Random Lip Balm

So through my travels, I often stop at random places with the sheer desire of finding some small company or stay at home mom selling their wears, especially lip balm. This blog is a simple run down of 3 balms I have recently purchased at random, un-balmy places.


Woodman Farms Beeswax Lip Balm
$2.00 at craft fair in Lockport
Scent: Wintergreen
[not on label... My guess... Beeswax, castor oil, essential oil]

First, what the heck. There is a giant bump like growth on this balm when I first opened it. I think this balm is hand filled and the person didn't want to waste any...but gees... it makes putting it on hard.

This lip balm has a nice firm texture, which makes application easy. It has a light gloss to is, so your lips look wet. The scent is almost nauseating. It smells like chewed gum. When you put it on, it doesn't get better.

This balm lasts through drinking but not through eating and remains on your lips for a good 2 to 3 hours.

Overall, this balm is in my "sick balm" bag. I can't handle the crappy smell and taste, but it does it's job and it shan't go to waste.

Rating: .5 outta 5 (they are from New York... I have to represent)
DO NOT BUY


Ganache for Lips
$4 purchased at Butterwood's on Main Street in Williamsville
Flavor: Mocha Latter

[Ingredients per lip balm found @ website by clicking flavor]

This little splurge came after a great meal of sweets and some warm mocha. (If you are ever in the Buffalo area I recommend without hesitation Butterwood's or The Chocolate Bar... both the same company.)

So this lip balm is a chocolate lover's dream. It is made with real chocolate and coffee bean extract. It is very rich and flavor and the wonderful mix of ingredients becomes a delightful texture to put on your lips. It is smooth and just glides on leaving your lips feeling so moist.

It does not wear through eating or drinking but it does last at least 4 hours, if you can resist licking your lips!

Overall, I consider this a great investment. It is a great pick me up when I wanna chow down on chocolate that I don't have laying around.

Rating: 4.5 outta 5
GREAT BUY! GO GET YOUR OWN!


Wei East White Olive Tinted Lip Smoother
available here or at random beauty conventions
(I got it as a gift and I didn't wanna know)
$10 online

Tint: Pink Peony

[ingredients were MIA]

Well...yes. There is a butt load of money to spend on such a small container of lip balm. 0.28 0z. It is bigger than your standard stick but it doesn't look like that.

It doesn't smell great and you wont be licking your lips, but I have to give it up; this balm is the bomb. Have you tried the new O-Gloss from smashbox? Well... this pink is the exact same pink that the O-Gloss turns on my lips. (This is one way I justify the fact someone may have spent $10 on this for me.) The tint is great, and perfect for my pale complexion. It feels uber luxuroius on my lips. It has a creamy texture that is thick, in a good way, and makes your lips feel like they are wrapped in healthiness.

The tint and sheen last about 2 hours, and that is if you are not drinking or eating. Yet the effects of this balm last for hours. Even after I wipe this off, I can still feel my lips being moisturized. I love it. It has SPF too!

Overall, if you can afford this, you need to buy it. It is CHEAPER than O-gloss (and better for your lips)

Rating: 4.9 outta 5
PRICEY BUT PERFECT

{and BONUS!! if you go to their website they are offering a free hand & body lotion, you just pay $2.97 S&H... WELL WORTH IT!!! it's normally a $14 product! Click for details! The coupon code is "perfection"}


Hand Maiden's Garden
Orchard Blend Balm for Thy Lips
$3.50 per tube
I purchased this at the Sterling Ren Fest

[castor oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, wheatgerm oil, glycerin, beeswax, natural sweetener, artifical/and or natural flavors]

I was super pumped because I love Ren Fests (I don't dress up.... I'm not that into them) and I love lip balm. I saw this as a perfect combination. Oh how wrong I was.

The Orchad Blend was the most AMAZING scent int he form of candles, lotions, and perfume. I was unable to smell the lip balm because it was wrapped...for safety issues, I understand. Yet the balm smells like perfume...heavily scented with chemical florals, perfume.

The balm does have a nice consistency and glides onto your lips, only in turn to make them feel a bit greasy, not to mention the fake the balm then begins to taste like plastic. Yes... plastic.

I have yet to find someone who can stand it on their lips longer than ten minutes to figure out it's durability.... but I think that it is an irrevelant quality when the balm is putrid to say the least on your kisser.

I also think this reinforces my dislike of lip balms with glycerine in them. It's meant for Bush to sing...not for my lips.

Overall, LADY IN THE FRUMPY TIME PERIOD OUTFIT, I WANT MY MONEY BACK!

Rating: 0 outta 0
DO NOT BUY

Tattoo Balms: Ink Schmear & Hemp Tat Balm

This entry was originally going to be comparison blog, Ink Schmear Vs. Hemp Balm. However, through the use of both I have found they are two different products that cannot be held against one another, rather they should be used together for AMAZING results.

