Sweet Pink Duo with Birthday Cake + Strawberry Soft Serve Lip Butter Balm

If you’ve ever wished your lips could live inside a dessert menu, the Summer Fridays Sweet Pink Duo with Birthday Cake + Strawberry Soft Serve Lip Butter Balm is… dangerously close to that dream.

I picked this set up from Sephora for $38, telling myself it was a “good value” and not just an excuse to own something called Strawberry Soft Serve. Spoiler: it’s both.

The basics
You get two limited-edition shades/flavors of Summer Fridays’ Lip Butter Balm:

• Strawberry Soft Serve – a cool baby pink that gives that soft, “I woke up like this (but hydrated)” vibe.
• Birthday Cake – a light pink with shimmer that looks like you RSVP’d “yes” to your own party.

Both come in Summer Fridays’ updated packaging, which feels nicer and a bit more elevated than their earlier tubes. It’s still very “throw in your bag and go,” but cute enough that I don’t mind reapplying in public like I’m in a Sephora ad.

Texture & feel
These are called “Lip Butter Balm,” which is usually code for “thick and sticky.” Surprisingly, they’re not. On the lips they’re:

• Smooth and buttery, with that “thick but thin” strange magic: substantial enough to feel like they’re doing something, but light enough that you don’t feel like you’ve shellacked your mouth.
• Not sticky. They have more of a glossy balm feel than a true gloss, so hair-in-lip situations are minimal unless you’re in full wind-tunnel mode.

Hydration-wise, they’re nicely moisturizing, especially for daytime and touch-ups. My lips feel comfortably soft while they’re on and a bit better afterward, but if your lips are chronically desert-level dry and you’re expecting overnight-treatment results, this is more “pretty, cushy balm” than “intensive lip mask.”

Color & finish
The color payoff is chef’s kiss if you like subtle:

• Both are in the soft pink family, so don’t expect dramatic shade variety. On my lips they lean “Pink Sugar filter” more than “new lipstick who this.”
• Strawberry Soft Serve gives a sheer, cool baby pink tint that brightens the face without screaming “I’m wearing makeup.”
• Birthday Cake adds a light wash of pink with noticeable shimmer. It catches the light in a flattering way—think soft sparkle, not disco ball.

One thing to note: if you’re sensitive to shimmer texture, you might feel a hint of it in Birthday Cake. It’s not sandpaper-level, but it’s there. If you love a smooth cream finish only, you’ll probably prefer Strawberry Soft Serve.

Scent & vibe
If you’ve been burned by aggressively fake strawberry scents in the past, this is not that. The duo leans into sweet, fun, dessert-y territory, but the strawberry smells more like fresh berries than candy. Birthday Cake is exactly what it sounds like: think “soft, sugary, party in a tube.” It’s playful without being nauseating.

The whole experience feels very curated: pink, pretty, cozy, slightly nostalgic. It’s the makeup version of wearing a cute matching sweatsuit and pretending that’s “self-care.”

Wear time
On me, the shine and moisture hang around respectably for a balm–gloss hybrid, but not all day. I’d say:

• Shine: a few hours if you’re not constantly sipping or snacking
• Hydration: lingers a bit after the shine fades, but not in a treatment-level way

They reapply beautifully, though—no clumping, no weird line, no patchiness—so I don’t mind topping up.

Value & who it’s for
At $38 for the duo, this is definitely in the “treat yourself” category. You’re paying for:

• Limited-edition flavors/shades
• Very wearable pink tones
• A comfy, non-sticky formula that feels more luxe than a standard drugstore balm

You’ll probably love this set if:

• You like subtle, pretty pinks rather than bold color
• You want your lip product to feel like skincare and look like gloss
• You’re a Summer Fridays fan or just easily tempted by limited-edition anything

You might not love it if:

• You want deep, long-lasting hydration like a heavy-duty lip mask
• You dislike shimmer you can occasionally feel
• You want two totally different colors rather than variations in the same pink family

Final thoughts
The Sweet Pink Duo is not a life-changing, must-have survival item—but it is a genuinely delightful, mood-lifting one. It makes my lips look soft, glossy, and just the right amount of pink, while smelling like a very cute bakery. With an overall rating hovering just above 4 stars from other reviewers, I’d say that tracks: it’s not perfect, but it’s very easy to fall in love with.

If you’re already a Summer Fridays lip balm person or you live for pretty, soft-pink, dessert-scented things, this duo is an extremely easy “yes.” If you’re hunting for a hardcore treatment, it’s more icing than cake—but sometimes, the icing is the best part.