Avalon Organics Peppermint Green Tea

Texture:  Smooth and creamy

Flavour: Peppermint green tea

Fragrance: Peppermint green tea

Finish: Clear and slightly glossy

Lasting power: Two to three hours

Colour: Clear

Size: 4.2g

Price: $2.15 

Availability: iHerb

Website: http://www.avalonorganics.com/

Discontinued: No

Limited Edition: No

Rating: 5

If you like this, try: Crazy Rumors

Ingredients: sunflower seed oil, beeswax, olive fruit oil, peppermint oil, tea tree leaf oil, hemp seed oil, tocopherol, camellia sinensis leaf extract, stevia leaf extract. 

I can't place in iHerb order without getting a lip balm or three. I've discovered some amazing balms that aren't available in Australia, Avalon Organics being one of them. The Peppermint Green Tea balm is perfection. The flavour is lovely, the perfect mix of green tea and peppermint, like a soft, sweet mint.

Texture wise this is very similar to Crazy Rumors balms. Next time you're placing an iHerb order, add a few of these balms to your cart. If you haven't ordered from iHerb, code YUF175 will get you a discount on your order. 

Getting to know us - Interview with Emma

How did your lip balm obsession start?
As a kid in primary school. The good old rollerball lip glosses!! That you needed to apply every 5 minutes!

What are your top five favourite lip balms?
Lanolips - Rhubarb
Buddha Balm - Burnt Fig
MAC - Lip Conditioner (Pot)
Sukin Lip Treatment
Lancome - Gloss in Love

Which balms are on your lust list?
Chapstick - Cake Batter (only because it hasn't been released here yet!)
Lancome Lip Lover
Anything 1skin


How many lip balms are in your handbag at the moment?
Does that mean what's floating around in there or what's in the pouch?!


Do you ever leave the house without lip balm? 
Yes - and I have to buy one every time I forget! Maybe this is a strategy!

What balms do you think everyone should try?
Sukin, Lanolips. Funny that they're both Aussie brands!


What makes a lip balm great for you?
Thick, not sticky, lasts a while, flavored.


Which balm/s have you repurchased?

Crabtree and Evelyn Honey Lip Salve

Texture: Beautifully hydrating and creamy. Perfection in a lip balm.

Flavour: Sweet honey.

Fragrance: Honey.

Finish: Slightly glossy.

Lasting power: About three hours.

Colour: Clear.

Longevity: 24 months.

Size: 4.2g

Price: $9.00

Availability: Crabtree and Evelyn, Myer and David Jones.

Website: crabtree-evelyn.com.au

Brand Contact: 1800 272 287 33

Discontinued: Yes.

Limited Edition: No.

Rating: Five!

If you like this, try: 

Ingredients: coconut oil, beeswax, olive fruit oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, flavour, honey extract, stevia rebaudiana extract, water, tocopherol.

I have at least a hundred lip balms and I use a different one every day, in fact I usually use several different lip balms every day. It's very rare that I'll use one balm exclusively, it has to be pretty amazing for me to use one balm to the exclusion of all others. That's what I did with my Crabtree and Evelyn Honey Lip Salve. From the first time I used it it became a favourite, in fact this would easily make my top five lip balms, it's that good.

For me it ticks all the boxes. It's deeply hydrating, non waxy with a lovely scent and flavour. Perfection in a tube.

The terrible news is that it has been discontinued! Why does this always happen with the best balms? Life is so unfair. If you see these anywhere, grab as many as you can!

Sircuit Skin Cosmeceuticals Mangilla

Texture: Beautiful. Buttery smooth.

Flavour and fragrance: Mango vanilla. The scent is more vanilla than mango, however the addition of mango makes it a great change from regular vanilla balms. 

Finish: Semi matte. 

Lasting power: Two to three hours. 

Colour: Clear

Size: 4.2 gram .15 oz

Price: $7.50 (US)

Availability: Online at their website.

Website: Sircuit Skin


Discontinued: No.

Limited Edition: No.

Rating: 4 out of 5


Ingredients: sunflower oil, beeswax, coconut oil, mango flavour oil, vanilla extract, aloe vera, tocopherol.

I first started using my Mangilla balm in winter and wasn't very impressed, it was hard and not very hydrating, so I put it away for a few months then pulled it out again when the weather was warmer. This is definitely a warm weather balm. With the warmer weather it's smooth, buttery, very hydrating and a pleasure to use. It's very creamy and feels lovely on my lips. 

