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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Good Taste, Light Protection, Lotta Luv Root Beer Lip Balm!

The Good: Tastes like root beer, Offers limited potential, Inexpensive
The Bad: Offers no regenerative properties, Potential to melt, Waxy feel from residue, Taste fades quickly.
The Basics: Lotta Luv’s Root Beer Lip Balm is not bad at all, though it represents a very cheap lip balm.


My experiences with Lotta Love lip balms have been very fragmented. Their products have innovative flavors, but very variable quality levels. Even their best lip balms seem to offer very limited protection, no regenerative properties for lips, and they have a waxy feel to them. Such is the case with the Root Beer lip balm and to the credit of Lotta Luv, at least it tastes and smells like it is supposed to! That and the fact that I was able to get use out of the entire stick of lip balm (which should be a given, but is not when it comes to Lotta Luv products given their cheap applicators!), makes Root Beer one of their better balms and one worth trying for people who have a fun sensibility toward flavoring their lips!

Root Beer flavor lip balm comes in the standard .12 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 removing the light purple 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 dark purple 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 any time of the year. The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. However, it does leave the sensation of the barrier that it is and the waxy feel is a definite downside.

The sunscreen properties of this Root Beer lip balm are more alleged than actual; I found no SPF rating on the container. Still, the lip balm actually adhered well to my lips, which cannot be said for all lip balms. While this lip balm remains on the lips for a long time – and it may be felt on one’s lips for quite some time – the flavor only lasts about ten minutes. The flavor and smell fade fast, though the feel of the balm does not.

On the flip side, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist some of the elements. Unfortunately, in this regard comes one of the other biggest drawbacks to the product. This lip balm has a very waxy feel to it. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence. This is a very grainy feeling lip balm when one starts applying it; it only accents the waxy feeling from the outset.

Root Beer leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied. It may feel omnipresent and thick when it is on, but it does not look purple on one's lips (fortunately!).

On the taste front, this is very accurate. This flavor tastes like flattened root beer in wax and that is a decent flavor, though one expects it to be fizzy (it’s not). The flavor of the classic beverage is tasty and recognizable, even if it is not especially enduring.

The Root Beer 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: mineral oil, polybutene, and petrolatum. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption, so don't look to this for nutrition!

It is also worth noting that this inexpensive little lip balm is not designed for moisturizing, only protecting. As a result, while it might prevent lips from drying out or cracking a little bit in winter and summer, it will not repair damaged, cracked skin on the lips. This is a stopgap product; it prevents some damage, but will not moisturize already dried lips or heal damaged, cracked lips.

Despite its lack of medicinal properties, the Root Beer lip balm is just flavorful enough to make it worth trying, at least once!

For other Lotta Luv lip care products, please check out my reviews of:
Cheese Puff Lip Balm
Lotta Luv Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Lip Balm
Lotta Luv Extreme Pink Lemonade Blowpop Lip Balm

5/10

For other health and beauty product reviews, please visit my Health And Beauty Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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So Gross! (And Ineffective!) Lotta Luv Cheese Puff Lip Balm!

The Good: Momentarily tastes like cheese puffs
The Bad: Offers no real protection, Potential to melt, Relatively pricey, Waxy feel from residue, Tastes disgusting, Cheap applicator
The Basics: Lotta Luv mass produced a terrible flavor of lip balm with its Cheese Puff Lip Balm . . . a cheaply produced balm that does almost nothing for consumers!


When it comes to protecting my lips, my wife has a vested interest in making sure my lips are soft and unbroken. To that end, and to satisfy me as a reviewer, she tries to pick up many different types of lip balms for me. This season, the first one she brought was, unfortunately, the worst one I have yet tried. The first complete dud was Lotta Luv’s Cheese Puff lip balm . . . and I write that as a huge fan of cheese and cheese puffs! At this point, though, Lotta Luv seems to be going the exceptionally cheap route and the lip balm is bad and its applicator is uncommonly bad; I was barely able to get any out of the tube before it stopped pushing the waxy lip balm up!

