About theBalm Cosmetics
theBalm cosmetics is a clean, green beauty brand with a quirky vibe. Their high-quality line of richly pigmented cosmetics is formulated for quick and easy application.
Though many women rave about the quality of their makeup, theBalm is most well-known for its fun vintage-inspired packaging and creative product names.
The company has been featured by Allure, The Mancunion, BusinessMirror, Elite Daily, Cosmo, PopSugar, Refinery29, Heavy, and many other notable media outlets. They have a following of 355k clean, green beauty lovers on Facebook and 2.5 million on Instagram.
This theBalm cosmetics review will give you a rundown of what the company has to offer. We’ll provide details on bestsellers, customer reviews, promotions, and more, to help you decide if their cosmetics are worth the buy.
Overview of theBalm
For many women, applying makeup is a tedious task that’s just part of their daily routine. Despite this, makeup has the potential to be incredibly creative, completely changing your look depending on how you feel.
Marissa Shipman, a self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, wanted to leave her boring job behind to do something that she enjoyed every day. Truly feeling that she had a lot to give to the beauty industry, she started the brand back in 2004. After hand-mixing her first-ever products, theBalm was born. They now operate from their headquarters in San Francisco, California.
Marissa and the rest of theBalm team are passionate about creating high-performing products at an affordable price point. Today, theBalm’s richly pigmented, triple-milled products are available in pharmacies and beauty stores across the USA, as well as around the world.
Plus, they think that applying makeup should be fun and inspiring, which is why theBalm is so well-known for creative product names and quirky packaging. Their products were designed to stand out in stores, but they’ll stand out on your vanity, too.
According to their website, theBalm believes that “confidence is a gorgeous color on you,” which is why they are on a mission to help you “look good in a matter of minutes.” Indeed, their unique and effective products are designed for quick and easy application so you put your makeup on and head out the door having enjoyed the experience.
Now that you know a bit about the brand and its roots, this theBalm cosmetics review will go over the pros and cons.
Pros
- Wide range of makeup products to choose from
- Cruelty-free
- Transparent about all ingredients included in their products
- Uses recyclable and post-consumer packaging
- Packaging and product names are fun and attractive
- Paraben-free and Talc-free
- Contains nourishing oils to condition and protect skin
- Customers report that products apply well, smell nice, and are high quality
- Affordable when compared to similar brands
- 15% off when you sign up for their newsletter
- Get a gift with your purchase of $40
- Rewards program: earn 1 point per $1 spent and use points towards your next purchase
- Ships internationally
Cons
- Some products are not vegan
- Some customers have said certain products perform inconsistently
theBalm products help you get glammed up in a matter of minutes. Their easy-to-apply range of primers, highlighters, bronzers, shadows, and lipsticks provide long-lasting color to help you look your best while you get what you need to, done.
theBalm Cosmetics Review
With a mission to instill confidence, theBalm offers an array of beauty-enhancing products to help you feel and look your best. theBalm’s best-selling products, featured next in this theBalm cosmetics review, include smoothing primers, illuminating highlighters and bronzers, rich lipsticks, and versatile eyeshadow palettes.
theBalm Anne T. Dotes Primer Review
Primer fills in pores, covers uneven tones, and smooths out the skin so that when you put your foundation on, your skin looks flawless. You could say that a good primer is an antidote for skin imperfections, and that’s exactly what theBalm gives with the Anne T. Dotes Primer.
Providing the ideal base so that your foundation doesn’t go to waste, this primer helps avoid unnecessary waste for the environment, too. Its adorable baby-pink tube is made entirely from post-consumer recycled materials.
Aside from helping your skin look its best, this primer conditions skin with the help of Rosehip Oil, a powerhouse product. Not only does it provide hydration and reduce redness, but it also boosts collagen production and protects against skin damage.
This primer helps the foundation and other makeup stay on longer throughout the day, even in humid situations. The Anne T. Dotes Primer is available for $24 (1oz).
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Review
Highlighter has the power to accentuate whatever feature you want to attract attention to. A true girl’s best friend, the Mary-Lou Manizer helps skin look softer and younger thanks to its light-diffusing properties.
This champagne-colored luminizer creates a dewy glow, adding enhancement to brow bones, cheeks, the bridge of your nose, or anywhere else you want to show off. Use it day or night to elevate your look with some added shimmer.
The Mary-Lou Manizer is available for $24 (0.32oz). Follow up with a sweep of theBalm Take Home the Bronze bronzer to add depth and dimension to cheeks after highlighting.
theBalm The Manizer Sisters Review
A trio of shimmery goodness, The Manizer Sisters helps you to define your best features. Illuminate, bronze, and accentuate with this pack of versatile shades. It contains three triple-milled powders that can be used highlighter, eyeshadow, or body shimmer.
The Manizer Sisters, otherwise known as “the luminizer,” “the con-tour artist,” and “the bronzing bandit,” were arrested for their out-of-this-world glows. Don’t worry, the brand formulated these shades so that the only thing you’ll be guilty of is a gorgeously enhanced complexion.
