Desert Essence Lip Rescue balm

Desert Essence Lip Rescue Balm
with Eco-Harvest Tea Tree Oil

$1.99 - $3 (Varies by Co-op and Grocery store. Available at Lexington Co-op and Wegman's)

[Soybean oil, beeswax, candelilla wax, carnuaba wax, aloe extract, jojoba seed oil, vit e, propyl gallate, tea tree oil]

*note: the Propyl Gallate scared me after I had been wearing this for a while. It is an ester used to keep cosmetics from oxidation*

This is one of three in a trio of Desert Essence Lip balms intended to heal, protect, and nourish your lips. And please note, they advertise as Vegan but make sure you CHECK the ingredients before purchase. They do utilize beeswax in some products.

When you first unwrap this baby from its safety seal you're blown away a bit by the intense scent. If you haven't taken a whiff of tea tree oil, well you may not enjoy this. It smells very much like tea tree oil. I find it invigorating. However, do not enjoy the taste. You will not be licking your lips with this stuff on it. I don't guarantee you, I warn you.

This balm glides on nicely. I have found though the lower down in the tube I get, there is some granulation. This is not too pleasing, but it is sparse. I'm not to sure where it originates, but it is there. It makes your lips tingle to a point of almost a burn. It is more intense than the sensation cause by menthe crystals. It's not bad, it is just odd.

This balm wears alright. The longer you have it on the weirder it begins to smell and taste. I'm not sure how to explain that either. The smell goes flat. That's the best I can do. It stays on for a solid 2 hours. I did re-apply after eating and drinking.

A nice aspect of this balm is that it is readily available at grocery stores (mainly Wegman's) and can handle heat. It pasted the "in the pocket" test pretty well. I have yet to leave it in my car, however I think it would hold up fine.

Overall, if you can get past the intense smell and disgusting taste of this balm, it does its job. My lips do feel must better after wearing this. I have found that when I come in from the sun and my lips are a bit rosy, putting this on makes them feel amazing. Yet, this balm is not very impressive in much of anything else. It's rather average at an average drug store lip balm price.

Rating: 2.6 outta 5

No Sweat Soap Organic Beeswax lip balm

No Sweat Soap Factory
Organic Beeswax Lip Balm

$2 (Depends...read further for details)

I can't tell you much about the make-up of this balm, but I do know it is 100% pure organic beeswax. I think sunflower oil is used, however it may be sweet almond.

One of my first posts was about the No Sweat Soap Factory's Scottish Lye Soap. I swear by. And last summer when I purchased my yearly supply, the wonderful woman who runs this operation was selling her brother's organic lip balm. He maintains his own hives and harvests humanely. It's pretty dandy.

This lip balm is beyond simple. I think it have only two ingredients.

You have to swipe your finger around a bit to get it softened up for application but it glides on nicely. The heat from your lips then makes it feel really soothing. Surprisingly there is no waxy feeling.

It doesn't have a taste, but it smells like beeswax candles. The old ones your gramma may or may not have hand rolled. It has just a light, crisp hint of honey. It's delightful.

If you are looking for fancy and frills, this isn't the balm for you. If you are simple, or are a parent looking for something that will protect your kids lips this is it. You don't have to worry about them licking it off, and it isn't messy. It's in a nice compact tin and can go anywhere. I have found that you can even dip Q-tips in warm water to help apply this. (Note, this was done because I had a terrible dry patch on my cheek and I applied this and it helped a lot!)

There is no flavor and sometimes the lid is a bit tricky to pull off, but this back to basic-basics is a great complimentary balm for the amazing No Sweat Lye Soap.

And don't worry, this Scottish product DOES NOT contain lye.

Overall, this balm is a great buy. Cheap, handmade, and organic.
Not Vegan, but this lady could possibly turn you bee-free people to the humanely treated bee side.

Rating: 4 outta 5

Ana Aya & Co. Vegan Lip Balm

Ana Aya & Co. Vegan Lip Balm in Manic Mango
$3.50 (Free shipping)

[Cocoa butter, candelilla wax, coconut oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin E; stevia flavor oils]

Ana Aya & Co. is a nifty little company (found em on Etsy) that specializes in natural mineral makeup.