Ink Schmear by Disquieting Designs
$5.25 (+ $4.60 S&H)
[shea butter, coconut oil, soybean oil, jojoba oil, lavender and rosemary essential oils, beeswax]

This balm can be used on a new tattoo to help healing or on an old one to improve/help the color stay and to keep it moisturized. Although I am not a tattoo artist, I would not recommend you use this with a new tattoo, use only the recommended bactin or other antibacterial cream. However, in regards to an older and healed tattoo, this is a great product. It has a nice smell, rosemary, and is very soft. I have found that if I leave it in my room next to my other lotions, an oil seeps out of it. Not good. I have begun to put it in the fridge. It stays nice and cool, yet remains soft so application is easy. I use my fingers to apply it. It absorbs quickly and adds a nice sheen to my tattoo. Over time (the past month) I have noticed a change in my tattoo. I do not know if I would out right say that is it getting brighter, but I feel it is looking better in the sense the skin looks supple with moisture. I also noticed that I was beginning to get ridges where there was outlining and since I've used this Ink Schmear these ridges have disappeared. The only negatives here are as follows: first, the price. The $5.25 is not terrible, but you do not really get a whole lot and the shipping makes this balm almost $10. It is an awesome tat balm IF you have the money to spend. Second, it is gritty. I do not know if this is intended but it is a little annoying. The grit seems to rub into your tattoo but it does feel awkward.

Overall, this balm is pretty rad if you're willing to pay the price for it.

Merry Hempsters Hemp Tattoo Balm
$3.99 (online or from your local Merry Hempsters retailer)

[7.5% Octyl Methoxycinnamate, 3.5% Benzophenone-3 Other Ingredients: Certified Organic Canadian Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, (Certified Organic Lavender, Certified Organic Calendula, and Myrrh Infused in Certified Organic Sunflower, Certified Organic Olive, or Certified Organic Canola Oil, (Essential Oils: of Certified Organic Orange, Lavender, and Carrot Seed), Vitamin E, Rosemary Extract.]

Please note this balm is SPF 18. Often times people forget that they should be super protective of their tattoos in the sun. The UV rays can age your tattoo faster and dry out the color. Not good. This balm helps protect that and bonus.... it moisturizes!! This balm comes in an easy roll up tube and smells like good ol' sunblock. It does feel a bit waxy when you put it on and it does last a lot longer than the Ink Schmear on the surface. It seals in the moisture and your tattoo/skin area does actually feel refreshed. The fact that is stays on your skin for a while can be annoying. Sometimes I find my shirt sticking to it or worse, at the beach my tattoo (on my upper back) ends up covered with sand I have to wash off.

Overall, this balm is great for outdoor use, especially if you are not covering your tattoo with clothing, and it's vegan!

Now, together, these balms make the ultimate tattoo care package. I have found that I can use the Ink Schmear when I wear t-shirt and things that cover my back with no worried of them sticking to it or it leaving oil marks on my clothing. When I know I will be going outside in a tank top or something, I use the Hemp balm, and better yet, I use the Ink Schmear first, let it soak in and then apply the SPF balm. Great!!! And you can even apply the SPF first and then put on the Ink Schmear and it helps take away from that long lasting waxy/stickiness.

Together, these tattoo care items are essential for anyone who loves their tats enough to wanna make um last a lifetime and still look bitchin'.

Ratings:
Ink Schmear: 4 outta 5
Merry Hempsters SPF 18: 4.5 outta 5 (vegan!)

As a combination: 5 outta 5

Space Monkey The Balm

Space Monkey The Balm (for your lips) Trio
$10 (+$1.50 S&H) from Etsy store

[castor oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter, flavor oil {fda red mica & Lime EO in Straw/limeade}]

I have been looking at this lip balm for a while on Etsy. I don't know if it's the catchy name or the adorable monkey in a space helmet that made me commit to this.

I love the packaging. The cute slider tins and the even cuter labels are great. They are great because they appeal to kids and grown-ups alike.

One of the cool things about this trio is that you can choose the flavors your please. The company has a SPF balm, which I didn't select, but find really neato. I opted for the following flavors:

Pomegranate: You can't really go wrong with this. By far the best scent and taste of the bunch. A ripe, juicy pomegranate...yum!

Strawberry-Limeade: Smells VERY medicinal. I got a little nervous about this but once you put it on your lips its a splash of lime with a hint of strawberry and I love it! The taste is awesome, the scent, not so much.

Dulce de Leche: Basically this is caramel. It smells delightfully caramelly, but on the flavor front...it falls short. It tastes like movie theatre popcorn butter. Not the popcorn, just the butter. Picking this flavor was outside of my comfort zone and sadly... it did not please me.

