An Intriguing Idea That (Mostly) Works: Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm!

The Good: Good flavor, Exfoliates dry lips well, Effectively moisturizes and repairs dry lips.
The Bad: Packaging, Comparatively Expensive
The Basics: Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm is a clever idea that could use a little more support in its packaging!


My wife's love of Burt's Bees products allows me to keep my lips well-moisturized and well-flavored, which can be fun. It also means I have a lot of products around to consider and I've been surprised to discover how much there is to evaluate when considering something as simple as a lip balm. At least, when I sat down to review the Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm, I felt like there was a lot more to consider than usual.

For most lip balms, I don't have to spend much time exploring the packaging of the lip balm. In the case of the Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm, though, it became an important factor in evaluating the product. The Flavor Crystals line of Burt's Bees lip balms is a relatively new line of lip balms and for its purpose - gently exfoliating dry lips in addition to moisturizing lips' skin - the packaging is not quite up to the task.

Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm is a new lip balm that has a bright summer flavor and is a great way to get lips healthy - and keep them healthy - for the summer. The tube of lip balm is expensive, in the $6 range in retail stores, but it does all that it promises for lips. Unfortunately, the concept and packaging lead to a little bit more waste than other lip balms and it is not as easy to use as other lip balms.

Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm comes in the standard .16 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 1/2" in diameter. The Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm is dispensed by simply removing the bright yellow plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough after the safety strip is removed) and pulling out the inner tube of lip balm (it's like a lipstick, though it does not color the lips). Then, simply twist the dial on the bottom of the inner tube to push the remaining product up. The Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm itself is a granulated waxy yellow colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in dry or overly cold environments. The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. As well, when it is applied, there is no medicinal feeling. The Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm does, however, leave a waxy build-up on the lips!

The Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm has decent restorative properties and it restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more supple and pleasant states. When I started using the Burt's Bees Flavor Crystals Lip Balm Tropical Pineapple, my lips were very dry, but not cracked or flaking (or anything else weird). It did not take much use before my lips were once again soft and well-moisturized! The Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. As well, the Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm protects lips from further damage.

Unfortunately, the Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm is less easy to use than many other lip balms. The function of the crystals in the Flavor Crystals is two-fold: to provide longer-lasting flavor to the lip balm and to help gently exfoliate dry lips. While the Flavor Crystals do create more enduring flavor, the exfoliating properties of the lip balm cause it to run into issues with the packaging. First, to apply the lip balm and get it to exfoliate, one has to press the lip balm more firmly against the lips. When that happens, the waxy core of the Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm tends to get pushed back into the dispensing tube. As well, when it is effectively applied to exfoliate, the lib balm tends to get smoothed out at its top. As a result, in order to get the exfoliating benefit again, one has to shave off the top of the lip balm to expose more rough crystals. That leads to an uncommon amount of waste, unfortunately.

On the flavor front, the Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm is a hit. This is a lip balm that tastes just like sweet pineapple!

The Burt's Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. It is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption.

The Burt’s Bees Tropical Pineapple Flavor Crystals Lip Balm are pretty wonderful, even if the packaging does not allow the consumer to get the most of the moisturizing and exfoliating product.

For other Burt’s Bees products, please check out my reviews of:
Pumpkin Spice Lip Balm
Medicated Lip Balm With Clove
Refreshing Lip Balm With Pink Grapefruit

7/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my Health And Beauty Product Review Index Page for a list of those reviews!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Functional, Not Flavorful, Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm Underperforms.

The Good: Smells good, Effectively moisturizes and repairs dry lips.
The Bad: Flavor is not accurate, Expensive!
The Basics: The limited edition Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm is not one of the more true flavors of lip balm, though it is as functional as the rest of the line!


Every time my wife and I go shopping, we have places we look for new products. I check out discount food racks and toy departments, my wife looks at Burt's Bees products and other health and beauty products. It seems like whenever Burt's Bees releases a new flavor lip balm, my wife wants to try it and I end up reaping the benefits by kissing her soft, well-flavored lips. So, when there is a flavor that she wanted that I find laying around months later, it makes it real easy to see it as a failure of the line. That is exactly what happened with Burt's Bees Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm.

Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm is an autumn limited edition lip balm that is pretty hard to find off-season and it is not at all worth tracking down. The tube is expensive, in the $5 range in retail stores and, while it might not be the most impressive or accurate flavor, it actually lives up to its promise to moisturize dry lips. No matter how dry my lips get, Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm - like most Burt's Bees lip balms - actually works.

Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm comes in the standard .15 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 3/8" in diameter. The Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm it dispensed by simply removing the orange-brown plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough after the safety strip is removed) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm itself is a waxy yellow-white colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in dry or overly cold environments. The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. As well, when it is applied, there is no medicinal feeling. The Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm does, however, leave a waxy build-up on the lips!

The Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm has decent restorative properties and it restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more supple and pleasant states. When I started using the Burt's Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm Pumpkin Spice, my lips were very dry, but not cracked or flaking (or anything else weird). It did not take much use before my lips were once again soft and well-moisturized! The Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. As well, the Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm protects lips from further damage.

The Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. When it is on my lips, it is only slightly oily for a few moments, then leaves the lips feeling noticeably waxy. Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm leaves no noticeable color on the lips when it is applied.

On the flavor front, the Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm is a solid miss. The aroma from the lip balm is vaguely pumpkin spice, but the flavor is waxy and does not taste nearly spicy enough to be considered Pumpkin Spice. The vague spice combination is a faint flavor more reminiscent of apple cider without the apple flavor. The indistinct, slightly nutmeg flavor of the Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm is a disappointment for anyone who loves pumpkin spice flavoring.

The Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. But the primary ingredients are: sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax. It is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption.

The Burt’s Bees Pumpkin Spice Moisturizing Lip Balm a generic lip balm that does what it promised in terms of moisturizing, but not doing it with the promised flavor.

For other Burt’s Bees products, please check out my reviews of:
Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm
Medicated Lip Balm With Clove
Refreshing Lip Balm With Pink Grapefruit

5/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my Health And Beauty Product Review Index Page for a list of those reviews!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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One Of The Most Distinctive Limited Edition Lip Balms, Burt's Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm Is Worth Hunting Down!

The Good: Smells great, Effectively moisturizes and repairs dry lips, Wonderful flavor!
The Bad: Expensive!
The Basics: The limited edition Burt's Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm is pretty wonderful, even at its regular price!


My wife is a big fan of Burt's Bees products - so much so that it's pretty surprising to me to discover it has been over two years since I've reviewed one! As a result of my wife's love of the product line, we go out hunting down new products from Burt's Bees whenever we discover them and can afford them. While we were out looking for their autumn limited edition Pumpkin Spice lip balm, we discovered one that garnered immediate interest from both of us. The instantly intriguing product was the Burt's Bees Limited Edition Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm!

Burt's Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm is a winter limited edition lip balm that is pretty hard to find, but is well worth tracking down. The tube is expensive, in the $6 range in retail stores and, outside the amazing flavor, is worth finding because it actually lives up to its promise to moisturize dry lips, which I frequently suffer from going into winter! As winter has fallen this year, I've been forced by my Siberian Husky to go into the cold quite a bit, as well as coming back into my very dry apartment; that has been problematic for my lips.

Burt's Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm comes in the standard .15 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 3/8" in diameter. The Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm it dispensed by simply removing the dark green plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough after the safety strip is removed) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm itself is a waxy yellow-white (beeswax, actually) colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in winter. The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. As well, when it is applied, there is no medicinal feeling, nor waxy build-up left on the lips!

The Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm has decent restorative properties and it restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more supple and pleasant states. When I started using the Burt's Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm with Mint Cocoa, my lips slightly cracked and had a little bit of dry skin flaking off them. Since starting to use it daily for only four days, it prevented further damage and it promoted healing so that now, my lips are once again soft and appear healed! In addition to that, by applying it before going outside with Myah, I've prevented further chapping. This is a Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm that does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. Since my lips healed rapidly, the Burt's Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm has prevented them from getting damaged from the elements again.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. When it is on my lips, it is only slightly oily for a few moments, but within moments, the physical sensation of having it on the lips quickly disappears. Burt's Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied.

On the taste front, the Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm is delightfully flavorful! As one who loves both mint and chocolate, the Mint Cocoa realistically offers a slight peppermint flavor that is muted by a sweet chocolate cocoa taste. The flavor lingers on the lips for about ten minutes after it is applied.

The Burt's Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. But the primary ingredients are: sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax. It is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption.

The Burt’s Bees Mint Cocoa Moisturizing Lip Balm is flavorful and effective, making it one of the best Burt's Bees flavors the company has come out with. It deserves to be around all year!

For other Burt’s Bees products, please check out my reviews of:
Revitalizing Blueberry & Dark Chocolate Lip Balm
Medicated Lip Balm With Clove
Soothing Eucalyptus & Menthol Lip Balm
Refreshing Lip Balm With Pink Grapefruit

9/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my Health And Beauty Product Review Index Page for a list of those reviews!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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One Of Burt’s Bees’ Best Formulas Yet! Revitalizing Lip Balm With Blueberry & Dark Chocolate Works!

The Good: Smells great, Offers decent protection, Revitalizes dry skin on lips, Good taste!
The Bad: Expensive!
The Basics: The new Burt's Bees Revitalizing Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate might be the new indispensible Burt’s Bees product!


Despite what many people seem to think, winter is not the most harsh time for lips. Indeed, the sun is just as bright and lips get just as chapped in the summer. And yet, for some reason, most of us do not think to use lip balm as much in the summer. Burt’s Bees and my wife, however, seem to be the exceptions to that rule! Burt’s Bees – last year and this – puts out a whole array of new products in the summer and my wife, being a Burt’s Bees fan, seems to pick up a whole slew of them. This summer, we’re starting with arguably the best Burt’s Bees product to come down the pike in years: Burt's Bees Revitalizing Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate. Having used it daily for the past seven days, with my wife using it as well, I am excited to endorse the product for the simple fact that it actually works!

