Lip balm

Getting Lippy: Beecology Buzz Balm Review

July 18, 2013

I’ve shared my love of lip balms with you over the years. So as you can imagine I never get tired to trying out new ones. I recently received the Beecology Buzz Balm Lip Tin, which is a selection of 5 lip balms. The set includes Orange Ginger Lip Balm, Lemon and Lavender Lip Balm, 2 Peppermint Lip Balms and Honey Lip Balm.

I’ve tried Beecology products before and I love that they use natural ingredients and they’re affordably priced. This tine is $10.99 for the set of five lip balms.

These lip balms do not contain any artificial fragrances, colors or silicone. They’re also paraben free. My favorite lip balm out of the bunch is the Lemon & Lavender, it contains: Beeswax, Coconut Butter, Shea Butter, Cupuacu Butter, Lavender and Lemon Oil, Vitamin E, Propolis Extract, Honey, Natural Honey Flavor, Ginger Oil and Monk Fruit Extract.

The buzz balms are smoothing and softening with fresh, clean scents. The Peppermint buzz balm has a light tingley sensation when applied and of course smells minty fresh. The Honey balm has a subtle honey scent and Orange Ginger balm has a lively citrus scent. None of the scents are overly sweet or perfumey and would appeal to men as well as women. The lips balms do not have any color but leave just a hint of sheen on the lips. Most importantly they work well at softening dry lips. They’re a great option if you prefer natural beauty products.

Disclosure: The product featured in this review was provided for editorial consideration. Receipt of this product did not guarantee review and all opinions are my own.

Getting Lippy: Avalon Organics Nourishing Cherry Aloe Organic Lip Balm

January 10, 2012

As I prepped my kiddies to go to school, I also remind them to have good grooming habits. Yes, I raise my boys to never have ashy hands and to always use lip balm. Taking care of yourself isn’t just for women, men need beauty TLC too! So when I saw that the low temperature in NYC today was 30 degrees, I had to prepare my boys properly. So I reached into my lippy bin and fished out two plain lip balms for my boys to have. This got me thinking about lip balms and how amazingly awesome they are.

One of my favorite lip balms is from Avalon Organics because it’s not waxy or sticky like chapstick; they feel great on your lips. Avalon Organics is also USDA certified organic – which makes me feel good about using it AND giving it to my kids. The Nourishing Cherry Aloe lip balm contains organic olive and coconut oil to moisturize, organic shea butter to protect against dry lips and Vitamin E to nourish and heal. So there are lots of beneficial ingredients to not only make your lips soft but to keep them that way. This lip balm is also available in Vanilla Rosemary and Peppermint Green Tea which both sound heavenly, mmm! I relish the company’s’ commitment to consciousness which really resonates with me, this is a statement is from the Avalon Organics website:

Our commitment to Consciousness in Cosmetics creates a larger vision that encompasses us all. Our goal is to honor the body with consciousness. This vision is alive and continually expanding and we are all a part of it. Five distinct elements comprise Consciousness in Cosmetics: Purity and Safety, Sustainability, Products that Work, Sensuality and Personal Choice.

PURITY & SAFETY – “Consciousness of Ingredient Purity”
We only use ingredients that we trust, knowing that they can be absorbed directly into the body through the skin. We relentlessly seek out and use ingredients that are purer, more natural or organic, creating products that are safer to use.

Unfortunately this lip balm doesn’t contain any SPF but it does have a subtle cherry scent that’s mildly intoxicating, if your into cherry scents that is. BUT you can now also sing “I kissed a girl and I liked it, the taste of her cherry chapstick..” without actually kissing a girl, unless you’re into that type of thing, then I totally support that! Plus is only $2.99 which makes lip balm one of the most awesome, useful and affordable beauty products out there. So go ahead and make your lips taste like cherry. 😉

Have you tried Avalon Organics lip balm?

Five Lip Balms That Tint, Soothe and Protect

January 19, 2011

Christmas was about a hundred years ago, the first day of spring is over two months away, and we have not seen the grass (or concrete) in New York for nearly a whole entire month. Most of that is bearable, but what really gets my boyshorts in a twist is zombie winter lips.

I love reds. And nothing is worse that swiping on a pretty, pigmented hue only to have it settle into cracks and adhere to flakes with alarming efficiency, creating a horrible line of demarcation and sapping the joy of lipcolor. A luxe balm helps, but they’re not nearly as fun as a product that is imbued with its own tint. So here are five fabulous tinted balms that will both color and soften dry winter lips.

1.) Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Color Balm: This line, cutely styled in promo pics with cubes of gelatin, comes in eight sheer-ish balms- most of which are subtle enough to work on pretty much everyone. Mango and sheer butter are balm-standard ingredients to moisturize and soothe.

2.) MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner SPF 15: I was a MAC artist when these debuted, and it was the happiest day of my tenure there. Petting Pink is a gorgeous color, but these rich, creamy pots get a vote just for delicious scent alone.

3.) Benefit Benetint Lip Balm SPF 15: I always wanted to love Benetint, but the nail-polish-esque texture wasn’t too practical for on-the-go application. This balmy version is purse friendly and the color is super cheery for glum winter days.

4.) Palladio Tinted Lip Balm in Brownie: I picked this up on an utter whim last week, and it’s a hugely pleasant surprise for $3.99. This is one product I plan on seriously stocking up on, because the color is amazing and the price point is crazy-good. It feels like a softer Chapstick, but the color is something akin to MAC’s Twig. Top marks!

5.) Korres Lip Butter: The sunny Quince color of this balm is both peachy and pink, and the formula, free of parabens and synthetic fragrance, can be used both on lips and cheeks for a subtle, healthy glow.

Do you have a favorite tinted balm? Have I skipped over any must-haves?

Buddha Balm, good karma?

August 30, 2010

Buddha Balm company mission: To be relevant in the lives of our users and inspire people to realize their potential and their dreams. How can lip balm do that? It’s simple, when you feel good, you do good.

Buddha Balm has concocted a sweet treat for your lips! These deliciously flavored and scented lip balms are soy-based, petroleum, preservative and paraben free. Buddha Balm comes in four Flavors: Lychee Pomegranate, Burnt Sugar Fig, Mandarin Orange Ginger and Crushed Mint Apple. These lip balms have moisturizing ingredients such as Coconut Oil, Soybean oil, Vitamin E and Beeswax to keep you lips soft and protected.

I tried all four flavors but I would have to say that the Lychee Pomegranate was my favorite. The fruity taste was not overwhelming and kept my lips smooth and supple all day long. The texture is creamy and easily glides across the lips. These lip balms can be purchased for $4 at Kitson, Ricky’s NYC and buddhabalm.com. These lip balms are great quality at a great price – good karma indeed.

Disclosure: The product(s) featured in this review were provided for editorial consideration. Receipt of a product does not guarantee review and all opinions are my own. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.