Friday Cheapies : Boots Essentials Lip Salve in Spearmint

Whoa, another Boots post - 2 days in a row! :D Well, I've been keeping this item around for a bit, so I decided to blog about it cos it fits in with the Friday Cheapies theme. :) This item was also bought by my husband, but was actually for his own use! Don't know why, he felt like he had chapped lips in Thailand, so he picked up the Boots Essentials Lip Salve in Spearmint.

Actually, just browsing that store for 5-10 minutes will make you "just pick up" something along the way. He asked me to get some because they were quite cheap --- about RM5 - RM8 for a 5g tube? But I was not keen because I have sooooo many lip balms / lip tints already. I couldn't loan him mine because they all have color. :P :P

Since he doesn't have chapped lips anymore, nor find a use for this item... he passed it on to me. I usually use this when I'm working from home and I'm keeping things simple.. no make-up, not much skin care, but I still wanna take care of my dry lips.

Personally, I have to use quite a bit of it (spam it on! spam it on!) to get this really nice, moisturised feeling on my lips. The bad bit is that it doesn't last long (for me). Even without eating, it just seems to disappear really easily! But one VERY GOOD bit is that because this is in SPEARMINT, it always feels like you've just brushed your teeth. Hahaa! You will have very fresh breath indeed when you use this.

Before :

And after --- can see a bit more shine, right?

Not sure if this should be a repurchase because it lacks long-lastingness, however, when it is on, it definitely does its job to protect against dry and chapped lips. Also, really like the spearmint scent! And because there's no color --- unisex! Can continue sharing lip salve with my husband, hahaha.

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Lipstick Sundays : Nivea Fruity Shine in Pink Grapefruit

Wow, can't believe I haven't blogged about one of my fave lip tints ever - the Nivea Fruity Shine in Pink Grapefruit! Well, actually I've blogged about the Cherry Fruity Shine a year back. Interesting to review my last post and find out that I only have half of the stick left (compared to what was photographed, not based on original size)! I actually carry both Fruity Shines with me in my handbag, and both colors are so usable that it doesn't matter what I'm wearing - when my lips feel dry, either one is suitable to be used!

You can see how "loved" it is by how much of the letters on the packaging have been scraped off... probably thanks to being carried around in my handbag, with keys and coins and what not.... 

Like the Cherry Fruity Shine, this also has a fruity scent that is absolutely delicious smelling. Not a sharp citrus, but a sweet fruity type of smell. Not super fake, so scent-wise, I like it more than the Cherry already. It is a very moisturising type of lip tint that gives great color and shine as well, thanks to all the micro glitter.

The color is a very sweet pink, and for a 4.8g tube, it is really value for money. Mainly because I feel that I don't have to "touch up" my lip tint very often when I wear this. After taking photographs for this blog, I ate some cereal before going to church. I noticed that it didn't leave a lipstick mark on my cup, so I thought that I had already "ate" my lippie. WITHOUT topping up my lipstick, I went to church, blabla.. then when I ate lunch and wiped my mouth after lunch... was so surprised to see so much lipstick coming out onto the tissue! I don't know what to say man... maybe I was just super careful during my cereal breakfast? Anyway, I was impressed. :) And if you're wondering why I didn't top up my lipstick after eating... well, I didn't feel that my lips were dry. I'm really a lazy person... by the time I feel that my lips are dry enough to warrant a top up, it's usually in really horrid condition! -___-"

Close up!

 

I mentioned in my last blog entry that there is ONE more  flavor in the Fruity Shine range, and it's Pomegranate, in a reddish-brown type of color. So tempted to get it!! But you can see that I have still a lot of Pink Grapefruit left, and Cherry still hasn't finished after a year! I suppose I should really SPAM on my liptint next time! Anyway, I rarely see the Pomegranate one being sold in drugstores in Malaysia... 

One tube costs about RM5-RM6? Super worth it in my books! Nice scent, nice color, nice moisturising effect... what more can you ask for?

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Lipstick Sundays : Lip Ice Sheer Color Strawberry

Whee! I'm finally finishing ANOTHER lippie, hahhaa. I have a friend who uses one lipstick a year (and she's very loyal to that shade the whole year round). For me, I hardly finish anything cos I keep skipping from one color to another. This item has been in my bag for ages, never got around to reviewing it because at one point, a lot of bloggers were all about Lip Ice. Let the hype die down a bit before I post my own review. ^^

I bought this lip balm for its "color changing" properties. Straight out from the tube, it looks like it's just a simple no-color lip balm. However, when it hits your lips, it turns to a pinkish color. Advertising shows that it becomes a "sheer pink color" but I find it pretty BRIGHT and JUICY. This is why I don't use it that often - cos I find it too youthful for me. However, I still go to it because I find it super moisturising! Seriously, it makes my lips feel super soft and kissable - no wonder that Lip Ice says it is the #1 lip balm in Malaysia.