Burt's Bees Revitalizing Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate is the latest in a long string of lip balms from Burt’s Bees my wife has had to keep our lips soft, supple and kissable. The tube is expensive, in the $5 range in retail stores, and the claim that it is “Revitalizing” is one of the two significant aspects of this lip balm that make it more reasonably priced than actually expensive. The fact that it works makes it worth it price tag.

Burt's Bees Revitalizing flavor Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate comes in the standard .15 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 3/8" in diameter. The Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate it dispensed by simply removing the blue plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough after the safety strip is removed) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate itself is a waxy yellow-white (beeswax, actually) colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in winter and sunlight which could damage lips in the summer (or winter, whatwith the brightness of sunglare on snow, which I am looking forward to now that I have a good protectant/revitalize!). The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. However, it does have a somewhat waxy sensation that it leaves on the lips. There is no medicinal feeling to this lip balm.

The sunscreen properties of this Burt's Bees Revitalizing lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate are quite extensive and quite real; while there was no SPF rating on the container, it appeared to keep my lips protected in the sun and water this summer vs. nothing on my lips at all. As well, the lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate worked better than some - like Chapstick - at protecting my lips.

The product has decent restorative properties and the Revitalizing lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more supple and pleasant states. When I started using the Burt's Bees Revitalizing Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate, my lips were dry and a little cracked. Since starting to use it daily for only six days, it prevented further damage and it promoted healing within a few days of using for the first time regularly. As well, this just kept my lips from getting chapped again. This is a Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate that does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. Since my lips healed rapidly, the Burt's Bees Revitalizing lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate has prevented them from getting damaged from the elements again.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence for a few minutes because it is slightly waxy. This changes into a somewhat oily texture, but not an unpleasant one.

Burt's Bees Revitalizing leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied.

On the taste front, the Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate is remarkably subtle. While the scent is robust and a pure blend of blueberry and chocolate aromas, the flavor on the lips is dominated more by the flavor of chocolate than blueberry. This is good because it means there is nothing sour to the taste on one’s lips. The scent implied that this balm would be a wonderful one to kiss other people with, but it has minimal flavor after the first ten minutes, which makes it inoffensive to those who might not like chocolate flavor (who are those people?!).

The Burt's Bees Revitalizing Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. But the primary ingredients are: sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax. It is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption.

The Burt’s Bees Lip Balm with Blueberry & Dark Chocolate is incredible and anyone who finds themselves wondering just how much a lip balm can do to improve one’s lips and their day should pick up a tube!

For other Burt’s Bees products, please check out my reviews of:
Medicated Lip Balm With Clove
Soothing Eucalyptus & Menthol Lip Balm
Refreshing Lip Balm With Pink Grapefruit

9/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my index page for a list of those reviews!

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Bad Product Or Bad Batch? Burt’s Bees Soothing Eucalyptus And Menthol Lip Balm Is Not Perfect!

The Good: Smells great, Offers decent protection, Revitalizes dry skin on lips
The Bad: Expensive, Grainy
The Basics: Burt's Bees Soothing Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol is one of the few that one can feel its effectiveness, but has an unpleasant grain to it that makes it a less worthwhile lip balm.


With winter upon us, my wife has taken to sneaking me lip balms and I keep finding new-to-me lip balms all over our house. While making me feel good – her obsession with my lip health does seem to imply that my kissing skills have improved over the critiques left by the last person to kiss me regularly – it also compels me to try a wide array of products pretty regularly. With lip balms lately, I have been giving myself a one week trial period in which I determine the product’s effectiveness. The week leading up to the winter holiday (where I received a few lip balms specifically for me), the lip balm of choice was Burt's Bees Soothing Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol. While the mentholated nature of this lip balm is instantly apparent, it has an unfortunate quirk that makes it less than ideal. In addition to making lips feel cold in the winter, the tube of Eucalyptus & Menthol Burt’s Bees lip balm we have is grainy, as if it were made with tiny sugar crystals embedded in the wax. That makes it a very distracting sensation when one applies it and for as long as the product remains on the lips.

Burt's Bees Soothing Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol is the latest in a long string of lip balms from Burt’s Bees my wife has had to keep our lips soft, supple and kissable. The tube is expensive, in the $5.50 - $6.00 range in retail stores, and the claim that it is “Soothing” is more a marketing tactic, which seems odd because Menthol flavor seems like a pretty common way to sell this lip balm.