I have no idea I bought mine from, however I can't find any Australian stockists so for those of you who live in Australia it may be difficult to get hold of. If you do find it somewhere, buy three!

Dior - Lip Glow

Texture:  Thick and Smooth

Flavour:  Slight Mint/Vanilla

Fragrance:  Also slightly minty and vanillary

Finish: Glossy but not sticky, goes on clear but changes colour

Lasting power: Two hours+ if you don't eat or drink anything

Colour:  This is tricky as it changes to your skin type! Mine usually go a light pink

Longevity: 12M

Size: 3.5g

Price:  $49AUD

Availability: Still widely available from Department Stores (Myer, David Jones), online.

Brand Contact: www.dior.com

Discontinued: No

Limited Edition:  No

Rating: 9/10

If you like this, try: Chapstick Mixstix - same kind of consistency but no colour change.

Ingredients:

Active Ingredient: Octinoxate (ethylhexylmethoxycinnamate) 7.50%
Other Ingredients: C10-30 Cholesterol/lanosterol esters, Diisostearyl malate, Bis-Diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, Phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, synthetic beeswax, dimer dilinoleyl dimer dilinoleate, octyldodecanol, ozokerite,  ethylhexylpalmitate, C20-40 alcohols, polyethylene, irvingia gabonensis kernel butter, hydrogenated coco-glycerides, decyloxazolidinone, tribehenin, parfum, luffa cylindrica seed oil, BHT, sorbitan isostearate, vanillin, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, benzyl alcohol, palmitoyl oligopeptide, tocopherol, propylgallate.
[+/-: CI 77891 (titanium dioxide), CI 45380 (red 21, red 21 lake), CI 45410 (red 27, red 27 lake, red 28 lake), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (iron oxides ), mica, CI 15850 (red 6, red 6 lake, red 7, red 7 lake), CI 75470 (carmine)].

What THEY say: A made-to-measure lip balm that beautifies and durably enhances the lips’ natural color. A customised colour result: thanks to its Colour Reviver technology, Dior Addict Lip Glow reacts directly with the unique chemistry of each woman’s lips before releasing its colour ingredient. Lips seem revived from within, amazingly fresh, full and radiant. In addition, its formula enriched with wild mango and luffa cylindrica continuously protects and moisturises. A universal balm for all lips.

Sounds fancy pants 'eh?

Dior Lip Glow. What can I say. It's a favourite, one that I'll repurchase. I first found this by someone posting it on Instagram. The packaging got me first, beautiful pretty pink! I think it's a little bit retro, a lot luxe.

The lovely packaging.

One of the reasons that I really love this product is because it is so moisturising. The other, the smell! It is a bit big to pop in a pocket {but I have}.
Some say that the 'colour changing' should be left in the 80's, but I really like this. I can do a smoky eye and have this on my lips as I know that it's not going to be overpowering. It leaves a really nice sheen, not gloss like and not sticky.

I asked the lovely Anissa what she thought of Lip Glow and she reiterated exactly what I've said - Smells good, tastes good and it's a pretty colour.

So, if you want to drop ~ $50AUD on a balm, this is one that I would try.

A repurchase for both of us.

Thanks!

Be kind.

Crabtree and Evelyn Creme Brûlée Lip Butter {tube}

Texture: Smooth but thin

Flavour: Vanilla

Fragrance: Vanilla

Finish: Gloss

Lasting power: 1 hr

Colour: White in tube, goes on clear

Longevity: 12M

Size: 14g (.49oz)

Price: $14.99 AUD

Availability: C & E stores, Chemists

Website: www crabtree-evelyn.com

Brand Contact: website above

Discontinued: No

Limited Edition: No

Rating: 8/10

If you like this, try: Lanolips LemonAid

Ingredients: 

Shea Butter Extract, Ricinus Communis (castor) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Beeswax, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Zinc Oxide,

POLYGLYCERYL-3 Beeswax, Lanolin Wax, Theobroma Cacao (cocoa) Seed Butter, Vanilla Extract, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Mango Seed Oil, Illipe Butter, Hellantus Annuus (sunflower) Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Glycine,Vitamin E, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Silica, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Flavor

Crabtree and Evelyn - I've been a fan of their Gardeners hand products for years - but not for me, for my green-thumbed Mum. They just work. And this balm is the same. Although a little thin for me (I like THICK balms), it is very moisturising. It smells delicious. It really is like butter at room temperature. Not long after application, my lips go from very try to nice and soft. And the smell - have I mentioned that already? Vanilla is my all time fave. So, if you DON'T like Vanilla - like I do - don't buy this balm (oops - butter)

I haven't had any of the other flavours, but I'd be interested to try them. And next time I see them, I will try another flavour. This could very well be a staple in my handbag - if it ever leaves my bedside table!