Cheese Puff flavor lip balm comes in the standard .12 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 removing the neon yellow 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 muted orange 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 winter. The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. However, it does leave the sensation of the barrier that it is and the waxy feel is a definite downside.

As well, one twist of the bottom dial and the wax tube stopped moving up. It became impossible to dispense the product.

The sunscreen properties of this Cheese Puff lip balm are more alleged than actual; I found no SPF rating on the container. Still, the lip balm actually adhered well to my lips, which cannot be said for all lip balms. Sadly, it wears off incredibly easily; within five minutes of applying this lip balm, my lips feel unprotected again.

On the flip side, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist some of the elements. Unfortunately, in this regard comes one of the other biggest drawbacks to the product. This lip balm has a very waxy feel to it. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence. Of all of the lip balms for lips that I have tried since I started kissing anyone again, this is the most waxy feeling, even more so than other Lotta Luv lip balms. It goes on feeling waxy and it feels waxy when it is on. As a result, it is easy to feel when this product has been wiped or worn thoroughly off one's lips as well. Sadly, because of that, I know how quickly it dissipates from the lips.

Cheese Puff leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied. It may feel omnipresent and thick when it is on, but it does not look orange on one's lips (fortunately!).

On the taste front, this is incredibly problematic. The lip balm goes on feeling textured and when one runs their tongue over their lips, the flavor of the aftertaste of cheese puffs is present for one pass of the tongue. The flavor is very faint and lasts an exceptionally short amount of time on the lips. The flavor might be accurate, but it is more accurate as the aftertaste of Cheese Puffs and the flavor disappears quickly.

The Cheese Puff 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: mineral oil, polybutene, and petrolatum. This is not at all more tasty than it sounds! It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption, so don't look to this for nutrition!

It is also worth noting that this cheap (in every sense of the word) little lip balm is not designed for moisturizing, only protecting. As a result, while it might prevent lips from drying out or cracking a little bit in winter and summer, it will not repair damaged, cracked skin on the lips. This is a stopgap product; it prevents some damage, but will not moisturize already dried lips or heal damaged, cracked lips.

For me, the lack of enduring flavor, the lack of real protective properties, the cheap dispenser and the lack of restorative properties made it impossible to recommend the Cheese Puff lip balm!

For other lip care products, please check out my reviews of:
Lotta Luv Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Lip Balm
Lotta Luv Extreme Pink Lemonade Blowpop Lip Balm
Burt's Bees Revitalizing Blueberry & Dark Chocolate Lip Balm

0/10

For other health and beauty product reviews, please visit my Health And Beauty Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 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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‘Tis The Season For Delightful Lips With Chapstick Chocolate Truffle Lip Balm!

The Good: Easy to apply, Delightful taste, Inexpensive, Flavorful, Works well
The Bad: Offers very limited protection, Potential to melt, Fairly waxy feeling on lips.
The Basics: A very good basic lip protectant, Chapstick Chocolate Truffle tastes delightful while protecting skin from the elements!


As part of our holiday celebration this year, my wife made sure I got some new (to me) lip balms. First up after the holidays is the Chapstick Chocolate Truffle lip protectant. I love chocolate and as far as lip protectants go, I can think of something much, much worse than having something that smells like chocolate fudge on my lips. The new Chocolate Truffle lip protectant is pretty wonderful and, better yet, this Chapstick actually worked!

I have been using the Chapstick Chocolate Truffle flavor lip protectant for a week now and I was surprised, given how my wife picked this up in advance of the winter holidays, that it is not commonly available online yet.

Chapstick's Chocolate Truffle flavor Skin Protectant 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 skin protectant it dispensed by simply removing the white cap (it pulls off easily enough) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The skin protectant itself is a waxy chocolate brown 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). As the cold has fallen over Michigan, I have been pleased by how this lip protectant actually prevents my lips from cracking and chapping in the cold!

