The 5 Winter Lip Balms You Need

With the colder weather having arrived, I am more aware that I need to be ensuring I take extra care of my lips, especially as I am prone to cold sores, which oddly seem to attack me more in the second half of the year than the first. For me, a lip balm, lip conditioner or a lip serum, whichever you prefer is an absolute must and they are a handbag item that you can never ever have too many of.  

The choice when choosing your lip product now extends to more than running into Boots or Superdrug to buy a tin of Vaseline (shudders), instead we now have balms and serums which protect, nourish, scent and tint and if you simply Google Lip Balm, it is mind-boggling just how much of a choice there is.  For me, it comes down to these:

Dr Lipp The Original Nipple Balm - Now this balm for me is an absolute must and it is one I always have on my bedside table because it is just genius.  When my lips are chapped, it is always the first balm I turn too to soothe and calm irritated skin. It uses protective medical grade Lanolin which gives it a 100% natural formula, so it is free from fragrance, preservatives.  

As well as your lips, this product is also ideal for dry cuticles, dry skin patches, burns and abrasions, severely chapped lips, sore nipples, split ends, eczema, babies’ bottoms, and it is also used behind the scenes for extra long-lasting lip gloss, eyelids, cheekbones, neatening eyebrows, quickly treating rough skin and priming before make-up.  Priced at £12 (here) if you have never tried Dr Lipp, then you need too.

Verso Lip Serum - I make no secret of the fact I adore Verso skincare and the Lip Serum is a product that is also an absolute must for my handbag and bedside table. Using the brands signature ingredients Retinol 8 (a derivative of Vitamin A) and you will also find Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides for increased hydration and plumping. 

This serum, when applied using the clever applicator, isn't runny, it isn't greasy and most importantly for me is that it isn't tacky, what I absolutely love is how it absorbs into my lips and moisturises, plus it makes an incredible base for matte lipsticks. I always have a tube of this in my handbag and one on my bedside table and I use it every night as part of my skincare routine and it is always the last product I apply.  Priced at £55 it is the most luxurious lip product I have ever used.

Balm Kind - I am really enjoying getting to know this brand and have already been through 2 of the original Balm Kind lip balms this year (review here). Balmkind lip balms are formulated without parabens, mineral oils, petrolatum, lanolin, palm oil or phthalates and instead in their place, you will find rich skin loving ingredients which leave your lips feeling soft, hydrated, nourished and soothed. New to the team comes Alpine Rose & Lysine in two different varieties of one with an SPF20 and one without. What I really love about these balms is how they feel when you use them, non-sticky or tacky on the lips and I love that they are mineral oil and paraffin-free. Ingredients include essential amino acids, hydrating oat lipids and soothing liquorice root which together just care for and look after your lips and the formula contains properties which studies have shown may reduce the occurrence of cold sores - ticking all those boxes for me. 

I use these balms when I am feeling run down, have the start of a cold or am around people who have a cold because for cold sores to break out, all I have to do is begin to feel run down and the tingle on my lips appears. That said since I started using these balms, touch wood and anything else for good luck, I haven't had a single one. Priced at £13, you can find these balms here.

Tropic Lip Fugde - Described as being a deliciously creamy, minty balm it hosts 26 lip-loving plant extracts which include Sea fern and omegas 6 and 9 help to plump and smooth fine lines, Mango wax and vitamins C and E contain repairing and protective properties and Açaí sterols and wheat cerasomes are super-softening and conditioning on lips. 

I have shade Rosewood which does give the lips a slight tint of rose colour and what I really love is just how cooling this feels on the lips without being greasy or tacky despite the balm being quite a thick creamy texture. Because this is a minty balm, the tingle is quite nice, not too much.  These Lip Fudges are hydrating, moisturising and are a fantastic alternative for anyone who wants a product that is cruelty-free, 100% naturally derived and vegan-friendly lip conditioner. Priced at £12.

The final product that I am absolutely loving is the Burt's Bees Overnight Lip Conditioning Treatment. I am an avid user of overnight balms and creams for my face and I do, every night, apply a lip balm or serum as part of my routine. Using Ceramides which help to support your skin’s barrier and retain moisture for soft, smooth and healthy looking lips, this overnight treatment works to soothe and condition while you sleep and it is the perfect partner to the lip scrub. There is also the use of Jojoba and Sunflower Oils and it is lightly scented using Peppermint Oil. 

To use, you simply apply liberally before going to bed and leave it to work its magic overnight. The formula is non-greasy and it does absorb itself slowly into the skin. What I have found since using it, is that my lips have become less dry and whilst I will always use a lip balm, I love that I have a product that can give that extra bit of TLC when I need it and one that is 100% natural.  Priced at £6.99 here.