This lip balm seemed dreamy and I was pumped about it. It's Vegan!

Well... it smells divinely mango-licious.

When you put it on... not so divine. Cocoa butter is one of the toughest lip balm ingredients to use because you have to be so exact with melting and cooling. The times and temps and critical. This balm has some parts that are smooth but has some serious crystallization of the cocoa butter. When I first went to put it on I actually cut my lip. Uncool. I pushed the balm up and cut off the top to try and get down to where the balm might be less harsh. To little avail, I have managed to put it on a few times without bleeding or hurting my lips.

When I have been able to put it on, it is greasy. And when I went outside it melted off my lips. That is not good.

It tastes a lot like Cocoa butter too. The mango is there and it is not as disgusting as that Lucias Lip Love, yet it is not super.

When I got this lip balm I also got some rad make up samples. While this lip balm is not great, the mineral eye shadow I received was AMAZING! I have never worn an eyeshadow (mineral or not) that lasts as long (without a base) as Ana Aya & Co.'s eyeshadow! Don't get this lip balm, but you NEED to get the eyeshadow. I recommend Swanky.

Overall, this balm is not amazing. It's not even great. It may have been a bad batch, but you can visually see the crystallization as soon as you take the cap off.

Rating: 0 outta 5

Moon's Harvest Lip Therapy Honey-Pots

Moon's Harvest Lip Therapy Honey-Pots
$12.50 for 3 (+ $1.50 S&H)
form Moon's Harvest's Etsy

[Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Castor Oil, Honey, Vitamin E Oil, Aloe Vera Gel, Flavor Oil, Mica Powder]

Although the price you see above may make you gasp and say, "Gees....is this Sephora?" I wanted to try these out. They looked promising.

Sadly, I got them during a warm week and they were pretty badly melted. To try and salvage them, I put them in the fridge to harden up.

There are a lot of options as far as flavors go. I opted for Black Cherry, Pomegranate, and Fuzzy Peach. They sounded fantastic.

Once they solidified, the still smelled great. The Black Cherry smells just like Cherry Pepsi. The Pomegranate smells like a super sweet bubble gum and the Fuzzy Peach smells just like that!
However when you put these on...it is a different story. They taste tart and bitter. This is a great way to prevent someone from licking their lips. It smells great on, but to wear it....not so fantastic. I thought with the honey that it would be sweet, which it is, but there is no hint of honey. Just overpowering ickyness. It becomes like you are wearing perfume on your lips. You know when you walk into a perfume mist? That taste? This is what these taste like.

The worst tasting one is the Black Cherry. Completely yuck. The Fuzzy Peach is not too bad, but certainly hard to wear. The only one I have been able to stomach through for a bit (15 minutes max) has been the Pomegranate.

It is a shame because these balms are nicely tinted, especially the Black Cherry.

The glide of these is somewhat pleasant. It is a soft and silky glide, yet when wiped off, it leaves your lips feeling dry.

Overall, this balm is dismal. I do not know if it is because it melted, but I asked a friend who makes bath & body stuff for a living and she said that it should not be the reason. Great colors and scents but majorly lacking in every other important area. It was not worth my money.

Rating: .5 outta 5
(I have to give it up for the pomegranate)

epli Asian inspired lipbalm

epli lip balm
Chopstick lip balm in Sudachi and Kabosu
$3 per balm or $5 for "Pair of Chopsticks" (+ $2.50 S&H)

[soy wax, cocoa butter, beeswax, palm stearic, fractionated coconut oil, candelilla wax, rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, sweet almond oil, evening primrose oil, citrus]

and
Pout Premium Lip Balm in Yuzu
$5 (+$2.50 S&H)

[soy wax, rice bran oil, camellia oil, macadamia oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, apricot kernel oil, cocoa butter, illippe butter, mowrah butter, sal butter, menthol, yuzu citrus oil]


I am in love with Asian inspired everything. I stumbled across these on Etsy. I had no idea what a Sudachi or a kadosu was. Well, I found out (thanks wikipedia!!!) that they are these delightful citrus fruits from Japan. The Pout is a bit pricey but these balms rock!!

