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

Worth The Hype? NUXE Reve de Miel Lip Balm

A couple of months ago everyone seemed to be raving about this product. The NUXE Reve de Miel lip balm subsequently went to the top of my wish list and I finally purchased it last month.

The balm is priced at £9.50 on feelunique.com which I think is pretty reasonable as I've tried other balms which were more expensive but contained less product. I also think the packaging is really nice even if the heavy glass jar isn't particularly travel friendly. 

Aside from the packaging the first thing I noticed about the Reve de Miel balm was its scent. It smells delicious. Some reviews I've read say it smells like Terry's Chocolate Orange and it kind of does but with a bit more orange and a bit less chocolate. I expected it to smell like honey (which I don't particularly like) so I was a little surprised. 

I couldn't wait to try it so I popped some on my lips immediately and I have to say I was a tad disappointed. It felt so...chalky. I can't compare the texture to anything else I've tried because it's so different. I was expecting it to feel creamy and luxurious. That being said, once the product reacts with the heat of my lips it feels a bit less uncomfortable and the matte texture does work well under lipsticks. Because the Reve de Miel balm isn't slippery it lasts for a long time on the lips so it's a nice one to use at night time. I think a lot of men would also like this product because it's not glossy at all. 

So, is the NUXE Reve de Miel balm worth the hype?

I'm in two minds about this one. I think it's a nice product and it's something I will use but for some reason I'm struggling to love it due to the texture. I don't think it necessarily deserves all of the hype it's received but it's still worth a try if you're a lip balm fiend like me.

Have you tried this product? Do you think it lives up to the hype?

Stace xx

MAC Lip Conditioner: An Under-Hyped Gem!

I'm fussy about lip balms. I hate Vaseline or anything that feels too slippery, I don't like having to spend ages trying to get enough balm onto my parched lips and 99% of the time I can't bear to use one in a pot.

The one lip balm in a pot that slipped through the net was MAC's Lip Conditioner; this is my third pot of the stuff. They offer this product in tinted versions too but putting my finger in a pot of coloured, moisturising goop was a step too far for me, it seems. 

The consistency of this lip balm is great; it's soft-ish but not too slippery. It clings to my lips nicely and truly leaves them feeling 'conditioned' - which is the whole point, right? If I'm wanting to apply a lipstick afterwards, I only use a thin layer otherwise I apply it thickly (and end up licking at least half of it off anyway). It's one of those lip balms that you can put on before bed and you'll still feel it's there in the mornings. 

The other lip balm product I like for night time/extreme hydration is Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream but, let's face it, it stinks. Even the 'unscented' version stinks! MAC's Lip Conditioner, on the other hand, smells (and tastes!) delicious. It's not as sickly sweet as their lipsticks but it's still pretty sweet.

All in all, this is a really under-hyped product from MAC, in my opinion. It's £11 for 15 ml (here) which is pretty reasonable. Each pot I've had has lasted me about four to six months but I do reapply it very often and quite thickly. I've tried the versions that come in a tube and it just doesn't compare. It's definitely worth getting your fingers dirty for this one.

Stace xx