Bondi Sands Lip Balm with Vitamin E

 

 

Texture: Smooth and buttery

Flavour: Toasted Coconut

Finish: Clear

Lasting power: Around three hours

Colour: Clear

Longevity: 12 months

Size: 15g, 0.52oz.

Price: $5.95

Availability: Bondi Sands website, Priceline and chemists.

Website: Bondi Sands

Rating: 5

If you like this, try: La Roche_Posay Cicalfate balm, Crazy Rumors, Dermal Therapy.

Ingredients: ricinus communis seed oil, octyldodecanol, syntehitc beeswax, hydrogenated polydecene, cera microcristallina, cocoglycerides, butylene glycol, cetyl palmitate, butyrospermum parkii butter, simmondsia chinensis seed oil, aroma, peg-30 dipolhydroxystearate, triacontanyl pvp, tocopheryl acetate, saccarin, anisyl alcohol.

We go through a lot of lip balm in my house. Between Chai and I we're constantly applying balm. Chai gets dryness around his mouth so is constantly slathering cream on and around his lips. Because he's putting it around his mouth he prefers clear creams that sink in quickly and aren't glossy. Bondi Sands is his latest obsession. He loves it so much that he has three tubes on the go. You know a balm is good when Chai has them all over the place. 

I too love this balm. It's smooth, buttery and super hydrating. The toasted coconut flavour is gorgeous.

I'm still here

Well it's been a hot minute hasn't it! Whilst I've been away the world fell apart and it still hasn't put itself back together again. It's been a journey for all of us.

I just haven't had the brain power for reviews over the last few years, but I still love lip balm and intend to keep this blog going.

If you would like to do a guest review or have any balms you'd like me to review, please let me know. 

Now Solutions Completely Kissable Vanilla Lip Balm

Texture: Smooth and creamy.

Flavour: Unpleasant, quite sour.

Fragrance: Vanilla.

Finish: Slightly shiny.

Lasting power: Two hours.

Colour: Clear.

Longevity: Not stated.

Size: 0.15oz, 4.25g.

Price: I purchased mine for $3.17 from iHerb.

Website: www.nowfoods.com

Discontinued: No.

Limited Edition: No.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

If you like this, try: Any other balm that tastes awful.

Ingredients: sunflower oil, beeswax, extra virgin olive oil, vanilla flavour, hemps seed oil, vitamin E.

I really wanted to like this lip balm. The packing is nice, it's organic, smells good and has great ingredients. There's just one thing letting it down. It tastes bad. Really bad. I can't deal with a lip balm that tastes bad. Either make it flavourless or make it taste nice.  Surely it's not that difficult?
If it wasn't for the awful taste this would be a great balm. It smells lovely, feels really nice, very soft and soothing. At first it tastes nice but within a few minutes it starts to taste really bad.

Herbs and Heart Lip Glide

Texture: Rich and creamy.

Flavour: None.

Fragrance: A light cocoa scent.

Finish: Slightly glossy.

Lasting power: Four hours.

Colour: Clear.

Longevity: 6 months.

Size: 4.75g.

Price: $8

Availability:  Herbs and Heart website

Website:  https://herbsandheart.com/collections/face/products/lip-glide

Discontinued:  No.

Limited Edition: No.

Rating: 5 stars

If you like this, try: Burt's Bees Mango Butter Lip Balm, Crazy Rumors balms.

 Ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, cherry seed oil, hydrogenated sweet almond oil, candelilla wax, sweet almond oil, beeswax, aloe barbadensis leaf, natural sweetener, vitamin e.

When I first started using this balm I wasn't expecting to like it. The first few applications felt very waxy and heavy. One I'd worn off the top layer it was a totally different story. This is now one of my favourite lip balms. It's very rich without being goopy or waxy, it's very hydrating, doesn't melt in my pocket and leaves my lips feeling very soft.