The sunscreen properties of this ChapStick Chocolate Truffle Skin Protectant are more alleged than actual; it does not have an SPF rating on the tube. On the plus side, where the ChapStick Chocolate Truffle Skin Protectant falls down on the SPF rating, it more than protects lips from chapping in the winter. Tested in the early winter in northern Michigan, this skin protectant 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.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. Unfortunately, the Chocolate Truffle Chapstick skin protectant has a very waxy feel to it. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence for the first few minutes after applying, though there is no medicinal feel to it as it is placed on the lips. After that, though, the sensation of wax on the lips dissipates and this Chapstick works, though when I focus on it, it is very easy to feel this lip protectant on the skin of one’s lips.

ChapStick Chocolate Truffle leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied. It looks just how it feels after the first few seconds; invisible! It does not add any coloring when applied to the lips.

Chocolate Truffle also tastes mildly like it is supposed to, which is nice in a skin protectant. After the initial chocolate taste, Chocolate Truffle Chapstick tastes waxy, but with a strong, fudge smell to it that is actually quite nice. When one kisses the lips of another who is wearing this Chapstick, even after an hour from the last application, they will taste the light flavor of Chocolate Truffle.

The ChapStick Chocolate Truffle Skin Protectant is made primarily of petrolatum, paraffin, and mineral oil, but beyond that there are several other chemicals, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. Given, however, that the purpose of this product is more protectant than anything else, it seems like its composition would be mostly non-reactive.

It is also worth noting that this cheap little skin protectant is not designed for moisturizing, only protecting. As a result, while it might prevent lips from drying out or cracking in winter, it will not repair damaged, cracked skin on the lips. This is a stopgap product; it prevents damage, but will not heal damaged, cracked lips. It does, however, protect already cracked or dry lips from splitting more, so they may heal naturally without getting more damage.

But for me, it succeeded in tasting like Chocolate Truffle and by offering basic lip protection. Because of how expensive so many other lip protectants are, it became exceptionally easy to recommend Chapstick Chocolate Truffle!

For other Chapstick lip balm products, please visit my reviews of:
Chapstick Limited Edition Apple Cider Lip Balm
Chapstick Strawberry Classic Lip Protectant
Chapstick Spearmint

7.5/10

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

© 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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A Wonderful New Seasonal Flavor, Apple Cider Chapstick Works!

The Good: Easy to apply, Delightful taste, Inexpensive, Flavorful, Minimal waxiness, Works well
The Bad: Offers very limited protection, Potential to melt
The Basics: A very good basic lip protectant, Chapstick Apple Cider tastes great while protecting skin from the elements!


As winter falls in Michigan, my wife and I have started stocking up on new (at least to us) and favorite lip balms. I was super excited when she started kissing me with the new Chapstick Apple Cider lip protectant. My wife is a fan of pretty much everything autumn and I was pleasantly surprised by how much the Apple Cider Chapstick actually tasted like it was supposed to. As an added benefit, it was pretty nice that this Chapstick actually worked!

We have been using the Chapstick Apple Cider flavor lip protectant for a month now, having gotten the flavor when it first popped up locally.

Chapstick's Apple Cider flavor Skin Protectant 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 skin protectant it dispensed by simply removing the white cap (it pulls off easily enough) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The skin protectant itself is a waxy light green 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 sunscreen properties of this ChapStick Apple Cider Skin Protectant are more alleged than actual; it does not have an SPF rating on the tube. On the plus side, where the ChapStick Apple Cider Skin Protectant falls down on the SPF rating, it more than protects lips from chapping in the winter. Tested in the early winter in northern Michigan, this skin protectant 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.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. This is what separates Apple Cider Chapstick from many other flavors I have tried; this skin protectant does not have a very waxy feel to it. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence only for the first few seconds after applying, though there is no medicinal feel to it as it is placed on the lips. After that, though, the sensation of wax on the lips dissipates and this Chapstick works without making me feel like I am wearing lip protectant at all.

ChapStick Apple Cider leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied. It looks just how it feels after the first few seconds; invisible! It does not add any coloring when applied to the lips.

