It's that time again - time for dry, chapped lips and brisk winter chills.  I always have my tube of chapstick in my purse.  It's my go to.  Actually, I have one on my bedside table, one in my office desk, one downstairs in the "junk" drawer, and one in my purse.  Well, what about those times when you want a little color and the benefits of a chapstick? 

Enter Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm.  Made with Vitamin E, Aloe and SPF15, not only does this nourish and moisturize, it protects.  Also, it is available in numerous shades, including two new ones:  Sheer Berry and Sheer Plum.

I tend to lean towards warmer berry and plum shades in the fall and winter, so I purchased Sheer Plum to try out.  The pictures below actually brighten the color in the tube a bit more than Sheer Plum is in reality, but you get the gist of the color.  This is a deep plum, almost warm chocolate shade in the tube.  Once applied, as you will see in swatches below, the berry colors really shine through.

The product itself is a thin, non sticky formula.  It smells a bit less like menthol and a bit more minty than the original Carmex in the pot, therefore it's not quite as medicinal smelling.  Once applied, there is a cooling sensation familiar with Carmex.  The product wears nicely and didn't feather after application. 

Above is two swipes on the skin for a swatch.  Below is two swipes on the lip.  See, a nice color, but not overwhelming.  The berry color really comes through upon application as well.  

Final verdict: Why not?  For $2.59 a tube you don't have to give up the benefits of Carmex for a little color.  My lips feel soft afterwards, and the color payoff is nice and lasting.  There are several colors to choose from, although I think a lot of people would like to see more of a red and less of a berry available.  Maybe in the future!

Have you tried this yet?  What did you think?