I'll say "Yes To" this balm!

Evening everyone!

I thought I'd share with you one of my recently re-found loves today. The other day my boyfriend asked me for a lip balm to use, so off to my drawer of lip products I went. While looking for something unscented & clear for him to use I came across this little tube of loveliness that I had forgotten about - well actually I came across two.

A while back, Yes To Carrots was nice enough to send me a package of products for review. They were incredibly generous sending me all the flavours of their lip butters and tinted lip balms along with a ton of other skin care products. I immediately liked these lip butters but for some reason they slowly moved to the back of my collection. These butters come in Mint, Berry, Carrot, Melon and Citrus but I gave away Melon, Citrus and Mint as stocking stuffers and Berry got stolen by my boyfriend and now permanently lives in his pocket. So, I'm left with Carrot, which was actually my favourite to begin with!

I usually don't expect lip balms in stick form to be as moisturizing as their counterparts in pot form but I was pleasantly surprised in this case. Oh, and the Carrot flavour doesn't smell at all like carrot, it's pretty much unscented. These balms contain a massive amount of moisturizing and soothing ingredients including: Coconut oil, Olive Oil, Beeswax, Jojoba, Sunflower, Shea butter and lots of fruit and vegetable extracts. These make your lips feel super smooth, moisturized and not heavy or waxy. Not to mention these are 95% Natural and USDA Certified Organic which is especially important for something you are most likely going to eat.

My only problem with these little guys is I have yet to find them for retail anywhere in Canada. If you know where they sell these please let me know!

Summary

Yes To Carrots Lip Butter - Carrot

$12.99 for 5 (Carrot, Melon, Berry, Citrus and Mint)

Available at: Yes to Carrots & Drugstores (US)

Disclosure: This product was sent to me by a company for consideration for a review. There is no guarantees that a review will be provided. All opinions are my honest opinion of the product. I was not paid to write this post.

This one Really is the Balm!

Hey all!

So lately these coloured balms are popping up everywhere. Maybelline, Revlon, L'Oreal and many others. I've tried the aforementioned three and have to say only one really convinced me it was a great conditioning balm!

This is L'Oreal's Colour Riche Balm in Pink Satin. I found myself wondering what the differences between all these balms were but there are actually many! Revlon's comes in a huge variety of shades, but didn't add enough moisture for me, it was more like a sheer lipstick. Maybelline's comes in few shades and are extremely sheer and L'Oreal comes in a mid range of shades, provides great moisture and a little bit of shimmer. I feel like I'm channeling Goldilocks here "Maybelline was too sheer, Revlon was too pigmented and L'Oreal was juuuusssstttt right" haha.

As I mentioned, I picked this up in the shade Pink Satin which was sold out at 3 stores before I could find this one! This is the lightest of the shades and is a very light but very sheer pink with shimmer.

I love the packaging of this balm, its luxurious and has co-ordinating coloured caps to the product inside to make it easy to find a certain colour in your hand bag or drawer. Another added bonus? SPF 15, which I'm always looking for in my lip balms and lip colours. My lips tend to sunburn very easily even in the winter so I need SPF!

As for pricing, Maybelline is the cheapest version of these tinted drugstore balms, with L'Oreal coming in second and Revlon being most expensive (although prices vary wildly so make sure you shop around!). Of the three I found L'Oreal's to give the most moisture and make my lips feel the most comfortable, while providing shine and a hint of colour!

As you can tell I didn't "haul" any of these because I really wanted to find which one worked for me. I'm glad at least one of them did, being the L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm and I think I'm going to have to pick up a few more colours! Have you tried any of these drugstore coloured balms? Which one was your favourite?

Summary

L'Oreal's Colour Riche Balm - Pink Satin

$7.98 (Approximately)

Available at: Drugstores

Is Everything Really Better with Butter?

Good morning everyone!
It is a glorious wintery day out there - if by glorious you think of -15°C with a wind chill of -20°C and a winter storm warning for 10-15 centimetres of snow and a car that won't start no matter how many times you jump it... Anyway back on track! Today I have a review of a lip product, namely Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake. I know many beauty bloggers hauled this product, picking up on every shade, believe me I was tempted but I just don't trust lip products because I rarely, rarely love them. So, I decided to pick up just one and test it out.

First off, I love the packaging. Very luxe & expensive looking with the signature "quilted" case of Colorburst products. The cap stays on tightly (as to not fall off in your purse) and the caps give a fairly accurate description of what colour is inside. If you are someone who has many of these it would make it super easy to find the shade you were looking for! I also like the angled tip, as it makes for much easier application, especially in a rear view mirror (not while driving I promise!).

