Summer Fridays Lip Balm: TikTok vs. Reality
When TikTok made the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm look like the ultimate lip game-changer, I had to investigate. As a Black beauty enthusiast tired of lip products that don’t show up on my two-toned lips, my expectations were high—and ultimately deflated.
The Summer Fridays TikTok Hype
In the realm of beauty content, Summer Fridays lip balm became more than a product—it became a cultural moment. Like its spiritual sister brand Rhode, Summer Fridays has mastered the art of lifestyle marketing – selling not just a lip balm, but the promise of becoming “that girl” with perfectly moisturized, glossy lips. You know the aesthetic: minimal makeup, dewy skin, and that effortless cool-girl vibe we’re all supposedly striving for. TikTok creators transformed these tubes into status symbols, positioning them as the ultimate “that girl” accessory. Influencers staged perfectly lit close-ups, showcasing the balms as a must-have for anyone curating an aspirational lifestyle. As a Black woman who’s tried countless lip products, I approached this trendy balm with both excitement and skepticism. After all, we know the struggle of finding lip products that work with our unique features, especially for those of us with two-toned lips or deeper lip pigmentation.
However, Brown Sugar shade specifically caught my eye—a promise of a nude that might actually show up on my lips. I was sold before I even clicked “add to cart.”
Are Summer Fridays Lip Balm Worth It?
I decided to try the Mini Neutrals Lip Butter Balm Set, which includes four shades: Vanilla, Vanilla Beige, Iced Coffee, and Brown Sugar. At $24 for a full-size tube, getting four minis for the same price seemed like a smart way to experiment with the range.
When the package arrived, the packaging whispered luxury. Sleek tubes promising moisture, a hint of color, that Instagram-worthy moment. My hopes were high, my expectations higher.
Here’s where things get real: despite what you might have seen on social media, the color payoff isn’t quite what’s been advertised. While the balms appear pigmented in the tube, most of them disappear into a sheer gloss upon application. The only shade that shows any real color is Brown Sugar, which gives a subtle nudish-brown tint with slightly purple undertones – and even that’s barely noticeable on deeper skin tones.
The Good, The Bad, and The Reality Check
Let’s talk about what works: these balms do deliver on moisture. My lips felt genuinely soft and hydrated even after the product wore off. The scents are delightful (though short-lived), and there’s something undeniably luxurious about the packaging.
However, to achieve the pigmented look you’ve seen all over social media, you’d need to apply an almost uncomfortable amount of product. For my melanated queens who are looking for a lip product that both moisturizes and enhances our natural lip color, this might not be the game-changer we were promised.
At $24 for a full-size tube, this isn’t an impulse purchase. While it’s a decent lip balm, it’s important to set realistic expectations. If you’re looking for a hydrating lip treatment and don’t mind the sheerness, you might enjoy this. But if you’re expecting the vibrant, pigmented look that’s been flooding your FYP, you might want to save your coins.
The Verdict
I won’t be repurchasing the lip balms, but I’m intrigued enough by the brand to try their famous Jet Lag mask next. Sometimes the product that becomes your holy grail isn’t the one that’s trending – and that’s okay.
For my melanated sisters, especially those with two-toned lips looking for that perfect everyday lip product, this might be more of a supplement to your lip care routine rather than the star of the show. Consider layering it under your favorite pigmented gloss for that perfect combination of care and color.
Remember, what works for the TikTok girlies might not work for everyone – and that’s perfectly fine. Your perfect lip product is out there, even if it’s not currently trending on your FYP.
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