Friday Faves: Lip Balm

I’m a massive lip balm freak and pretty much buy one whenever I can. Having dry lips is horrible and I try my absolute best to avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately our lips aren’t weatherproof though so as the bitter cold rolls in we need to up the ante with our lip care. These balms are the ones I reach for regularly when my lips are feeling the cold.

Nuxe Reve de Miel – reviewed here. It’s a gorgeous lip balm and creates a lovely barrier whilst hydrating your lips. Quite pricey but definitely worth it.

Dr Lipp Nipple Balm for Lips – reviewed here. Another firm favourite. Made of pure medical grade lanolin, not only is this amazing for during the day but it’s also a fantastic overnight lip treatment. If your lips get really dry, flaky and chapped then you need this baby in your life.

Simple Kind to Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser* – reviewed here. This gives a lovely glossy finish and creates a nice barrier on your lips, so it’s perfect for days when you’ll be outside braving the cold. It contains paraffinum liquidum (a type of mineral oil) so it’s not exactly hydrating, but a great dry lip preventer nonetheless.

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser – This feels like more of a cream than a balm, but it does wonders on cracked lips. I often pair it under the Dr Lipp at night if my lips are cracked or sore.

Molton Brown Vitamin Lip Saver – I’ve had this for ages so the packaging has changed now, but it’s a fantastic balm. Very thick and very moisturising, if my lips are dry and I apply this I can literally feel them coming back to life.

Carmex – A solid favourite and a lip balm staple. Love the medicated scent and also that you can feel it working. It doesn’t last as long as some of the more dense lip balms, but it never lets me down.

Nivea – Another staple. This is probably my favourite out of all Nivea balms. It’s got a very waxy texture so it’s perfect for sealing lip stains. I love to use it when my lipstick has started to fade and I’ve forgotten to bring it out with me. It freshens up the colour and stops my lips drying out.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner – Although it’s a stick it’s got a very thick texture so it’s another perfect overnight treatment. However I don’t find it as heavy duty as Dr Lipp or Molton Brown. It’s also another balm that’s perfect over stains or underneath lipsticks. Love, love, love.

Elizabeth Arden 8hr Skin Protectant* - reviewed here. I don’t use this on my lips very often, but when I do it’s usually because I don’t have anything else at hand. It’s a great multiuse product, and the mineral oil means it’s a great protector.

  

What’s your favourite lip balm? Have you tried any of these?

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#LiveBloggers Review: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Skin Protectant Cream

I know this product has been reviewed into oblivion so I’m going to keep this one short, but after receiving this in my #LiveBloggers goody bag it’s safe to say I’m in love. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Skin Protectant* is literally a Godsend – especially with the cold weather rolling in.

The uses are endless – cuticles, hangnails, lips, heels, elbows, knees, burns, eyebrows, cheekbones, cuts, scrapes – need I continue? I’m in love.

The smell is a bit strange, some people say it’s quite medical whereas I’d say it’s a lot like wax. It’s available in a scent free version though, so there’s alternative available if you’d prefer.

Bottom line: It’s amazing. Pricey, yes. But still amazing. It does contain mineral oil, which annoys me a little, but aside from that it’s good stuff.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Skin Protectant Cream is available from Boots, Debenhams and Feel Unique with prices ranging from £20 to £25 for 50ml. However I’ve found it on the Cheap Smells website, priced at £15.95/50ml – bargain!

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Glossybox - July

Ever since I got my years’ sub to Glossybox (a steal at just £50!) my boxes have been awful (perhaps not a steal?!). You may have noticed a distinct lack in monthly beauty box posts (aside from the LIB themed boxes), and that’s because they’ve been rubbish. In fact, the contents of the last few boxes have all been given to friends/family.

So yesterday when the Hermes guy delivered my box, I wasn’t feeling that excited. Okay, I was a little. But only because it feels like ages since I got the last one.