This is how much lipbalm I have left --- yes, it is FULLY extended already, hehe. *proud of myself for being consistent*
 

You can see how my bare lips look like in the previous post - this is how it looks like with just Lip Ice on. Yup, it looks plain color, but it really gives my lips a juicy bright pink shine.  I have super dry lips, so up close you can see it's still pretty dry lah, but at least it gives a shiny appearance that can cheat people from afar. Besides, I believe that the more I use this product, the more it helps to moisturise my lips. Maybe, it won't be so dry with continued use... *hopeful*

Aside from using it on its own, I also like to use it on top of less-moisturising products. For example, today I used the Jelly Pong Pong Supermodel Stain in Nymphette. It usually gives a  light stain, but it's not moisturising at ALL. This is a picture of my lips with just the Nymphette on my lips. You can see that it doesn't look moisturised or shiny at all :

And this is how it looks like with just a layer of Lip Ice on top. Super makes a difference, right?!

Online shows it costs RM14.90, but I believe you can get it cheaper from Watsons / Guardian cos I ALWAYSSSSSS see discounts for Lip Ice in the pharmacy. I'm really tempted to get another Lip Ice after I finish this one, but maybe not a color-changing one because I find the results rather unstable. Like, you can see how dark it looks like on my lips right? But the image below is what packaging says my lips will look like. Not a match at all, lol.

Oh, there's also a fake-y strawberry scent to the lip balm, I didn't like it at all initially. However, kinda used to it now. Either that, or it's fading away. The gentle beeswax formulation gives long lasting hydration and is suitable even for sensitive lips. It's also thanks to shea butter, macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, ternifolia nut oil, and aloe vera oil extract that lips stay moisturized, smooth & healthy. Finally, vitamin E helps to soothe and protect lips from the harmful environment. All in all, I find it a really good product, just that the sheer color-changing version is not suitable for me. It's definitely interesting though, and I think that the color-changing differs from person to person (does it change based on body heat? Lol! Kinda reminds me of mood-lipsticks). Maybe it would look really good on you? :)

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Lipstick Sundays : Nivea Fruity Shine in Cherry

One of my favorite lip balms ever! Only RM6.90 (or cheaper, depending on where you get it and whether there's any promotions) and it is worth every single sen! The Nivea Fruity Shine was picked up on a whim (at that time, everyone was raving about LipIce) and I've never regretted this purchase. In fact, if you were to measure how much stick is left in each of my lipbalms, I think this is the one that is nearest to finishing!

There are a few different "flavors" in the range and each fruit comes in a different shade. I only have Cherry (Dark Red) and Pink Guava (soft pink), but have also been tempted to get Pomegranate (a brownish-red). Withheld myself because I'm just being plain greedy. I solemnly swear to only get a new lip balm when my existing one finishes!

The packaging is simple & straightforward enough - a fat little tube which is pretty nice to hold. :) Each lip balm weighs 4.8g and as I've mentioned - seems to last forever. This deep red shade comes out not-so-deep in reality, and has a touch of glitter. It gives a very pleasant sheen, not unlike a lip gloss - but way, way more moisturising! It is absolutely a comfort on the lips! The cherry scent is not overpowering or "fake/synthetic" smelling, but I guess to each his own. To me, it smells like cherry candy, and not the actual fruit.

Some pictures of me taken on Sunday... was waiting for my husband to take me to church. (Yes, married already but still staying apart.) There was a lot of red in my outfit that day! :P

Close up of the lips ... you can see that it hids my dry lips pretty well, and the red is not really that dark! I am totally a fan of Nivea lipbalms after this wonderful experience. Definitely a repurchase! Didn't I say I'm already looking forward to getting the pomegranate flavor? :) Was also wondering whether I should tag this under Lipstick Sundays or Friday Cheapies.. haha... this is really worth your $$!

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Lipsmacker x Paul Frank Lip Balm

Thanks to Yuberactive once again for giving me a chance to review nifty products! This month, I'm reviewing the Lipsmacker lip balm from the Paul Frank collection. The flavor that I received for review is Julius's Coconut Cream. Even when I've just gotten the product from the post office, I was really excited, because ... it's coconut! I love coconut flavored stuff!


My lips are usually terribly chapped, and I always prefer using lip balms to lip glosses. One gets the same moisturising effect, but without the stickiness usually related to lip glosses. Your hair doesn't get stuck to your lips when the wind blows, and your boyfriend generally prefers that you DON'T kiss him with lip gloss on. :x So I'm really a lipbalm fan all the way!

The packaging is really cute - together with the coconut cream fragrance, it really brings to mind visions of going to the beach!

To be honest, the first time I smelled the lip balm - I didn't really like it. Was too overwhelmed, because I was expecting a light coconut scent. Something light, subtle, and fresh. This is more like... coconut milk or coconut oil. It's heavy, thick and if you have an aversion to such things, best to try another "flavor". For me, I grew to love this lip balm, and can't stop "smacking" my lips together cos it became so yummy to me. :D

Check out how dry & chapped my lips are! :(

Lipsmacker to the rescue!

