I’ve been subscribed to Ipsy for the best part of three years now, and I’m really glad that they’re starting to include products from Korean beauty brands, too. A few months ago, my Ipsy bag came with a rose lip balm from the popular TonyMoly brand.

The company’s name is variously displayed as TONYMOLY, TONY MOLY, TonyMoly, and Tony Moly, even in official channels and publications. I’ve been inconsistent with how I’ve written it, too. They seem to have changed their logo of late, so I’ll go with TonyMoly—one word, but still kinda reads as two.

Anyway, the product I received is the LIPTONE Lipcare Stick, which comes in three flavors: Honey Moisture (01), Rose Blossom (02), and Mint Light (03). Their website actually shows a fourth beige color, but it doesn’t seem to be available anymore. Tester Korea offered it, and it’s called Sugar Scrub (04).

I’m a huge rose fan, so I was tickled pink to have received the Rose Blossom.

From tonymoly.us:

Give your lips a perfectly refreshing wash of hydration with our LIPTONE™ lip care collection. Features 3 different scents and ingredients (Honey, Rose, and Mint), this totally irresistible lip balm leaves lips feeling soft and kissable with a moisturizing blend that smells so good.

I haven’t bothered to swatch it, simply because it really doesn’t impart very much color to the lips. It goes on nice and sheer, so hardly any color shows up when I apply it to my skin.

The scent is lovely and quite surprisingly close to a natural rose fragrance—it’s fresh, and while it hints at sweetness, it isn’t an especially fake or candied rose. I would definitely buy a bath or body product with this fragrance.

It lingers a bit after application on the lips, but I find that after a short while, I can’t really smell it anymore. Every time I open the tube, though, I get that wonderful burst of rose.

The formula is slick but still feels emollient, and it’s easy to apply a light layer. Lipsticks also apply well over the top. It really is exactly the kind of lip balm formula I like—I’m not a fan of heavier, waxier balms—and the rose fragrance is such a nice bonus.

I won’t say this is the most moisturizing lip balm of all time, but it works well and I dig everything about it!

The packaging is also very nice and a pleasure to use. The plastic tube is larger than usual, more like a lipstick. It is easy to open (just pull it off) while also having a secure snap (you know, those little bumps on the inner tube). The swivel-up mechanism works smoothly and quickly (I utterly despise the tubes that make you turn and turn and turn just to push up a millimeter of product).

Overall, it does remind me somewhat of my favorite drugstore lip balm, Nivea’s Lip Essential, except TonyMoly’s is more lightweight and doesn’t have any greasy feel.

Admittedly, I feel it’s priced a bit high in the US at $10. Sadly, I haven’t found many online Korean shops to stock this at a substantial discount.

Rose Blossom ingredients:

Triisononanoin, Octyldodecanol, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Microcrystalline Wax, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyethylene, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Polybutene, Ceresin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Parfum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methicone, CI 17200, CI 15850, CI 19140, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Rose Extract, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol

•••••

TonyMoly LIPTONE Lipcare Stick in Rose Blossom contains 3.5 g and retails for US$10.

TonyMoly is a cosmetic brand that was launched in 2006. Within ten years, the company had grown to include 825 stores in 15 countries. It is based in Seoul, South Korea.