Tinted lip oil and tinted lip balm: what is the difference?

Tinted oils and balms are typically monophasic oily substances, meaning they are composed solely of fatty compounds known as lipophilic. Among the ingredients present, one usually finds one or more vegetable oils, butters and waxes to provide consistency, as well as active ingredients and preservatives in smaller quantities. The active molecules can function to plump the lips, provide a warming effect to the treatment, or even smooth the fine lines around the mouth. Vegetable oils are generally added to these formulas to nourish the lips. They also act preventively, meaning they deposit a protective film on the surface of the lips to prevent them from dehydrating or to protect them from external aggressions. In addition, tinted lip oils also contain pigments, which are responsible for the color upon application.

The primary difference between oils and balms lies in the content of waxes and butters, or in other words, consistency agents.

balms are often richer in waxes and/or butters, and their textures are firmer, less liquid than oils. This difference in consistency makes the application method for each product different. A tinted oil is typically applied with a brush, while the balm can be used directly with the fingers. Moreover, tinted balms can sometimes be multifunctional and can also be used on the cheeks, as blush. This feature is generally not applicable to lip oils, their textures being too greasy to be applied directly on the facial skin.