Smith's Lip Balm - Minted Rose

This is probably the most famous of basic lip balms, perhaps except for Kiehl's. The original is just Rose Lip Balm, and has a very subtle, pleasant rose scent. This one has just a hint of mint mixed in, but is just as subtle. 

In texture and effect it is very similar to vaseline - slick, spreads easily and works wonders. I have a lot of trouble with dry skin - including lips - particularly in the winter. This makes it very difficult to wear bright and dark lipsticks as they tend to dry out and go patchy. Matte lipsticks are simply out of the question. I find that a little bit of this at night helps keep my lips from becoming too chapped, peely and flaky, and means I can wear some colour, even in the winter.

The absolute best use of this is as a lip exfoliant. Bear with me, I haven't gone nuts. This product alone clearly isn't an exfoliant. However, if you take a Q-Tip or cotton bud and roll it in this balm so that you have just a thin layer, then rub the lips gently but firmly, it does an excellent job of taking off any dry or flaking skin and leaving the lips smooth and ready for lipstick application. It's also great to condition the lips while you put on the rest of your makeup, and can then be removed with a tissue just before applying colour. The final use of this (aside from alone as a lip balm, of course) is to add a hint of gloss over top of a coloured lip product if you want to add another dimension.

Verdict? Must-have.

Ratings:
Packaging: 4/5 (Be careful not to store this upside down or on its side - particularly in warm climates - as it will melt and move around!)

Product quality: 5/5
Worth the price? Definitely.
Would I purchase again? Have done and will do again.

Cruelty-Free? Not sure - looking into it!

Where to find it: Sephora in store and online.

Juice Beauty - Mineral Lip Moisturizer Trio

It's the time of year to stock up on everything SPF in preparation for what we hope will be a long, hot summer. It was with that in mind that I purchased this package of three SPF 8 lip moisturizers from one of my favourite brands, Juice Beauty. Like all the Juice Beauty products, they're organic and don't contain any harmful preservatives or other chemicals. At $16.50 for the lot, it's a pretty good deal.

It contains one natural and two coloured - Joyful is a pale pink and Playful is a warm berry. The only thing I'm not crazy about is that rather than being a glaze-type tinted lip balm, they have a coloured shimmer. I'm not so crazy about that - I don't tend to like anything sparkly or shimmery. I'm sure I'll still use them, though, as they're not highly pigmented and smell great.

Don't forget - for the next two days you can get 25% off and free shipping at Juice Beauty's online store by using coupon code FF2011. Happy shopping!

Ratings:
Packaging: 5/5
Product quality: 5/5
Worth the price? As long as you like shimmery lip colour, then yep!
Would I purchase again? No. Perhaps the clear one individually.
Cruelty-Free? Yes - and appears on PETA's Cruelty-Free list.
Where to find it: Juice Beauty online, Ebeauty online.