Burt's Bees Soothing flavor Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol comes in the standard .15 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 3/8" in diameter. The Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol it dispensed by simply removing the aqua green plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough after the safety strip is removed) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol itself is a waxy white colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in winter and sunlight which could damage lips in the summer (or winter, whatwith the brightness of sunglare on snow). The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. However, it does have an excessively waxy texture to it and it feels like there is something crystalline embedded in the wax both in the tube and when on the lips. The menthol in this lip balm makes it feel exceptionally cold, though that cool, just-ate-mint feeling does not diminish the feeling like one has applied a lot of something cruddy to one’s lips.

The sunscreen properties of this Burt's Bees Soothing lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol are quite extensive and quite real; while there was no SPF rating on the container, it appeared to keep my lips protected in the sun and offered real protection in the winter against skin cracking. As well, the lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol worked better than some - like Chapstick - at protecting my lips.

The product has decent restorative properties and the Soothing lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more a more supple state, though it does so in a way that agitated me; I was constantly aware of this lip balm on my lips and the crusty feeling made my lips feel gross. When I started using the Burt's Bees Soothing Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol, my lips were dry and a little cracked. Since starting to use it daily, it prevented further damage and it promoted healing within a few days of using for the first time regularly. As well, this kept my lips from getting chapped again. This is a Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol that does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. Since my lips healed rapidly, the Burt's Bees Soothing lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol has prevented them from getting damaged from the elements again.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. When it is on my lips, I am exceedingly aware of its presence for the hours it endures because it has a crystalline grain to it.

Burt's Bees Soothing leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied.

On the taste front, the Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol is remarkably subtle. While the scent is strongly mint and peppermint menthol, the taste is comparatively nonexistent. The scent implied that this balm would be a wonderful one to kiss other people with, but it has no real flavor. That said, the energizing, minty mentholated cooling feeling does transfer when one kisses another after applying this lip balm.

The Burt's Bees Soothing Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. But the primary ingredients are: sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax. It is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption.

This Lip Balm with Eucalyptus & Menthol is momentarily fun, expensive, and more irksome than it is pleasant. While it lives up in most ways, its intrusive nature makes it impossible to eagerly recommend.

For other Burt’s Bees products, please check out my reviews of:
Medicated Lip Balm With Clove
Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme
Res-Q Ointment

4.5/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my index page for a list of those reviews!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Burt’s Bee’s Refreshing Lip Balm With Pink Grapefruit Smells Good And Protects, But . . .

The Good: Smells great, Offers decent protection, Revitalizes dry skin on lips
The Bad: Expensive, Does not taste like pink grapefruit, Does not exactly “refresh.”
The Basics: Despite the expense of Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit, the lip balm is a worthwhile one!


In the brief time that I spent with my wife just over a week ago, my wife gave me all sorts of things to take home! In addition to a couple of new toys, she wanted to share some health and beauty products with me. One of them, because she has a vested interest in my lips and really enjoyed the product herself, was the Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit. Having used it daily for the past eight days, I am ready to review it!

Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit is the latest in a long string of lip balms from Burt’s Bees my wife has had to keep our lips soft, supple and kissable. The tube is expensive, in the $5 range in retail stores, and the claim that it is “refreshing” is an odd one that left me trying to contemplate the nature of refreshment.

Burt's Bees Refreshing flavor Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit comes in the standard .15 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 3/8" in diameter. The Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit it dispensed by simply removing the pink plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough after the safety strip is removed) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit itself is a waxy yellow-white (beeswax, actually) colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in winter and sunlight which could damage lips in the summer (or winter, whatwith the brightness of sunglare on snow). The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. However, it does have a somewhat waxy sensation that it leaves on the lips. There is no medicinal feeling to this lip balm.

The sunscreen properties of this Burt's Bees Refreshing lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit are quite extensive and quite real; while there was no SPF rating on the container, it appeared to keep my lips protected in the sun and water this summer vs. nothing on my lips at all. As well, the lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit worked better than some - like Chapstick - at protecting my lips.

The product has decent restorative properties and the Refreshing lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more supple and pleasant states. When I started using the Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit, my lips were dry and a little cracked. Since starting to use it daily, it prevented further damage and it promoted healing within a few days of using for the first time regularly. As well, this just kept my lips from getting chapped again. This is a Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit that does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. Since my lips healed rapidly, the Burt's Bees Refreshing lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit has prevented them from getting damaged from the elements again.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence for a few minutes because it is slightly waxy. This has a somewhat oily texture, but not an unpleasant one.

Burt's Bees Refreshing leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied.

On the taste front, the Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit is remarkably subtle. While the scent is robust and citrusy, the taste is bland and not flavorful at all. The scent implied that this balm would be a wonderful one to kiss other people with, but it has no real flavor.

The Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. But the primary ingredients are: sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax. It is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption.

This Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit is good, but expensive. It does not exactly “refresh” in any way that I can define, either. Between the weaker flavor and the lack of promised effects, it is a little harder to justify the expense of this Burt’s Bees product than I might have initially thought.

For other Burt’s Bees products, please check out my reviews of:
Medicated Lip Balm With Clove
Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme
Res-Q Ointment

6/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my index page for a list of those reviews!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Seriously? Cuticle Creme? Who Needs Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme? Not I!

