Product Body Soaps {review}

I'm sure you have all heard of The Soap Bar... right?  One could say that a great part of my soap addiction came from reading this blog! Joanna Schmidt, the one who writes the blog, also has her own bath and body line, Product Body. And for as long as I've been reading her blog, I can't believe it took me so long to Joanna's soaps. And I surely regret it, because these soaps are fantastic!

{the soap: thai sticky rice}

I was surprised but this soap actually does smell a bit like rice. I don't know what Thai sticky rice actually smells like, and shame on me, for I love Thai food! I guess I get too distracted by all of the curry and peanut sauce scents to take the time to smell the rice! But, I've eaten plain ol' regular rice almost everyday for my whole life and I can definitely detect a "rice-ish" smell in this soap, which I find oddly appealing. The other scents in the soap I can't quite name, but they are softly sticky sweet with a hint of something floral. The scent is… almost indescribable… but it's mildly sweet, but perfectly scented, with a bit of dreaminess.

In the shower, the soap holds its dreamy scent which is so calming and soothing. The bar feels wonderful with its smooth, bubbly lather. I could stand in the shower and lather up forever with the Thai Sticky Rice bar. Overall, it creates quite the experience. With its creamy lather and gentle scent it felt like such a relaxing and luxurious treat. When I finally decide to get out of the shower, the soap rinses off splendidly and I feel clean and soft and super relaxed.

Ingredients for the Thai Sticky Rice are olive oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, organic palm oil, shea butter, palm kernel oil, castor oil, and fragrance.

If you are interested in trying this bar (and I highly recommend it!), you should jump on it! This soap is being discontinued, so get it while you can!

{the soap: fat boy}

When I saw all of the ingredients listed for this soap, I just HAD to try it. So, let's start off with the that…

Ingredients for the Fat Boy are olive oil, coconut oil, water, palm oil, sodium hydroxide, fresh buttermilk, palm kernel oil, canola oil, cocoa butter, rice bran oil, fresh goat milk, shea butter, avocado oil, coconut milk, aloe butter, castor oil, mango butter, yogurt, and activated bamboo charcoal.

Now isn't that an astounding list of ingredients? I mean, how does she get 'em all in there?!  All of the ingredients made it sound like a super moisturizing bar, and boy is it! I've been looking for a really good wintertime soap for my hands for years and this is it! In the winter my hands tend to get super dry, especially my fingertips. And nothing really helps, not even lotion! Until I found the Fat Boy that is!

The lather of the Fat Boy is sooooo super creamy, it's quite shocking! When I'm lathering up, I can feel the moisture sinking into my hands. I simply love washing my hands with this bar. I just can't get over how GOOD it feels on my dry and irritated wintertime skin. The lather is quite unbelievable and just plain fun. The soap is unscented but there's a faint sweetness to it that is quite pleasant. Overall, this is one of the BEST soaps I've ever tried.  It works like nothing else will and I'm starting to believe there's a bit of magic in there!

{conclusion}

I will definitely be purchasing from Product Body again… and again! The soaps are superb and I have found a soap that I cannot live without! The customer service is great and I truly enjoy purchasing from someone who has added so much to the online soaping world. I love it when I can feel more connected to the shop owner - it just makes the soap more special. If you are looking for a special treat, head on over to Product Body. And while you're at it, check out Joanna's Product BodyBlog and tell her what soaps you like (and let her know who sent you)! She is currently having a giveaway and you just might win some of her lovely products!

Aunt Nancy's Soap {review}

 

I stumbled upon Aunt Nancy's Soap in a search for a campfire scented soap. I know, random right? I ALWAYS get these ideas in my head that I will completely love certain scents before even getting a whiff! So while I was obsessively searching for campfire scented things, I settled on purchasing the Campfire soap (and another) from Aunt Nancy's Soap.  And from this, I have found one of my favorite soaps ever!

{the soap}

And no, despite my ramblings about campfire, it was not the one. I actually haven't given that one a shot yet, since I got so hung up on the other bar I purchased. Which was…. *drumroll please*…  the scrumptious Creamy Peppermint with Chocolate Swirl!

The soap is absolutely DIVINE! It is so minty fresh and has lead to now love all things minty.  In the shower, the scent is quite refreshing and it tingles my senses. I love to stand there and just inhale the minty-ness of it all! In fact, to make it even more refreshing, I turn the water to cold(er) and enjoy the icy peppermint aroma.

Not only does this soap smell fantastic, it also feels fantastic! There's a good amount of creamy lather and the bar glides so smoothly across the skin. But it's not too slippery that I can't keep a hold of it in the shower. It rinses off well with no slick residue left on the skin. In fact, it's quite softening and the peppermint scent lingers lightly for a bit.

And just to let you know how much I truly love this soap, let me explain a little something to you. When I get a new soap, I cut it into smaller pieces, say about 4-6 pieces per bar. I do this in part to make the bar last longer. But also, I have so many different soaps (as you can see here), I like to switch it up a lot and smaller pieces are perfect for that. From many bars, I've only tried one piece (and some I haven't even tried yet!). However, with the Creamy Peppermint soap, I am down to my very last chunk of soap. I can't remember the last time I completely finished a bar of soap! I always have to have it in my shower, and 75% of the time, it will be the soap I pick to lather up with.

Now that right there is some soapy love!

{ingredients}

Olive oil, goat milk, distilled water, sodium hydroxide, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, cocoa oil, peppermint essential oil, and cocoa powder. 

