Smith’s Minted Rose Lip Balm

A review of Smith’s Minted Rose Lip Balm.

I think I got mine for about S$16 (USD12.80) from Sephora Singapore. Or was it S$22? It was quite a while back so I may remember the price wrongly. Doesn’t matter, it’s still overpriced in my opinion.

The lip balm is minty. I like how it makes my lips tingle. I love it when products have mint in them because they just make me feel more refreshed. However, I don’t get any rose scent from it so if you are looking for a sweet or floral scent then you’ll be disappointed.

The back of the lip balm, for those interested in the ingredients.

It is thin and easy to store in my bag. The slanted applicator is also very convenient.

I used to dislike this kind of applicator as it looks unhygienic, but now I just find it awesomely convenient. Just wipe after each application and it stays clean.

It’s just a normal lip balm. Too expensive for something so normal. I also dislike how it makes my lips glossy, I’m just not a fan of glossy lips. Added points for the convenience, but then, there are better and cheaper lip balms with the same type of applicator.

In short, I will use finish mine because it is not bad, but I won’t repurchase. Try it if you’re curious, they’ve many different flavours and the lip balm works, but the cheapskate in me thinks that this is just flavoured Vaseline petroleum jelly.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain No. 10

This is the time of the year when people read blogs and watch videos in search for gift inspiration on what to get for their loved ones. Hopefully, my reviews and opinions here helps out. I’ve filed everything under Gift ideas in the Categories by the side of the blog.

Here’s a review of the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain No. 10.

According to the label I stuck on the tube, I bought the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain No. 10 in July this year. That was five months ago and I only got into it recently.

Swatched on my hand

It smells like cherries.

Anyways, as you can see, the colour is really red and glossy. It’s good if you like the glossy look without the hassle of actually applying lip gloss, but it’s not my preference. I bought it because Benetint wasn’t giving me the matt rosy tinted lips that I wanted. Maybe I’m using Benetint wrong? (That’s for another post though.)

Most days I just slightly blot my lips immediately after applying, just to remove the glossy look.

Surprisingly, it stains better than Benetint and the colour left behind is a rosy pinkish red. The stain lasts for hours and I’m currently very into it.

The colour after blotting.

Two words: Loves it!!

Even the applicator is perfectly angled so that it’s easy to use. There’s nothing bad to say about it really, except that it’s a bit on the pricey side. Before you compare it with the other drugstore brands (e.g. L’Oreal or Maybelline) liquid lipstick, swatch them and you’ll find that it’s not the same. I think it’s more pigmented (even the nudes) and has more variety of colours so they’re not really comparable.

I just think that spending so much on a lipstick colour is a splurge that I won’t make again unless the product wowed me. And wowed me it did. So I’ll definitely repurchase and if you’ve the extra $43 (I think? Can’t really remember) do try it out.

I would recommend getting the redder colours as they can be used for a glamorous look when applied generously to the lips, yet still as gorgeous when used as lip tints for a natural but more conservative look.

P.s. A disclaimer here. I paid for the product. If I didn’t, I will state so. Again, I’ve to say, I wish that people are giving me free things to try but look at the number of visitors I get here and you can tell. Even if things were for free, everything written here will still be my honest opinion. Integrity is worth more than freebies. Kthxbye~

The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Lip Balm

This is my current go-to lip balm that I reach for when I need some moisture on my chapped lips.

The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Lip Balm

I carry it around with me in my bag and just look at how flat it is. That’s how much I’ve used in a month.

I wonder how it will look like at the very end.

First of all, I love how it smells (like ginger beer), and the way it tingles slightly when applied. I also love its shape and colour of the packaging.

However, it is not particularly moisturising and it does not sink into the skin as well as some of my other tubes of lip balm. It also takes up more space than a regular thin tube of lip balm which makes it highly susceptible to bungs.

Deep bungs and notches by the side of the cover.