The Good: Smells amazing, Seems to hydrate skin and nails, Nothing bad in it
The Bad: Utterly unnecessary, Expensive, Does not appear to repair damaged cuticles.
The Basics: Utterly pointless, Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme does nothing a good hand cream won't do anyway.


I tend to view health and beauty products largely from a traditional feminist perspective. I'm not talking the mid-70s "avoid the razor" style thinking, but the whole idea that women are made to feel inadequate by the male-dominated society and emotionally extorted to improve everything upon them to meet some utterly unrealistic ideal is almost inarguable when one goes down the cosmetics aisle in virtually any store. Burt's Bees, one of my partner's favorite companies for lip balms, salves and the like has earned a place on my hit list for some of its products that serve no genuinely useful purpose other than to prop up the bloated cosmetics industry. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme is one of the principle products to make me peeved at the company.

This is a product that instantly calls to mind an Andy Rooney rant I once saw on 60 Minutes. Rooney was going through shampoos and he found one that advertised fixing split ends and he began to rant about how he would even know if the ends of his hair were split and what real consequence split ends have. For sure, split ends are not exactly the hair industry's equivalent to "ring around the collar," because split ends generally indicate unhealthy hair and they can make hair more brittle and when one looks closely they are somewhat unsightly, but the necessity of cuticle creme is entirely a mystery to me. Just like split ends, which we are conditioned to care way too much about, cuticle damage is pretty much noticeable only to those who are at intimate distances to us and I've never once heard of a woman or man being rejected as a potential partner - or even being accused of being less-than beautiful - for having damage to cuticles. Let's be honest; men aren't looking at cuticles! So why would Burt's Bees think that this is such a vital area that anyone would shell out $6 or more for a tiny .6 oz. tin. Well, it's part of the overall beauty mystique where women are meant to feel like there is something inadequate about themselves through the appearance of new products on the market.

For those who need the anatomy lesson, cuticles are the skin on and immediately around finger and toe nails. If one looks at, say, their thumb, and you see the little flap of skin at the base of the nail over the - traditionally - lighter half-circle at the base of the fingernail, that tiny layer of skin is the cuticle. The skin adjacent to the sides of the nails is also considered the cuticle. Most people only truly notice their cuticles when they become dry and hard or are cut and begin peeling off.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme is designed to keep the cuticles soft, supple and smelling wonderfully. On a subliminal level, the product is designed to make women ask themselves "Are my cuticles ugly?!" In their insecure uncertainty, women are meant to flock to the store, pick up cuticle creme and use it and solve the problem through boosting companies like Burt's Bees. The truth is, there are no known consequences to having less-supple cuticles than this creme delivers.

This product comes in a little .6 oz. tin with a lid that pops off by holding the base and pulling the top off. Inside is a waxy substance reminiscent of pomade or shoe polish. This is lemon yellow, though and to be fair to the product, it smells absolutely wonderful.

Applying the product is easy or unnecessarily difficult. The easiest way to apply the product is to simply stick a finger into the creme - which has an oily residue which rubs onto that finger - and slather some from the container and finger onto the top tips of one's fingers. The problem here is that this pretty much slathers the entire nail with the product without precisely getting the creme only on one's cuticles. The result is that those wanting to apply this only to their cuticles will require an applicator - like a cotton swab of Q-Tip-type product - to transfer the oily creme from the solid state tin to one's skin. The container does not come with anything to make such precision applications and one suspects this is in part because Burt's Bees does not want to have to admit that: 1. either this is a ridiculous product with severely limited applications and/or 2. there is no real easily defined area for the cuticles.

That said, use is pretty simple; one slathers on the oily/waxy creme and it sits on the skin and nail and protects and hydrates. The Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme smells amazing. The smell is precisely like a lemon cream cake or lemon meringue and it smells the same in the tin as it does on the skin. The smell endures on the skin for approximately two hours, but if it is rubbed in it does not leave any sort of sheen on the skin.

As for its functionality, here is where my issue with the product reaches its height; my cuticles were occasionally dry, but never in any serious way that required any product. Since using this product, my cuticles and nails have not dried out. But it's not like they were in danger of doing that anyway, so this has arguably specious reasoning backing its effectiveness. My fingertips and toetips have smelled fine, but again, this was never an area of concern for me.

What I have noticed is that obvious damage to cuticles - like where I cut my cuticle while working on a bookbinding project - is not repaired in any significant way or speed by using this product. Having two damaged cuticles, the cuticles regrew at the same rates with and without the Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme; the one treated with the creme simply smelled better while it was healing.

For those who feel compelled to be paranoid about their cuticles, Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme does have the advantage of being made of generally good materials. It is mostly natural and is made primarily of sweet almond oil, beeswax, and lemon oil. My skin was thoroughly nonreactive to the waxy substance - though when I used an excessive amount on the first application, it left an oily residue that was gross-enough feeling to make me wash my hands a few times until it was off - but for those with sensitive skin, it is highly recommended one test a bit on one's skin before purchase. The product has a dry, bitter taste to it, so it is recommended those who use it keep it to their cuticles.