{conclusion}

Would I purchase again? Most definitely! I am going to NEED to soon once I run out! Although, I may be able to hold off a bit considering I have placed another order with Aunt Nancy's Soap and should try out the new soaps I got - Eucalyptus Mint and Tahitian Vanilla (both smell delightful). I sense some great soap adventures in the near future!  I urge you to go check out Aunt Nancy's Soap and start your own soapy adventures!

Ophelia's Apothecary Lip Balm {review}

The products at Ophelia's Apothecary are just hard to resist. You've heard of this shop, right? And if you haven't, go check out their shop and you'll see what I mean!  The photographs totally sell the product and I love it when a shop takes the time to make their stuff look so good! I mean, as online shoppers, we need that right?!

{the balm}

The formula for this balm is a bit on the heavy side. It's also a hard balm, but it goes on smooth with little tug. The texture is very creamy and I really enjoy that part.  However,  it's a bit thick and leaves behind a thick layer of balm. I'm not sure that I'm a big fan of how heavy this balm is. I do usually enjoy thick balms, but I feel that this one may offer a bit too much "protection" for my liking. I would prefer if the balm sunk in a bit more and be a bit more breathable instead of just sitting on my lips. It might make a good outdoor balm for blustery windy days though.

{flavor + ingredients}

I currently have one flavor (I did have more, but I gave them away). The flavor I have is Peach Belini,  which has a soft and sweet scent of peaches. It is a very light scent, which I appreciate - peach scents can sometimes be overwhelming.

Ingredients include shea butter, candelilla wax, olive oil, and flavor oils.

{conclusion}

Would I purchase these balms again? Yes, for gifts. I have given a few of these away already and everyone seems to like them. They may not be totally for me, but they will make great stocking stuffers! And hey, they may be for you too, so go check out Ophelia's Apothecary!

Life Soap Simple Soaps {review}

I love a good bar of handmade soap, I truly truly do. But sometimes I forget just how much I love the bars of soap.  I'll start using the cream soaps and body scrubs that come in little jars and just stop using the soap bars. The soap from Life Soap Simple was a good reminder on how awesome a good bar of soap can be!
 

{the soap}

My first experience was with the Oats & Honey bar, and what a lovely shower that was! The lather is so creamy and the scent is lightly sweet and clean. I thought to myself, "THIS is soap!". I do have a great love for all of those fun, fragranced soaps out there, but there is just something about the soaps that have that simple soapy scent. It just makes me feel extra clean and fresh. To me, this Oats & Honey bar has the perfect "soap" scent.

I've also tried the Pumpkin Lavender and Tangerine Lemongrass. I have to admit, the Pumpkin Lavender is not a favorite of mine. But then, I've never been a big fan of lavender scents. I just like to convince myself I like things until I get them and realize I don't! Ha! But the scent isn't too overwhelming; it's slightly spicy, earthy, and soapy. On the other hand, the Tangerine Lemongrass has a nice citrus-y and refreshing scent. I used it a few weeks ago, and I loved how it made me feel alive in the shower! 

{ingredients}

Olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, herbs, essential oils, palm oil, and colorants. Ingredients may differ in various bars.

{conclusion}

Would I buy from Life Soap Simple again? I definitely would! In fact, I've already gone back (I couldn't help myself)! The soaps are simply delightful. They have that perfect clean soapy scent that one would think that is what all soaps should smell like. The lather was creamy and a pure delight in the shower. And I was left feeling squeaky clean and fresh afterwards… and happy from a good shower! If you're looking for simply soapy soaps, go check out Life Soap Simple!

Candle Lynn Lip Balm {review}

You know, I own a LOT of lip balms. I have quite a few that I haven't even tried yet. And there's even more that I've only tried once. However, the balms I have from Candle Lynn truly get a lot of use from me!  These just may be my favorite balms ever, seriously. I can use nothing but these balms for days and be completely happy.

{the balm}

The glide is fantastic and the texture is phenomenal! It leaves a layer of silky, creamy goodness behind! And, really, I mean it is GOOD! The silkiness is unbelievable, it's like... pudding. There we go, it has the texture of pudding (dontcha just love my descriptions?). And I can't get enough of it. I'll put it on and just rub my lips together because it just feels that good. It is love.

And I really should mention the prices. Because they're sort of unbelievable for balms this good. Balms are priced at $2.49 each, or $11.95 for a pack of 5 with free shipping! (There's also some extra good deals going on now!) Doesn't that just blow your mind?! I kind of can't get over it. Uh-mazing!

{flavors + ingredients}

I have a few of these...

• Bubble Gum: Yummy pink bubble gum scent!
• Very Cherry: This is a very good cherry scent that reminds me of cherry Chapstick. Classic scent!
• Cocoa: My favorite! Light cocoa scent with a hint of sweetness.
• Cotton Candy: Sugary goodness! Really does smell like cotton candy!
• Creme Brulee: This one is like dessert for the lips! It smells like vanilla ice cream topped with warm butterscotch and toasted coconut. Seriously.
• Orange Squeeze: Nice light orange juice flavor.
• Strawberry Smoothie: Sweet milky strawberry scent. It also has a sort of "powdery" scent, because it reminds me of strawberry Nesquik!

As for the ingredients, the balms are made with: coconut oil, beeswax, organic shea butter, organic cocoa butter, vitamin e, flavor oil.