I used this over winter and it was the perfect winter balm. I wish I'd saved a little bit to try it out in summer, but I'm sure it'd be great in summer too.
At only $8 this is a bargain and one that I'll definitely be purchasing again.

Lost Planet Cacao Mint Lip Butter

Texture: Smooth and creamy

Flavour: Choc mint

Fragrance: Choc mint

Finish: Glossy

Lasting power: Around two hours

Colour: Clear

Longevity: Around twelve months

Size: 8 grams

Price: $12 (AUD)

Availability: https://www.facebook.com/lostplanetsw/

Website: https://www.instagram.com/lostplanetsw/


Discontinued: No

Limited Edition: No

Rating: 4

If you like this, try: Badger Cocoa Butter Lip Balm

Ingredients: cacao butter, coconut oil, candelilla wax, hemp seed oil, vanilla extract, vitamin e, peppermint oil.

I'm slowly trying to switch to zero waste products, which with lip balms isn't very easy. Whilst I appreciate cardboard packaging it can get quite greasy and messy.
The other issue is that if the balm goes all lumpy it can't be saved.
That's what happened with my Lost Planet balm. The cacao butter went lumpy and I couldn't heat it up to fix it so I had to throw it out. Thankfully it's compostible so I buried it in the garden.

If you're a lip balm collector this isn't the balm for you. This is a balm for someone who is going to use it exclusively until it's finished. Being organic and natural it's not a long lasting balm so you need to use it within twelve months or it will go off.

Despite all that I really enjoyed my Lost Planet lip butters and would buy one again if I came across it.

A Buzz From The Bees Lip Balm

 

Photo from A Buzz from the Bees website

Texture: Smooth, creamy and super hydrating

Flavour: Sweet honey

Fragrance: Honey

Finish: Glossy

Lasting power: Approximately three hours

Colour: Clear


Size: 4.5g

Price: $8.95

Availability: Click here for stockists

Website: A Buzz From the Bees

Discontinued: I'm not sure. I've been unable to get in contact with the company however I can still find the balms in store and their website is still live.

Limited Edition: No

Rating: 5

If you like this, try: Crazy Rumors.

Ingredients: virgin olive oil, yellow beeswax, honey.

Oh how I love this beautiful balm. It's one of my all time favourite balms. My only wish is that it was easier to get hold of. The ingredients are simple, it is super hydrating and tastes beautiful. 
There's nothing I can fault. If you like sweet lip balms you'll love A Buzz From The Bees.

Drunk Elephant Lippe

Image from Drunk Elephant website

Texture: Soft and buttery

Flavour: Sweet

Fragrance: None

Finish: Soft shine

Lasting power: Around four hours

Colour: Clear

Longevity: 24 months

Size: 3.7 g

Price: $28 (AUD)

Availability: Mecca Cosmetica, Drunk Elephant Website and various other online stockists

Website: Drunk Elephant

Discontinued: No

Limited Edition: No

Rating: 4.5

If you like this, try: Sol de Janeiro Brazillian Kiss Cupaucu Lip Butter, The Body Shop Lip Butter, Natralus Paw Paw Lip Butter.

Ingredients: Coconut oil, sclerocarya birrea seed oil, shea butter, caprylic/capric triglyceride, bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, beeswax, ozokerite, polyisobutene, soybean oil, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, camellia oleifera leaf extract, dictyopteris membranacea extract, magnolia grandiflora bark extract, safflower seed oil, avocade oil, mongongo kernel oil, cranberry seed oil, tocopheryl acetate, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, ethylhexyl palmittate, dicaprylyl ether, tribehenin, sorbitan isostearate, lauryl alcohol, linoleic acide, caprylyl glycol, phenoxyethanol. 

Oh how I love this beautiful balm. I love it so much I bought a back-up, which is a little crazy considering my out of control lip balm collection. 
There's so much to love, the beautiful texture, the gorgeous flavour and how great it makes my lips feel. 
This is designed to be a lip plumper and to reduce fine lines around the lips. It can also be used around the eyes and on other dry patches. I have only used it on my lips, so can't say how effective it is as a multi purpose balm.

