Lip balm may not seem like the most glamorous beauty product but when the lip balm is by Prada (which seems to have the Midas touch at present) it can’t be ignored. And its latest launch is particularly interesting.

Some readers may remember just a couple of weeks ago Sabrina Carpenter released her new video Manchild that contained a clip of her snacking on some Prada-branded banana candies. The video also came with a limited release of Prada Banana candy.

Well that was part of the subtle-but-unavoidable build-up to the fact that the brand is releasing a new lip balm — the refillable Prada Balm in Banana Yellow.

Available from 1 July, it will retail for £40/US$50 so is clearly one of the most expensive products of its type on the market.

And another key point is that it revives the unforgettable banana motif of the Prada SS11 collection, “reinventing it in the most unexpected ways”.

The company and its beauty license-holder L’Oréal said that “from fashion to beauty, Prada Balm in Banana Yellow reveals new possibilities for this timeless pattern, which embodies the brand’s renowned harmonious balance of playfulness and sophistication – from the vibrant yellow bullet and banana-inspired scent to the golden warm lustre finish it leaves upon the lips”.

Prada first launched its lip balms in 2023 and following the success of the signature Prada Balm, the Prada Color Changing Lip Balm in Astral Pink was launched in 2024, sparking conversation with its pastel blue bullet and innovative Micro-Blushing tech that adapts to the lips’ PH, (as the company says, “creating a tailored rosy glow that appears entirely unique on every lip”).

It added that the new Banana Yellow version “offers a unique tactile experience, reminiscent of Prada’s signature Nylon fabric” and, importantly, “embraces maximum versatility, enhancing cheeks with a sheer but lustrous finish, for a harmonious, summerlike glow”.

And it contains Bifidus extract and jojoba oil that are claimed to deliver “up to 24-hour hydration and all-day comfort”.

What’s clear from this is that Prada, unlike some in the luxury sector, isn’t losing confidence in the so-called lipstick effect (or maybe it should be the lip balm effect here) that sees consumers tapping into luxury brands via the beauty sector but at more affordable prices than buying into a label’s fashion offer.