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!