Very much recommended. And a repurchase.

Be kind.

Emma.

Lanolips Banana Balm

Texture: Smooth

Flavour: None!

Fragrance: Banana

Finish: Gloss, not tacky

Lasting power: 2 hours if I don't sniff it off!!

Colour: Yellow shimmer in tube, clear shimmery application

Longevity: 12M

Size: 12.5g, (.42oz)

Price: $15.99 AUD

Availability: Priceline, David Jones, Adore Beauty, National Pharmacies, Malouf Pharmacy and Terry White Chemists.

Brand Contact: www.lanolips.com, you can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and  Instagram.

Discontinued: No

Limited Edition: No 

Rating: 8.5/10

If you like this, try: All of the Lanolips range! 

Ingredients: Lanolin*, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter*, Theobroma Cocoa Seed Butter *, Cera Alba (beeswax)*, Arooma, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisosterate*, Musa Sapientum (Banana), Fruit extract*, Ricinus Communis Oil*, Tocopherol*, Silica, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminium Borosilicate *Naturally derived ingredients

Lanolips are my fave Australian brand. 

When Anissa and I started talking, it was actually over THIS balm! And because of this, it will always hold a special place in my heart. She actually ordered this from Victoria Health in the UK as she (read:we) couldn't wait any longer. So, we have had them for a while. I find it a tad annoying that an Australian brand launched this balm NOT in Australia? 

Anyhoo, onto the balm!

The new Lanolips packaging - especially on this product with the soft matte feel and the slanted tip is lovely. (I never use the product straight from the packet though, it always goes onto my finger first - a little bit of OCD coming out!) The smell hits you first - it is an amazing Banana scent BUT - it has no taste!! Oh how I would have loved it to taste like Banana too!! 

It's a nice, thickish balm that looks shimmery yellow in the tube but when applied to your lips, it is clear and has a lovely touch of shimmer. it's not sticky, very moisturising. It's a winner for me, but as I said, it is my fave Aussie brand.

For those that have waited for this to be released in Australia, do yourself a favor and pop into the above stockists (or order online) and get yourself a tube.

It's a repurchase for me. 

Be kind.

Emma.

Palmers Dark Chocolate and Mint SPF15 Lip Balm

Texture: Lumpy in tube, thin on lips

Flavour: Mint and Chocolate

Fragrance: Mint and Chocolate

Finish: Glossy(ish)

Lasting power: unknown - had to remove after 10 minutes

Colour: White in tube, clear on lips

Longevity: 12M

Size: 4g, .15oz

Price: $3.29 AUD

Availability: I got this at Kmart, haven't seen it anywhere else.

Website: http://www.palmersaustralia.com

Brand Contact: website above

Discontinued: No

Limited Edition: No

Rating: 2/10

If you like this, try: anything else with an SPF

Ingredients:

Active Ingredients: Dimethicone 1.5% (Skin Protectant), Octinoxate 7.5% (Sunscreen), Oxybenzone 4.5% (Sunscreen)

Inactive Ingredients: Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Coppernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Fragrance (Parfum), Tocopheryl Acetate, Flavor, Isopropyl Myristate, Saccharin, Beta Carotene (CI 40800), Zea Mays (Corn) Oil

I was so excited to see this. I mean - Mint and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is one of my favourite flavours. 

But the excitement was short lived. This has an SPF content - which I knew when I bought it, but I thought it'd be ok, because Palmer's is a well known and trusted brand, that the making your tongue numb thing wouldn't be an issue. But it was. I know it's not just me that has this issue, as when I told Anissa, she replied, 'oh, I hate that' So, while I love the smell, I'll only keep it to smell, or just throw it out cos I'll never use it again.

Also, what is with the oval shaped tunes? Am I the only one that finds them hard to apply? 

While I am at it, why, does a company as big as Palmers still release a product with their cocoa butter still lumpy? It it truly an awful sensation when you apply it.

I am not a negative person, usually, but the only positive thing about this product is the scent!

Be kind.

E x

Carmex Lip Balm jar

Image credit

Texture: Smooth and buttery.

Flavour: None.

Fragrance: Camphour. That sounds bad but it's not, the smell is mild and I find it quite pleasant.