{conclusion}

Would I buy from again? Most definitely yes! The balms are some of the best I've ever tried! They feel perfectly delightful, there's a good amount of lovely flavors, and the prices are awesome! In fact, I'm purchasing some right now (good 4 for $4 deal going on)! I think you all should head on over to Candle Lynn and check it out!

Dreaming Tree Soapworks Voluptas Soap {review}

Do you ever hear about something wonderful that you just HAVE to try? And then you build it up it your mind expecting it to be the best thing ever? And then when you get it, it EXCEEDS all expectations and completely blows your mind?!?! Usually it's the other way around, but I've found a shop that sells pure perfection in a bar.

{the soap}

The Voluptas soap made by Dreaming Tree Soapworks has made my list of favorite soaps EVER! I first read about this wonderbar over at The Soap Bar, and boy am I glad I stumbled upon that review! My mind has been blown. I'm clean, I smell good, and my skin is super soft. Life is just beautiful.

But seriously, the first time I took a shower with this soap I think it was the best shower of my life. For reals. The lather was completely unbelieveable. It was a moment of shock and awe. Like. Oh. My. God. It has the creamiest lather in the whole entire world! It felt like I was washing myself with bubbly lotion! Needless to say, I spent quite a bit of time lathering myself up. Pure pleasure! And ever since then, I've had a difficult time trying to choose another soap (out of the millions I have) in the shower. I don't know if I've ever been this in love with a bar of soap!

And the scent! Have I mentioned the scent yet?! On Dreaming Tree Soapworks, it is described as being "a blend of two of the most amazing vanillas". I love the scent of vanilla. And I mean LOVE. However, it's difficult to find good vanilla fragrances out there that aren't too sweet or buttery. The Voluptas soap has an absolutely beautiful vanilla fragrance! It's an elegant, seductive, sexy vanilla that lingers softly on the skin. It's perfect!

I am completely in love with this soap. It smells so good that I have a hard time pulling the bar away from my nose. And it feels so good, I have a hard time pulling the bar off of my body. AND, it leaves my skin so soft, I can't stop thinking about my next shower where I get to experience the perfection of it all again.

{ingredients}

Coconut milk, coconut oil, olive oil, organic sustainable palm oil, sweet almond oil, organic fair trade cocoa butter, grape seed oil, fragrance, and cinnamon.

{conclusion}

Would I but again? YES! In fact, I need to buy some more soaps from Dreaming Tree Soapworks! I just cannot deny the hardcore soapy love I feel for this soap. Soon I shall be a-soaping with some new lovelies from Dreaming Tree Soapworks. And I strongly urge you to go check 'em out and do the same! You will not regret it! Seriously... go there now!

... NOW!

Giveaway Winner! {and some updates}

Thank you to everyone who participated in my giveaway! I'm so excited for this Mystery Box, I wish I could share with you all what's in it! But I don't want to spoil the surprise for the winner who is...

ALEX!

Again, thank you to all who participated! I will definitely be doing some more giveaways in the future featuring some of my favorite Etsy shops! So keep an eye out for those!

And now for some updates...

I asked you all in the giveaway if you think I should review other bath & body products here on this blog. I've been thinking about it for awhile, since I've come across some pretty amazing products. And since you all appear to be on my side, I will start doing reviews for more bath & body products! I'll be reviewing soaps, body scrubs, lotions, perfumes, body mists, and more! I hope you're excited, because I sure am!

And another thing, I am going to stop rating products. I honestly don't find ratings to be very useful. Personally, when I read review blogs, I pay more attention to the review than the rating. And, I don't want to give any sweet hard-working Etsy sellers a less than perfect score. In fact, I don't want to give anyone a bad review. So, from this point on, I'll mostly be reviewing products that I love and adore! But don't worry, I have a lot of loves!

You ready for change? :)

Ella Dean's Beautiful Twists Lip Conditioners {review}

WARNING: There may be a lot of gushing over the awesomeness of Ella Dean and her wonderful lip conditioners! I strongly urge you to continue reading...

You have all probably heard of her, but I though I'd add my review to the huge pile of well deserved reviews for Ella Dean! Ella Dean is one of the sweetest sellers on Etsy! The BEST customer service and one of my favorite shops, for her lip conditioners are FANTASTIC! Please, visit her various shops: Beautiful Twists, and Groovy Spookieville, and Ella Dean's Natural Products.

{the balm}

The glide on these lip conditioners are absolutely, positively, never been anything like it AMAZING! Seriously, I don't think I've ever felt anything better smoothly gliding across my lips! The balms are so silky soft and melt onto the lips in a buttery fashion. I just can't get over how good it feels. I'm pretty sure my eyes almost popped outta my head the first time I tried one! Besides the stellar gliding powers, the conditioners are quite moisturizing and lip quenching. They leave behind happy, soft, and good looking glossy lips! It is pure love. Seriously.

Did I mention how glossy they are? You have to check out how glossy they look just in the tubes!

Apart from the amazing and flavorful balms, Ella has taken it a step further by creating unique labels and stories for her balms! All of the balms feature different women (and some men and animals) with their own little stories that coincide with the unique flavors. I'm currently holding Pistachio Pudding in my hand right now, and here is what the label tells me:

There once was a girl named Pistachio (nickname Sweet P) who was born with beautiful pistachio colored hair. She loved watching the lightning bugs, winking & wearing flowers in her beautiful hair.