  

So. In the box:

HD Brows Eye & Brow Palette – full size worth £19.95

Clynol Colour Enrich Shampoo – 50ml worth £1.55

MONU Golden Glow – 30ml worth £3.45

Jelly Pong Pong Irish Cream Pavlova Lip Frosting – full size worth £10

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Lotion – 5ml worth £3.20

*BONUS Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference sample set*

HD Brows Eye & Brow Palette

This item probably made this box the ‘best box’. Although now I’ve tried it I really don’t see the hype. I know if I didn’t get it I would have moaned, but now I do have it it’s just a bit meh.

Clynol Colour Enrich Shampoo

My hair isn’t dyed so this didn’t excite me. I tend to use a lot of shampoo so this would only have lasted one wash anyway.

MONU Golden Glow

<rant> Eugh. Don’t. Just don’t. I can’t wait to get my tan on with this … NOT. I stated in my beauty profile that I’m black – if they didn’t know then I wouldn’t be mad. But they do know. Don’t ask if you’re not going to use them! </rant>

T: Heavily swatched. B: Blended.

Jelly Pong Pong Irish Cream Pavlova Lip Frosting

I’ve actually been wanting to try these for a while as I’ve seen a few people on BBS with it. But it smells sickly, like kids’ sweets – i.e. sugar and E-numbers. Not only that but mineral oil? Why would I ever use this on my face when it contains mineral oil? Especially as it’s the first ingredient. And parabens too? No ta.

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Lotion

The sample is a bit on the small side so I’m not sure whether I’ll really be able to test this thoroughly. Will be good to try though.

The bonus samples were a nice touch, but one-use samples are of no use to me (I know that sounds so diva-ish, but you never truly know what a product is like after one use).

Worth over £38, this box was pretty decent. But I’m so over the GB hype. I won’t cancel my sub, it was such a deal and honestly speaking I’d feel a bit out of the loop if I wasn’t subbed.

Did you get a box this month?

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Review: Simple Kind To Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser

I’m a complete lip balm addict. I don’t have a huge collection, but I’ve got enough to last me a while let’s say. But whilst I have so many, I’m really fussy with what I use on a daily basis. I didn’t realise that Simple produced lip balms, but I was dying to try one when I found out. Queue Simple Kind To Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser*.

I love the applicator; it’s hygienic and means that I can apply it on the go without a mirror. Although, some of it tends to get in the seal so bits of lint stick to it in your bag – which is why I keep mine in my lip balm bag, yes I’m sad.

This product reminds me a lot of my Dr Lipp Nipple Balm For Lips – reviewed here – but it’s not as thick – and suitable for veggies. I’d say that it’s like a gloss/balm hybrid. It has the texture and consistency of a gloss, but when you apply it it’s very balmy with a glossy finish.

This is what a thin layer looks like applied on my lips. My lips were a wee bit flaky before I applied this so you can see how it has added a lot of moisture and enhanced my natural lip colour slightly too.

  

It lasts quite well, probably around 2-3 hours before you need to reapply – even through eating and drinking. I like to apply it at night if my lips have gotten particularly dry throughout the day, and it’s always still there in the morning. This was sent to me about two weeks ago and I’ve used it religiously since.

I tried using this underneath my lipstick to see how it fared as a primer, and let’s just say it’s not primer material. However I found that it was perfect for those lipsticks that really don’t suit me.

Here’s what I mean …

The left is Elizabeth Arden in Ginger alone – hideous on my skin tone, and the right is Ginger applied over the Simple Lip Moisturiser. It dilutes the colour enough to make it wearable.

  

The left is bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lip Colour in Confidence. I love it but it’s way too bold and doesn’t last well if I blot it. The right is Confidence applied over the balm.

  

The left is Collection in Coffee Break, a very shimmery brown but too orangey for me. The right is applied over the balm, the camera hasn’t picked it up but it gives a really subtle shimmer.

Bottom line: It’s a must-have in any lip balm/makeup bag!

You can buy Simple Kind To Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser from Superdrug at the bargain price of £1.49.

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