Lip Balms Galore ::: Multi Brand Series, Episode 1

Starting a brand new series here! This series will focus on a particular product and my experience with the product from different brand. I can see mundane beauty products like makeup removers, toners, eyeliners get featured in this series. These products do not excite me enough to prepare individual post but I still use them everyday! I don't have a fixed schedule for this but I will post as soon as I think I have tried enough of the product from different palette. So, this is going to be the first episode in this Multi-Brand series! I have gone through many different lip balms and I never talk about them!

Lip balms are important to me! I have dry, chapped lips all year round. At this point, I have given up on hopes that my lips are going to be TOTALLY healed and remain constantly smooth! But I have found lip products that tremendously help me in maintaining my lips in a standard "cared-for" position. I was going through my vanity and I noticed that I have way too many backup lip balms! I decided to change the way I work on finishing up my lip balms. I now use 3-4 different lip balms in the hope that I will be able to finish up more products in a faster way! Besides, we all need one balm in our purse, one in the vanity area, one near the sofa of the living room (so that I don't have to run upstairs if my lips are feeling dry but I don't want to leave the netflix series I am watching)! And last, but not the least one or 2 by my bed-side.

Nivea Lip Balm ($2.99, 0.17 oz): This is my staple lip balm; it goes everywhere with me! I have gone through many tubes of this in many different scents/flavours like "A Kiss of Moisture Essential Lip Care", "Milk & Honey Soothing Lip Care". Original is my most favorite. But anyway, I love that I can use it over any lipstick I am wearing and I don't necessarily need any mirror to do that. Most of the time I donut see any lipstick/lipbalm up on my teeth. Some lipbalm can mess up the lipstick you are already wearing. It is an absolute MUST-HAVE for me! I have also gone through 2 lip butter from Nivea as well and I love them. It is quite thick so it can appear like a white-cast on the lips but it is awesome to apply at nighttime.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner ($12, 0.15 oz): At 12$ a tube, this is probably the most expensive lip balms I have used. I did love this as I have gone through 3 of these (thank goodness for holiday value-set). The texture here is silky-smooth and it is really moisturizing. However, last 2 tubes started to smell a little odd after I have used 2/3rd of the tubes. I used to carry it in my purse and I don't know if the outside weather has any effect in creating the odd smell. The current tube I am using is kept in my living room. It is almost empty but I have not got that odd scent yet. Also, it can get used up pretty quickly which is sad considering how expensive it is. I am not sure if I will repurchase at full-price.

Aquaphor Heal Ointment Mini Jar ($2.99, 0.25 oz) : Now this is completely on the opposite end of spectrum, price wise! It was an impulse buy from Ulta just so I could get free shipping! But I absolutely enjoy this product. It is a tiny jar but it has lasted me a long time. I am almost running out of it. I typically use this before I go to bed and it heals and smoothens my lips for the next day. I make sure to use this at night if I used a matte liquid lipstick or any drying regular lipstick that day. Moisturization-wise this is a bit better than my trusted Nivea! I would ABSOLUTELY repurchase.

Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve ($6, 0.8 oz): The consistency and texture of this balm takes me straight to my childhood! This resembles something that my grandmas would have had in their vanity. It is such a giant jar, I am honestly not sure if I will ever be able to finish it up! Opening the huge jar is kind of cumbersome because it gets so slippery, I finally depotted some to another little jar to make my life better. It is VERY moisturizing and a little bit heavy so I don't use it during day-time. But I thoroughly enjoy it using alternatively with the aquaphor. I am not sure if I will repurchase just because of the sheer volume of product you get in here!

Herbivore Coco Rose Coconut Oil Lip Conditioner ($22, 0.17 oz): Okay, so I guessed I lied! Caudalie is not the most expensive, this is. It costs $22 but I got it in a Sephora Favorites set so I probably did not spend that much. This disappointed me. The balm had a thin consistency and I enjoyed the faint but "real" rose scent, but it was not moisturizing at all! At all! I had to go back to reapply within an hour. I will finish this up but will not repurchase. I understand it is a cleaner brand with a short list of clean ingredients but sadly for me it was not worth the price. 

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15 ($24, 0.15 oz): Oh, this is another crazy expensive balm! I have gone through a full-size of this in "Tulip". It was very easy on the lips however once I apply it, it ended up everywhere on my teeth. It was not that moisturizing as well. This one pictured here is in the Rose scent and it is performing much better. It is moisturizing and it does not end up on my lips that badly. I will repurchase but not at full price. 

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 ($7.50, 0.25 oz): I know a lot of people love this but I have not yet managed to try it yet. I am waiting to finish up one of the lip balms I am currently working so I can take advantage of the spf in here during the summer.

Elf Cosmetics Lip Exfoliator ($3, 0.16 oz): This is a handy product to have for 3 bucks. It gets a bit drying but the trick is to use a lip balm and then use the exfoliator. It really gets the job done, it so much more convenient and hassle-free when I am running out of time to get ready but still want a matte lips. I still think mixing olive oil or honey with some sugar gives me the best result. The original is a bit too gritty for my taste but the minty one is way more smooth! If I repurchase, I will probably get the mint one.