How creative and fun is that?! Ella even sends cute cards featuring the balm's character:

It just blows my mind when I think about how much love and effort Ella puts into every single one of her balms! She is simply amazing!

{flavors + ingredients} 

Ella Dean has an astonishing amount of unique flavors! Here's the (quite long) list of what I have:

• Apple Juice: It's a fruity, almost floral, apple flavor... if that makes sense.
• Assorted Roasted Nuts: This one has a salty, nutty scent with a bit of sweetness.
• Black Cherry Milkshake: Beautiful black cherry scent mixed with a creamy vanilla! It's softly sweet!
• Burnt Sugar Cherry Blossoms & Seaweed: THIS IS THE ONE! By far my favorite, the sweet burnt sugar scent really stands out in this balm with a hint of floral sweetness. And the seaweed powder makes it extra smoooth and creamy!
• Fresh Cream: Smells like sweet, creamy vanilla!
• Grapefruit Juice & Unicorn Kisses: Just like tart grapefruit juice.
• Hawaiian Banana Coconut Smoothie: It's sweet banana coconuty goodness. It reminds me of something that I can't quite place a finger on. Either way, every time I smell this one I have to stop, close my eyes, and sigh. It's that good.
• Marshmallow Grape Bubble Gum: A deliciously sticky sweet grapey scent!
• Modest Peaches & Cream: This is one of the truest peaches & cream scents I've ever had the pleasure to sniff. No too sweet artificial peach-ish scent here. It's da real deal!
• Pistachio Pudding: A bit nutty and sweet with a hint of spice. Yum! I wish I bought the body spray now!
• Plum Ice Cream: Reminds me of sweet berry juice!
• Raspberry Almond Cake: I didn't expect this to be very cake-y, but it totally is. It's like almond cake topped with raspberries
• Seductive Cinnamon Rolls: Seriously smells like cinnamon rolls. I want to eat it!

As for the ingredients, Ella's lip conditioners are vegan! Made with candelilla wax, sweet almond oil, olive oil, aloe vera oil, olive butter, safflower oil, vitamin e, fda color, essential oils, flavor oils, and love (and lots of it, folks!). A few of the balms also have seaweed powder, which is pretty gosh durn amazing! 

{conclusion}

Would I buy this product again? Um, YES! Most definitely, absolutely, positively, YES! I've already made several purchases from Ella. Her balms are AMAZING! The flavors are so unique and presented in a fun, playful way! The customer service is excellent and Ella is super sweet! This is one of my all-time favorite shops and I think you should leave this blog RIGHT NOW and go check out Beautiful Twists! I promise you'll find something to drool over!

Mystery Box Giveaway! {ended}

I have a VAST amount of lip balms and bath & body products! I really need to do some destashing! And if I give any more to my family/friends, they'll have to start giving some stuff away too! And since I've been neglecting my blog as of late, I thought I'd start off again by doing a giveaway!

I will be giving away a Mystery Box of handmade goodies! The items will come from a variety of different Etsy sellers and will include the following:

• lip balms (of course!)
• lotion(s)
• soap
• solid perfume

Before you enter in this giveaway, please understand this:

These products are coming from my own personal collection. They may have been opened and sniffed once. If you have a problem with this, please don't enter the giveaway. However, I guarantee that the products in this giveaway are unused, and basically brand new. 

{UPDATE: I have decided to give you another HINT of what's going to be in the Mystery Box! There will be one or two delightful products from Pink Bow Bath Boutique! L-O-V-E!} 

TO ENTER: You can earn a total of THREE entries for the giveaway!

1. You must leave a comment with your email address! (REQUIRED)
2. If you are a follower of this blog, leave another comment for an additional entry.
3. If you answer this question: Should the Etsy Balmer also review other bath & body products?, leave another comment for an additional entry. (I'm looking for some feedback!)

***Please note that for additional entries, separate comments must be left! Or else they won't count towards the drawing! Thanks! :) ***

The last day to enter will be August 12th. I will use random.org to pick a winner and the winner will be announced (and contacted by me) on August 13th.

Good luck and have fun! :)

Country Blossom Lip Balm {review}

I've been kind of addicted to these balms! In fact, I've made several purchases from Country Blossom! And, I think I have most of the flavors...

WHERE TO FIND:

Check out Country Blossom on Etsy and find some great lip balms, candles, and body scrubs!

PRICE:

The prices are fantabulous! Each balm is $2.50, or you can buy a set of 3 for $6.75. Isn't that a great deal?!?!

SHIPPING & PACKAGING:

Shipping costs are quite reasonable. Every item (even a set) is $2 for shipping, and $0.25 for every item after that. And, I received my items in a timely manner!

APPEARANCE:

The balms come in the standard .15oz clear tube. All of the labels have the Country Blossom image and logo and flavor name. They're quite cute!

INGREDIENTS:

Beeswax, olive oil, coconut oil, vitamin E, and flavor oil.

TEXTURE & GLIDE:

These balms take a little extra push to get 'em going, but it's totally worth it! They're almost the perfect consistency between light and heavy. The balm feels so creamy and smooth on the lips with light gloss! I love it!

MOISTURIZING ABILITIES:

The balm leaves behind noticeable softness!

WEAR:

The wear is about average. I'd say around 1.5 to 2 hours.

SCENT & FLAVOR:

I, um, ordered several flavors...

