First Impressions: Rimmel London Keep Calm and Lip Balm

I kind of wish the whole "Keep Calm And..." would die already. But I have to admit, this product is cute. It works in this case.  I was aware that Rimmel was launching a lip balm, but I was kind of "meh" about it. Nothing against Rimmel. There are just a million lip balms out there.  But their cute packaging makes the product stand out.  Plus I also love that the balm has a bullet shape like a lipstick.  I find that easier for application.


There are five shades: Clear, Rose Blush, Pink Blush, Berry Blush, and Violet Blush.  I picked up Clear and Rose Blush. Each shade comes in a brightly colored tube with different variations of the whole Keep Calm thing.  For example, clear says "Keep Calm and Love" and Rose Flush says "Keep Calm and Play." Pretty darn adorable and perfect for summer.

I adore the love birds. =) 

Rose Blush doesn't look that rosy on me. It leans more towards coral for some reason. And the pigment is very sheer.

Without Flash

With Flash

The first thing I want to address is the scent.  I am normally not sensitive to the scent of a product, but in this case, it so SO strong. Like it almost knocked me down when I first opened the tube.  It is not an unpleasant smell. It is very fruity, and the more I use it, the less I notice it. Also, it doesn't linger on the lips.  I just wanted to throw that out there because I know a lot of people are highly sensitive to the scent of a product.
Now on to the good stuff.  I didn't expect much out of this. But the texture has surprised me a great deal.  While it does have that traditional waxy feel of a most lip balms, it doesn't feel sticky or heavy. It glides right on and adds a sheer was of color and shine to the lips. Furthermore, it actually does a pretty good job of moisturizing my lips. The product itself doesn't hang around long, which is to be expected, but my lips remain soft after it wears off.  I haven't had this for long (literally not even 24 hours), so some testing still needs to be done. But right now I say good job, Rimmel.  Despite the strong scent, I like these a lot more than Baby Lips.  They do a better job of moisturizing and they don't feel as heavy.  Plus the bullet style wins me over, too. *slow clap*   This would be a nice option during the summer, especially here in Atlanta where summer is just awful.  You get a sheer wash of color with moisturizing benefits, a fun tube, and no hair sticking to your lips. But there is no SPF, which is sad.
I found them at Walmart, but they are also sold at Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, and Meijer.  I can't for the life of me remember how much they are, but they are inexpensive.
What Rimmel Says (per packaging): 

• "A moisturizing lip balm that instantly increases lip moisture by 22%."
• "Keep your lips calm and soft for hours."
• "Be fun and flirty with a clear tint" or "Be fun and flirty with a hint of tint" depending on which shade you get. 

I wouldn't say that this is a must have.  It is a good product, but nothing special.
Unfortunately, this is not cruelty free.