Balance Me Rose Otto Intensive Lip Salve

Balance Me is a brand I'm always intrigued by but I've never gone out of my way to purchase any of their products. I received a sample of their hand cream in a Carmine box (remember those?) and despite not being a fan of the smell I quite enjoyed using it. I recently bought a magazine which happened to come with a Balance Me Rose Otto Lip Salve and it's made me curious about the brand again because I really like this balm!

First of all, I love the packaging. Not because of the pretty design but because it's a tube. I'm not a fan of lip balms in pots because I don't really like getting my fingers dirty and I often find that stick balms don't feel moisturising enough on my lips so balms in tubes are usually a winner with me. 

The product itself is quite lightweight and, dare I say it, a little bit like Vaseline texture-wise. Thankfully that's where the comparison with Vaseline ends; this balm is petroleum free. The rose scent is really pleasant; not too intense or old-lady-esque. If you're not a fan of rose, though, I wouldn't bother with this. Despite being lightweight it's still nicely moisturising, especially during the day as I prefer to use something thicker at night time. It reminds me of the Elemis FreshSkin lip balm which I also liked. 

I'm glad I got the chance to try this lip salve because it's probably not something I'd have purchased but now when it runs out I'm quite likely to replace it. In fact, I'm keen to try some of the bodycare products with the Rose Otto scent now. The Intensive Lip Salve is priced at £12.00 which I think it pretty reasonable. It's available online and in-store wherever Balance Me is stocked.

What's your current favourite lip balm?

Stace xx

October Carmine Beauty Box - My Thoughts

I've just received my November box and thought it would be a nice idea to look back at what I got last month and see what I liked or didn't like from that box. 

I've already reviewed the Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream here. I really like this hand cream and will probably purchase the full size once I use up the other hand creams I'm currently working on. My sample only has a few uses left now.

The main reason I subscribed for the October box was to try the Frat Boy blush from theBalm. Unfortunately I've only used this once all month. I like the colour but I do find it a bit powdery and it's not the easiest blush in the world to apply. I think this particular shade would have been better in a spring or summer box as I've been going for deeper shades this month. I'm still pleased I own it, though.

The Daniel Sandler Eye Delight in Peach was a surprise for me. I hate loose eyeshadows so I thought I'd not be a fan of this. I do find it fiddly to use but it is lovely on my eyes and I've used it as a highlight powder on my cheekbones. It's a nice product.

I've been using the Trind Nail Repair pretty regularly and I have to say, I've not noticed any huge improvement in my nails. I think it has been making them grow very quickly, though! The smell of this almost knocks me out so it's a bit annoying to apply.

Finally, there was a sample of Caudalie Quenching Sorbet Creme and I liked this so much, I already have a full size! This is very hydrating but not great.

On the whole, this was an excellent box and each product is something I can use regularly. My top picks are, strangely, the hand cream and face moisturiser. I say 'strangely' because I don't usually like skincare samples and didn't use hand cream all that often. 

For more information about the service, click here.

Did you get this box? Or do you own any of these products?

Stace xx

Review: Balance Me - Super Moisturising Hand Cream

I received this in my Carmine Beauty Box a few weeks ago now and I mentioned that I was initially put off by the scent. However, I wanted to give it a chance since the whole point of a beauty box is so that we can try new things, right?

Product: Balance Me - Super Moisturising Hand Cream

Price: £14.50 for 100ml from www.balanceme.co.uk, John Lewis and other Balance Me stockists.

Description: "A multi-award winning, seriously rich hand cream blended with a unique and uplifting blend of renowned ancient skin conditioners, to really turn back the clock on hard-working hands and make even the driest hands smooth and soft to touch!"

What's Good About It?

Well, it moisturises my hands, which is great as that's what it's supposed to do. It's nice and rich but not sticky as it sinks in pretty quickly. That's not why I love this though, I have other hand creams which do pretty much the same thing.

 This stuff makes me go to sleep so much more quickly! I find it very difficult to get to sleep so this is lovely to use just before bed. I'm very tempted to purchase the full size then this sample runs out for this reason.

The fact it's 98.8% organic will also be a selling point for some. I think the price is pretty reasonable as you don't need to use a lot each time. My sample is 30ml and it still feels as though there's a decent amount left after using it for over two weeks.

What's Disappointing?

Some people will find the smell really off putting. It does linger but if it didn't, the aromatherapy benefits would be lost so it's up to the individual whether they can deal with it. Personally, I've gotten used to the smell so it doesn't bother me anymore. I suppose the packaging isn't overly exciting either but that doesn't bother me. 

Overall Score & Comment: 7/10 - this surprising sleep aid has made me very happy! 

Have you tried this product? Did you get the sample in your Carmine box?

Stace xx