Another Lip Balm to Love: Osmia Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair

Is there a rehab for lip balm addicts? Cause I really think I need to go... Although, given the never ending terrible dryness of my lips, a lip balm addiction is probably appropriate, lol!

*PR Sample

This winter, I've been relying heavily on my trusty La Mer and the newly released Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask (review). While I have my concerns about both of those lip balms (La Mer being too pricey and Bite having horrid packaging) I really have no complaints about Osmia Organics Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair*.

At $22 a jar, I find this little pot of goodness to be much more wallet friendly than my La Mer. Break the surface of the balm and really warm it with your finger - I didn't do this at first, but it really makes a difference when it comes to the texture and ease of application. Scent wise, I find it to be slightly sweet with a bit of something. (I think Larie determined it to be the scent of lanolin, which is an ingredient.)  

On my lips, I like that it doesn't have a ton of shine and isn't totally slippy. It also feels light to wear, so I imagine that it could wear well underneath many lip products. (For whatever reason, I have not tried that at all.) It wasn't a miracle on my lips like the La Mer Lip Balm was, but that's no reason not to give this balm a try. 

Have you tried Osmia Organics Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair? Are you as much of a lip balm addict as I am? I'd love to know! :)

An Introduction to Lipstick Queen: Sinner Lipsticks in Pinky Nude & Red

Lipstick Queen is a brand I've read so much about and always wanted to try. So, you can imagine my excitement when I received Lipstick Queen Sinner Lipstick in Pinky Nude as part of a Space NK gift with purchase last fall, and Red* as a press sample from Space NK shortly after! 

Sinner is a lipstick formula meant to be full coverage, with about 90% opaque pigment. I love that the formula is not drying on me and fragrance free. There's quite a variety of shades too, and I'm quite curious to try the Medieval and Endless Summer formulas. 

Anyways, on to the lipsticks! :)

Lipstick Queen Sinner in Pinky Nude is quite appropriately named. It may just be the perfect pinky nude, actually - not too pink or too pale on my skintone. This lasts a few hours on me (about 2-3) and appears to fade evenly. I love the shade and the non-drying formula!

*PR Sample

Lipstick Queen Sinner in Red* is such a gorgeous color, but for whatever reason, I found the formula to be a bit waxy in texture. It has a bit of slip as well, and for me I found it moved a lot while I was eating. As a very low maintenance gal who likes to eat a lot without thinking about her lipstick, that was a bit of a dealbreaker for me. Unfortunate, as the color is so gorgeous! I passed the color on to a friend, so I'm not sure if it was Fire Red or Scarlet Red... 

All in all, I was quite excited to try something from Lipstick Queen. I love Pinky Nude, and plan to check out the reds in one of the other formulas. I'm also curious to try the new Vesuvius Candy lip pen things. 

Have you tried anything by Lipstick Queen? If so, what are your favorites from the brand? If not, what are you lusting after? :)

Love/Hate: Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask

You may have noticed that I'm a bit of a lip balm hoarder, so when I saw Bite Beauty's Agave Lip Mask on Sephora.com at the beginning of January, I ran to place my order. I have to say that while I quite like the product, and I can't think of a time that I've hated a product's packaging more. 

My order arrived the day "Chiberia" was coined, so I thought perhaps this lip balm was frozen. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Ugh. The packaging is just incredibly hard and inflexible. Over the last month or so, I seriously struggled to squeeze product out of this tube, so much so that I didn't even really want to use it. What can I say, I am lazy. Fortunately, rolling the tube up from the bottom really helped to solve this issue with the packaging. I can squeeze out product by applying only a small amount of pressure! 

Also worth noting, I was dumb and didn't realize that the cap is the tool to open the seal on the product. For those of you that don't know, once you unscrew the cap, turn it upside down and place it over the opening. The little pokey thing inside the cap will puncture the seal! Don't be dumb like me and stab the seal with a pen. (LOL) 

Packaging rant aside, I really love the thick texture of this. It lasts all night, but even wears well during the day. I love how it heals the peely bits on my lips, but what really impressed me is the color they bring to my lips. It makes them a cute pinky shade that I just love, rather than the dead purplish tones they usually have when my lips are extremely dry. Well, perhaps "dead purplish tones" is a bit of an exaggeration, but my lips tend to be super mauve in tone and very faded looking. I much prefer how this brings life back into my lips and gives them a cheery light pink tone! 

I contemplated returning this purely because I hated the packaging, but after discovering that rolling the tube helps make it less difficult to squeeze, I've decided to keep it. I enjoy the formula, especially for night time. I wouldn't purchase it again unless they upgrade the packaging, and think those of you who have plenty of high end balms or options you love don't need to rush out for this. However, if you don't have a vast lip balm stash and are looking for something very thick and hydrating, this is worth considering!

What do you think of Bite Beauty's Agave Lip Mask? Have you tried it, or is the packaging making you want to steer clear? I'd love to know what you think! 

Tatcha Gold Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm ♥

Last fall, I was super excited to receive the Tatcha Gold Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm. As a girl with extremely dry, peeling lips year round, I'm always on the hunt for a good lip balm. Yes, I have plenty, but I am always desperate to try the latest and greatest formulas. 

*PR Sample

I don't often talk about packaging, but I can't talk about Tatcha without mentioning just how gorgeous their packaging is. Look at the pretty purple lining and the lovely blue and purple box the lip balm rests in! Plus, the paper used for the product information sheet is just lovely! 

Now onto the lip balm - there is a layer of gold leaf on top! I've been using this lip balm in one corner to preserve the gold leaf, which adds a bit of shimmer and glow to your lips. The lip balm itself is quite smooth, and not overly slippery. I think this stuff makes a great base for other lip products, and while I wouldn't call it matte, it isn't overly glossy either. 

In terms of the scent, this smells similar to Tatcha's Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil (review). To me, it is a lightly floral, almost licorice like scent that isn't intrusive or strong. However, I know that my buddies Gummy and Belly absolutely hate the scent of this lip balm! 

While this isn't as creamy as La Mer Lip Balm or as thickly long wearing as Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, I find that this lip balm has made it into my favorites. I have a terrible habit of picking at the peely bits on my lips, and this lip balm very quickly smooths over all but the roughest/rawest of flaky bits, preventing me from any further picking. My lips just soak in this stuff, and while some of the other balms in my stash are more hydrating, I find it a bit miraculous that my raw flaky bits are repaired within just a few hours! 

This Valentine's Day, Tatcha has a beautifully wrapped gift full of Tatcha sweetheart candies and this lovely lip balm. I think it is the perfect gift for any lip balm lover! <3 

What do you think of Tatcha's Lip Balm? Have you tried it? How did it fare for you? I'd love to know!