The reason I didn't give Lippe five stars is two factored. Firstly, the tube is short and chubby so not convenient for carrying in my pocket. Secondly, I used it up so quickly. I only used it whilst I was at home (so probably three times a day or less) and it was gone within a month. 
If it wasn't for those two factors I would have given it five stars. 

Aside from the gorgeous buttery texture, the flavour is wonderful, it leaves my lips tasting beautifully sweet even after the balm has worn off. 

I didn't notice any reduction to the lines around my lips, however I wasn't really applying it to those areas. With my next tube I'll apply it on my lip lines and see if it makes a difference.
I also didn't notice any plumping effects, but really, what balm does plump? If you know of a lip balm that really does plump lips I'd love to hear about it!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm

Texture: Rich and thick

Flavour: None

Fragrance: Very light 8 Hour Cream scent

Finish: Glossy

Lasting power: Around 6 hours

Colour: Clear

Longevity: 36 months

Size: 11.6ml, 10g, 0.35oz

Price: $28 (AUD)

Availability: Myer, David Jones and various other stockists

Website: Elizabeth Arden

Rating: 4

If you like this, try: Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask.

Ingredients: 

I don't mind the scent of 8 Hour Cream, I often use the original on my lips, however if you aren't a fan so haven't tried Intensive Repair Lip Balm, have a sniff of it next time you're in store because the scent is very, very subtle.

This is a very thick, hydrating lip balm with a lovely soft cooling sensation that lasts for around half an hour after application. 

I typically use this as a night time treatment and on days when my lips are really dry. It also works well as a treatment for sore noses and dry patches. 

It's fragrance free, so ideal for those days when you can't tolerate any flavour on your lips.

Salt by Hendrix Blush Lip Butter

Image from Salt by Hendrix

Texture: Slightly gritty

Flavour: None

Fragrance: None

Finish: Glossy

Lasting power: A few hours

Colour: Sheer light pink

Size: 10ml

Price: $14.95

Availability: Salt by Hendrix website and

Website: www.saltbyhendrix.com

Rating: 3.5

If you like this, try: The Body Shop Lip Butter

Ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, carnauba wax, argan oil, jojoba oil, mandarin oil, vitamin E, iron oxide.

I'd like to give you a little background on the Salt by Hendrix range, but their website is sorely lacking, so I know nothing about them. 

Their lip butter is an interesting little thing. When I first scoop it out it feels a little dry and slightly gritty but once I rub it into my lips the grittiness disappears and I'm left with a smooth, soft balm.

The tint is very sheer, on my lips it's undetectable, however I have quite pigmented lips. If you have pale lips it would be noticeable. There is also a rose colour that is darker if you are wanting something with more colour to it. 

I gave this a rating of 3.5 because it's unremarkable. It's not great, it's not awful. It gets the job done.

Malin and Goetz Mojito Lip Balm

Image from Mecca Cosmetica

Texture:  Smooth gel

Flavour: Mojito

Fragrance: Mojito

Finish: Glossy

Lasting power: Three to four hours

Colour: Clear

Size: 7g

Price: $20

Availability: Mecca Cosmetica and the Malin and Goetz website

Website: www.malinandgoetz.com

Rating: 5

If you like this, try: Sara Happ The Lip Slip

Ingredients: hydrogenated polyisobutene, butylene/ethylene/styrene copolymer, ethylene/propylene/styrene copolymer, ethylhexyl palmitate, tricaprylin, benzyl benzoate, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, limonene, citral, bisabolol

Oh how I love this balm. It's like the perfect blend of lip balm and lip gloss. It feels and looks like a gloss without the stickiness and with the added bonus of being super hydrating. It's perfection. The tube is small so the ideal size for carrying around in my pocket or handbag. 

There's nothing I don't love about my Malin and Goetz mojito lip balm, it's beautiful and one that I'll definitely repurchase.