ILIA - Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm | Buildable Lip Color + Soft Shine | Nourish + Moisturize with Shea Butter & Rosehip Seed Oil | Vegan, Clean, Cruelty-Free Makeup (Hold Me, 0.15 oz | 4.4 g) Review
Our verdict
A clean, vegan tinted lip balm that pairs a buildable wash of color with shea butter and rosehip seed oil, aimed at people who want hydration and a hint of tone in one product.
Check price on AmazonBest for
Anyone who wants a clean-beauty, vegan lip balm with a soft tint and shine, and who is comfortable paying a premium price for that combination.
Skip if
You want a purely functional, untinted balm, or you are shopping on a tighter budget since this sits well above typical drugstore lip balm pricing.
- Priced 191% above the category median ($9.96 across 112 tracked models)
Our scorecard
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Owner rating4.6/5
4.6 average across 840 owner ratings
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Popularity2.1/5
840 owner reviews, fewer than most models here
The overall score is owner satisfaction weighted by how many reviews back it, so a high rating from few reviews counts for less. The bars below show where this model stands against the other anti-aging skincare: serums, night creams, facial peels, wrinkle patches and anti-aging devices we track in this category on price, popularity and size. Context, not marks against it, and our read of the data, not a lab test.
Overview
["This is ILIA's Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm in the shade Hold Me, a 0.15 oz balm priced at $29.00. The listing describes it as buildable lip color with soft shine, formulated with shea butter and rosehip seed oil for nourishment and moisture.", 'It is marketed as vegan, clean, and cruelty-free, with additional claims of being silicone-free, fragrance-free, oil-free, and non-comedogenic. That combination positions it as a makeup-and-skincare hybrid rather than a purely functional balm, closer to a tinted lip treatment than a plain conditioning stick.', 'At 840 reviews and a 4.6 average, it has a solid, if smaller, track record compared to mass-market balms, with modest monthly purchase volume that fits its niche, higher-price positioning.']
Pros
- Buildable tint plus soft shine in one product
- Formulated with shea butter and rosehip seed oil
- Vegan, clean, and cruelty-free formulation
- Silicone-free, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic claims
- Strong 4.6 rating from 840 reviews
Cons
- Premium price relative to standard lip balms
- Small 0.15 oz size compared to multi-pack drugstore balms
- Tint means it functions partly as makeup, not a purely neutral treatment
Performance notes
Shea butter provides the core conditioning here, while rosehip seed oil is a lighter, fast-absorbing oil often included for its fatty acid content, which can support the look of soft, supple lips over time. Being labeled oil-free in a separate claim and silicone-free suggests the formula leans on butters and lighter plant oils for its texture rather than a heavier or occlusive base.
What buyers say
A 4.6 average across 840 reviews is a solid, dependable score, though the review count is more modest than mass-market lip balms, which fits a higher-priced, more niche clean-beauty product with a smaller but engaged customer base.
More from Ilia
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Frequently asked questions
Is ILIA's Balmy Tint balm actually tinted?
Yes, the listing describes it as buildable lip color with soft shine in the shade Hold Me, so it adds a wash of color on top of the hydrating base rather than staying fully clear.
Is this lip balm considered clean beauty?
The brand markets it as vegan, clean, and cruelty-free, with additional silicone-free and fragrance-free claims, which places it in the clean-beauty category many shoppers specifically look for.
Why does this balm cost more than typical lip balms?
At $29.00, it is priced closer to a tinted lip treatment or makeup-skincare hybrid than a basic balm, reflecting its clean formulation, rosehip seed oil and shea butter blend, and tinted finish.