My Birch Lip Balm and Butter Bar... MANGO MADNESS!

My Birch

Lip Balm
$2.50 (+ $1 S&H)
[Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil, Fragrance oil ]

Butter Bar
$3.50 (+ $2 S&H)
[Beeswax, Shea butter, sunflower oil , fragrance oil, turmeric root for color]


The simple ingredients of these products and the sleek logo design really attracted me to Birch.

First up, the lip balm. I opted for Mango-Peach Fusion. It does smell very sweet and fresh, but more like a peach than a mango. Once it is on the sweetness becomes obnoxious and overly floral. This is scented with a very strong fragrance oil so the balm tastes like perfume. This is not attractive.

The balm glides on very nicely. At first it feels a bit greasy but when you rub your lips together they feel like they are being wrapped in moisture. There is also a nice subtle sheen/gloss to this balm. It makes your lips look healthy, supple, and moist. Wonderful!

The balm lasts about 2 hours and can stand up to a decent amount of heat. It does not seem to surpass eating however drinking light drinks will not wash it away.

Overall, I was not overly impressed with this balm due to the taste of it. I don't like perfumey things on my lips. However, I would use this a sick balm (ie. when I cannot smell or taste because I am sick but do not want my lips to get icky and chapped).

Rating: 2 outta 5



Body Butter Bar

To continue with the mango theme... this butter bar is in... guess what? MANGO! And when I was opening my package I could smell it through the cardboard. I'm glad my crazy mailman does not like mango, cuz if he did, I'm sure he would have pocketed this.

This smells so refreshingly light yet has the full essence of a rip mango. It is the perfect scent for your skin because it lasts but it is not heavy and compliments most any perfume (especially L.A.M.B, Juicy Couture, and Daisy).

It comes in a little cupcake sleeve, which is so cute. However if these were offered in cupcake scent or even labeled as baked good scents... this sleeve would be 3 times cuter! Imagine... instead of just mango... I received Mango Madness Tart. I digress...

There are several options for use for this body butter. I found it cumbersome to try and take it out and apply it with the ridges. If i pressed to hard they broke off and I had to rub them in more with my hands. Yet this body bar seems to instantly melt when placed against your skin BUT does not melt if you leave it out on your night stand or in a dresser drawer. This amazed me, especially with how hot my room can get. Major Kudos!

When you rub it onto your skin it feels a bit greasy as you rub the bar over your skin, but when you take your hands and rub it in more that feeling goes away and your skin feels soft and moist. I was worried about the bright yellow rubbing off or transferring to my skin, but no worries there! There is no color that comes off.

Overall, I am in love with this body bar. Even though it can get slippery in my hands, it is an amazing cuticle softener and again... the scent is amazing. I highly recommend if you are looking for a natural lotion bar, get this. Or if you like to treat yourself to manis or pedis... this is a great way to soften those rough spots and cuticles.

Rating: 5 outta 5

Lip Addict Lip Balm... sneak peak preview!!!

Lip Addict
Key Lime Quicky Sample

Lip Addict is this awesome spin off of Body Couture Junkie Etsy shop. It focuses on giving you that lip balm fix that you so crave!

[a mystery... but natural!]

This sample was sent my was a sneak peak of great things to come from Lip Addict, and let me tell you... I am very impressed and look forward to more.

This balm is softer, so do not push hard when applying, but it glides right onto your lips like luscious butter. It is rich and moisturizing. I LOVE the way it feels. It is not greasy or slick... just silky smoothness.

It slowly absorbs into your lips which I enjoy. Often times this affect produces an awkward slick feeling, but this does not. It is a lingering feeling of moisture: very refreshing.

As far as the scent and flavor... wow. I am not a fan of Key Lime, however I do love lime. It smells like Key Lime pie from the Cheesecake Factory yet tastes like a nice lime with a hint of vanilla. It is a wonderful scent and flavor, but it is not overly sweet.

This balm wears for about 3 and half hours. An admirable duration. However you cannot leave this out in the sun or expose it to heat because it is very soft (I believe it contains a lot of butter(s)) and melts very easily. It does not hold up past drinking or eating.