But, seriously, cuticle creme? There are so many other places on one's body to worry about, body parts whose maintenance might actually have health benefits. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme is real easy to not recommend, no matter how good it smells!

For other Burt's Bees products, please check out my reviews of:
Burt’s Bees Medicated Lip Balm
Burt’s Bees Res-Q Ointment
Burt’s Bees Hand Salve

5/10

For other health and beauty related reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Unimpressed With Res-Q Ointment, I Continue My Burt's Bees Reviews!

The Good: Seems to do some of what it claims.
The Bad: Expensive for quantity, Indistinct taste, Not a great healing agent.
The Basics: A disappointing Doctor Burt's/Burt's Bees product, Res-Q Ointment is very average and does not do all it claims. There are better products on the market.


One of the real nice things about having a wife who truly takes care of herself (I'm definitely more schlumpy than my wife!) is that I suddenly find myself with access to all sorts of health and beauty products that I never had access to before. I swear, falling in love is a wonderful boon in so many ways, not the least of which is giving me an influx of new products to review. My partner seems to love the Burt's Bees line of skin - mostly lip - care products and as a result, I suddenly find I have a wealth of new-to-me things to review. The first product from Burt's Bees, though, that I am reviewing is one that failed to wow me. That is the Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment.

The last few days, I have been ill (hence the fall-off in my posted reviews!) and because I have been blowing my nose an obscene amount to clear out my chest, I have found my lips have been getting dried out and cracked. If nothing else, this makes for the best possible time to try something like Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment, which I found on the nightstand in a little .6 oz. tin. Of all of the Burt's Bees - now also under the Doctor Burt's imprint as the older line gets repackaged - products around our house, this one seemed like the one most likely to restore my chapping, cracking lips to a state where my partner might want to kiss me ever again. Alas, the product failed to do that. To its credit, though, my lips have not gotten worse since I started using the Res-Q Ointment.

Burt's Bees Doctor Burt's Res-Q Ointment comes in a .6 oz. tin (that's 17 grams for those on the metric system) and the tin is about an inch and a half in diameter and a half-inch tall. The tin is sealed initially with a plastic safety seal which makes it easy to see if anyone has tampered with it. Once that is removed, one need only twist the top of the tin off and one has access to the Res-Q Ointment. The Res-Q Ointment is a thick, waxy substance that occupies the bottom half of the tin. It has the consistency of candle wax, until one runs a finger over the top of the surface. Then, a thin film forms and that allows the Res-Q Ointment to be transferred from the container to a finger to the ailing skin.

Burt's Bee's Doctor Burt's Res-Q Ointment smells like olive oil and lavender and the smell is inoffensive enough. The product does not taste like anything. This is both a benefit and a detraction in my book. The benefit is that it does not taste like ointment or have any sort of medicinal taste or smell to it. The detraction is that this bland product leaves no yummy taste on my - or my wife's - lips to make the healing process more fun or interesting. Instead of a fun game of "guess which flavor this is?" one gets "So, what do you think of the mildly greasy film on my lips?" That game is nowhere near as fun.

And the Res-Q Ointment does leave a greasy film on the lips or other places one applies it. For an objective testing, I applied the Ointment to an abrasion I had on my elbow and for about three hours, there was a noticeable greasy spot on my skin there.

Despite the claims that Res-Q Ointment will heal the dry or broken skin, all the Res-Q Ointment did for me was stop the further damage. Even on the abrasion, there was no noticeable acceleration of the healing process (whereas, with something like Neosporin, there is). My lips remained fairly chapped and split, but they did not get worse. Once the flaky parts flaked off, my lips looked all right enough, but they were still not truly soft or kissable. They were more like "passable" than "healed." Anyone looking for a quick fix to soft, kissable lips (or elbows) will not find it with this product.

I tend to evaluate health and beauty products on three criteria: taste/scent, living up to the promised benefits, and price/value. On the taste/scent front Burt's Bees Res-Q Ointment is a disappointment. Would it have killed Doctor Burt's to make the product taste good as opposed to be light and vaguely oily? Would it not encourage people to use the product more if it had a sweet or fruity taste to it? Similarly, I was underwhelmed with the supposed benefits of this product. It was very easy to use, but it was underwhelming with its supposed rescuing qualities. It did a decent job of preventing further damage, but it was hardly a miracle salve and those who are fans of Burt's Bees products might do well to observe that it is oily and leaves a film wherever it is placed. It does not significantly accelerate healing or make one's lips luscious and kissable all of a sudden.

