Sunday, January 26, 2014

Beauty Review: Bare English Co. Lip Balms

Lip products and winter go together like peanut butter and jelly. We all know that finding a suitable lip balm is a harder task than it may initially seem. It needs the right scent, flavor, packaging etc.. but the right texture is one of its most important components. Achieving a smooth “non-sticky” application can be pretty tricky for producers of such products, especially without using any animal products or harmful chemicals (petroleum jelly, parabens, etc). Since the average woman consumes 2 kilograms (yep, that's kilos my friends) of lip products in her lifetime, it’s important to avoid nasty dangerous chemicals.  [Source: Terra20]




Like most women, I have a huge stash of lip products. They are hidden in every coat, every purse, hidden in drawers and pant pockets all around me. Also, vegans are always on the hunt for really good vegan lip balms, since they are sometimes hard to find. This is why I was so excited to have won a pack of 3 Bare English Lip Balms from Andrea Tomkins’ blog, A Peek Inside The Fishbowl. I put them to the test, and January is one of the best times to do this, in full blown Canadian winter. 



FYI, for this blog post I am welcoming a guest writer! If you are already part of my social media circle, you probably already have guessed that this guest blogger is none other than my cousin Myriam from BeauteOptic. I’m not a fan of mint chocolate flavors, so I needed help from my dear sidekick. Plus, she's just awesome of course, there’s genetics at play here!


Now, down to business...



Bare English & Co. : Organic . Vegan . Tea Infused . Lip Balm

Features:


- Canadian: They are from Toronto, Ontario! Their products can be found in pharmacies and other stores across the country (Also sold here in Ottawa at multiple stores, including Terra20)
- Tea Infused: The lip balms are infused with tea!
 
It’s not just a beverage; it’s our claim to fame!”
- Bare English & Co.

- Organic Ingredients: Bare English & Co. lip balms are organic, fair trade and free of GMO's! They also don’t contain preservatives or toxic chemicals.
  • Candelilla Wax; creating the texture
  • Jojoba Oil; moisturizing, almost mimicking the skin's natural sebum.
  • Almond Oil; antioxidant, anti-aging and helps balance the pH of the skin.
  • Cocoa Butter; strong moisturizer and barrier to our harsh environments and climates.
  • Vitamin E; healing antioxidant.
  • Coconut Oil; rejuvenating moisture for all skin types.
  • Olive Oil; enriches the skin and gives a natural shine.
  • Castor Oil; emollient that stimulates the productions of collagen and elastin.

- Vegan: Bare English & Co. Tea Infused Lip Balms contain no animal products. (NONE. Yesssssss!)

Texture notes:

Josée:

Good lip balms are hard to come by, but these…. Everything I could possibly want. The texture is SPOT ON; not too waxy, not too wet. Moisture that lasts for hours, even after talking to customers all day at work. And yes, it really has been a hero for my lips in this cold weather.

Myriam:

The texture of these balms can best be explained in juicy adjectives, such as smooth and kissable.  They do not leave that obnoxious film of sticky gooeyness to your lips (this is thanks to the candelilla wax which substitutes the beeswax).  If anything its more of a silky almost liquid (not runny) texture. Even my boyfriend wears it because he can stand the feel of it on his lips, and trust me he has refused kisses of mine after wearing certain other lip balms. So I would even consider this to be a unisex product.

Flavour notes:

Josée:

Vanilla Coconut

Deliciously sweet, but a very heavy dessert-like flavor. I want to eat it… Calories from lip balms don’t count, right?

Pomegranate Berry

My personal favorite! Not too sweet, not too sour. Seems like a real fruit flavor, not the plastic/fake berry flavorings.

Myriam:

Mint chocolate

In all honesty, I love a good mint chocolate flavoring (brings me back to my girl guide cookie days).  I absolutely enjoyed the flavor. Bonus, my boyfriend always makes the comment that my lips taste good after he greets me with a kiss. This flavor gets a BeauteOptic check-mark of approval.


*Looks like the lip balms were a hit with both of us beauty critics! You can get your own from Well.ca

Disclaimer: We were not paid for this review; all opinions are our own.

3 comments:

  1. Great review! You definitely made me want to try them.

    Incidentally, I've actually just started an Etsy shop selling lip balm. If an ingredient is beeswax does that make it non-vegan?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bee products are not vegan, but some vegans are a bit more lenient depending on the source of the products.

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  2. I cannot find these in Calgary anywhere! I did purchase 3 at a store at the Calgary Airport and sadly they have not continued to carry this awesome product!

    ReplyDelete