Mojo Cosmetics TITAN + Lip Therapy

A couple of weeks ago we dug a site called Mojo, which sells flashy, James Bond-ish cosmetics (including lip balm) in a high tech, aeronautics-inspired case. At the time of the dig, I hadn't tried Mojo's Lip Therapy balm yet, but in the intervening weeks I got my hands on one and you know what that means...

Price: Not cheap. The balm itself (which comes in "bullets" and can be purchased solo) is $18. The spiffy case into which it fits, called the TITAN (points off for mandatory capitalization- do I have to yell when I say it?), is $32. Together the duo costs $40, so relatively speaking it's a steal.

Appearance: If an Aston Martin and a martini shaker had a baby, it would envy the TITAN. It is sleek, curvy and attention-grabbing (not gonna lie, also resembles (not that I would know) another kind of bullet-associated recreational...object). The one I have isn't as shiny as the pretty pictures, but maybe it could be with a little polish. Neatly and aesthetically laser-etched onto the case is the periodic table symbol for aluminum (atomic number and everything) and the company and product name.

The balm itself is a pleasant cream color, comes in a thin, streamlined, metal bullet that twists upward, and is angled like a lipstick. The bullet slots neatly into the TITAN case- all told, there are four pieces that easily screw together to make up the package. The whole thing is a bit heavier and a bit fatter than your standard tube, but it's also a little shorter. There are no hard edges, so it's very comfortable in the hand or the pocket.

Glide: Excellent. A leeeetle sticky, but consistently smooth.

Flavor/Smell: Peppermint. Simple, unsweetened, a little boring, but definitely unisex.

Lasting Power: Miles and miles. Lip Therapy is botanically formulated, with shea butter, aloe, green tea, rose hips, sugar cane extract, cucumber (!), and vitamins A and E in a beeswax/carnuba base. It softens and moisturizes very well.

Product Plusses: Instant conversation starter. The cool factor of this thing is off the charts. I feel like the Google guys should have a couple of these. Okay, maybe it seriously clashes with everything I own and am, but it's still fun as hell to use and look at. Sometimes I pull it out just to listen to the metallic whizz of the cap spinning on and off, but I'm weird.

It's heat and scratch-proof. It also attaches to your keychain or bag hook and is refillable and presumably recyclable. One downside is the superfluous amount of (admittedly awesome) packaging that comes with it.

Veridict: 4.5 out of 5 tubes. The price kills me, but the aesthetics absolutely captivate me, and the balm is good stuff. So if you're into flat screen TVs, MacBook Pros and MTV's CRIBS, maybe put this on your birthday list.


* Stay tuned, Mojo fans- we've got an interview with the creator/president in a few.*