I look like I'm about to eat the lipbalm! Well, it smells delicious enough to be eaten! :P

It is also super moisturising and quite long lasting (until you have a meal, then it disappears). This is good and bad in a way. Good because hey, long lasting! only need two swipes to get the job done! The bad part is that I like to apply lip balm on my lips, hahaha... so since it's so long lasting, I don't get the chance to constantly reapply. Hahaha!

For RM12.90, I find this a pretty good buy as it is similar to the cost of most lip balms in drug stores. I actually went to Watsons to find out if there were other flavors from Lipsmacker and I saw they have Coke / Sprite flavor as well! Omg, can't wait to try those...~~

Before and after pics:

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My Latest Beauty Buys From Guardian!

Well, it's not really a haul per se, but what I've bought from the local drugstore recently. Just 2 simple items...~

(1) My Beauty Diary Sweet Teatime Mini Set
I'm having such a good time with the My Beauty Diary face mask set that I promised myself that I would get another box of masks when I finish with my current set. I was thinking of getting another box of 15 masks (+ 2 free) when this little beauty caught my eye.

The new teatime set comes with :
a. Vanilla Souffle Face Scrub (for renewing & moisturising)
b. Strawberry Yogurt Amino Acid Cleanser (for cleansing)
c. Earl Grey Tea & Macaron Face Mask (for brightening & whitening)
d. Chocolate Truffle Mask (for moisturising & firming)


As I'm currently still using another face wash (which is really effective), I'll be breaking open this item for review later. Just showing you the cute packaging for the moment. It's so uber cute! And since this package only comes with 2 masks, I *will* be getting the box of 15s later on. ;P

By the way, I was actually quite disappointed in the packaging because when I opened the box, I found out that the strawberry amino acid cleanser had spilled! Luckily it was not EVERYTHING and everything that had spillage could be washed, but it was such a sad discovery. The box is so cute, I was even thinking of keeping it. Now I just threw everything away.


Just in case you are curious on how to use it, it says to use the vanilla scrub first, then follow it with the strawberry amino acid cleanser, after which you can choose to either have chocolate truffles or earl grey & macarons (masks). Omg, it sounds so cute! *greedy*


(2) Lip Ice Watercolor Lip Moisturiser


There are 4 new colors in Lip Ice's Watercolor collection, namely :
a. Vintage Pink
b. Fantasy Pink
c. Kissy Pink
d. Sexy Pink

I was super attracted to the packaging because I thought the lipstick tube was going to have that interesting angular shape that you see in the picture above. Sadly, that was just the packaging. The real lipstick comes in a regular cylindrical tube in matte black. Nothing special.


IMHO, Sexy Pink is a dark blue pink that does look a little bit old school to me. I think it would suit mature ladies better (this would be me? hehehe. No, I mean older than me! Like 35 and above... but I doubt those ladies would wear Lip Ice). Vintage Pink is a very "standard pink" color... nothing special about it. It's a classic go-to shade, so if you have absolutely NO pink lipsticks at all, you should probably choose this. Kissy Pink is a very vibrant coral color, and I doubt my boyfriend would think that this color equates to kissiness. ;) I chose it because it's an odd color, and cheap lipsticks are good for odd colors that you don't wear too often. Classic shades deserve something more expensive (my own personal rule of thumb). Fantasy Pink was my second choice, but it is more to a red shade than a pink shade.

I totally don't agree with the color scheme they printed on the packaging. I think it doesn't match the colors at all!! For example, my lipstick ended up being bright orange, though it shows coral in the color scheme!

So what is so special about the watercolor series? As with other Lip Ice's, it is a very moisturising lip balm that leaves your lips feeling soft and nourished. For the color, don't be scared of by the orange lipstick, in fact I felt like there was no color / hardly any color after putting it on my lips. I thought of doing a before & after, but I could barely see the difference! So I didn't bother. Maybe I have to REALLY layer it on to see the color, but if what you want is moisturised lips, why would I bother with more than a good ol' swipe? That's really all you need to keep them soft and kissable. ;)

Price wise, it is pricier than average, going for RM11.90 per tube. Honestly, between old Lip Ice and new Lip Ice... I would rather not buy either anymore because I've discovered a new awesome lip balm --- from Nivea. Here are my three lippies :

Left to right : Lip Ice Sheer Color in Strawberry, Lip Ice Water Color in Kissy Pink, Nivea Fruity Shine in Cherry

My Nivea Fruity Shine lippy is really rich, the moisturising touch is there... and it is only RM5.90! Super awesome, right? The color is also an awesome red color (that appears after just one swipe) and has bits of sparkle in it.

After this, I am curious to try Guardian's own in-house brand of lip balm called "Lip Hop". It comes in curious flavors like ice apple and other delicious sounding things. Will review when I actually do get it!

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