The only negative about this balm is an odd one. I have never experienced this before. If I put too much on (go around my lips 3 times or more) I get this white tint on my lips. I don't believe there is shimmer or pigment in this balm but it is weird, so I just have to make sure that I don't go over board applying it.

Overall, I'm counting down the days till Lip Addict opens. I look forward to it and you should too! If this balm is offered in a vegan variety you can bet that it will be considered one of my top 5 balms.

Rating: 4.8 outta 5

Kristen's Cosmetics Body Mousse

Kristen's Cosmetics
Body Mousse
in Lemon Icing

4 oz. for $6 (+ $3.50)

[Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth 20, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Soybean Oil, Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk, Aloe Vera, Disodium EDTA, Diazolidinyl Urea, Benzophenone 4, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fragrances, FDA Approved Colors]

This picture does no justice to how richly yellow this body mousse it. It is this gorgeous canary yellow.

This "mousse" is a whipped body lotion. This is a very thick lotion, almost a butter. I found that applying this after showering, when you skin in warmer, it absorbs better; at least it rubs in quicker. When my skin is dry and normal... (ex. it's 6:30 and I'm sitting here typing and feel like procrastinating so sure...blogging would be a great productive time killer!!!) it takes a bit more effort to rub in.

In the container it has this super sweet lemon scent. It is like lemon zest. When you put it on it is the exact amazing smell of those flower shaped lemon frosted cookies you buy in a red package. You know the ones. Yes...those exact ones! It is so delightful and delicious. Wow.... great scent.

When you put it on the lemon evenly disperses but that baked good scent comes out more. The cookie scent goes into a more mild cupcake scent, with a stronger undertone (maybe vanilla?) coming out. Still it is a fresh and quenching aroma I'm proud to wear!

Your skin does not feel greasy, however if you do not rub it in totally there is this awkward thick feeling. Once it is rubbed in, it absorbs like a few minutes and leaves your skin feeling very refreshed and smooth.

Overall, aside from the thickness that may bother some people, this is a great body mousse. It is a luxury bath item (available in other great smells as well!) My only concern is that you may want to eat or lick it. Hey... there is an idea... can this be made edible? I'd sign up for it.

Rating: 4.8 outta 5

You Go Girl Sopas Lip Balm

You Go Girl Soaps
Lip Balm

$2 (+ $2 S&H)

[almond oil, beeswax, flavor oil]

I love banana...and I love sparkles. This lip balm brings together my two aforementioned loves. There is a cute little jem on the top of the cap. Delightful.

The banana scent is delightfully intoxicating. It is not the scent of a ripe banana rather a mix of banana cream pie and crispy yummy banana chips. If you love banana, I highly recommend this balm.

It has a firm consistency which is always nice. It glides on nicely and evenly, however feels a bit greasy until you rub it into your lips. It absorbs quickly, which helps decrease the greasy feeling.

It doesn't taste overly banana-ish, which is disappointing considering how intensely amazing the scent it. But that's okay. You don't lick your lips so it lasts longer.

And on the topic of length for wear... this is an average lip balm in that area: 2-3 hours. It does not stand up against food and fluids. However this balm has a great heat resistance. I had it in my pocket on a super hot day at a local park and no softness.

Overall, this is an adorable balm at a reasonable price. I would love to give this as a gift if I knew someone who loved banana. The greasy feeling is a bit much, but compared to all the pros...it's a con I can over look.

Rating: 4 outta 5

Jadewicks Lip Balm

Jadewicks
Lip Balm

$3.25 each (+ $1.60 S&H)
3 for $8.25

[Soy Wax, Avocado Oil, Apricot Kernal Oil, Meadowfoam Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Rice Bran Oil, Jojoba Oil, Cocoa Butter, Illipe Butter, Mowrah Butter, Sal Butter, Castor Wax, Flavor]

These lip balms should really be called Lip Butters. They glide on so smooth and so lushly... it's divine.


