Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balms

As you may know, I initially wasn't a huge fan of Clinique's original Chubby Sticks. Not that I couldn't appreciate why there is a market for them, or that I didn't understand why some people love them. The idea of a lip product in a crayon barrel is now widely imitated, and Clinique is the company that popularized it. I guess I just wasn't impressed with what it is given the price point. I mean, I get that it's a glorified tinted lip balm, but it just didn't do it for me. The colour pay-off was almost too sheer (honestly, I got the brightest shades and they just barely tinted my lips), I didn't find it particularly moisturizing, and the packaging certainly isn't luxurious. And maybe I just got a bad batch or something, but mine actually smelled plasticky (I understand that Clinique is 100% fragrance-free, but I also don't want to smell the actual ingredients used in it, you know?). Like, it was almost gag-worthy. Anyway, my point is, when Clinique announced the release of their Chubby Stick Intense, I got curious. Especially when all the rave reviews starting rolling out. So, I went to my local Clinique counter to swatch them, and let's just say... I think I changed my mind about the Chubby Stick. 
Heftiest Hibiscus, Mightiest Maraschino, Plushest Punch, and Grandest Grape
Clinique describes their new Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm as "a soft cushion of colour that's not quite sheer, not quite opaque — just the perfect happy medium." The formula is infused with "mango and shea butters so lips feel comfortably soft and smooth." Currently, they are available in eight colours. They are scent- and taste-free. Each Chubby Stick Intense comes in shade-matched self-sharpening "crayon" barrels, contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $19.
Heftiest Hibiscus, Mightiest Maraschino, Plushest Punch, and Grandest Grape

Heftiest Hibiscus is a medium vibrant reddened orange with a glossy sheen. This is a permanent shade. The texture is creamy and balm-like, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and nearly opaque colour pay-off. It is less orange and less bright than MAC Korean Candy Sheen Supreme Lipstick, more red and brighter than MAC So Chaud, and more orange than Revlon Candy Apple Lip Butter. 

Mightiest Maraschino is a medium vibrant cool-toned cherry red with a glossy sheen. This is a permanent shade. The texture is creamy and balm-like, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and nearly opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC New Temptation Sheen Supreme Lipstick, lighter than MAC MAC Red, and brighter and darker than Revlon Cherry Tart Lip Butter. 

Plushest Punch is a medium vibrant reddened pink with a glossy sheen. This is a permanent shade. The texture is creamy and balm-like, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and nearly opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly warmer than MAC Insanely It Sheen Supreme Lipstick, more reddened than MAC Speak Louder, and warmer than Revlon Lollipop Lip Butter. 

Grandest Grape is a medium-dark berry-plum with a glossy sheen. This is a permanent shade. The texture is creamy and balm-like, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and nearly opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more plum than MAC Quite The Thing! Sheen Supreme Lipstick, lighter than MAC Rebel, and much cooler and more purple than Revlon Red Velvet Lip Butter.

Whereas the original Chubby Stick is more for those who love natural-looking lip shades, these are for people who love colour. I would actually say these are more on the opaque side than a "happy medium" like Clinique claims. I like that these are creamy but don't have a lot of slip. As a result, they also wear a bit longer on the lips — about four to five hours before fading. I also felt like these kept my lips soft both during wear and after as well. Grandest Grape stains a little bit after wear, but I have to note that these aren't really comparable to Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, which really, really stain the lips (even after swiping with a make-up remover). Compared to the Balm Stains, these are also more pigmented, more hydrating, and have a creamier consistency. These are almost like a hybrid between Revlon's Balm Stains and Lip Butters, but more pigmented. So, basically, these are instant loves for me. If you liked the concept of the Chubby Stick but wanted better colour pay-off, Clinique finally delivered!