Apple Cider also tastes just like it is supposed to, which is nice in a skin protectant. After the initial fruity taste, Apple Cider Chapstick tastes like cinnamon with a slight apple scent to it whenever one runs their tongue over their lips! Or, when one kisses the lips of another who is wearing this Chapstick, even after an hour from the last application, they will taste the flavor of Apple Cider.

The ChapStick Apple Cider Skin Protectant is made primarily of petrolatum, paraffin, and mineral oil, but beyond that there are several other chemicals, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. Given, however, that the purpose of this product is more protectant than anything else, it seems like its composition would be mostly non-reactive.

It is also worth noting that this cheap little skin protectant is not designed for moisturizing, only protecting. As a result, while it might prevent lips from drying out or cracking in winter, it will not repair damaged, cracked skin on the lips. This is a stopgap product; it prevents damage, but will not heal damaged, cracked lips. It does, however, protect already cracked or dry lips from splitting more, so they may heal naturally without getting more damage.

But for me, it succeeded in tasting like Apple Cider and by offering basic lip protection. Because of how expensive so many other lip protectants are, it became exceptionally easy to recommend Chapstick Apple Cider!

For other Chapstick and other lip balm products, please visit my reviews of:
Chapstick Strawberry Classic Lip Protectant
Chapstick Spearmint
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm With Pink Grapefruit

8/10

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

© 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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Sour, Gross, Then Saccharin, Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Lip Balm Is Impossible To Recommend!

The Good: Easy to apply, Does not leave color residue, Offers basic protection!
The Bad: Offers very limited protection, Potential to melt, Relatively pricey, Waxy feel from residue, Tastes disgusting.
The Basics: While there might be an instant where this lip balm tastes like actual Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum, the Lotta Luv lip balm that bears its name is just gross!


My wife is very cool in many ways. One of them is that she tries to keep things fresh and fun between us by trying quite a few different flavored lip balms. Okay, truth be told, she takes amazingly good care of her lips whether I am around or not, so I only flatter myself to think she does it for me! Sometimes, she gets some of the trendy, fun, flavored lip balms based off of popular candies, like the Extreme Pink Lemonade Blowpop lip balm (reviewed here!). While many of them have been hits or average by my standards, every once in a while, she pulls out one that is worthy of a rightful, swift, panning. The Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit flavor lip balm falls firmly into that category.

Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit 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 bright yellow 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 muted 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 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 leave the sensation of the barrier that it is and the waxy feel is a definite downside.

The sunscreen properties of this Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit lip balm are more alleged than actual; I found no SPF rating on the container. Still, the lip balm actually adhered well to my lips, which cannot be said for all lip balms. And it is adequate protection when I take Myah out to the beach first thing in the morning. I have not risked having only this lip balm when it gets very sunny out; I can feel my lips drying out when that happens. Perhaps even more important, Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit lip balm only seems to combat limited amounts of cold and chapping in the winter. Tested in the rough Upstate New York winters, this lip balm does not adequately protect against chapped lips, as the physical barrier that helps to retain moisture within the lips quickly wears off.

On the flip side, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist some of the elements. Unfortunately, in this regard comes one of the other biggest drawbacks to the product. This lip balm has a very waxy feel to it. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence. Of all of the lip balms for lips that I have tried since I started kissing anyone again, this is the most waxy feeling, even more so than basic or medicated Chapstick products. It goes on feeling waxy and it feels waxy when it is on. As a result, it is easy to feel when this product has been wiped or worn thoroughly off one's lips as well.

Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied. It may feel omnipresent and thick when it is on, but it does not look yellow on one's lips (fortunately!).

On the taste front, this is just plain gross. The Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit lip balm has a strong scent of rotting peaches and bananas to it and it tastes absolutely vile. Starting with a surprisingly sour and generically fruity flavor, the lip balm rapidly transitions to a saccharin flavor. It is important to note: that’s nto saccharin-sweet, it’s just saccharin. It becomes overbearingly sweet and then dry, with a distinctly chemical taste to it. This is gross and it made me wish it were off my lips and not touching my tongue pretty much the entire time I used this!

The Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit 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: oleyl alcohol, petrolatum and microcrystaline wax. This is not at all more tasty than it sounds! It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption, so don't look to this for nutrition!

It is also worth noting that this semi-expensive little lip balm is not designed for moisturizing, only protecting. As a result, while it might prevent lips from drying out or cracking a little bit in winter and summer, it will not repair damaged, cracked skin on the lips. This is a stopgap product; it prevents some damage, but will not moisturize already dried lips or heal damaged, cracked lips.

For me, the vile taste was too much and, despite the limited protection this product offers, I could not recommend the Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit lip balm!

For other lip care products, please check out my reviews of:
Strawberry Chapstick
Tootsie Roll Lip Balm
Burt's Bees Medicated Lip Balm

3.5/10

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

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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More Bland Than Protecting (Or Strawberry) ChapStick Flops With Strawberry SPF4 Skin Protectant! (My 1000th Review This Year!)

The Good: Easy to apply, Inoffensive taste, Inexpensive
The Bad: Offers very limited protection, Not very flavorful, Potential to melt
The Basics: When attempting to protect my lips for future kissability, I discovered that ChapStick's Strawberry Skin Protectant is weak and hardly strawberry flavored.


My wife and I get great use out of lip protectants. Yes, we do a lot of kissing. This offers me a wealth of experience to write about the endurance of some products. For the most part, we keep each other interested and intrigued, whatwith the various flavors we apply to our lips before kissing or going out. So, when I write about the ChapStick Classic Strawberry flavored Skin Protectant/Sunscreen, I do so after quite a bit of testing and I can fairly say this is an inferior product from the fine folks at ChapStick, who impressed me with their spearmint ChapStick (reviewed here!) some time ago.

For starters, Chapstick's Strawberry flavor Skin Protectant 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 skin protectant it dispensed by simply removing the white cap (it pulls off easily enough) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The skin protectant itself is a waxy red 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 sunscreen properties of this ChapStick Strawberry Skin Protectant are more alleged than actual; it has an SPF4 rating, which means it is somewhere above slathering mayonnaise on your lips and somewhat below covering your lips with a towel on the scale of skin protection. The SPF rating is a rating which tells consumers how much protection a product offers in protecting the skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. This is most useful in determining how a product helps prevent sunburn. Given that most skin protecting products I have tried, even for the lips, seem to start at an SPF15 - like Blistex Herbal Answer lip protectant (reviewed here!) - an SPF rating of only four is pathetic for its protection potential.

On the plus side, where the ChapStick Strawberry Skin Protectant falls down on the SPF rating and its protection for people visiting the beach in summer, it seems strangely adequate in winter. Tested in the rough Upstate New York and Michigan winters, this skin protectant 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.

As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. Unfortunately, in this regard comes one of the two biggest drawbacks to the product. This skin protectant has a very waxy feel to it. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence. Of all of the skin protectants for lips that I have tried since I started kissing anyone again, this is the most waxy feeling. It goes on feeling waxy and it feels waxy when it is on. As a result, it is easy to feel when this product has been wiped thoroughly off one's lips as well.

ChapStick Strawberry leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied. It may feel omnipresent and thick when it is on, but it does not look red.

The other major drawback to consumers with high or even moderate standards is the taste of this skin protectant. While it has a Strawberry Shortcake style of generic, packaged, alleged strawberry scent to it, it in no way tastes like strawberries. In fact, after the initial fruity taste (within ten seconds of being applied) this ChapStick product becomes vaguely sugary (eleven to thirty seconds) before becoming slightly tangy (forty seconds to a minute) and then simply waxy. My partner enjoyed the taste of this one more and thus wanted me to apply it to my lips so I could be kissed and she could enjoy the taste. Still, she soon became bored with this flavor and I was happy for that; the flavor is shockingly drab and not at all like the wonderful, juicy flavor of strawberries.

