Balms of the Week 6.19.12

The balms I've been using a TON this week are: 

Vanilla Mint by C.O. Bigelow 

(review can be found here)

Mango Lassi by Epically Epic Soap Co.

(review can be found here)

Watermelon by Softlips

(review can be found here)

Also, I just wanted to let you guys know that this Thursday I'm taking the MCAT so my reviews for the week will be posted very late Thursday night or sometime on Friday. When I post the review is dependent on how burnt out I am from the exam (it's six hours!). Thank you for being patient!

Have you guys tried any of these balms? What balms are you really into this week?

Have a great week!

--The Chapstick Wrangler

Plum Valley Notions

I've realized in this last couple weeks that when I get tired or it's late at night, I tend to turn to the Internet and buy tons of impulsive things. Including clothes I'll never wear and lip balms I haven't thought a lot about. I'm trying to break that habit by buying only balms I've had my eye on for quite a while before purchasing (this of course does not include when I buy balms in person). That being said, here is another brand I chose out of impulse on Etsy.com.

Company: Plum Valley Notions

Flavors: Blueberry Lemonade, Coconut Banana, and Lemon. I always buy something Lemon to use as a flavor comparison, I also really love lemon. The Lemon doesn't smell like just a lemon or even lemon and sugar. It smells like Lemon Cake or Lemon Pound Cake. I am not a fan of this at all. It could be because I was expecting something that was just like lemon and not like a baked good but there's something about the way it smells that I don't particularly enjoy. If you're looking for something that is similar to a lemon cupcake, this may be the balm for you. As for the Coconut Banana, it is once again mostly just banana. I'm not sure if it's because banana as a fruit is extremely strong and fragrant and ends up being too overpowering in lip balms combined with other scents, but I can't seem to find a perfect blend of coconut and banana. It smells like a warm banana, or perhaps just reminds me of a warm banana nut muffin (what is with this baked goods?). The Blueberry Lemonade was also not what I was expecting. Unlike the Blueberry Lemon from Orange Thyme that I mentioned in a previous blog, this one is all blueberry and only a light scent at that. I can't smell any of the lemony goodness that I was expecting =(. It takes a long inhale for me to catch a whiff of anything distinct.

Wear: These balms go on easy enough once you get past the uneven edges (I'm assuming from being hand poured into the tubes?). It's hard to get a good application at first especially since in one swipe you get tons of crumbly pieces from the uneven edges. This was really unpleasant for me as I kept ending up with crumbs of lip balm in my mouth. After I broke away these edges the balm went on pretty smooth. I'm sure many people don't mind these edges but to me it really interferes with a good application and it's a bother to get the balm started.

Packaging: I was somewhat surprised but what I received in the mail after looking at the tubes online. Online the tubes had a nicely printed label on an average sized white tube of lip balm. What I received were tubes with labels that look like they were just printed on address labels and stuck to the tube. The label contains the company name, the flavor, and the ingredients. Since these are just labels stuck onto tubes, I assume that the ink will rub off with frequent use since there is nothing to protect it from wear. I'm sure to some this is not that big of a deal, and it really isn't. But it just wasn't what I was expecting. I am also the type to buy according to the packaging of a tube of lip balm and appreciate a nicely done label. I wasn't too impressed with the packaging on these balms.

Price: I bought 3 for $7.75 which comes out to about $2.58 a piece. A great price for an all natural balm, more so if the product is phenomenal but acceptable for an OK product.

Overall:
Pros: Price, all natural beeswax balm
Cons: Flavors not as indicated, packaging, difficulty starting application

Rating: 2 out of 5 twists, these balms just weren't my cup of tea. I'm sure I'll throw them into a beach bag or in the car as an emergency balm but it's not something I would buy again. I just didn't enjoy them and felt really disappointed with the flavors. This is not to say you won't enjoy them, but I did not. I always hate rating balms low, but alas it is the truth and the truth is what must be written.

Crazy Rumors: Perk Collection

Alright as promised, I've got a new review this week for you. I obviously went a little crazy buying Crazy Rumors lip balm this past winter because I own almost every flavor that they offer. I go a little balm crazy when I find a new brand that has so many new flavors that I'm not used to. For you coffee lovers, this may be the collection for you.

Company: Crazy Rumors

Flavors: Amaretto, French Vanilla, Mocha, and Coffee Bean. Like I said, if you like coffee this may be the collection for you. I, on the other hand, am not a huge fan of coffee. I do enjoy it occasionally and I used to love it back in high school but I don't really drink it more than once or twice a year now (I'm definitely more of a tea person). That being said, there needs to be some caution when you read my descriptions of these flavors. Amaretto, I bought this because it reminded me of my roommate's attempt at making some homemade amaretto liqueur. It is VERY much like the liqueur. Very almond-y and VERY fragrant, the whole drawer that it's kept in smells just like it. It reminds me of a cherry coke smell also, but only sometimes. This one may be too fragrant for me, I wasn't all that pleased with it compared to the other balms from their collections. I was expecting to like French Vanilla, but it was a very, very faint vanilla smell and had a bland taste and scent. It wasn't anything phenomenal. I guess I was expecting something a little bit sweeter in scent. The Mocha flavor also is a very faint scent, I wasn't all too impressed with it. Perhaps that's how it is intended to be but as a lover of the occasional mocha frappuccino I was expecting something more like that. Coffee bean I did not like at all. I usually love the way coffee beans smell, so warming and just feels like home when you smell them, but I did not find that here. I'm sure coffee lovers would love it though! This one was also more fragrant than the French Vanilla or Mocha.

Wear: Like the other Crazy Rumors balms they go on crazy smooth. Just one or two swipes and you're good to go! They last a long time as well, close to two hours. The typical quality you find with these balms. They're just fabulous all around, even if I don't like the flavors the wear is still great.

Packaging: Clear tubes that are your average size of lip balm tube. Labels with their mascot on it and color banners to match the flavor. The collection has a unique color scheme just like the other collections. The little seal at the top on these balms say "A Coffee Break For Your Lips". Cute, I love that extra effort to make each safety seal unique for each collection.

Price: $3.50 plus shipping. The typical price you find for a natural, vegan balm.

Overall:
Pros:Packaging, Wear, Price, Easy application, Long lasting
Cons: I didn't really enjoy the flavors, perhaps they could be a little sweeter? To each his (or her) own.

Rating: 3 out of 5 twists, not my favorite collection from them but still not a bad collection. If you love coffee, you should definitely give these a try.