Black Radiance Dynamic Duo Lip Balm & Gloss Review + Swatches

Hi lovelies! I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to do a review. If you have been with me a while you know that there is a special place in my heart for complete and detailed reviews of products so that is what I am bringing you today!

About a week ago I was taking a walk down the makeup aisle and I came across a new lip product from a line called Black Radiance. If you don't know, Black Radiance is a sister company of Wet-N-Wild (under the umbrella of MARKWINS®) and you can clearly see that by the similarities in packaging and items they carry. Even though Black Radiance caters their products to deeper skin tones I usually take a look at their display because I've heard that their “bullet lipsticks” are amazing! As I was browsing I discovered this brand new line hidden near the bottom! The bright bold colors immediately caught my eye so I had to pick up my 3 favorites!

Black Radiance Dynamic Duo Lip Balm and Gloss

Price: $3.99

Size: Lip Balm- 0.06 Oz. & Lip Gloss- 0.22 Fl. Oz.

Shades: 5200 Hibiscus, 5201 Fuchsia, 5202 Plum

Shade Selection: 6

Marketed As: “The dual-ended lip case features a highly pigmented lip balm, formulated with botanical extracts to help moisturize and condition lips. The high coverage lip gloss is enriched with vitamin C & E to soften lips with anti-oxidant protection. The multi-benefit lip duo gives you luscious lip service with a hint of delicious berry flavor”.

Finish: Satin- Glossy

What did I think?

Overall Application: How about 2 words? A dream. The balm glides on with the most beautiful shine and comfortable texture. However, I do find that during application both ends of this product are a little small for my lips. It’s not a terrible issue but one that I definitely noticed when trying to apply the color evenly. As for the gloss, the doe foot applicator was nice but due to it being so small I had to go in and pick up more product frequently.

Overall Color: Even though I wouldn’t consider the balm to be as “highly pigmented” as it claims it’s exactly what I look for in a balm like lip product. Color is definitely buildable so you can achieve your perfect shade and these 3 were BEAUTIFUL! I absolutely love how the gloss bumps up the color of the balm and it's the perfect item to pop in the center of your lips for extra fullness. However, I do have some issues in this category and they all come down to selection. These are the only colors out of the line that suit my skin tone (with the exception of possibly Mauve 5205) which squashes my hopes of owning every single one! Maybe in the future there will be more to choose from but for now it is very limited. How about a few more shades of pink and a nice red? That'd be really nice!

Hibiscus (5200)

The perfect every day pick me up

-without gloss-

-with gloss-

Fuchsia (5201)

A beautiful bright pink with purple undertones

-without gloss-

-with gloss-

Plum (5202)

A sultry berry lip color

-without gloss-

-with gloss-

Overall Formula: I know I keep going on and on but the formulas were amazing as well! I didn't feel like the balm alone was as moisturizing as my Korres Lip Butters but applying the gloss overtop really helps in that department. As for lip gloss I normally hate it… but I have really grown to love this stuff! It is very opaque and also not sticky AT ALL making it the most comfortable and hydrating gloss I have come across.

Overall Packaging: Talk about great quality! The packaging was the first thing I noticed with these because it is so sturdy! The balms twist up very nicely and all in all I love how compact and travel friendly they are. I love how it contains 2 products that you can use interchangeably as well. Wear both together or pair the gloss with a totally different lipstick or balm! It's a great idea! The only complaint here is that the shade names come off with the plastic wrapping and you are left with only the number on the bottom. Why do companies have to do that?

Overall Scent: This category was really hard for me to nail down this week! I have come down with a nice little cold and have hardly been able to smell anything. From what I remember these do contain a nice berry scent that is very sweet but not overpowering. As far as the taste claims though, I haven't noticed anything in that department. 

Overall Wear: I was happy with the wear time of these balms but they didn't blow me away. If I wear these out to dinner the product is pretty much completely gone once I am done eating. If anything there might be a hint of color around my lip line (especially with the deeper shades) but reapplication is definitely needed.

Bottom Line: These are an AMAZING new addition to drugstore shelves for bright lip lovers like myself. I will be keeping all three shades and recommending them to everyone I see- I mean come on they're only $3.99! For a company to get both formulas so spot on shows me that quality is top priority and I love that! I am so impressed by these you better believe I'll be checking out other products this line has to offer. The only downside is the shade selection! I know the brand is catered to deeper skin tones and I think that is a wonderful idea but if all of their products are as great as these, I don't want to have to miss out! Bravo Black Radiance, Bravo!

Love, Lacey