Cheap Thrill/New Product Alert: Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm

This stuff is so new, Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm doesn't even show up on its own Web site yet. But, I did just find it at Ulta. And if it's at a store in Tucson, you know it's got to be out and readily available everywhere but Antarctica (you can never find anything cool and new here).

So, ta da.

At $6.99, it is a cheap thrill as far as natural cosmetics go. It's got more (and better) oil than a BP spill — coconut, vegetable, olive, sunflower seed, castor seed, canola. Plus, it's got shea butter. As you can imagine, this is one of the most hydrating balms around. The balm feels smooth, slick and not the least bit goopy. It lasts, too.

Make no mistake — the tinted balm wouldn't cut it on the set of "Mad Men." Contrary to the "Rose" color's packaging, you don't get a deep, Joan Holloway-worthy red. This balm is among the sheerest of the sheer. It's a very subtle tint that just enhances your own color. The lip tint adds a nice hint of shine, too, which is why I'll cut the sheerness some slack.

Burt's Bees also gets bonus points for the eco-friendly, recyclable, cardboard packaging (makes up for my guilt over three babies' worth of disposable diapers still mucking up the landfills). In fact, the outer tube is cute enough to keep around.

Colors included nude, a pale pink, even a burgundy-ish color deeper than the Rose.

If you're one of those gals who prefers to go light with the lips and likes some shine, you'll definitely want to hunt this down. I like it so much, that after not even a full day of wear, I am going to declare it my new absolute favorite. (Read about previous favorite here.)