AOU Matte Fossil Bomb [05 Candy Bomb]

I use foundation in shade 19 and although I haven't had my personal color professionally analyzed, I estimate that I have a cool-toned complexion from summer to winter. I had saved the Aesop Balm on my birthday gift list because I heard that even experts use it a lot. I chose the Candy Balm (the deep pink-colored one with a heart-shaped lid in the photo) because I read somewhere that the color suits cool-toned and bright winter complexions. I can see why it's said to suit cool-toned and bright winter complexions - it has a cool, deep, and just the right level of saturation. The texture is soft and fluffy, and it applies smoothly without emphasizing any lip flakiness. It has a velvety feel. Since I didn't have a lip brush, I applied it with my fingers. The color lasted from 1 PM to 6 PM while I was drinking almond milk through a straw and didn't touch it up, but inevitably it became drier over time, so it's good to reapply it occasionally to maintain the initial plump, matte finish. The pigmentation is fairly good.

I had to purchase the tools separately, and it was a bit difficult to control the amount when applying it with my fingers! I'm not sure if I just couldn't control the application well, but I felt like it was a bit heavy and slightly stuffy on my lips. It wasn't a major concern, but please take note of that. And the most important thing, the color... I don't like it when lip products have a whitish cast. This one had a slight whitish cast, so it looked a bit off, and while it wasn't the best match, it was still somewhat wearable. If the whitish cast was absent, the color saturation would have suited me well, and I would have enjoyed using it more. Everything else, I'm satisfied with.