Finish: Slightly glossy.

Lasting power: About three hours, provided I'm not eating.

Colour: Clear.


Size: 7.5 gram

Price: $5.99

Availability: Priceline, chemists

Brand Contact: info@carmex.com.au

Website: here.

Ingredients: petrolatum, lanolin, cetyl esters, cocoa seed butter, cera microcristallina, beeswax, camphor, menthol, salicylic acid, vanillin, fragrance.

This is one of my all time favourite lip balms. I am never without several pots of Carmex strewn around the house. It's my go to lip balm when my lips are cracked and sore because I know it will heal my lips within a few days. I normally steer away from balms with petrolatum in them, but this is the exception because it works. 

Due to the camphor and menthol there is a tingly feeling for a few minutes after application, however it goes away quickly and it's not unpleasant. If you haven't tried Carmex, run, don't walk, and get one (or two) now!

Surya Brasil Chocolate & Mint Moisturizing Lip Balm

Texture: Smooth and creamy

Flavour: Chocolate and Mint

Fragrance: Chocolate and Mint

Finish: Slight shine

Lasting power: Two hours if I don't lick it off

Colour: Clear

Longevity: 24 months

Size: 4.25 gram

Price:  $6.60

Availability: I purchased my lip balm from Healthy Life Health Shop. They can also be purchased from the Surya Brasil website.

Website: Surya Body Care

Brand Contact: Here

Ingredients: organic sunflower seed oil, candelilla wax, fair trade certified cocoa butter, organic chocolate flavour, organic jojoba seed oil, organic peppermint essential oil, d-alpha tocopherol, bertholietia excelsa seed oil, ucuuba nut oil, astrocaryum murumura butter.

I am totally in love with this balm and really want to try all the other flavours. It's 100% natural and as it's beeswax free it's suitable for vegans.  I purchased it for the chocolate mint flavour, as you can imagine, it smells like an after dinner mint. 

The texture is lovely, smooth and very hydrating with a slight mint tingle for a few minutes after I apply.  My only complaint is that it's not very easy to find.

Kora Vitamin Enhanced Lip Balm

Texture: Smooth, non waxy

Flavour: None.

Fragrance: This has a light, pleasant floral scent.

Finish: Glossy. It looks great worn over lip liner or a matte lipstick.

Lasting power: About four hours.

Colour: Clear

Longevity: 12 months

Size: 6.5ml

Price: $24.95

Availability: Chemmart, Terry White Chemists, David Jones and online.

Website: koraorganics.com

Brand Contact: Via their website here.  


Ingredients: castor oil, beeswax, castor isostearate beeswax succinate, jojoba oil, coconut oil, cetyl palmitate, sorbitan palmitate, sorbitan olivate, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (soybean derived natural  natural vitamin e), avocado oil, rosehip oil, lime oil, vitamin c, acerola cherry powder, maltodextrin, noni fruit, limonene.

Kora says: The ultimate lip balm for smooth, soft, moist lips. The highest quality jojoba, avocado, rosehip and nutrient rich extracts have been organically flavoured to taste and feel simply sublime. Our vitamin enhanced formula contains vitamin C and E to soothe and smooth and renew even the driest of chapped lips leaving them soft and kissable.

This is the lip balm that didn't end! I was trying to use it up forever, just ask Emma. I was constantly complaining to her that the lip balm fairies kept on refilling the balm at night when I was asleep. Through sheer persistence I finally managed to finish it! Whilst this is a nice lip balm it's not one that I'll purchase again. It does a great job of keeping my lips hydrated, it smells nice, has no flavour and is a good balm, but there is nothing about it that makes it worth the $24.95 price tag. In my opinion Sukin's Nourishing Lip Treatment is a much nicer balm and it only costs $8.95. Added to that, the Kora balm comes in a pot and I find potted balms so much more inconvenient, they don't fit easily in a pocket so are the type of balms that I only use at home.

What I do love is that 100% of the total ingredients are from natural origin and 88.8% of the total ingredients are from organic farming. 

Chapstick Mixstix - Australian Edition.

Texture: Smooth.

Flavour: There are 2 (but, really, 4) – Lemon Berry Sorbet and Strawberry Banana Smoothie.

Fragrance: Lemon, Berry, Strawberry and Banana.

Finish: Slight gloss.

Lasting power: An hour if you don’t eat/drink anything.

Colour: Lemon – Light Yellow, Berry – Light Purple, Strawberry – Pink, Banana – Yellow, but all apply clear.