I got these balms in Lychee Martini (no alcohol though!) and Vanilla Sugar. The Lychee Martini is a perfectly sweet and light lychee scent and flavor. By far the best lychee I have experienced in my lip balm endeavors. The Vanilla Sugar is another great demonstration of a flavor. It is a warm and hearty vanilla, almost as full as a chai, but not actually a chai. It is very refreshing and I would even say this would be a great holiday flavor.

These balms glide on smoothly, coating the lips and wrapping them in moisture. They absorb slowly but are not greasy or waxy. The texture is so full and velvety, it is pleasing to have on your lips. There is a slight gleam to your lips, but not a heavy gloss.

These balms wear for a long time. I would say they surpass 4 hours of wear, however they do not stand up to drinking or eating. And a warning, these lip balms are one of those balms that when you drink from glass or crystal, they leave a residue which you may have to hand wash.

Overall, these lip balms, although I fully support them being called lip butters, are fantastic. the $3.25 might seem a bit much, but really, the luxury these provide is worth every penny. Great scent, great flavor, great feeling, and great moisturizing qualities. The only downside, low heat resistance.

Rating: 4.9

Om Shanti Bath Salts

Om Shanti
Bath Salts
Awakening Blend

$9 (+ $5 S&H)

[epsom salts, sea salts, kaolin clay, sage, pine, cedar wood essential oil, vitamin e]


Another guest post from Di!

its smell, prior to use, was just like soap and baby powder. not a strong/over-powering smell.

it took about 2 minutes to dissolve in very warm water. it had no smell after being dissolved.

but I had an overwhelming feeling of being calm, relaxed, free of any worries.

after I smelled slightly of baby powder. a nice clean smell. after my skin was very soft, not silky soft but much softer.

I quite enjoyed the feeling his product gave me but would have appreciated a stronger sent while it is in use in my bath. I was calm and such but it didn't feel very special with out a sent.


I would give this a 4-5 out of 5.

Body Couture Junkie Bath Melt

Body Couture Junkie
Bath Melt
$.30 per melt (+ $2 flat rate S&H)

(please note, this Etsy seller is re-doing the packaging/labeling/products in her store so as of this post there are a very few items, however the items to be reviewed will be available again soon)

[Cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin e]


Another Guest review by my bather Di!


this product smells just like milk chocolate. if I didn't know it was a bath product I would have eaten it in a heart beet. it made me crave chocolate. the hotter the water the quicker it dissolves. it wasn't melting fast enough so I added more hot water and then I melted faster. I wish that it was only 1/2 the size it was like bathing in butter (not the good "like badda" from SNL, it is like the stick of greasy butter in the fridge).

it melts and looks just like butter creating yellow pools of grease on top of the water. it left parts of my skin a lot more greasy than other spots that I rubbed to even out. I think that's just because there was to much oil for one bath melt. it has now been about an hour since my bath and I still can feel the layer of oil on my skin in spots (legs and hands). I am waterproof (lol) but it is slowly soaking into my skin.

the bath smelled very good not over powering I kept getting nice wafts of the chocolaty goodness. I liked this product a great amount but a little goes a long way. would love to try this again and cut it in 1/2 maybe even a 1/4. warn people after your bath that the tub is completely greased down so they don't kill themselves getting into the shower.

it did not enhance my bath this time. I ended up quickly getting out of the tub after about 20 minutes. the plus is that I did smell slightly of delectable chocolate. I felt like if I were to stay in any longer it would never absorb. I air dried because did not want to ruin a towel then waiting even longer for it to absorb so could put old "I don't care" pjs on.

I would rate this product (as is) 3/5.

if it was smaller it would be much more enjoyable and would receive a 5/5

Kreated by Karina Mango Tart Lip Balm

Kreated by Karina
Lip Balm
in Mango Tart

$3 (+ $1.85 S&H)

[Shea butter, safflower oil, beeswax, vitamin e, flavor, mica]

I've been led astray by the allure of mangoes on many occasion, and throwing a tart in there made me a bit nervous about this balm... but my fears were put aside and tried this bad boy out.

