Organic Peppermint Lip Balm by ABCD Vitamins!

Hello, hello, hello, everyone!

As it's getting warmer and we're gravitating more towards outdoors activities, it's important to remember the effect that the sun has on your skin. Nothing is more inconvenient than having sunburn or peeling on your lips. Maybe your lips haven't fully recovered from the winter! Either way, I've got the product review for you, so listen up! :)

I was recently selected to review a free product sample of ABCD Vitamins' Organic Beeswax Lip Balm. There are a couple of reasons that I really like this balm. The main one is very minty scent. I've used an organic peppermint lip balm in the past, and it wasn't as strong as this one. The flavor and scent are equivalent of having an actual piece of candy in your mouth. This can be good or bad...depending on your personal likes.

Another thing that I noticed was the formula. I LOVE beeswax. It glides on smoothly and evenly and absorbs quickly. It doesn't feel greasy or heavy. I think that the strong mint quality reddens my lips slightly, which I'm not a fan of...but if I'm in need of serious healing, adding a tiny bit of redness isn't the most of my problems! This balm has an SPF of 15 so you're protected from sun damage as well!

As far as the packaging goes, I think that it's great that it's very simplistic. The four balms come in a plastic sleeve with a simple ingredient, logo, and product name label. The tubes of balm have the same design as the package and are all safety sealed. I LOVE that fact, because I can tell that they've never been opened. The tubes are the size of a typical ChapStik, so they're easy to carry or throw in your purse.

In all, I really like these balms and I love that they're all natural! Beeswax is my favorite lip product and ABCD Vitamins has done a great job of making it enjoyable with the minty, fresh scent.

GoPure 100% Pure Peppermint Oil

What smells like candy but has aromatherapy properties? GoPure's 100% Pure Peppermint Oil! Duh! :)

I was excited to receive a free sample of this product because I've been very interested in essential oils and their properties! It turns out, Peppermint Oil has quite a few!

Used since ancient Egyptian times, the Peppermint Oil is considered to be the most uplifting of the essential oils. Among it's many uses:

-Easing Motion Sickness/Jet Lag
-Encouraging Concentration
-Easing Stress and Anxiety
-Mood Booster
-Defeats Sadness

This essential oil is clearly one that benefits more mentally than physically. HOWEVER, it DOES have physical uses. As the label on this bottle states that it is suggested for aromatherapy uses, I don't plan to ingest it!

As for GoPure's specific brand, I have to say, I'm impressed! The rubber dropper sucks the oil up easily and efficiently, the label is very professional and easy to read (it's in perfect English and the font is large enough for me!), and the oil itself is VERY strong, which tells me that it's potent and good quality!

Essential Oils: What ARE They and What Do They Do?

Something that I've always to try, but haven't really taken the time to research is essential oils. I've heard so many people sing their praises, and my curiosity was peaked. When InstaNaturals (one of my FAVORITE beauty brands) asked me to review their essential oils pair in exchange for a review, I happily agreed! This was a great opportunity to "try it before I buy it", and I was totally game. The first thing I did was research the uses for each. I decided to pick a few uses each for the purpose of my reviews, and slowly, over time, add more uses to my list.

The first oil that I received is my absolute favorite: Lemon! I love how Lemon smells when I clean my house, so I hoped that this oil would have a strong scent. I wasn't disappointed! I read that Lemon essential oil is a good disinfectant, so I mixed it up with water in a spray bottle (it just took a few drops!) and went to town on the counters. It smells amazing, cuts grease, and best yet...if the cats are eating crumbs off of the counter or are laying on it and then groom themselves, I don't have to worry about them eating chemicals! Another use that I decided to try was odor elimination. I used a paper towel, in a small ceramic bowl, and placed it on the windowsill. The oils made the room smell AWESOME for quite a long time! Compared to the investment of gel air freshener cones, essential oils go a LONG way! You can also place a saturated cotton ball in your fridge to help with odors as well!

Next, I had the opportunity to try the Peppermint essential oil. I KNEW this one had arrived before I even opened the box. Instantly, the scent reached my nose. I liked it, but it became VERY strong when I opened the box and took off the plastic wrap. Once the bottle had had time to air out, it went back to "normal" (i.e.: not being able to smell it from three miles away). This oil, I use daily to help wake me up! I put a few drops in the bottom of the shower, and the hot water steams the shower up. It smells AWESOME and I wake up much faster! This may be because Peppermint helps to focus your mind and enhance memory. The scent of Peppermint also curbs appetite, so if you're tempted to snack excessively, this may be a good option! The scent of this oil is awesome! It's much stronger than Peppermint candy, but it also has a more natural, earthy smell that is less sugary.

Overall, I'm really impressed that these oils have so many uses. I'm also impressed with the quality of the bottle and dropper. I haven't had a single issue with it sealing or sucking up the oil like it's supposed to. I've dropped the bottles a few times on hardwood floor, and they've haven't broken, so I think it's safe to say that they're thick, quality glass. The bottles are HUGE, as well. One bottle is about the size of my palm, and I have large hands! You're definitely getting your money's worth with InstaNatural's essential oils, no matter what scent you select!

What oils do you use and what uses have you found for them?

Lalune Naturals Organic Lip Balm Review!

Fun fact: I have issues with dry skin. In the winter, it's AWFUL. Usually, lotions will take care of it for at least a couple of hours. I have found that body butter is the very best thing to stay relieved for long periods of time (12 hours or so). Even when I've taken care of my skin, there's still the problem of my lips. I'm very picky when it comes to my lip balms, and my countertop is to show for it. I've got at least ten lip balms/ChapStiks that I've used once and left because they were too greasy, too medicated, the scent was awful, or worst: they left a terrible taste in my mouth. Another issue I have is balms making my lips look maroon instead of pink. I'm not sure if it's the ingredients or an allergic reaction, but even clear ChapStik makes my lips look darker. I've used all natural lip balms before, but I don't have them anymore. In my world, that means that they were good. That being said, I decided to review a free package of Lalune Naturals' Organic Lip Balm.

When they arrived, I noticed first that the box that they were in was a rough brown cardboard box printed with a simple black label. I LOVE it, from a graphic design standpoint! The flavors, ingredients, brand, and USDA Organic Certification are all clearly marked on the box. When I opened the package, I was pleased to see that each balm scent was marked with a different color. This makes them easy to tell apart. Next, I smelled them. The scents are light and airy without being overwhelming. The undertone of the scent is very earthy and natural. It doesn't smell like chemicals and I LOVE that.

The final, and most difficult test was use. Remember, I'm picky. I decided to use Vanilla Bean first (other scents include Asian Pear, Peppermint, and Raspberry). The balm went on smoothly and easily without any pressure. At first, I felt like the balm was greasy but it VERY quickly began to absorb. As it absorbed, the dry, cracked skin on my lips softened up and now they feel AMAZING! There isn't really a taste to these balms, but the scent is great. It's noticeable, but barely.

 I think the best part is: my lips LOOK healthy! And that problem with having maroon lips that I mentioned before? Not a problem! My lips look plump, pink, and slightly shiny. It's FANTASTIC for use with dramatic eye makeup. I'm VERY satisfied with these balms! They're the BALM (bomb...get it?)!