• Blueberry Pomegranate: Can definitely smell the blueberries in this one! It's like sweet, sugary blueberries with a hint of pomegranate!
• Caramel Apple: This is a scent that has never really appealed to me, but I thought I'd give it a shot. It's actually not too bad. It's caramel-y, but not as sweet as I was afraid of. The apples come out after applied.
• Creme Brulee: This one is one of my favorites! I've never had creme brulee before, so I don't know what it actually smells like. But this balm is fantastic! It has a lightly sweet, custard scent with a faint wisp of something burnt. It's a very creamy scent, and utterly fantastic!
• Coconut Peach: This scent surprised me. I thought it'd be sweet and peachy, but it's not. It's like coconut milk with peaches. Actually, I think that's how it's described, but I didn't expect it to actually smell like that! Anyway, it's a very good coconut and peaches scent that isn't nauseatingly sweet. Score!
• French Vanilla: I'm addicted to vanilla scents and this one is one of the best I've tried! It's like vanilla ice cream! Yumm!
• Green Tea & Honey: I'd have to say this one is my least favorite. But that's because I convinced myself that I like green tea scents and I actually don't. So, if you like green tea scents, you might like this one. But it's not for me... I think it smells kind of floral.
• Mint Chocolate Chip: It's like chocolaty, minty goodness. I wish it had more of a vanilla scent, so it'd be more like the ice cream. But, it's still a lovely scent, and another one of my favorites!
• Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jelly: You can definitely smell the strawberries in this one! The peanut butter doesn't come out until after you put it on. So it's not overwhelmingly nutty, which is probably more "user friendly". However, I wish it had more peanut butter scent. I'm weird though -- I crave nutty scented lip balms. Ha. I still enjoy the scent though. :)
• Pomegranate: This one is a nice lightly fruity, pomegranate scent. It's a nice, as expected, scent.
• Strawberry Lemonade: This is a sweet and tart scent, that kind of sparkles your senses! You can definitely smell the strawberries and lemons. It's quite a refreshing scent!

BUY AGAIN?:

I would definitely buy from Country Blossom again! Actually, I've already visited this shop 3 times, and I don't expect it to be my last! The balms are fantastic and creamy, and may be on the list of my all time favorite lip balms! There's a lot of flavors with a few unique ones! And, the prices are absolutely fantastic! I would HIGHLY recommend these balms, so go check out Country Blossom right now!

MY RATING: 5 OUT OF 5

Mini-Giveaway Winner!

And now for the winner of my mini-giveaway of one DECA Candle lip balm! I used a random number generator to pick a winner:

And the winner is...

 

Congratulations! I'll try to have another giveaway as soon as I can! If this lil' blog becomes a bit more popular, maybe I can even do a bigger giveaway! ;)

Thank you to all who entered!

DECA Candle Lip Balms & Mini-Giveaway! {ended}

I'm a bit in love with these balms! They are fantastic! And guess what?! I have one extra, so I'm having a mini-giveaway! Instructions at end of post! :)

Anderson Soap Company Lip Balm {review}

I first heard about this balm in a forum. And then it was also suggested to me. Also, I have heard talk about the Anderson Soap Company. So, how could I pass this balm up?

WHERE TO FIND:

Found this one at the Anderson Soap Company.

PRICE:

Price is about standard at $3 per balm. No package deals are offered.

SHIPPING & PACKAGING:

Shipping isn't too bad, at $.75 per balm. I got in during a sale and pretty much got free shipping. An extra 75 cents -- SCORE! And it was sent out the day after I ordered it!

APPEARANCE:
Personally, I think this balm looks better in photo than in person. Not saying it looks bad, but it does look a bit cheaper than it does in the photo. Anyway, this balm comes in a standard .15oz tube, which is semi-clear. The labels have alternating strips of black & white floral pattern and solid color. From the shop, it seems that the solid colors are usually associated with the flavor of the balm. However, mine is purple and I don't really see the connection with chocolate cheesecake. But it still looks cool -- I do love purple! Also on the label are the ingredients, company name, and flavor (of course!). Overall, the label is nice. Good graphics anyway, but kind of cheap label.

INGREDIENTS:

Beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin e, and flavor oil.

TEXTURE & GLIDE:

This balm is super creamy. When I first got the balm, it was so soft, it was always coming off in the cap. It was a bit annoying, but it doesn't seem to do that anymore. Anyway, I just took it as a sign of its creaminess. It glides on smooth and leaves a really pleasant feeling of a layer of creamy goodness on the lips. Sometimes it takes a few rounds to get enough on, but that's alright because then you get more fun of applying. Also, I should mention that sometimes the glide is affected by temperatures. I kept this in my  outer-coat pocket (yes, I dress in layers - Alaskan winter!) for awhile and it'd get kind of hard being in that semi-cold place. It wasn't so hard that I couldn't apply, but it did make it a bit rough at first.

MOISTURIZING ABILITIES:

This balm has about average moisturizing abilities. It's nothing super spectacular, but it does leave my lips feeling just a bit softer than before. Not enough so that I wouldn't need to reapply, however.

WEAR:

Again, about average. I'd say it lasts about 2 hours. It is a kind of thick balm, so it usually holds up pretty well through eating and drinking.

SCENT & FLAVOR:

I got this balm in the Chocolate Cheesecake scent. To be honest, it's not one of my favorites. It smells chocolatey, for sure. But it also smells cakey. I don't really get the cheesecake scent, but I do get the cake scent. It's kind of like boxed chocolate cake mix, the kind of cake that tastes better than it smells. But hey, you might like it. For me, it's a 'meh' scent. Another thing to mention, the balm doesn't have a flavor, just a scent.