Hope this was interesting :-) Do let me know :-)

Love,
~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 2

Woohoo!!! My second empties post!! :-) I believe I am getting better at this; you know in "using up products" :) :) :) Without further awe, let's see what in the list this time :-)

1. When Hope is Not Enough Facial Farming Serum (43 USD for 1 oz.): Philosophy's "Hope in a jar" line of products are very very hyped. I bought a value-set sometime last year. While I was not completely blown away by the entire set, I can definitely vouch for this serum. Unfortunately, the tip of the glass dropper broke and fell into the serum (I have been travelling insanely last few weeks). Hence I had to get rid of this. I am sad that I lost about 1/6th of the product in this process :-(

Anyway, I really LOVEd using it. I am dangerously closing the age of 30, so last year, I finally started incorporating anti-aging products into my skincare routine. I used it every other day. Just a few drops is enough per use. I really feel it has smoothened my skin. I have a few sample serums to finish off first, but I am definitely going to repurchase it. It is pricey, but I feel its worth it.

2. Davidoff Cool Water Gentle Shower Breeze (Price varies depending on the store): I got a Davidoff kit last year as a gift during the holidays which included this shower gel. I love the "Cool Water" fragrance line! I have been using their Eau De Toilette for a few years now. The same exact fragrance; clean, refreshing and performs wonderful as a shower gel. It is a travel size tube, so I generally brought it with me whenever I am on trips spanning 2-3 days :-) May be that is why it took me a lot of time to finish it off.

3. Hope in a Jar Moisturizer for Dry Skin (42 USD for 2 oz): I have reviewed it in my earlier post in details. It is a decent moisturizer; nothing to complain about or nothing to rave about either. It is VERY pricey, and I am not yet sure if I am going to repurchase it. I liked it while it lasted but I think I am still in search of the perfect heavy-moisturizer for my dry skin during the cold chilly moths in the windy city.

4. Bath and Body Works Shower Gel "Moonlight Path": To be honest, Bath and Body Works scents become quite overwhelming for me at times. Even if I like a particular flavour at first, I get bored by the time I finish. But "Moonlight Path" is the first fragrance that I actually loved and enjoyed till the end. Its clean, musky and a little bit sweet but not at all overpowering. (Please keep in mind I am not really good in describing scents :-)) I am definitely buying this again once I can finish it off numerous number of backup shower gels I have with me!

5. Bausch+Lomb Bio True Multi Purpose Solution: Currently I use Bausch+Lomb contact lenses and this is my favorite lens solution. Nothing fancy, but a very much a NEEDED product. :-)

6. Neutrogena Body Oil (Light Sesame Formula): I just reviewed this product here. This is one of my HOLY-GRAIL products. I cannot do without this oil, specially during the winter! And when winter lasts 8 months in a year, it's a saviour. I have gone through many many bottles of these and I am pretty sure I am gonna need many more.

Now only I am realizing that every product here are skincare products. Ha ha!! But hey, I gotta pamper myself from time to time./my skin needs the pampering!

7. Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter (6 USD for 1.7 oz/22 USD for 10.1 oz) This is the first product that I tried from this brand which is originally from United Kingdom. It definitely lived up to its name/hype. It's very thick and have a strong but pleasant fragrance which reads a little medicinal to me; pleasant type of "medicinal", if such thing exists, It really IS moisturizing. Its a little bit too thick for my taste, but I get the moisturizing I want.. so that's fine. :-) Plus, I love the cute little pink pot. Perfect for travelling and very very easy for reusing purpose. I do think that as a moisturizer, it is definitely a little bit costly.I got this in a really good value-set, so I am not complaining.

8. Ole Henriksen Sheer Transforming Face Creme: This was a decent sample tub I received as free gift with a purchase from Sephora. This gave me an excellent chance to try out the product. Unfortunately, I DID NOT become a fan. It was very thin; I love and need a thicker moisturizer! It does not have any fragrance but my skin does not feel as supple as I expected.

9. Tarte Maracuja Oil: This thing is all over beauty blogs and YouTube. I was really excited when I got a kit at $10 with this oil (0.23 fl oz) and an eye cream. This is a very small bottle, but you only need a few drops so it lasted for months. I used it at nighttime during Spring and now in Winter. Its not very heavy or not too thin either. It did give me enough moisturizing for some hours but did not last till the morning. I do have an extremely dry skin. I did repurchase the regular size bottle. But I am not sure if I am going to buy another one after that/this.

10. Nivea Lip Balm "A Kiss of Milk & Honey": LOVE this product. Simple, affordable and very very effective lip balm. One of these is always in my purse. Not a glamorous product but absolutely important.

11. UB Lip Balm: Free stuff from my most recent Alma matter. It was a decent balm, but I guess it has been with me purely for nostalgic reasons.

That's it for today. I seriously hope that I get to play more with makeup in coming days and get some of the items finished.I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading my this post...thanks again for sticking with me till now...

Love you.

~Arrru