These balms are easy to apply with your finger and glide right on. They leave a little residual on your finger from the transfer, but no more than the usual tinned lip balm. They leave your lips feeling very silky, with a light slick gloss. I actually have to say of the tinned balms/glosses, I like this one the best. It is just a nice subtle sheen. It doesn't look super wet, but it's not waxy, and your lips feel very refreshed (especially with the pomegranate).

Their durability is okay. They are lip licking good, so it does hurt them unless you have self-control. I don't. I'd say about an hour is the most I noticed this balm staying on, but it does absorb into your lips.

Overall, this balm is adorable but not worth the $4 these typically sell for. Maybe the pomegranate, but they don't last that long and although they leave a gloss that I think is ideal, my lips feel good for about as long as its on. There isn't that much long term greatness. I didn't find my lips getting softer over the course of using these like I have found using other balms. These are really great for kids, just avoid the Dulce de Leche....it's not good.

Rating: 3 outta 5

Merry Hempsters Vegan SPF

Merry Hempsters Vegan SPF lip balm
Lemon-Lime

$2.49 from Merry Hempsters site or Lexington Co-op

[Active Ingredients: Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Benzophenone-3 Other Ingredients: Organic Canadian Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, Organic Essential Oil of Lemon and Lime, Organic Sunflower Oil, Rosemary Extract, Vitamin E]


My friend Megan turned me onto this. She purchased the Vanilla one and it smells and tastes like chai. It's yummy. I opted for the lemon-lime because I wanted a refreshing lip balm.

Now I want to first address that this is a Vegan product, as well as organic. One of my hardliner friends asked me about the "edge-ness" of this balm. I've done my research and compared notes with fellow SXEs... the concensus is that this balm, although made from cannabis, is completely edge. This is because this is a byproduct and does not alter your state of mind. If it were laced with LCD...it would be a different story. Compare this to like the alcohol that is perfume.

When you first smell this it's sweet and crisp. You smell the lime more than the lemon, but when you put this one, yum! It's a great combination. I'd prefer more lime...but that's just me. It glides on nice, it does have a bit of a greasy feel but after it absorbs that goes away. I'm told by my hemp loving friends that it is just the way of hemp...its slick but when it soaks in you just feel bliss.

You don't taste the sunscreen ingredients, which I found odd. I have yet to try this out in the sun...but I have never had my lips burn....my point is, I cant confirm or deny the effectiveness of the SPF. In the ingredients it is there but it just doesn't taste like it. Compared to the Skin Trip Balm, you can definitely taste the sunblock. This, not so much, which is a plus. Unless you enjoy the taste of sun block.....

The major down side to this balm is that fact it doesn't last all that long. I put some on at the beginning of this blogging session and I could easily reapply now. (It's been about 15 minutes.)
I've had the tube since October, and when I use it, I apply regularly and frequently during the day. It's a standard tube, .14oz, and for as much as I have to reapply, this tube is still pretty full. You just need a thin layer on your lips and you're good.

Overall, this is a solid showing of a hemp lip balm for a first time user. I may look into more of this brand. They make lotion and other natural and organic bath and body products. (Hemp as a gateway balm?? oh gees....) It smells good, tastes nice, it's vegan!, and it even has SPF in it....I'm pretty sure.

Rating: 4 outta 5

Lip Trip SPF 15

I took a trip to the Lexington Co-op yesterday and I saw this all natural lip balm, Lip Trip. It's made by Mountain Ocean, who also makes Skin Trip, the best lotion in the world. I figured I'd try it out.



Lip Trip: 4.7 g tube for $3.49 at Lexington Co-op or find a store through here.

[Beeswax, aloe vera, lanolin, cocoa butter, apricot kernel oil, sesame oil, allantoin, vitamin E, vanilla, peppermint oil, and active sunscreen agents are Octinoxate 7.5% and Oxybenzone 5%]

Lip Trip has SPF 15 and you can actually use it on more than your lips. You can put it on your nose and cheeks to protect them from extreme sun, winds, and other conditions. Since it's really cold out I tried putting it on my nose just for a bit as I walked from my garage to my car. It feels nice on the skin/lips. I have uber-sensitive skin, and so far I haven't reacted to it being on my nose at all. Which is awesome. It's got a very solid texture but it does glide on easily.

It smells like sunscreen, but a good sunscreen. The taste however, I strongly recommend you don't lick your lips. It has a very unpleasant medicine like taste to it.

My lips didn't feel greasy, but the feeling it left resembled what you'd typically expect from a beeswax based lip balm.

This stuff lasts. I've been wearing it since this morning, eaten twice and I can still feel that it's on.

Overall, I think this would be a great investment for someone in a cold weather area, or a skier/snowboarder. This is a rad lip balm for any true Buffalo winter, you should keep it in the car and apply for when you go in and out.

Rating: 5 outta 5 for cold weather lovers
but for everyone else, 3 outta 5