BUY AGAIN?

As average as the balm is, I would buy again from Anderson Soap Company. One of it's redeeming features for me is that I have no allergic reaction to it at all! It is also super creamy and feels nice on the lips. And, at $3.75 per balm with shipping is a pretty good deal! I've considered purchasing more on several occasions. But I'm determined to finish this one off before I buy more. And, I should spend my money on new balms to review, eh? ;)

Bohemian Beetnik NOT! Petroleum Jelly {review}

This isn't exactly a lip balm, but it can be used on the lips and that is what I've been doing! And it surely is a life saver, so I say it deserves a review!

WHERE TO FIND:

This is another product from Bohemian Beetnik. The shop sells a variety of bath & beauty products, including natural deodorants and lip & cheek stains. I've also reviewed a balm from this shop, here.

PRICE:

Prices have gone up since I purchased, but the NOT! Petroleum Jelly is currently set at $6.99 for a 3oz. glass jar. Pretty good deal for that amount of product! And I didn't mention in my other Bohemian Beetnik review, but they are committed to reducing waste and offer $1 off of refills when you send an empty container back to them!

SHIPPING & PACKAGING:

It's been a loong while since I ordered this, so I don't exactly remember. But I know the shipping time wasn't upsetting and it didn't arrive damaged! :) On the listing, it says that shipping costs are $3.28. Not completely outrageous since it's a 3oz. glass jar.

APPEARANCE:
This comes in a glass jar with a white plastic lid. There is one label on the front with the name of the product, what it can be used for, and a link to Bohemian Beetnik. The label's holding up pretty well after all the bouncing around it has done at the bottom of my bag every day. What I don't like about the label is that no ingredients are listed! But at least the list of ingredients is very small, so it's easy to remember!

INGREDIENTS:

What I noticed about Bohemian Beetnik is that they use as few ingredients as possible in their products. I really appreciate this since products don't always need to have a million ingredients to be really awesome. NOT! Petroleum Jelly has only TWO ingredients -- organic palm oil and beeswax.

TEXTURE & GLIDE:

The balm makes my lips feel moist! Seriously, my lips feel drenched in moisture, but not in a suffocating way whatsoever. Actually, it is quite light. It almost feels a bit greasy, but not quite so -- it feels rather pleasant on the lips. This is in a jar, so you have to use your finger to apply, and it usually goes on super smooth. But I've found that the balm is really affected by temperature. I usually keep it on my windowsill and when it gets pretty cold, it takes a little rubbing action to get some on your finger to apply. And when I took it to Hawaii, it melted a bit on the top, but not to the point where it would run or leak. It takes a few swipes to get enough on your lips, and it leaves your finger feeling a bit oily, but the slight annoyances are worth it for how it makes the lips feel!

MOISTURIZING ABILITIES:

This balm... it adds a lot of moisture without being super moisturizing. Does that make any sense? It feels like it's the most moisturizing ever when it's on the lips, but it really has about average moisturizing abilities. Possibly a little above average. But in any case, it leaves my lips soft after using.

WEAR:

This is surprising long lasting for how light the product is. I put it on before bed sometimes and it is known to last all night! Which would be a good 7 hours for me! During the day, it can last up to 3 or 4 hours. However, it wears off fast with food and drink. And another thing worth mentioning, it leaves a nice gloss on the lips! 

SCENT & FLAVOR:

I never noticed this had a scent until a friend told me it smelled like honey. I guess I had never really sniffed it (after having it for months, ahem), because I didn't expect it to have a scent. But after taking a sniff or two, I noticed the slight honey scent! And it doesn't have any flavor, to me at least!

BUY AGAIN?

I've had this for several months, have been using it several times a day, and I'm not even close to being half way down the jar. If I ever need to buy more, I definitely will! It has become a product I must have with me at all times! It feels great on the lips and I have discovered that my lips have no allergic reaction to it at all! It's my go-to product when my lips aren't behaving! I would highly recommend NOT! Petroleum Jelly from Bohemian Beetnik to anyone, especially since its uses are not limited to just the lips!

Sweet Creek Herbal Care Lip Balm {review}

Oh, one of my great Etsy loves - Sweet Creek Herbal Care! I have lost count of the number of orders I've placed with this shop. Maybe over 10? Yes, I know. But it's just that great. I have never been disappointed with the products, as they're all pretty phenomenal, especially the lip balms! (Note: lip balm labels have changed since photo was taken.)

{the balm}

The balms at Sweet Creek Herbal Care are not all the same - the formulas vary depending on the flavor. I have not been disappointed with any I have tried. Some are firmer, others are creamier, and some offer more gloss.

My favorite is the formula for the Maraschino Cherry balm (one of their more popular flavors). It is soft and buttery smooth, so the balm glides on easily. I love to apply a lot because the balm has this amazing silky creaminess that feels just so darn pleasant on the lips. Also, it adds such a lovely gloss.

The wear is about average, maybe 1.5 to 2 hours. There is some great moisturizing to be had though, and is even great for applying before bed!

{flavor + ingredients}

I have tried a few more flavors, but they seem to have been discontinued recently. 

Maraschino Cherry: If I take the time to really smell this, it does smell like maraschino cherries. But at first whiff, this often reminds me of Fun Dip. It's not an overwhelming scent, which I appreciate. It's kind of perfect.