I selected Strawberry Shortcake because of its neutral, medium pink. I figured it would be great for everyday wear and didn't want to select anything darker as I didn't know what the pigmentation pay off would be like. This one has a hint of shimmer in it but definitely nothing noticeable on the lips. You can also tell which shades have shimmer by the cap - ones with shimmer will have, you guessed it, shimmer in the lid!

The pigmentation pay off is actually a lot more than I expected! I would say these are much more close to a moisturizing lipstick than a tinted lip balm. I love the colour of this one once applied, it's a really flattering pink that I think most skin tones could wear. If you were to only pick up on one of these I think this would be a good option.


Now for my personal experience with the product. I expected more. These aren't very moisturizing, at least not for me, and I will definitely require a balm underneath when I wear this. Having said that, I do like them as a moisturizing lipstick and will definitely wear it, it just wasn't what I expected. I wanted a super rich balm with just a hint of colour and that isn't what I got. The term "lip butter" makes me think of my Korres Lip Butter (which is amazing) and I definitely prefer those for a tinted lip balm. If you want a moisturizing lipstick or your lips don't need a lot of hydration I would definitely pick up on this. I don't by any means not like the product it just wasn't what I had anticipated. I may even buy another one because when I do wear lipstick I like it to be sheer and moisturizing!


Summary
Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter - Strawberry Shortcake
$9.00 (Roughly) CAD
Available at: Drugstores


What did you think of these lip butters? Did you expect more or where they everything you wanted?

Can Maybelline Give You Baby Soft Lips?

Good Morning!
It's a super sunny day out here in western Canada but that always makes me forget just how cold it's going to be outside! In this cold weather and intense inside heat I feel like there's absolutely nothing out there that can heal and soothe my dry chapped lips. So I've been picking up every lip balm, butter, gloss I see in hopes that one will be able to handle my Canadian winter lips.

In my search I obviously (as a beauty junky) picked up on one of these new Maybelline Baby Lips balms. As I'm sure most of you know these come in a variety of colours along with a couple different clear shades, I picked up on the unscented clear one so I could wear it all the time. Plus, any colour on my lips when they are chapped just makes them look more horrid than they already do!

I think the packaging of these balms is really cute with the chunky lettering and bright colours, although I find that the clear lid can pop off in my purse sometimes which makes me nervous. I generally keep it in my jacket pocket to avoid it becoming infested with crumbs or pennies from the bottom of my purse.

These balms have a fairly large, rounded applicator that is good for covering the entire lip area easily. There's a lot of product in the tube and at only around $4, they are a good value. BUT, I don't like the formulation. I'm not going to say these are a bad lip balm product and the coloured options are probably great for people who don't have severely chapped lips like me.

Again, these aren't bad and they do provide hydration it just isn't enough for my super dry lips. I will probably find myself using these in the summer for lighter hydration and a hint of colour but for right now they just don't do enough for me. If you live in a warmer climate or only need a lighter hydration from you lip balm or even a balm to put under your lipstick I would recommend these but if you're suffering with chapped, peeling and chronically dry lips these aren't going to cure them.

*Sigh* so my search for an ultra hydrating lip balm continues! So far my favourite lip balm of all time and the only one that can provide any relief for my chapped lips is Korres Lip Butter in Guava (click to see my review). I've gone through 3 in the past year and they hold a lot of product! The reason i am still on the hunt is because the Korres ones come in a pot and I hate putting my finger in a pot when I'm out and about.

Summary
Maybelline Baby Lips - Clear
$3.98 CAD (roughly)
Available at: Drugstores


Have you tried these lip balms? Did you like them? Let me know in the comments!

Back To MAC Haul!

Hey everyone! First off, I'm sorry for quality of these photos, I'm not sure why but my camera didn't want to focus and the lighting was bad but not bad enough for flash so these are what resulted! haha

I was recently going through my drawers and reorganizing all my makeup and found my bag of empty MAC containers! I had totally forgotten about them and was so excited to bring them Back To MAC for some new goodies! So, this is the first time I have ever done the Back To MAC recycling program and wasn't entirely sure how it worked but I learned a few things!

BACKGROUND INFO

First, 6 empty "Primary" MAC containers gets you a free product, even if they are depotted (I wasn't sure so I thought I would let you all know!). Which free product you get depends on where you return your containers. If you go to a MAC counter (inside The Bay in Canada) you get your choice of lipstick (excluding Viva Glam) for 6 empties - BUT if you go to a free standing MAC store you can have your choice of Eyeshadow, Original Lipglass or Lipstick. I think its great for MAC to have any recycling program, especially with such great benefits for us! Recycling their packaging is a great way for MAC to save money and for everyone to save the environment - Good on you MAC!