The final nail in the coffin for me was the fact that this is expensive for what one gets. I am a fan of the "all-natural" cosmetics concept, but Doctor Burt's really wants consumers to pay for that! Loaded with vitamin E, Comfrey, lavender, wheat germ and olive oils, this has nothing in it that is unpronouncable. The Res-Q Ointment is not bad for a protectant (which is not what it is supposed to be). But at $5.00 for a .6 oz. container, the benefits make for a ridiculously poor overall value. There are other product that either do the same thing for less money or do what the Res-Q Ointment claims to do for a more reasonable price.

Either way, it is impossible for me to recommend this one and those who love Burt's Bees or Doctor Burt's products will find other products in the line better for their needs.

For other Burt's Bees or skin protectant reviews, please check out my takes on:
Burt's Bees Hand Salve
Burt's Bees Medicated Lip Balm
The Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter

4.5/10

For other health and beauty product reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Nothing Less Than Wonderful, Burt's Bees Medicated Lip Balm Is Expensive But Excellent!

The Good: Tastes great, Offers some great protection, Revitalizes dry skin on lips
The Bad: Appears to "condition" skin, Expensive
The Basics: Burt's Bees expensive Medicated lip balm with clove oil is an expensive winner from a very trendy company.


I have never been one to go all out for cosmetic or health and beauty products (which is probably why I have not won any beauty contests ever) and it amazes me some of the products that different companies come out with to exploit the insecurities of consumers. Take, for example, Burt's Bees: they have so many products that are so specific, like Hand Salve (reviewed here!) that one wonders how they expect anyone to either function or afford all of their specific products. At the same time, Burt's Bee's has many worthwhile and ubiquitous products, like lip balms. Some of them, despite the expense, truly are wonderful, like the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm with Clove Oil.

Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm is the latest in a long string of lip balms my partner has had me try as part of her efforts to keep our lips soft, supple and kissable. Truth be told, this is one of the best products that she has ever brought home and outside the expense and a strange dependency issue, this is a great lip balm.

Burt's Bees Medicated flavor lip balm comes in the standard .15 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 3/8" in diameter. The lip balm it dispensed by simply removing the red plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The lip balm itself is a waxy white (beeswax, actually) colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in winter and sunlight which could damage lips in the summer (or winter, whatwith the brightness of sunglare on snow). The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. However, it does have a somewhat oily sensation that it leaves on the lips, as well as a tingle from the medicated properties actually working.

The sunscreen properties of this Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm are quite extensive and quite real; while there was no SPF rating on the container, it appeared to keep my lips protected in the sun and water this summer vs. nothing on my lips at all. As well, the lip balm worked better than some - like Chapstick - at protecting my lips. I've been using my partner's lip balm since early Spring as well as at the beach and it has prevented my lips from getting dried out in both conditions. Tested in the rough Upstate New York and Michigan winters, this lip balm does adequately protect against chapped lips by forming a physical barrier that helps to retain moisture within the lips without exposing lips to freezing conditions (my wife's lips were so soft from this when we first met!). Similarly, it does a great job maintaining itself as one gets in and out of natural water in the summer. The past few weeks, my partner and I have gone swimming (with a lot of diving!) and I have only had to apply the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm once before going into the water. After swimming for about an hour, I need to reapply, but in general, it maintains the barrier needed to keep my lips from chapping or burning.

As well, the product has decent restorative properties and the Medicated lip balm restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more supple and pleasant states. When I started using the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm, it prevented further damage and it promoted healing within a week of using for the first time regularly. As well, this just kept my lips from getting chapped again. This is a lip balm that does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. After my lips healed rapidly, the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm has prevented them from getting damaged from the elements again.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence for a few minutes because it is medicated and makes the lips tingle (which is pretty delightful when kissing someone!). Of all of the lip balms for lips that I have tried since I started kissing anyone again, this has a somewhat oily texture, but it is not waxy like the Chapstick was. It goes on feeling oily and it feels like a medicated skin cream for about twenty minutes after it is applied. As a result, it is easy to feel when this product has been wiped thoroughly off one's lips as well.

Burt's Bees Medicated leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied.

On the taste front, this is wonderful. The lip balm has a clove scent to it that is distinct and makes the nostrils perk up much the same way that the taste does. This is a powerful scent when one has their nose close to it, but it is not a smell one gets from across the room, so one may wear it without fear they are stinking up anything! This has a slightly dry, clove taste that spreads over the lips and then tastes spicy, just like cloves on a baked ham. After the first few seconds, the taste fades a little, but for as long as I am able to feel the lip balm on my lips, I am able to taste Burt's Bees Medicated. This oily coating tastes exactly like cloves and the taste holds up for hours!

The Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. But the primary active ingredients are: camphor and menthol, which explains the tingling. This is more yummy than it sounds, but it is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption, so don't look to this for nutrition! The whole inside wrapper on the tube unrolls with medical data on this lip balm, so it is serious about rehydrating lips!

The only other aspect of note about the Burt's Bees lip balm is that it seems to condition lips to itself. Once one has used the high quality lip balms like Burt's Bees Medicated, the lips seem to become dependent or used to the level of protection and lesser products appear to do less after to actually protect, hydrate or revitalize lips. After using one stick of this, I switched to a cheaper product and my lips became chapped quicker, even though I had previously used that product with no adverse effects!