First the label is this calming green and blue modern swirl thing. I just love it. It is so fun and fresh. If this lip balm completely sucked (which it doesn't) the label would clearly improve the crappy lip balm just because of it's amazing looks....seriously.

When you smell this balm you don't think mango. It is fresh and fruity but somewhat guava more than mango. When you put it on the mango comes out. It is a slight highlight of sweetness, very subtle, and very sophisticated. If you are not into sweet lip balms, this is the balm for you! However, if you love your mango sweet, you have to apply this a few times.

There is this great tingling sensation on your lips when you apply this. It feels like peppermint essential oil, however that is not listed. I have no idea where it comes from but it really enhances the feeling of this balm. The lip balm has a nice and firm texture but I found you had to go around your lips twice to get a really good application, which is not bad at all. This is common for harder lip balms. As you rub your lips together you can feel it absorbing into your skin and it is a very refreshing feeling.

This lip balm lasts the average 2 to 3 hours and does not hold up to food or drinks.

The ingredients say mica but I'm not to sure if there is actually any in it. It is not tinted and there is no sparkle or sheen to your lips once you put it on.

Overall, this a solid lip balm. If it were Vegan and sweeter I think it would be even better, however to the general public, I would recommend this balm to anyone that is over the age of 10.

Rating: 4.3 outta 5
(that .3 is for the label.... kudos label!)

Kisse Girl Rocking Bath Bombs

Kisse Girl
Rocking Bath Bombs
in Cupcake

2 for $3 (+ $.75 S&H)

[sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, witch hazel distillate, fragrance, color]


This is a Guest Review done by my good friend and Bath Aficionado, Di.

My original thought on the smell prior to use is curiosity. I was completely unable to label the sent. This is every thing that first went through my head. Quiet, subtle, clean, soapy, baby powder, chalk, coconut (?), vanilla (?). several people could not figure out the specific sent. Then after reading the label closing my eyes and thinking really hard then I could small cupcakes.

It was very easy to use, plop right in the tub and watch fizzle away. It dissolved very quickly in my opinion too quickly. It fizzle and foamed but was not as energetic as I hoped. Once it dissolved in the tub it was much harder to smell cup cakes, I mostly could smell chalk and soap. After my skin was not hugely soft but much softer than usual. My skin now smelled like I had baked a cake.

I was a very positive experience and did enhance my bath. It made the bathe unique and a little extra special. I am personally not a cup cake sent type person but I will more than likely enjoy another cupcake bath bomb bath.

Mystique Lip Balm

Mystique Products
Garden of Earthly Delights Lip Balm
$1.99 (+ $1 S&H)

[apricot kernel oil, mango butter, vitamin e, beeswax, sweet orange essential oil]

The awesome typeface on the label really drew me into this balm...and the great price!

This balm has a wonderfully subtle hint of orange. It is just enough to make you think of a bright and succulent orange, but not enough to make you want to constantly lick your lips.

It glides on very smoothly. The mango butter really makes your lips feel so smooth and soft. At first it felt a bit greasy, but this sensation quickly goes away. This only happened the first few times I applied this balm. My conclusion is that maybe via mailing it melted and reformed when it arrived and there was just some odd settling at the top, because after the 12th or so application, it felt like a gloriously well textured lip balm.

This balm lasts the average duration of your general lip product, 2 to 3 hours. It does not hold up to eating or drinking and I found that it really smudges clear glasses, so that you have to wipe them off before putting them in the dishwasher, otherwise they still come out with your lip-print on the rim.

Even though this product is not Vegan, it is all natural and organic. This makes this lip balm that much more awesome.

I cannot figure out why it is the Garden of Earthly Delights however. When I think of the title I think maybe Apple would be a better scent? It doesn't affect the great quality of this lip balm however!

The only negative of this balm is its low melting point. I forgot it in my car (I was doing so well remembering to take them out too!) and when I got it, it was too late, so I put it in the fridge and when it came out the mango butter had crystallized and it was no longer usable.

Overall, this is a great balm for the price. It has a sophisticated scent with a light flavor but do not expose it to great amounts of heat or sunlight.

Rating: 4 outta 5