips a smooth and glossy finish without feeling tacky or sticky. They have a super creamy texture and feel incredibly nourishing from first application.
Tower 28 LipSoftie Swatches
As I mentioned, I got the holiday mini kit that came with four shades of the LipSofties. One of the shades was limited edition though it is one of my favorites so I hope they bring it back soon! Surprisingly, my favorite shade was Ube Vanilla. It gives the most perfect hint of burgundy that gives a nice pop of color to the lips. Sugar Plum was my second favorite shade while Dulce de Leche and Watermelon Kiwi were great nude shades for everyday. Here are all the shades in the LipSoftie range:
SOS Vanilla – Clear
Blood Orange Vanilla – Sheer Red Orange
Watermelon Kiwi – Sheer Baby Pink
Dulce de Leche – Sheer Nude
Ube Vanilla – Sheer Burgundy
Red Bean Mochi (new) – Sheer Rosy Nude (this is actually very close to the Sugar Plum shade in the holiday kit!)
How to Use Tower 28 LipSofties
Use as a Lip Mask
The clear is a perfect option to buy and use as your nightly lip treatment. Or if you want something to apply on dry lips to prep them before you apply lipstick, definitely go with the clear version.
Wear Alone
These lip tints are pigmented enough to wear alone and have them be your everyday lip color!
Pair With Your Favorite Lip Liner
Honestly, I was never a lip liner lover before but as I get older, I find that I need that added definition around my lips. If you apply your lip liner all over the lips and top it off with one of the tinted LipSofties, you will get the longevity from the lip liner and the added moisture and shine from the lip balm.
Layer Over Your Everyday Lipstick
If you want something to just add a bit of shine, go for Watermelon Kiwi or Dulce de Leche which will work well with an everyday neutral lipstick.
More Tinted Lip Balms That I Love
Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm
The Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balms are a nourishing lip balm designed to nourish the lips and leave them feeling silky, smooth and moisturized. With they can definitely be used as a treatment, Naturium launched a ton of colors that I love wearing during the day as my primary lip color. They give pigment while still keeping my lips moisturized and smooth. From the packaging to the formula, I love using these regularly and constantly recommend them to those looking for a tinted lip balm option. These aren’t necessarily very sheer nor are they intensely pigmented, they fall somewhere in between in my opinion. The bolder and brighter shades definitely give a nice punch of color without being too intense.
Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Hydrating Lip Treatment
So many people have been telling me to try this lip balm formula and that once I did, I would immediately fall in love with it. I can confidently say that are 100% correct. Out of this entire list of tinted lip balms, this quickly shot up to the very top as my holy grail. It is the most comfortable on the lips, creamy and smooth without being sticky. It feels nourishing and delivers just enough color and pigment.
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balms
They are cruelty free, incredibly creamy, smooth and nourishing with a unique blend of vegan waxes and shea butter and the tinted versions give the smallest hint of light color to the lips. They are great worn alone for a no makeup day but also layer perfectly over a lip liner or lipstick for an added bit of shine and moisture. Compared to other lip balms I have, the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm is definitely one of the best in terms of keeping my lips nourished most of the day. I love wearing them during the day but they are rich enough to be used as a nighttime treatment.
Rhode Peptide Lip Tints
My lips feel incredibly nourished and moisturized when using this and rivals some of my favorite lip treatments. The difference with this is that it makes my lips look better than most of my other lip balms. It looks gorgeous worn alone on bare lips but also layered over my favorite lip liner or lip color for a boost of shine. For a super intensive overnight treatment, I wouldn’t choose this and find it’s better worn during the day to keep my lips soft. I will also use it as a touch up throughout the day whenever my lips feel dry.
Peach & Lily Collagen Cushion Peptide Lip Balm
This lip balm feels closer to a treatment than a makeup product and I LOVE that. It still gives great pigment and coverage but it truly plumps the lips and makes them look like glass! And it feels like a deeply nourishing lip balm too. There is only one shade right now but they launched a second one in a kit that I really hope they make permanent.
Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm
Out of all the tinted lip balm formulas in this list, the Eadem is the most like a makeup product. The texture is quite thick and not as glossy as the others which can be nice sometimes. I have the color Fig and it is so rich and pigmented that I can wear it alone easily. This formula feels nourishing but I reach for this more as a lip color rather than a treatment. It almost feels like it grips the lips when you apply it. So I find that it lasts longer than many of the other formulas. The applicator is metal so it feels nice and cooling on the lip too.
For more beauty reviews featuring products for mature skin, check out my Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation review and my post on skincare products for mature skin.
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