We’re starting off this week with a long overdue review. The Hema Soft Matt Lip Balms kicked up a storm when they first launched last spring. And for good reason! These lipsticks are a great affordable beauty product and if you ever find yourself near Hema, you have to make sure to pick up at least one of these. I have 4 and a bit Soft Matt Lip Balms to show you. Let’s get to it!

Hema Soft Matt lip balm 02, 03, 06, 07 (& 10)

Wait, 4 and a bit? Yes, 4 and a bit, because I bought these brighter shades last spring and didn’t get round to posting the review until now. For fall, Hema released some new shades (there are now 12 different shades I believe) and I have added the lip swatch of that shade at the end of this post. If you would like to see more close up pictures of shade no. 10 including a swatch, then please click here. If you would like to see how these apply, then click here to see shade no. 10 in action in a video tutorial.

For the majority of this post we’ll stick to the shades that I have had the longest. There truly is no difference between these shades and the newer ones apart from the colors. Texture, packaging and longevity wise these all work the same. Like I said, in total there are 12 shades all together and each product retails for €3.50. The product comes in a twist up crayon like form and has a fairly sweet smell that is not too overpowering. It reminds me of the Clinique Chubby Sticks and Revlon Matte Balms.

Hema Soft Matt lip balm 02

I picked up these shades in stages. I bought 2, then I bought another 2 and then I bought another one nearly 6 months later. The color range is a tad limited, but if you like your bright and pinky toned shades there is a lot to choose from. I like how they brought out some darker shades for the fall/ winter time. This is not the first shade I picked up, but it is one that I think will appeal to most people. No. 2 is a great nude shade with a pink undertone. Great for every day.

Hema Soft Matt lip balm 03

No. 3 was another shade that kept selling out quickly and I picked it up together with no. 2. It is a bright pink shade that I happen to wear the least out of all of these. But it is a fun shade to be wearing during spring/ summer.

Hema Soft Matt lip balm 06

No. 6 & 7 look very similar in these pictures, as they do in real life. It wasn’t until I put these on my lips that I found they looked distinct enough to justify buying both. No. 6 is a great pinky coral shade that is bright, but not too in your face. I am not always feeling this shade as it looks quite pink on my lips.

Hema Soft Matt lip balm 07

Last but not least, my favorite shade from these four: no. 7. When it comes to which shade I wore the more over summer, it was this one. I took this with me on vacation and I think that apart from no. 2 this is the most flattering for my complexion. Let me know in a comment down below whether you agree, there are full face pictures further on.

Swatches: 02, 03, 06, 07

Despite the name, these aren’t actually lip balms, but lipsticks. They pack a punch of color, as you can see in the swatch. The lasting power of these is surprisingly good, especially considering how comfortable these lipsticks are on the lips. They glide on smoothly, feel quite nourishing and last a good 3 – 4 hours. They can last through a drink or 2, but if you’re having a bigger meal these will wear off quite easily. I find these to not be very drying on my lips and when the color wears off it is easy to reapply a new layer and it wears off nicely, not leaving any nasty edges.

Nothing but bare lips
Hema Soft Matt lip balm 10

Hema Soft Matt lip balm 02, 03, 06, 07 (counterclockwise)

No. 10

As promised I would throw in the lip swatches of shade no. 10. It is a bit of an odd one out compared to the others and I took the pictures long after I had used the other ones for months, so I couldn’t include it in the other pictures, but I did have these, so I figured to add them here. As you can see, the shade goes on opaque and I absolutely love the brick red shade of this one. I think it really suits my pale complexion and blonde hair.

No. 2

On my lips, no. 2 is like a more peachy nude. It has a hint of brightness to it that makes it the perfect spring time nude: it is neutral enough to go with more outgoing eye looks, but bright enough to add something to your overall look without making you look dead.

No. 3

No. 3 is a bit brighter and a lot more pink. It is a very classic shade. I think this would look best with a neutral eye and perhaps a good winged liner.

No. 6

The shades only get brighter as we go along! No. 6 almost looks neon on my lips. But I do think it is a great bright coral shade. If you like shades that pack a punch, then this will be up your street.

No. 7

My favorite shade is this one and I think you can see why. This shade lifts up my face and while it is bright I don’t find it as in your face as no. 6. There is a hint of orange to this that makes it different from anything else I own. It is as if MAC’s Watch Me Simmer & Candy Yum Yum went to have a baby and this came out. If you find these and you didn’t know which shade to get: get this one. You will not regret it.

I can conclude that the HEMA Soft Matt Lip Balms are a great little beauty find. At only €3.50 a pop, they are affordable and the quality you get in return is amazing. The shades overall aren’t too unique, but there is the one off that is different from anything else out there. All you need to do is to find the shade that appeals to you most and you will have a great new lip product to add to your make up bag.

What is the most affordable lipstick you own?