The glide of these balms is heavenly. It is smooth, yet firm, and you can feel the great mix of butters and oils settling nicely onto your lips and absorbing. I cannot express how fantastic this balm feels on. It has a nice cooling sensation and such a sweet, light, citrusy aroma it's intoxicating.

These Chopsticks have wonderful tastes/scents. True citrus bliss. The Kabosu is a flatter combination of grapefruit and lime. It is not overly acidic. The Sudachi is a more broad blend of flavors. It reminds me of lime, grapefruit, clementines, and a hint of lychee. This has a more acid scent to it, clearly denoting its citrus roots.

The Pout in Yuzu is a great representation of the yuzu fruit. A nice grapefruit like flavor. The menthol crystals in it gives your lips a nice tingle. It is very refreshing.

These balms also wear for a long time. A few hours, and depending on what you're eating, it lasts through your meals and drinking.

The only negative thing I have to say about this balm pertains to the Pout primarily. It softens rather fast. I have been using these as my primary balms because I love them so much, and I cannot keep the Yuzu in my pocket. It gets very mushy within an hour from your body heat.

Overall, this balm is worth every penny. I plan on purchasing more of this and keeping it stocked. It is a great "adult" balm with an exotic flavor that is surprisingly pleasing for people who are not big fans of change or risks. Oh and I almost forgot. These are VEGAN!!!!

Rating: 5 outta 5

Disquieting Designs Lip Balm

Disquieting Designs Lip Balm
$3 (+ $1.50 S&H)
{I got two free during a promo}

[refined shea butter, unbleached beeswax, sweet almond oil, flavor oil]

(Note: This is a stock photo from DD's Etsy add)

I came across this Etsy store while looking for tattoo lotion. I noticed that there were some sassy looking lip balms, and if you make a purchase during that week, you got two free lip balms. How can I say no to free lip balms?

I should have though.

This package came covered in goop. Sadly, the USPS has no regard to "FRAGILE" packages and busted up my Ink Schmear container so bad that is cracked it in numerous places and due to the high 70's temps my area was seeing, it melted out of the containing and into the entire package. (Side note, Megan the girl who runs it, was wonderful and sent me a brand new Ink Schmear at no charge. I will review it soon, but let me tell you how fantastic it is!) I'm not too sure if it was the heat that maybe altered this balms or they just came this way.

I received the Cherry-Raspberry and Grape. I was extremely excited about the grape. I went to put it on and nothing happened. The balm wouldn't transfer to my lips. It was literally pulling at my lip though. These balms are nothing but solid beeswax colored purple. I tried leaving them in my car in the sun, in my window sill, and nothing got these balms to soften up. NOTHING! The Cherry-Raspberry is a smidgen softer, but I have to use my finger to try and get some to my lips. It is not worth the effort.

These balms don't even smell appealing. They smell like beeswax. And not honey beeswax you may find at the market, no, just like dried out beeswax. Icky.

It's a shame too. These balms are a great and vibrant purple color.

Clearly, these lip balms fail beyond belief, just out of the sheer fact I can't put them on so I can't compare or complain about their durability (or lack there of) or flavor or glide. I can go out on a limb and say their glide is excessively waxy though. Yet I don't want to talk down Disquieting Designs. I feel that this up and coming DIY bath and beauty company has a great deal of potential. It is good enough to be backed by the Pittsburgh Craft Mafia, and the Ink Schmear kicks ass, as does the sample lotion bar I received.

Overall, the makeup of these lip balms needs to seriously be reconsidered just so that they can even begin to serve their purpose.

Yet check out the other awesome body products (especially the lotions!) offered by Disquieting Designs! And I forgot to mention it's an eco-friendly company that recycles a lot of their stuff!!!

Rating: 0 outta 5

Soapbox Soaps Natural Lip Balm

Soapbox Soaps Natural Lip Balm
$2.50 (+ $1 S&H)

Comes in a variety of flavors

[bees wax, sweet almond oil, mango butter, vitamin E oil, sunflower oil, flavor oil]

Flavors purchase: Green Tea Freeze and Pomegranate



The adorable little Alice inspired girl standing atop, what other than a soap box, is a cute and clever little business logo. I love it! Not to mention that these balms are in tins, such novelty! And look at that price! It's a deal! But let's break down if this balm is super rad.