It is also worth noting that this lip balm might be fun - the tingling can be delightful to kiss! - and I might have a lot of good memories for this lip balm - primarily because they cause me to reminisce about the beginnings of my relationship with the woman I love - but that this is a strangely expensive lip balm. A stick costs almost five dollars and regardless of how good it is, that is pretty pricey. But if one has the money, this is a decent lip balm.

For other lip care products, please check out my reviews of:
Blistex Herbal Answer
Extreme Pink Lemonade Blowpop Lip Balm
Chapstick Spearmint

7.5/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my index page for a list of those reviews!

© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Overpriced For What It Is, The Sample Size (.30oz.) Burt's Bees Hand Salve Isn't Worth It.

The Good: Easy to use, Not tested on animals
The Bad: Expensive, Odd smell, Limited results
The Basics: Mediocre on dry skin on hands or feet, the Burt's Bees Hand Salve is expensive and does not offer much in the way of benefits for the price.


My new wife is much more into trendy products than I am. Truth be told, she's absolutely beautiful, so she's almost turning me around on the benefits of specific creams and lotions for each different part of her body (though some days, this makes her body like one confusing Scratch N' Sniff book). Still, there are products that she gets that leave me baffled and I end up slightly amused to see she uses far less than the rest of them. One of the tins that was more reduced by my use for review purposes than her actual use was Burt's Bees Hand Salve, which she got in in the .3 oz. sample size.

Burt's Bees Hand Salve comes with little to explain or recommend it. I asked my wife what the product was for and she said that it is designed to keep skin supple to prevent cracking and to protect areas that do have cracked skin. I commented on how this might be an ideal foot salve, but all I got was a glare from her on that. The primary use of this little tin of waxy goo appears to be to protect normal skin and repair dry skin. In my experience, it did the former and not the latter (on my hands or feet!). Given how pricey this is, it became easy to not recommend as there are many products on the market that do what this claims for less money and with better results.

Burt's Bees Hand Salve comes in a .3 oz. tin (that's 8.5 grams for those on the metric system) and the tin is about an inch and a half in diameter and less than a half-inch tall. The tin is sealed initially with a plastic safety seal which makes it easy to see if anyone has tampered with it. Once that is removed, one need only twist the top of the tin off and one has access to the Hand Salve. Burt's Bees Hand Salve is a thick, waxy substance that occupies the bottom half of the tin. It has the consistency of candle wax, until one runs a finger over the top of the surface. Then, a thin film forms and that allows the Hand Salve to be transferred from the container to a finger to the skin.

Burt's Bees Hand Salve smells like the classic Noxema products. I wish I had a non-brand name product association for this, but there it is. This smells precisely like Noxema or, as I recall it, my grandmother's house. The product tastes slightly buttery, but otherwise is inoffensive. Unlike the Noxema product it smells like, it does not tingle when put on the skin of the hands or lips. This bland product leaves no yummy taste on my - or my partner's - lips to make the healing process more fun or interesting. The Hand Salve's smell wears off within half an hour of being applied to the skin.

Unfortunately, Burt's Bees Hand Salve does leave a greasy film on the hands or other places one applies it. For an objective testing, I applied the Salve to a dry spot on my toe and after four hours, it still was shiny. This looks like an oily film or ointment on the skin and while the smell dissipates, after half an hour, even, the salve comes off on the skin. In fact, I was able to blot the salve off the skin still after four hours from applying it!

Despite the claims that Burt's Bees Hand Salve will heal the dry or broken skin, all the Salve did for me was stop the further damage. Even on the dry skin, there was no noticeable acceleration of the healing process (whereas, with something like antibacterial ointment, there is). My hands did not dry out while using this product, but the protective claims of the Hand Salve are objectively a wash. The skin on my hands is not apparently more protected than they are with the use of a much less expensive hand cream or lotion. Moreover, because it does not seem to have anything in the way of extensive healing benefits, it is easy to not recommend this, even in the trial size.

Finally, this is expensive for what one gets. I am a fan of the "all-natural" cosmetics concept, but Burt's Bees seems to milk consumers for that! Made with Sweet Almond Oil, Olive oil, and beeswax primarily, there is little in Burt's Bees Hand Salve that is unpronouncable. Unfortunately, there is equally little in it that is effective at doing anything. The Hand Salve is not bad for a protectant, but it is a poor restorative. And at $2.75 for a .3 oz. container, the benefits make for a ridiculously poor overall value. There are other product that either do the same thing for less money or do what the Hand Salve claims to do for a more reasonable price.

For other skin care products, please check out my reviews of:
Chapstick Spearmint
Dr. Scholl's Smooth My Sole
Bath & Body Works Sassy Strawberry Mint 3-in-1

4/10

For other health and beauty products, please visit my index page on the subject!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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