WHAT I GOT

My first item (which I paid for and was not part of the Back To MAC program) is the only thing I really liked from the Cham-Pale collection! I thought I would love the collection but in person it was so incredibly shimmery it just wasn't for me, and the colours weren't good on me either! :( BUT I managed to find this little gem! I have only even tried MAC tinted lip conditioners but heard really good things about the original. I have had a recent addiction to Lavender scents since I got my LAVANILA Lavender Vanilla perfume so this was amazing to me! It has a super subtle lavender scent so it isn't overpowering on the lips! I love the moisurization this gives! I put it on every night before bed and wake up with super hydrated lips - a definite must try!

Next up is the first item I got for free with my empties! If you follow me on twitter, you might know that I have been searching for a really deep blue eyeliner! I couldn't find any I really loved to I decided to pick up a dark blue shadow instead and use it with a liner brush. This is Contrast, a deep blue/purple Velvet eyeshadow that is 1000x prettier in real person than in the photo! I am super happy with this and it makes an amazing liner without having the harshness of black.

Last, but certainly not least, is a new Lipglass! I haven't bought a lipglass in I don't even know how long! I remember them being so incredibly sticky and gloopy that I had like 2 when I was 16 then none until now! I am pleasantly surprised that they are not nearly as sticky as I remember! They actually have a really nice feeling to them and some new gorgeous colours! I decided to go with a staple colour that I would wear everyday and just throw in my purse for anytime! This is Florabundance, as MAC describes it "a peachy blossom pink". Its a great combination of pink and peach and I think would flatter any skin tone! This one also has no shimmer and is fairly sheer, but none the less, gorgeous!

Well, there is my mini Back To MAC haul! As you can tell I had 12 empties so I got the eyeshadow and lipglass for free! I'm already starting to save up more because getting free MAC is definitely addicting! ;)

Have you used the Back To MAC recycling program? What have you got?

Best of 2010 - Lip Repair

Good morning ladies! Its time for me to round up all the best items of 2010! I will be doing posts on various items and categories, as well as new items (as usual!) I'm starting off with lips because it is the HARDEST thing for me to find and therefore the most exciting when I do! Living in Canada and in the DRIEST place in Canada (I don't actually know that, but I'm convinced!) I am always searching for the next best lip balm/gloss/scrub - anything to help my parched lips! Here are the best of the best that I found this year! (well, this winter - since it got so dry and cold!)

First things first. My lips get so incredibly dry that they flake and peel like nothing else! If your lips are like that, nothing will moisturize them unless you get rid of all the dead skin thats forming a barrier (just like your skin!). This is the best lip scrub I have found because it is SO intense. It is the LUSH Lip Scrub in Sweet Lips (tastes like vanilla/chocolate). The sugar grains are very abrasive, which is what I need, and get rid of ALL the dead skin cells that are blocking your fresh, new cells. This is really easy to use, I just tap the surface with my finger and that is enough sugar grains to get a great exfoliation (this will last forever!). Scrub over your lips until they feel soft and smooth, the oils in the scrub are left behind to help with moisturization! (Oh, and you can eat this! So clean up is a breeze!)

Next up is the most moisturizing lip balm I have ever found! This is Korres Lip Butter in Guava. I never thought I would find something so great for my lips, honestly! I had a 25% off (or whatever it was) VIB discount at Sephora and was desperate to find something incredibly nourishing for my lips. On a whim, I picked up this little beauty. (I actually have two of these already but they are tinted so I use them more as a lip colour). This is the best purchase I made of 2010, seriously. I know these are a little pricey at $13 CAD each but trust me they are worth it! I'm not sure what is in them that makes them so incredibly hydrating, but whatever it is I LOVE IT! This smells amazing too and doesn't feel thick on the lips. It feels super slick and hydrating without a waxy feel. I highly recommend any of these, they come in great colours too! (I've had this for less than a month and am almost half done it, thats how much I love and use it!)

Last but certainly not least, is Dermaglow's Instant Lip Gloss Plumper. This is the most unique and interesting gloss I have ever tried! Dermaglow was nice enough to send this to me (In their Thirsty Winter Lips Set) to test out against the harsh Alberta climate! And I must say, it performed more than well! I would have shown you this in the package but I literally went to the post office to pick it up, ripped the box open and tore this out and applied it right in the parking lot! haha I was hesitant if this would stand up to -30 degrees with a windchill of -40 because it looked like "just a gloss". This is anything but "just a gloss"! Sometimes I like to have more of a shine to my lips but still want an intense moisturizing treatment (hard to come by!). I also like to have a wand applicator when I'm out and about (pots seem unhygienic and are just a pain at times.) so this is GREAT! This goes on like a clear, shiny gloss but as it sets into the lips, it turns to a balm feel which I LOVE! It also plumps the lips with hydration without the stinging or tingling (which I really don't like). This has been my go-to and a permanent fixture in my backpack and purse. I apply this so much its crazy and it works amazingly! (Oh and did I mention they are a Canadian company? I should have known they would make great hydrating products!)