I would consider this balm a high heat balm. Which has many pluses and one major minus. The major minus is the fact you have to swirl your finger around several times before you get a good coat of balm for a transfer to your lips. However, the pluses are, it doesn't melt easily in your pocket. You don't have to worry about it leaking out into your purse and staining things, and it doesn't leave the grease like stains most balms leave if they touch something other than skin.

Once you get this balm warmed to your touch, it glides on nicely. Its a firm glide, due to the beeswax, but it is not waxy. It glides on like a balm stick would, however you don't have one. Its an interesting concept and really this is the first tinned balm I've come across with this effect. I like it.

These balms wear for an average amount of time, about 2 hours. They do not hold up against eating and drinking.

The Green Tea Freeze is a very interesting flavor. I thought it would be a light tea flavor, but it actually has a heavier vanilla background. I equate it to an iced chai from Spot. As much as Chai dislikes me, this flavor is addictive! It's fabulous!



The Pomegranate is sweet and succulent. It is a bit sweeter than the actual fruit, but is super yummy! I'd consider it a candied pomegranate.
It is a lighter scent and flavor than the Green Tea Freeze, but both are sophisticated yet sweet enough for a kid to enjoy!

Overall, these balms are pretty awesome. They are simple, not overly filled with crap, and come in a great selection of flavors. Presented well, and boasting appeal for a vast demographic, the only real downside is that they don't wear as long as I wish they did.

Rating: 4 outta 5

Pretty Monsters Vampire Kisses & Vampyra Kisses

Pretty Monsters Vampire Kisses (round tin)
$4.50 - $8 (+ $2 S&H)
[organic shea butter, mango butter, sweet almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, EO ruby red grapefruit and sweet orange, vitamin 4]

Pretty Monsters Vampyra Kisses (rectangle tin)
$3.50 (+ $1 S&H)
[Organic coconut oil (unrefined), candellia wax,mango butter, avocado oil,boysenberry flavor oil, and vitamin E]
(There are three flavors to this Vampyra Kisses balm. 2 are vegan, the peppermint is not vegan)

By the fantastic and creative naming of these products, I had to have them. I feel that being an excessive Buffy fan compelled me to purchase these vampyric lip products.

These are organic products from Pretty Monsters. The maker of these balms buys from a certified organic dealer in Oregon. And as I mentioned, some of these products are vegan!

Let's start with the Vampire Kisses balm. Now this can be used as a lip balm or as an all over balm. I have found that it does work nicely as a balm, but it is also a fantastic cuticle balm.
The scent is light and sweet. The scent absorbs quickly into your skin, but on your lips it does linger, which is lovely. It tastes sweet like a ripe orange with a hint of the tartness from the grapefruit. I want to call this balm blood orange, because that is really what I smell. Plus it sounds neato. The balm is a nice consistency. It is thicker so it does make for a nice everywhere balm. I've found that it doesn't run or get greasy because it absorbs so quickly.
Another super cool feature for this balm is it's container. It is not in one of the pop off lid tins, instead you have to unscrew the tin. This rocks beyond belief because I don't have to worry about cutting myself or have the lid fly three feet away from me.

The Vampyra Kisses lip balm, came in three flavors. Boysenberry, Guava, and Peppermint. The first two were vegan which my my choosing easier and of course I went for the Boysenberry. (And I'm sure the guava would have been just as amazing, but since I was already getting the citrusy vampire kisses balm, I wanted something different.) This balm is a bit softer than the Vampire Kisses. Yet the boysenberry scent and taste is deeeelish! It even leaves a little gloss on your lips.