So there you have my top 5 currently favourite lip balms, serums and conditioners for the winter months.  I would love to know what your favourite lip balm is.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

REN Clean Skincare - Rosa Centafolia Cleanse and Reveal

Right now, REN Clean Skincare have got their campaigns so right, it is hard not to love them as much as I do. With thanks to television programmes highlighting just how much damage we are doing to our oceans, especially with plastic. Some of the images and videos we have seen are truly horrendous and it is all down to humans and those few mindless actions. To that end, REN has started to re-package their products and they have pledged to go Zero Waste by 2021, something I think we should all applaud. As things stand, Cleansers are no longer boxed, double labels are being removed and in some cases have been removed and the pumps on products have been remade to save the formulas in each bottle.

The latest delivery from REN is the Rosa Centifolia Cleanse and Reveal Hot Cloth Cleanser and in true REN form, it arrived in the most brilliant packaging – a recycled brown paper bag pouch, which I absolutely love and will be making more use of.

The Centifolia Cleanse and Reveal Hot Cloth Cleanser is described as being the most luxurious and effective way to cleanse. From REN, this Hot Cloth Cleanser is a rich, two-phase formula, which is designed to be used alongside a hot muslin cloth. If you are familiar with Hot Cloth Cleansers, then you will know just how effective this method is at removing not only makeup but also dirt, grime and anything else lurking on the surface of the skin. Living in London, the levels of pollution are just horrendous and I often find my muslin cloth has turned a grim shade of brown when I cleanse. The cloth also helps to exfoliate and decongest skin.

Infused with Rosa Centifolia flower extract to refresh skin, Cocoa Seed Butter which is intensely nourishing and also works to cleanse pores and finally there is Rosa Damascena extract to calm. I love how this cleanser smells and it also has a beautiful formula which isn’t overly thick but it does an incredible job at removing make up, exfoliating and decongesting your complexion, as well as hydrating as it cleanses. After using, the one thing I always notice about my skin is that not only does it have that clean Spa like feel to it after having had a facial and instead of feeling dry, tight of stripped, it is soft and smooth to the touch.

If like me you are a double cleanse kind of person, then this works perfectly as a first cleanse. If double cleansing is not for you, then it still works just as well. Priced at £15 here for just the cleanser or you can grab the kit featured in this post here for just £14.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Glossybox - Beauty SOS Edition

This month, Glossybox has curated a box which is full of emergency supplies! Featuring Haircare, skincare and makeup, this Beauty SOS Edition contains five essential products which will come to your rescue during party season.

Now, this box has proven to be so popular that it has sold out, it could be because the beauties over at GB HQ surprised us all with a HUDA Beauty Matte Lipstick in every box.  That said, you can still subscribe to Glossybox to grab yourself a classic box for just £8 by using the code NOVEMBER at the check out. It goes without saying that I absolutely love this months box and every product included is one that I will use.

The first product is of course from Huda Beauty and it is hard not to be a tad excited about seeing this inside my Glossybox.  Huda also features in the Glossybox Advent Calendar, which I unboxed here.  This liquid matte in shade Girlfriend and it is described as being a light apricot nude, but to me, it is a warm brown with slight yellow undertones.  I really like the formula of this liquid matte, it applies like an absolute dream with its lightweight formula and once it has been applied, the colour intensifies before drying.

Infused with antioxidants, this formula is vegan-friendly as well as being cruelty-free also contains an exclusive complex which helps maintain hydration.  It sets as matte, but not uncomfortably so and having worn this one quite a few times since I got my hands on it, it has made me want to shop the entire collection!

Next up within my box is a Balancing Skin Concentrate from YourGoodSkin.  Made by Boots, this brand is described as being clinically proven and developed by dermatologists.

 Using a combination of Green Tea and Vitamin C, this unique combination helps to improve skin texture, moisture, radiance, oiliness and skin tone evenness in just 28 days.  I have used this product before and really liked how it made my skin feel (full review here). On the skin, the lightweight texture absorbs really quickly.

Then we have the Context Micro-Derm Regenerator and it isn't a brand or a product I have come across until now.  Described as being a 2-in-1 cleanser with a difference.

Using professional microdermabrasion crystals, this product gently exfoliates and polishes the skin without being overly abrasive.  Using powerful antioxidants which protect cells and help to fight free radicals, it leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated after just a few uses.  It is also cruelty and fragrance free.

One brand I am really loving getting to know right now is Living Proof.  I am slowly working my way through an incredible box of products but within this months Glossybox is the Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment.

This treatment mask, like the rest of the range, has been developed by scientists and hair stylists and as well as being cruelty-free, this mask works to restore damaged hair cuticles and moisture levels. The mask also works to repel dirt which also means in the long run, you might need to use shampoo less.

The final item within this months box comes from Styl London and it is the Eaton Eyeshadow Palette. Cruelty-free and pocket-sized, it is described as having endless possibilities.