All three powders are neutral shades, so they look great on any skin tone. This compact set fits nicely into your clutch for touch-ups throughout your day, night, or any time you feel you may need a little extra glitz. This attention-grabbing palette is $28 (three 0.11oz shades).
theBalm Foiled Again Review
What’s better than one beautifully pigmented eyeshadow? 12! Foiled Again contains 12 mix-and-match shades of matte and shimmery shadows for those who like to try new things. This palette contains a base, crease, and highlight shades—everything you need to create an intriguing eyeshadow look.
These shadows can be applied wet for a glossy, concentrated look, or dry for a more traditional, powdery eyeshadow effect. Either look you choose, your eyes will catch anyone’s attention, just like theBalm Girl.
This set contains neutral, matte shades like Arrested and Masked, as well as the more intense, shimmery Cahoots and Behind Bars. Foiled Again is available for $34 (0.34oz).
theBalm The Balm and The Beautiful – Episode 1 Review
For the girl who knows what she likes, this palette contains eight of theBalm’s most versatile shades.
A mix of matte and shimmer, The Balm and The Beautiful – Episode 1 is a warm and neutral palette that features golden tones, rich browns, and illuminating champagne highlighters.
The shadows in this palette contain jojoba, rosemary, and grape seed oils, as well as vitamin E to soften and nourish skin while giving you beautiful, rich color. These oils are packed with antioxidants and healing powers to improve skin tone and texture over time.
Get soap opera ready with shades like Autograph and Green Screen for $36. For a truly TV-ready look, pair this palette with a theBalm blush or bronzer.
theBalm Bahama Mama Review
Does anyone like looking orange? Despite this theBalm cosmetics review not being able to come up with one single person that’s requested orange (outside of the high-fashion world), so many bronzers still contain those undertones. Bahama Mama doesn’t. (Thank goodness!)
Tuck this thin and compact beauty into your clutch for nights out on the town. Add a couple of extra swipes anytime you need a little pop of color. If you want to use this bronzer as an eyeshadow or brow-filler, go ahead, theBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer is one versatile lady.
If you’re more of a blush gal, try theBalm Hot Mama instead. Get a natural glow with Bahama Mama for $20 (0.25oz).
theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Vol. 3 Review
You have a dynamic personality and love to mix things up. One shade of lipstick just doesn’t cut it. You’re a woman of multiple styles and just want a selection of shades that look good on your skin tone.
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes Vol. 3 contains six mini lipsticks that are perfect to wear if you DO get to meet Matt Hughes or anyone else for that matter.
This limited edition kit lets you switch up your look. Love that classic red? Great! Or, try a lighter pink for a new, but you, look. These long-lasting shades will stay with you throughout the day, providing concentrated color for hours.
Each mini shade is just the right size to test it out without making too much of a commitment. Meet Matte Hughes Vol. 3 is available for $29.
theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Vol. 2 Review
This kit contains more neutral, warmer tones than its successor, so it’s great for those with deeper skin tones. Meet Matte Hughes Vol. 2 includes six mini, long-lasting lipsticks that let you experiment with your look.
Wear one each day of the week, if you please, or swap ‘em throughout the day depending on your mood.
These are matte lipsticks, meaning they are high on color, but low on shine, for a chic and kissable look that won’t smudge. Meet Matte Hughes Vol. 2 is available for $29.
theBalm Magnetic Personality Review
Why magnetic you ask? Like the seasons, preferences change. Keep the shades you’re into now and store the others for later. Magnetic Personality lets you keep everything you love in one place.
This theBalm eyeshadow set comes with a flat magnetic palette and 12 pan-only foiled shadows.
Magnetic Personality is a warm, autumn-inspired palette with rich red-amber, brown, and golden hues. The palette is reusable, so when you run out of the shadows, simply buy the individual shades and pop them on. Magnetic Personality is available for $35.
theBalm Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
This theBalm cosmetics review will now reveal what customers honestly think of the brand.
We found customer reviews from the brand’s website, Temptalia, Influenster, and A Spoonies Makeup Bag, to learn about customers’ personal experience using theBalm’s best-selling products. What did we find? Thousands of positive reviews across their product line.
Here’s a look at how their bestsellers measure up. If you hadn’t yet noticed how quirky the brand was, maybe their hot chili pepper rating scale will do it for you:
- Nude Dude: over 900 reviews and an average of 4.6/5 hot peppers
- Schwing: over 600 reviews and an average of 4.5/5 hot peppers
- Meet Matt(e) Hughes: over 2700 reviews and an average of 4.7/5 hot peppers
- Bahama Mama: over 700 reviews and an average of 4.7/5 hot peppers
- Hot Mama: over 400 reviews and an average of 4.9/5 hot peppers
The Meet Matt(e) Hughes lipsticks are their most-loved product. Customers who love these lipsticks mention their smooth application, lovely scent, and long-lasting color. One review on theBalm echos these sentiments:
“I love that it lasts all day long once it dries and doesn’t wipe off on my drinks or face masks at work. It’s an amazing color and feels great. Not too drying. And it has a nice flavor?”