Ingredients include aloe vera in coconut oil, calendula in macadamia nut oil, sunflower oil, candelilla wax, t50 tocopherols, all natural flavor oil. Ingredients may vary depending on flavor (some have different butters).

{conclusion}

I love Sweet Creek Herbal Care, especially the Maraschino Cherry lip balm. Do you want to know just how much I love it? I am currently on my fourth tube. Never in my life have I repurchased any lip balm more than once. Now, if that's not love, I don't know what is. But there you have it. You should check out Sweet Creek Herbal Care and maybe you'll find a lip balm love... or some other loving.

(This review has been edited 7/21/12 to follow new review format.)

Epically Epic Soap Co. Lip Tints {review}

This is one of my most popular posts on this blog. And because of that, I am editing this post on 2/9/2014 to follow the current review format and the new lip tint review standards (more pics!).

If any shop deserves multiple reviews, it is Epically Epic Soap Co.! I am completely in love with this shop! One of the best on Etsy! (Also read my review of Epically Epic lip balms here.)

Allison Hill (who is EPIC!) runs Epically Epic Soap Co. out of her home in New Mexico. Besides lip tints, she sells lip balms, soaps, solid lotions, perfumes, and hair & body sprays. I've never been disappointed with any of her products! Hurry and check out Epically Epic Soap Co.!!!

{the tints}

These tints feel soooo good! They have a very smooth application and glide on beautifully! There's a lot of shine and moisture without feeling greasy. The formula used is of the perfect consistency; it feels very creamy. And I actually think that these feel smoother than the balms! The extra shine, perhaps? :)

Just like the balms, these tints also keep my lips super moisturized! I always have soft lips with Epically Epic products! And this stuff lasts FOREVER! It keeps my lips moisturized for hours! I let my cousin use one of mine once and she was so amazed! The next day she was telling me that she could still feel the balm on her lips at the end of the day (and then she had to buy her own)! They are seriously very long lasting! However, I still apply them often just because I like 'em! ;) 

{the colors}

One thing I love about EE lip tints is that all of the colors come with delicious flavors to go along with the delicious colors. Following are photos taken of how the lip tints look on me. All of the photos were taken in natural, afternoon lighting. Sorry if some of the photos are a bit blurry - it's a bit difficult taking close-ups of your own lips! 

Here is the before shot with no lip tints. Okay, now that you have seen that, quickly look away and go onto the other photos with all the pretty lip tints! 

Bullfrog - This is a peachy pink color in the tube, but on my lips it is a light pink color with a nice bit of shimmer. The shimmer makes it seem lighter and brighter. The tint is peach and cherry scented, and it smells wonderful! All fruity sweet and delicious. My sister-in-law had to have one of these ones for herself!

Guava Pie - This one is probably the brightest EE lip tint I have tried. It is a bright pink on my lips with some good shimmer. It almost reminds me of bubblegum pink. Without natural lighting, it looks even brighter. Fun color for a night out! I can't speak too much about the scent as it is very, very light.

Pink Frosting - Can you just see all that shimmer?! This tint is a very girly one - all pretty pink with tons of shimmer. It is definitely a playful one, but still very wearable. I love that the pink isn't too bright but still has a nice pop to it. The scent is a sweet buttery frosting with a hint of strawberry - quite delicious without being too sweet!

Red Velvet - This tint adds a nice wash of red to the lips. It's not too dark, despite how it looks in the tube. It's a natural looking color, like bitten lips. The scent is red velvet cake and it is delicious and decadent but not overwhelmingly so.

Strawberry Rhubarb - This is very much a "your lips but better" color. It makes my lips look pinker and brighter and more alive, but in a natural-looking way. With a good hint of gloss. Very pretty. The scent is strawberry rhubarb, in which I mostly detect the strawberry. It is a nice, sweet scent that is almost a bit candy-like.

{the ingredients}

Ingredients include pistachio butter, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, castor oil, vitamin E, candelilla wax, flavor, natural sweetener, and mineral colorant.

The Strawberry Rhubarb has a different formula. The ingredients include olive butter, olive oil, cadellila wax, castor oil, olive squalane, vitamin e, flavor, natural sweetener, and color.

{final thoughts}

I will definitely buy again from Epically Epic Soap Co.! I wasn't sure if I'd really like lip tints, but I'm so glad I tried 'em! And I will continue to do so when I spot colors I like! Allison's lip products are the best and I recommend them to everyone and anyone! It's a must have because it's EPICALLY EPIC!

Penn Soap Co. Lip Conditioners {review}

*UPDATE* This shop is now called Penn Soap Co.. I have changed the title of this post for those looking for reviews for the shop under it's new name. The previous name of the shop (through which I purchased) was Mountain Mama Chic.

I was super excited to find these lip balms! They looked simple, but good. And there were lots of choices for flavors! This has truly been a GREAT discovery!

WHERE TO FIND: 

These lip conditioners can be found in the shop called Mountain Mama Chic. Aside from lip balms, the seller has a variety of other bath & beauty products. The seller actually sent me a soap sample from her shop. It had a very manly scent and my brother really likes it.

PRICE: 

So here's the awesome part! For one tube of balm, it's $3. About normal. BUT. If you buy more, the more you can save! If you buy a 2 lip balm set, it's $5, saving you $1. And if you buy a set of 4 balms, it's $9! That's like buying 3, and getting one for free! Or, you can think of it as each balm being $2.25 each. Isn't that a great deal?!