Incredibly pigmented, this palette uses a combination of matte and sheen shades and for me, this is an incredible Autumn palette and I love the bronze shades which I always edge towards on any palette and I love that it is the perfect size for travelling with. I have never come across the brand before but apparently, STYlondon was launched in 2015 exclusively by the high-end department store, Harvey Nichols.

This month, Glossybox have included a treat inside the box and it comes in the form of a Chloe perfume sample.  I adore perfume samples, so I am always happy to see one in any package I receive because it gives you a good insight into how well, or not, that perfume will work for you.

I have Nomade and it has notes of Mirabelle Plum, Freesia and Oak Moss and it is a scent that I prefer once it has dried down rather than from its initial spritz and as a fruity floral fragrance, it is one which suits me and is a scent I would definitely look to purchasing a full size of.

I think this month Glossybox is simply brilliant.  I love the products have been included, I really like the theme and I also love that I have been introduced to brands and products that I haven't come across until now.    What do you think?

To subscribe to Glossybox for just £8 by using the code NOVEMBER at the checkout.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

The Summerton Club Spirits Subscription Service

I absolutely love my subscription boxes and they regularly feature on this blog, but aside from beauty boxes, did you know that you can also get food, fashion, sweets and even drinks? To date, I have only had beauty subscription boxes which have involved fragrances and a mixture of skincare and makeup and today I am sharing with you a drinks based subscription service from The Summerton Club.  The Summerton Club launched in January of this year and the whole idea behind it is to take the hard work out of finding fantastic drinks.  Founder, Daniel Humphrey invests his time and expertise to source unique and interesting spirits and they describe themselves as being "a craft spirits members club where they curate and deliver only the finest aged alcohol from around the world directly to your door".

Admittedly, I have never come across a spirits subscription service and having been given the opportunity to give it a try, I really like the idea. The Summerton Club is a spirits subscription service and it has different membership options available, so you can choose to have a bottle delivered monthly, bi-monthly or even quarterly depending on your own preference.  Also, if Whisky is your drink of choice, you can now opt to have a bottle delivered every two months too.  Each month, The Summerton Club has a 'Bottle of the Month' and it changes frequently and has, in the past includes Brandy, Whisky and Rum and  to name just a few and within each of these drink choices there is up to three different varieties, for example within the Brandies you might find an Armagnac, Cognac or Grappa. The bottles you receive are not your typical Supermarket brands either, for the month of October, I was kindly sent the Mackmyra Gruvguld Swedish Single Malt Whisky, something which is not available to the UK, so already, this service offers something a little more out of reach and a little bit distinct. 

The Mackmyra Gruvguld Swedish Single Malt Whisky comes with an amazing story and it is a story of Mackmyra starts in Sälen, a ski resort in the west of Sweden, in March 1998. Eight friends met in a snow-covered cabin, each bringing a bottle of whisky with them to share on their holiday. There conversations one evening turned to whisky and the fact that whilst there was a lot of interest and love for single malt whisky in Sweden, there were no Swedish distilleries to make the golden nectar. That night, the eight decided to create a Swedish Whisky. I love that there is a background story to the making of this drink and more can be found here on The Summerton site. 

The Mackmyra Gruvguld which means ‘Gold from the Mine’ has been aged in a variety of small casks 50 meters below the ground in the Bodås Mine. It is described as having an aromatic richness which is due to the wide variety of cask types used to mature the whisky and they include both Oloroso, Bourbon and Swedish Oak. When it comes to the taste, I am not an expert but am told there is three different parts to a whisky - the nose, the taste and the aftertaste.  With Mackmyra Gruvguld the nose gives you a scent of being Spicy with berries, fruits and light oily notes. Toasted notes of vanilla, oak and caramel fudge. A light warm and oaky spiciness with a hint of tar and mineralities. Sweet notes of raisin, marzipan, citrus and pear drop. Blackcurrant notes of older whisky are found together with spicy and herbal notes of aniseed, ginger and tobacco leaves.  The taste gives a spicy taste with a balance laid between fruits, berries, oils and oak. So you get a hint of Blackcurrant, pear fudge and grapefruit which sit alongside the spicy oak with hints of tar and tobacco leaves. The texture has a light oiliness. For me, when it comes to whisky, the aftertaste is not one I particularly enjoy but with this whisky, it is described as being both oily and spicy with berries and a light dryness towards the end.

The Summerton Club’s October Bottle of the Month; Mackmyra Gruvguld has an alcoholic volume of 46.1% and both the box and bottle really are beautifully presented, making it a fabulous gift.  I love the whole concept, I like that it is unique, I love that you get the chance to discover new and interesting drinks, I like that you have a choice over your membership and I like that there is so much information given on each and every spirit, it is the little touches like this, which for me make something worthwhile as I like detail.  So, if you have a family member, friend or colleague who likes their spirits, then this is an ideal gift choice.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.