Now that the days here in New England are starting to get cooler, we're thinking about Lip Balm! But with so many choices how do you decide which is the best for YOUR lips? The truth is…we love them all! Suitable for the entire family, our lip balms don't contain nasty petroleum that prevents your skin from breathing or coal tar dyes that impart their toxicity. We asked Yogi Blogger, Andrea Leber, to give us her input as she recently had the opportunity to try all of them - so here is her LIP BALM LOWDOWN!
1. Rooted Beauty Lip Butter $5 (Piña Colada)
Do you fancy the taste of Piña Colada without the alcohol and the calories? How about a compostable, creamy lip balm packaged in a biodegradable paper tube that makes you feel like a hundred bucks?! There’s also interesting other flavors such as Passionfruit, Orange Vanilla, Razz Lime and Berry Mint. Packed with nutrient-rich fruit extracts, these lip butters are not only good for you, but also for others - a portion of the proceeds goes towards helping women through poverty and oppression.
2. Splurge Skincare Lip Buttah $7 (Peppermint Flavor)
This is the perfect no-frills product. It does exactly what it says on the tin without trying to be fancy. It lasts extremely long (will I ever be able to use up this product?) and makes lips feel creamy and moisturized without the sense of greasiness. I just love the peppermint taste – refreshing and great in your handbag for those after-lunch-before-meeting moments when you don’t have a piece of chewing gum at hand. The other flavors are yummy too: Almond, Orange Chocolate and Lemon. This is the perfect must-have and a staple when it comes to lip balms.
3. Splurge Skincare Melted Buttah $10
Strictly speaking, this isn’t a lip balm – it’s the “everything” balm! Yes, this healing repair balm turns lips into silk in an instant, but these little glass jars have found a number of other uses in my house: The content, a mix of Babassu Oil, Calendula and Red Raspberry Seed Oil, is great on any dry spot (think elbows), any kind of rash or eczema (soo soothing), the cuticles (perfect handbag size and something to do during those endless minutes when you wait for the bus…) and even for earlobes (after not having worn earrings for a long time). Oh and men like to use this balm because they don’t have the feeling they’re using a “lipstick”.
4. Splurge Skincare Tinted Lip Buttah $7 (In Love)
Just like its transparent brother, this one does all you would expect and hope for – but also gives you a very nice tint. How it works? Well, it’s just a bit like the makeup thing – you can just feel when women wear make up, even though it looks like they don’t (the “nude effect”). This one is similar - it almost looks like you don’t wear color on your lips. Almost. Because your lips will look too good to be just “au naturale”. But no one would be able to tell. Perfect for those everyday-days when you want to have that little extra booster for your lips – and when a lipstick or gloss would be oh so over the top. The shades are Fling, Going Steady and In Love. We’ll let you work out which one you need! Note: picture shows Going Steady
5. Kari Gran Lip Whip (Naughty) $20
I’ve been eyeing this since it came out but have been reluctant, simply because of the price tag. Honestly, forget about the price. Yes, it seems steep initially, but all you need is a microscopic amount to attain the wanted effect. I actually don’t know how I’ll ever use up this little pot! I’ve also been completely taken by surprise when it comes to its consistency. Most lip balms are creamy, or some variation of creamy, but this truly is a “lip whip”. It feels like you are dipping your finger in a pot of fluffy cream! There’s no explaining it, you need to get your hands onto one of these little but mighty pots! Also available in Naked, Tinted, Radiant, Marsala and Shimmer.
6. Buttercup & Jake Lip Balm $4
Can't forget the kiddos! While all the lip balms are non-toxic and child safe, Buttercup and Jake's formula and their knack for adorable packaging is just too good to pass up! Available with a handy clip for purse or backpack in three natural flavors - Chocolate Mint, Yummy Honey and Strawberry Smoothie.
7. Badger Sunscreen Lip Balm SPF15 $3.50
We’re making sure to apply several layers of sunscreen, put on hats and carry umbrellas – but we totally forget about our lips! Most sunscreen lip balms around seem to be of the high altitude type (leaving you with the dreaded white lips!). This one does its job well, and most importantly, its active ingredient is safe, non-nano Zinc Oxide. A small amount rubbed into the lips is enough – and no, there’s no trace of white left. Perfect for a day out or some lazy hours by the sea.
8. Badger Mineral Lip Tint & Shimmer $6 (Rose Tourmaline/Opal Shimmer)
Gosh, why did no one come up with this one before? There’s no need to decide which shade to wear or which balm to throw into your so-not-spacious evening handbag. Now you’ve got two-in-one: I’ve tried the Rose Tourmaline/Opal Shimmer combo and it works perfectly well together. The shimmer is nice (but not too heavy) during the day and the rose looks very fresh at night, like a lip gloss – not of the sticky, glossy kind. An evening handbag staple!
By: Andrea Yvonne Leber
Andrea is a travel & wellness journalist and yoga guide publisher with 15+ years experience in the publishing industry. Having lived in 6 countries on 3 continents, she currently enjoys life in Australia and soaks up inspiring ideas in mind-boggling India. On her website andrealeber.com you’ll find stories that inspire and empower you to live, not just exist. Because it’s all about finding out what you really want to do with this life. Follow Andrea on Google+, send her a Tweet @AndreaLeber or download your free 50+ page ‘Best of Yoga’ guide to Melbourne here: http://andrealeber.com/bestofyoga (Bali coming soon!)