SHIPPING & PACKAGING: 

Shipping was reasonable at $1.99, but also a bit slow. My package wasn't shipped out until 5 days after I ordered it. But once it was, I received it within a few days. The slow shipping didn't bother me too much though. Living in Alaska, one has to expect slow shipping for everything! Oh, and everything was packed in a bubble mailer. Safe arrival!


APPEARANCE:
These balms come in standard .15oz white tubes. The color of the labels correspond to the flavor of the balm. On one side of the label, the flavor is listed in big font. On the other side is the shop logo for Mountain Mama Chic. And inbetween, on its own little sticker, the ingredients are listed. I'm not sure if the label is waterproof. It might be -- I can't tell! 

INGREDIENTS: 

Coconut oil, beeswax, organic shea butter, organic cocoa butter, vitamin E, and flavor oil. One of the balms I got (Cran Grape) had different ingredients listed: sesame oil, beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower oil, mango butter, vitamin E, and flavor oil.

TEXTURE & GLIDE: 

O-M-G! These balms are amaaazing! They glide on oh so smooth. And they feel like liquid silk on my lips. Seriously. I can't think of another way to describe them other than being so silky that it must be liquid silk. And then the liquid silk sinks into my lips and then my lips feel like silk. It's not something everyone would enjoy I'm thinking, but I LOVE IT!

MOISTURIZING ABILITIES: 

This balm just keeps on amazing me. My lips feel sooo soft! Seriously, after the balm sinks in, I just keep on touching my lips because they feel so soft and silky. They condition!

WEAR: 

The balm isn't the longest lasting ever. It lasts for about an hour, I'd say. But, like I said before, it sinks into your lips and leaves them soft and silk. I don't really need to reapply after it's gone, but I do anyway because it just feels heavenly!

SCENT & FLAVOR: 

I bought the four pack of balms from Mountain Mama Chic (of course!):

• Aloha Mango: Smells just like a juicy mango! It's fruity and delicious!
• Cran Grape: To me, this one smells like Welch's grape juice. I'm not very into grape lip balm flavors, but I really enjoy this one. It's not a too sweet medicine like grape scent. 
• Vanilla Bean: I'm still on the hunt for the perfect vanilla bean scent! This is a really nice one. Nice, sweet vanilla.
• White Chocolate Truffle: This scent might be my favorite of the ones I got! It's a light, sweet chocolate scent with a hint of coconut (at least it smells a bit coconut-y to me). It reminds me of an Almond Joy candy bar -- which is one of my favorites!

BUY AGAIN? 

Ohhh yeahhh! I would definitely buy balms from Mountain Mama Chic again! They are just amazing and there's so many good flavors! AND, they have awesome prices! TOTALLY WORTH IT! I really wanna buy some more flavors, like Fudgecycle, Lemon Squeeze, Tuscan Biscotti... I need more!

Bohemian Beetnik Honey Bee Balm {review}

I discovered this product when I went through my "I love honey!" phase (until I realized I actually don't). I had purchased from Bohemian Beetnik previously, so I had some high hopes for this balm.

WHERE TO FIND: 

The Raw Honey Butter Lip Balm can be found in the shop called Bohemian Beetnik. Apart from this balm, the seller has a variety of products in her shop, including lip & cheek stains, lip plumpers, and a honey lip gloss.

PRICE: 

The price of this balm is $4.99 for a .25oz glass jar of balm. (I lucked out and bought it on sale!)

SHIPPING & PACKAGING: 

Shipping was $2. Not too bad for it is a bit heavy (glass jar and all), and it was packaged very well. 


APPEARANCE:
This balm comes in a .25oz glass jar with a white plastic lid. It's a cute little jar! There's a round sticker on the bottom with all of the info for the balm (name, shop, ingredients).

INGREDIENTS: 

This balm has only TWO ingredients! Raw honey and organic palm shortening.

TEXTURE & GLIDE: 

Since this is in a mini jar, you have to apply this with your finger. Mine always seems kind of hard on the top whenever I use it. Maybe because it gets cold? The texture is kind of grainy, but that wasn't unexpected (you can see the texture in the photo). It goes on fine, but then it feels a bit sticky and well, kind of liquid-y. Perhaps I tend to put too much, but it always feels way too glossy on my lips.

MOISTURIZING ABILITIES: 

I'm not sure how well this moisturizes. Supposedly honey is supposed to have some healing powers, but I am never able to leave the balm on long enough to see how well it moisturizes.

WEAR: 

I find the feel of the balm too uncomfortable on my lips, so I tend to take it off in about 10 minutes. So I'm sorry, but I don't know how long this would last, but I'd assume that it wouldn't be too long anyway. It's too liquid-y (to use that word again...) to stay on the lips for an extended period of time. 

SCENT & FLAVOR: 

Well, it smells like honey. And it tastes like honey. On the plus side, when you're done applying the balm, you can just lick your finger to get the rest of the balm and you're basically just eating honey. Ha! Don't judge me...

BUY AGAIN?

No, I would not buy this balm again. I just don't like the texture and I realized I don't like honey that much. However, I would probably purchase other items from this shop! Previously, I bought an organic Vaseline substitute called NOT Petroleum Jelly from Bohemian Beetnik. It's a fantastic, versatile product that I sometimes use on my lips at night for extra moisturization. And it lasts ALL night! So Bohemian Beetnik does make some good products, but the Raw Honey Butter Lip Balm is not for me.