And the huge surface area might be a no no for some people. My sister finds that gross. For me, I don’t really mind that as it makes applying lip balm faster since more area is in contact with my lips.

As a rule, I always wipe my lips first before applying lip balm so that’s more hygienic than most people out there.

It’s just so that the other lip balms that I’m concurrently using with The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle are in squeeze tube form and they are such a hassle to use.

I just find it more convenient to pop on a stick lip balm as compared to the squeezing out lip balm on my finger, apply on my lips, then having to wipe/wash said finger after that. And that’s why I always use stick balms faster than the squeeze tubes or tubs.

My take on this is that I won’t repurchase. It’s not bad but not excellent.

Throwing away the lip balm before you’re done

Have you smelled your lip balm today?

I know it sounds a little odd, but trust me, this is legit. This has happened to several of my lip balms and I suspect it might be the weather.

A little while ago, I bought this Burt’s Bees lip balm from Sephora for $8.

I tried the tester on my hand, the texture was okay and it smelled like delicious mangoes, and the word butter make me think of plump lips so I bought one.

The thing was, after using it for two days, it started smelling a little like mango yogurt.

I mean I love yogurts, but somehow my lip balm smelling like sour yogurts? Not a good thing.

Not that I expected a shelf life of a year but two days is a tad short isn’t it? I’d checked the whole tube and it does not indicate the expiry date or how long I should keep it once I’ve opened it.

So how now brown cow? Will you still continue to use your lip balm even if it smells funky?

I’ve obviously chucked mine, and am considering if I should open the new Ginger Sparkle Lip Balm or finish up the pot of lip butter that I’m halfway through.

The Body Shop Christmas Haul 2012 (Part 1)

Since the previous post was a little negative, here’s a happy post on my The Body Shop haul.

I have to say that even though I don’t celebrate Christmas, I love Christmas items because they are red and/or warm.

See? Even the shopping bag is red.

This year, The Body Shop has several items that I love. Their Christmas items come in 3 scent. I love their Cranberry & Ginger. Can’t remember the 3rd one, it’s a flowery scent, if I’m not wrong.

Bought their Ginger Sparkle Hand Lotion, which I’ve already started using.

The round shape is absolutely adorable and I love how easily it is absorbed into my skin. Maybe I’ll get the cranberry one too. The sales person said that the items will be on sale for the whole Christmas season.

I also got the Ginger Sparkle Lip Balm which I haven’t tried yet.

The shape is kinda cute, though I’m not sure how I’m supposed to use it when it levels out. Hmmm. I seldom ever completely finished a lip balm anyways. Will talk about why in the next post.

Last of all, I also bought the Cranberry Joy Hand Cream, for my hands.

You would think that it’s obvious, but the Ginger Sparkle Hand Lotion mentioned above, I use for my whole body. I just find that hand lotion is absorbed by the skin faster. =p

That’s all for this post. I’d only bought 3 items from The Body Shop this time. Like I said, the items will be for sale until December so no rush. Right now, I’m considering their soaps, scented oils & sparkling body lotions.

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

Recently, the weather got so hot and dry, my lips started flaking and cracking. I’ve to say, it’s impossible for me to live without lip balm even on the best of days, so the weather made it doubly worse for me.

After experimenting with a lot of lip balms over the years, I’ve found that petroleum jelly is the best cure for dry lips. It’s no secret how useful petroleum jelly is to combat dryness; I’ve read that it can be used to apply on the skin, hands and even the ends of hair to tame frizzy ends.

This summer, I’ve gotten myself a new tub of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly and it has helped my lips stay moisturised all day long.

I usually apply a thick layer on my lips before bed and once again 5 mins before my shower so that I can rub off the dead skin before brushing my teeth.

It’s inexpensive and the tiniest tub lasts for months if you use it only for lips.
*\(^o^)/*

By the way, petroleum jelly can also be used to make tinted lip balm. Years ago, after watching a YouTube video on it, I made a tub of tinted lip balm. Try Youtubing it if you’re interested.