As a bonus in my order, I received a Zombie Kisses lip balm stick in Peppermint. This isn't vegan. Sorry....but it is organic! [Organic castor oil, beeswax, organic shea butter, sweet almond oil, EO peppermint, vitamin e] This sells for $2.50 (+$1.25 S&H) from Pretty Monsters Etsy.
This balm makes your lips tingle and even makes your breathe seem fresher!
How can you go wrong!? It's glide is the same as Vampyra Kisses, a little softer than the other balm, but again, it is not greasy or runny. It is a great blending of wax, oils, and butter.

All of these balms wear for a great while. I have found that the Zombie kisses lasts about an hour longer than the Vampyra Kisses and the Vampire Kisses. I think it may be because it is not fruity...and fruity flavors are lip lickingly good!

Overall, these are great lip balms. They display such novelty that anyone who is a fan of classic horror films or Gothic novels needs to get these! I mean, Zombie kisses?! What Shawn of the Dead fan wouldn't eat brains for these!? (Ugh... bad pun) Even as a Buffy fan, I am drawn to the vampire-lore of these balms. And let's not forget the greatest is not just label deep. These are high quality and ORGANIC products for a very reasonably price.

Rating: 4.5 outta 5
(5 outta 5 if you are a zombie. clearly)

Lippschitts by Lote Tree

Lippschitts by Lote Tree
$2.34 (+ $1.50 S&H)

From the Lote Tree Etsy Shop

[sweet almond oil, hemp seed oil, beeswax, shea butter, organic honey, flavor oil, vitamin e]

There a lot of great flavors offered by Lote Tree. I first ordered Rooibos Tea and loved it so much I went back and ordered Harvest Apple.


There is some controversy over the use of Hemp oil in the Straight Edge community. I belong to the group that feels that it is not breaking edge by using this natural by product. There is not any THC or mind altering element within hemp seed oil, and really, it is great for your skin.

These balms have a wonderful application feel. They glide on lightly, leaving a moisturizing and silky feel.

The gold tube is also rad. I've never seen a gold colored lip balm tube, but with the classy labels created by Lote Tree, the gold is a great complimentary color.

They adequately represent their scents, respectively. The Rooibos Tea is really fabulous. It is a sophisticated scent with an equally pleasing flavor. The nutty-ness of the hemp seed oil compliments the tea very well. The Harvest Apple has the scent of a sweet and juicy apple, yet the hemp seed flavor over powers the apple flavor.

This balm's blend is superb. It lasts a great while and really works wonders on your lips. It is the right amount of oils and wax and this stuff can take some serious heat. The past week was filled with days in the 70's and this stuff stayed solid in my pocket.

Overall, this balm is amazing. It seems like every hemp oil lip balm I try out, they get better and better than the last. Compared to the previously reviewed balms, this one is better than the Merry Hempster's blend, but comparable to that o EcoLip's.

Rating: 5 outta 5

Madwoman Hot Rod Lip Balm

Madwoman Hot Rod Lip Balm
in Mango Whammy

$2 (+ $1.97 S$H)

From MadWoman Perfume Lab on Etsy

[bees wax, shea butter, castor oil, olive oil, vitamin e, soybean lipids, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, flavor oil, color]

This oval tubed lip balm is adorned with an adorable vintage image of a little girl on a tricycle...one that reminds me of mine when I was little. I was drawn to the fantastic color and the mango flavor of this balm.

This lip balm is indeed a neon peach color, and it does not tint your lips. It provides a nice, smooth glide, with a slight shimmer. It is not a glittery shimmer, but a moistened shimmer. Very nice. When you apply this balm it is not waxy or slick. However, as it wears, it begins to get waxy. I'm not to sure if it is drying out or just leaving a film. This is unpleasant, but it doesn't occur until a few hours into wearing.

The Mango Whammy flavor, is very pleasing. I would not really call it mango. It takes like a candy necklace. Now, I am not complaining or knocking this flavor. I love it. It's light and sweet scent brings me back to my childhood days. I'm just pointing out that it lacks the mango-esq essential quality I expect when I see "mango" on the label.

This stuff has some awesome durability. Aside from the waxy dry residue that is the eventual outcome of it's use, it wears well through drinking and eating.

Overall, this isn't a bad balm. The flavor is rocking, the tube is cute, the only negative is the waxy residue.

Rating: 3 outta 5