Longevity: Doesn’t say on the packet but usually 24m for a balm.

Size: 2 x 4.4g net.

Price: $6.99

Availability: Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, although they are limited release.

Brand Contact: We have had the best response with their Instrgram and Facebook pages.

Ingredients:

Lemon Berry Sorbet- petrolatum, paraffin, mineral oil, octyldodecanol, arachidyl propionate, phenyl trimethicone, beeswax, isopropyl lanolate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, tocopheryl acetate, flavor, isopropyl myristate, lanolin, triacetin, hydrogenated vegetable oil, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, methylparaben, saccharin, titanium dioxide, propylparaben, red 7 lake, yellow 10 lake, lecithin, blue 1 lake, yellow 6 lake, red 40 lake

Strawberry Banana Smoothie - petrolatum, paraffin, mineral oil, octyldodecanol, arachidyl propionate, phenyl trimethicone, beeswax, isopropyl lanolate, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, tocopheryl acetate, benzyl benzoate, isopropyl myristate, lanolin, flavor, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated vegetable oil, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, methylparaben, saccharin, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, yellow 10 lake, propylene glycol, lecithin, red 7 lake, yellow 6 lake, red 40 lake, blue 1 lake

As packaged.

What’s not to love. The brand. The flavours. The texture. The smell!

I was super excited to see these at the supermarket so popped them in the fortnightly shop. As soon as I got home, I ripped the packaging open and smelled. As I do with any product. Then I had to decide which one to apply first, as there are 2 sticks in every packet and each stick contains 2 flavours. It was a lovely experience when I did. And I actually can’t remember which flavour I tried first!

They have been a staple in my bedroom and handbag for a while now and I have just picked up another as a back up!

They are lovely on your lips. Smooth, lovely fragrance which isn’t overpowering. They have a bit more staying power than the regular Chapstick and also feel a bit ‘thicker’ than the regular Chapstick too.

Mmm... Berry goodness...

Lemony sorbet.. my fave!

These are the only flavours that have been released in Australia, I’d LOVE to try the Apple/Caramel one that they have in the US.

Do yourself a favour. Get these while you can.

Be kind. 

Hello!

Well, hello.

This post has been a long time coming, thinking, planning, chatting about it. Now, I feel like I need to start!

I was asked by the lovely Anissa of Beautifully Glossy if I would like to help her with a blog that she has wanted to start for a while and of course I said yes!! Plus, who wouldn’t want to ‘work’ with this lovely lady?

A little about me –

I am in my middle 30’s, I live in Central Victoria. I am recently separated and have no children. 

I LOVE LIP GLOSS, LIP BALM, LIPSTICK... Do you now know why Anissa and I get on so well?! (I also have a little obsession with Stationery but we won’t go there today!)

Ever since I was a child I have loved lip products. I think it stareted when a friend of mine’s Mum was selling Avon. Do you remember those lip glosses that had rolling balls at the end and smelled like strawberry or cherry? One smell, I was hooked. And that first application – I knew that I had found something special. Something that would stay with me all throughout my teenage years and now, as an adult. The trouble is, that now, it’s not just Avon. My fave brands – Lanolips, Chapstick, Lancome, Dior, Chanel. Anissa has introduced me to some more and I am so glad that she has. Have you tried the burnt fig lip balm by Buddha balm? DIVINE.

So let’s continue this journey together. We will review the balms that we can get our hands on. And be honest about it.

Are you along for the ride?

All my love,

Cup_Cakr – also known as Emma, Em, whatever you’d like. Just be kind.

Hello and welcome!

Hello! Welcome to our new blog!

I've been looking for a lip balm blog for years. Chaptastic was great but they stopped blogging in 2010 and I haven't found another great lip balm blog since. 
So I decided to start one. That was two years ago and I only got as far as writing a welcome post. Then I met the beautiful Emma who is also a fellow lip balm addict. We chat daily about lip balm (and other things) and decided we'd write this blog together. I'm sure between us we've used hundreds of different balms. What's the point of being a lip balm addict if we can't share our knowledge?

If you know of any great lip balm blogs, please let us know in the comments. Also, as we are a new blog, if there is anything you'd like to see or any balms you'd like us to review, please let us know and we'll do our best to oblige (it'll give us a great excuse to buy a new lip balm).

Coming Soon!

Stay tuned because Balmcyclopaedia is coming soon!

In the meantime you can follow us on Instagram.