So, thats all of them! These are my three lifesavers and the only things that keep my lips from being crinkly, chapped messes! What are your go-to lip products? Let me know! I always want to try new things! :)

Korres Lip Butter Review

Korres Lip Butter - Guava

As you all may know, I am on a never-ending quest for the perfect lip balm. Living in Canada the dry, cold winter air takes a TOLL and I mean TOLL on my lips! I never realized just how bad chapped lips could get until moving to Calgary and experiencing the driest and coldest air of my life! A normal winter day around here is -20 degrees Celsius so I need something intense and incredibly hydrating!

Here I have the Korres Lip Butter in Guava I have actually had a few of these lip butters for quite a while. The first ones I purchased were in Pomegranate and Quince (but I seem to have lost the Quince one, hopefully I'll find it in a purse somewhere haha!) but I didn't use them as often because they are both pigmented and hard to apply without a mirror. Although from the applications I did do, I could tell they were extremely hydrating and soothing.

With that, I was determined to get a clear version of this lip balm, which are surprisingly hard to find I might add! I went to Sephora and had to get the sales lady to dig around in the drawers and the back room to find me one! What can I say? I was determined! Luckily, she did find me one and I snatched it up! Since then I have been slathering this on 100 times a day and loving every second of it!

I also like that it is a natural product. Although there are still quite a few ingredients on the list that I cannot pronounce nor have any idea what they are, it does include some great natural ingredients to moisturize and soothe. Heres what the website says about this lip butter:

"A buttery lip balm that melts on the lips and offers a shiny, tinted finish. The combination of Shea butter and Rice wax offers deep hydration and softness. Ideal for chapped lips."

It really does "melt" into lips and provides really intensive hydration.  I can honestly say this (in combination with my Lush Lip Scrub) is the only thing that has helped my lips! I can't get enough of this stuff, its been permanently on my lips since I bought it and I swear I've gone through half a pot of it already! This keeps my lips so soft even when I don't have it on. That may sound like a weird comment but when you live in -20 degree weather, your lips have to be covered with something at ALL TIMES!

Pros:

- Hydrating
- Deeply Moisturizing
- Repairing
- Prevents chapping
- Taste/Smell - Amazing!
- Texture - not thick or sticky at all!
- 7 Great Colours Available!

Cons:

- Not as "natural" as I would like - too many ingredients that I don't understand!
- The lids tend to break, they are a little flimsy

Overall, EVERYONE needs one (or 7) of these! I am going to buy 3 more for every purse/school bag/car/room in my house seriously! I am not going to be able to live without these from now on! This is it guys, my holy grail of lip balms! I never thought I would find it but my lips are so extremely happy that I did! I've never tried such an effective, yummy and versatile lip balm!

LUSH Tinted Lip Balm Review

Obviously, I have been on quite the lip kick! I can't help it! This time of year all I can think about is how chapped my lips are and how NOTHING helps! :( Anyways, I didn't really pick this up to help with my chapped lips, I picked it up because its adorable haha

Lip Tint - Snow Fairy

Lush has always had lip balms (untinted ones) but I have never purchased one before. I've looked at them many times but never felt inclined to buy one, mostly because I didn't like any of the scents! In that case I'm not going to be able to compare this to their original lip balms!

Inside View

These are absolutely gorgeous, extremely vivid balms! They come in 3 shades Snow Fairy (bright pink), It Started With A Kiss (bright red) and Double Choc (bronzy/brown). These are all different in intensity when applied to the lips. The It Started With A Kiss is extremely intense when applied! It comes out as a true red, almost like a lip stick! The Double Choc is more sheer with a shimmer.

Swatch of Snow Fairy

I picked the Snow Fairy because its sheer but still has a great colour to it! You can up the intensity by adding extra layers of the product. These all contain nourishing oils and butters as well as waxes to keep your pout hydrated! I'll give you some pros and cons!

Pros

- Price: $5.95, not too bad!

- Colours: All vivid with different intensities to suit everyone

- Ingredients: hydrating, natural

- Cute Packaging: love the look of little tins!

Cons

- Tins are cute, but hate digging my finger in!

- Not as hydrating as I like

- Texture is very hard, makes it difficult to get onto your finger to apply

Overall, I do love this little thing! Its been in my purse since I got it and I find myself reaching for it a lot! Although, I don't use it has a hydrator, I only use it as a colour. I apply a balm before I apply this to make sure I have no cracks or dry skin that the colour will get trapped in (just like any other lip colour!) I would really like to try the red, as it looks really pretty! Have you tried any of these? Do tell!

Final Verdict: I would recommend these! The price is reasonable and the colour is very pretty! Also they are all natural which I always appreciate when putting something on my lips. I great tinted lip colour, but not to be used as a balm (for me at least!) :)