Last June, I reviewed Sweets Sweets‘ Fruit Tint Balm in 02 Clear Blue, and today I will be sharing my thoughts on Fruit Tint Serum in 03 Strawberry Milk, another lip-tinting item from the line.
Sweets Sweets Fruit Tint Serum in 03 Strawberry Milk (スウィーツ スウィーツ フルーツティントセラム 03 ストロベリーミルク/ Sweets Sweets 鮮嫩果漿美唇液 03 粉莓, ¥950) was released in Japan in spring 2016 (when the product was launched with three shades). In the tube, it is a translucent light pink with no shimmer. When it is applied on the lips, it turns into a fairly vibrant fuchsia-toned raspberry pink with a light-to-medium pigmentation level. It also tints the lips in the same color.
(The product is marketed as a lip moisturizer, a lip base and a lip tint. Sweets Sweets’ official Japanese website mentions that it also works as a lip gloss, although the outer packaging of the product itself does not indicate this. Also, according to Sweets Sweets’ official Japanese website, the product reacts to the moisture level on the lips and the color change varies from person to person.)
A couple of layers of the product create a soft glossy sheen on the lips. A glossy shine is achievable, but I need to layer the product many times (five times at the very least). (The sponge applicator doesn’t load a lot of product (which may be an intentional design feature) so layering can be very time-consuming.) The product is quite liquidy (which may be another reason why it is not very layerable), but, fortunately, it doesn’t travel on the lips (no matter how many times I layer it).
The glossy finish is not particularly long-lasting. (It holds fairly well until it disappears almost completely after a meal.) The color (on the tinted lips) lasts very well.
The product feels moisturizing on the lips before the glossy finish disappears. After the glossy finish wears off (when there is only a matte stain left), the lips feel very lightly moisturized. (As mentioned above, the product is also marketed as a base, but I haven’t tried using it as a base under any other lip color.)
(There are similarities between this product and Fruit Tint Balm in 02 Clear Blue. Both products can have issues with unevenness when layered for multiple times (as described in the review of Fruit Tint Balm), and the stained colors from both products are easy to take off. As for the differences, Fruit Tint Balm in 02 tints the lips in a slightly more vibrant color and its glossy finish is more buildable and lasts longer. Also, Fruit Tint Balm in 02 is more prone to traveling.)
For me, the product is predominantly a lip tint, and I do like it as a lip tint. (The moisturizing efficacy and the glossy finish are side benefits.) I don’t have a particular preference between this product and Fruit Tint Balm in 02. It is considerably easier to be light-handed and precise with Fruit Tint Serum in 03, but layering it is time-consuming. There isn’t a clear winner for me.
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Sweets Sweets Fall 2017 Makeup Collection
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