On Influenster, the company’s products have been reviewed over 35k times. Their products are well-loved there, with an average of more than 4.5/5 stars on most of them. Favorites, such as the Bahama Mama and Cindy Lou Manizer powders have each earned 4.6/5 stars from thousands of ratings.
These powders are loved on Influenster because they apply smoothly, feature adorable packaging, and they’re flattering on a variety of skin tones. One Bahama Mama reviewer perfectly sums up what many have said:
“First of all, the packaging is adorable, compact, and even comes with a little mirror! The color of the bronzer is gorgeous and would go well with tons of skin tones… a perfect neutral not too warm/cool shade. I would 100℅ recommend this product to all of my friends!”
Temptalia’s Christine, a makeup reviewing queen, gave The Manizer Sisters an A rating. She reflects on their quality, application, and finishes: “The quality is the same as the full-sized versions I have: rich, smooth, and buttery textured combined with the great color payoff and luminous finishes.”
What Christine didn’t like about this trio was the price: “The full-sized versions retail for $24.00 and contain 0.30 oz. of the product (or $80.00/oz.), so this palette contains $26.40 worth of product. You pay a tiny bit more to try three.” Though, she does not consider this a huge deal.
The majority of negative theBalm cosmetics reviews are in regards to shipping. Though, some reveal that the Meet Matt(e) Hughes lipsticks don’t actually last all day, come off quite easily, and are inconsistent across shades:
“Some of the lipsticks were kind of clumpy and peeled off/cracked while wearing. I also noticed a really bad chemical smell in almost all the tubes,” via a reviewer on the brand’s site.
The BBB gave theBalm only a C+ rating, though there has only been one complaint in the last three years and the company is not accredited.
While we take negative testimonials seriously, it is important to note that the company’s collection has mostly positive reviews. Though not every user fell in love with their products, our research shows that their products come highly recommended.
Is theBalm Worth It?
theBalm’s product line is simple but impactful. Their quirky packaging and creative product names add a playful edge to their quality cosmetics.
Their products are cruelty-free, paraben-free, and talc-free, and are considered green and clean. Plus, their packaging is fully recyclable and made from post-consumer materials, so you can feel good about helping the environment while you grow your beauty collection.
Customers enjoy their products and report that the colors are vibrant, the application is easy, and the quality for the price is spot on. Some customers note that certain products are inconsistent, but we only found a handful of negative testimonials.
One of the things we love most about the brand is how accessible their products are. theBalm can be found in pharmacies across North America, as well as in many online beauty stores around the world.
Ultimately, if you’re looking to incorporate some fun into your beauty routine with high-quality products at an affordable price point, this theBalm cosmetics review believes their products are worth the buy.
theBalm Promotions & Discounts
This theBalm cosmetics review has found the following promotions and discounts available on theBalm.com:
- 15% off when subscribing to the newsletter
- Gift on orders over $40 with promo code: ‘LID-QUID’
- theBalm rewards program: earn 1 point per $1 spent to redeem rewards
- Free international shipping on orders over $75
Where to Buy theBalm Cosmetcs
For the best selection of products, you can shop directly from theBalm.com.
Other options include Walmart, Allbeauty.com, iHerb.com, Bridget’s Boutique, LookFantastic.com, theBalm Sephora Singapore collection, and many others.
FAQ
Is theBalm cruelty-free?
theBalm products are all certified cruelty-free. However, they are not completely vegan because the brand still uses animal-derived ingredients, such as beeswax in their formulas.
Is theBalm non-toxic?
The brand’s products do not contain talc or parabens. theBalm claims that their products are “green” and “clean.”
Is theBalm hypoallergenic?
This theBalm cosmetics review has not come across any information that states their products are hypoallergenic.
What is theBalm’s Shipping Policy?
Orders take 2-8 business days to process. Domestic shipping rates vary and will be listed at checkout.
theBalm ships internationally! Simply change your country to, for example, the theBalm PK site, to see product prices in your denominations.
International shipping rates are as follows:
- Canada $30, or free for orders over $75
- Rest of the World $30, or free for orders over $75
What is theBalm’s Return Policy?
You can return your theBalm product within 30 days of purchase. Returns will either be issued a store credit or a full refund (minus the shipping costs).
This theBalm cosmetics review notes that products purchased in bundles cannot be returned. The brand accepts returns on gently used products but is unable to offer refunds or exchanges for excessively used products. To make a return:
- Send your return to theBalm Cosmetics at: 4649 Aircenter Circle, Suite 101, Reno, Nevada 89502
- Be sure to include your reference or order number
- When theBalm inspects your return, you will receive an email confirmation
- If your return is accepted, theBalm will issue a refund to your original method of payment
- Refunds can take up to 5 days to appear in your account
How to Contact theBalm
If you have any questions after reading theBalm cosmetics review, you can do so through:
- Email: info@thebalm.com
- theBalm customer service number: (888) 747-2256
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