The ChapStick Strawberry Skin Protectant does not have ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. Given, however, that the purpose of this product is more protectant than anything else, it seems like its composition would be mostly non-reactive.

It is also worth noting that this cheap little skin protectant is not designed for moisturizing, only protecting. As a result, while it might prevent lips from drying out or cracking in winter (I have not found it to be remarkably protecting in the Spring in New York even), it will not repair damaged, cracked skin on the lips. This is a stopgap product; it prevents damage, but will not moisturize already dried lips or heal damaged, cracked lips.

But for me, it failed the moment it claimed to taste like Strawberry and didn't. Given the plethora of skin care and health and beauty products on the market, it is ridiculous that one might consider settling for one that does not live up to its promise on flavor/taste. As a result, it is remarkably easy to not recommend ChapStick's Strawberry skin protectant.

For other lip care products, please visit my reviews of:
Tootsie Roll lip balm
Burt's Bees medicated lip balm
Extreme Pink Lemonade Blowpop lip balm

4/10

For other health and beauty product reviews, please be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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She Tastes So Good, Kissing Her Is Like A Tootsie Roll! Tootsie Roll Lip Balm!

The Good: Tastes great, Offers some lip protection
The Bad: Does not revitalized dry skin on lips, Expensive
The Basics: A lot of fun, but still rather expensive, Tootsie Roll lip balm tastes exactly like Tootsie Roll candies and protects lips, even if it doesn't regenerate damaged lips.


One of the things I absolutely love about having a wife who takes care of herself is enjoying the benefits of that. My wife takes care of her hair, skin, lips and feet in ways that sometimes I figure she has to be absolutely ashamed to be seen with a casual person like me. She always looks immaculate and, frankly, I'd rather apply my efforts to my work and I am almost always in a rush when it comes to cleaning up and getting out the door. On the other hand, the level of care she has for herself does give me access to all sorts of great products to review, as well as twice as much experience with them (as she slowly encourages me to take better care of myself). One of the first products of hers that I made off with was her Tootsie Roll lip balm.

Yes, I've taken to stealing her lip balm. My wife goes off to work each morning and I am left at home writing and, sad but true, I miss her. From our very first meeting, though, she was using Tootsie Roll lip balm. That being the case, I have strong associations with her and the taste of Tootsie Rolls. So rather than getting fat by consuming about a million Tootsie Rolls while she is gone, I've simply taken to using her lip balm and enjoying the taste and protective benefits on my lips!

Tootsie Roll 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 brown 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 brown 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 leave the sensation of the barrier that it is and the waxy feel is a definite downside.

The sunscreen properties of this Tootsie Roll lip balm are more alleged than actual; I found no SPF rating on the container. Still, the lip balm worked better than some - like Chapstick - at protecting my lips. I've been using my partner's lip balm since late winter 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 partner'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 Tootsie Roll 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.

What the product does not do is restore damaged skin. Before she moved in, I let my lips get a little chapped and broken with her not around (if I wasn't kissing her, I didn't care, was my logic). When I started using the Tootsie Roll lip balm, it prevented further damage, but it did not promote healing in any noticeable way. Instead, it just kept my lips from getting worse. This is not a lip balm that does a lot to moisturize lips, just protect them. After my lips healed on their own, the Tootsie Roll 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. Unfortunately, in this regard comes one of the two biggest drawbacks to the product. This lip balm has a very waxy feel to it. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence. Of all of the lip balms for lips that I have tried since I started kissing anyone again, this is the most waxy feeling, even more so than the Chapstick product. It goes on feeling waxy and it feels waxy when it is on. As a result, it is easy to feel when this product has been wiped thoroughly off one's lips as well.

Tootsie Roll leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied. It may feel omnipresent and thick when it is on, but it does not look pink on one's lips.

On the taste front, this is wonderful. The lip balm has a Tootsie Roll's waxy chocolate scent to it and it tastes exactly like a Tootsie Roll, though maybe a little sweeter. This has a slightly dry, chocolate taste that spreads over the lips and then tastes warm and sweetly chocolate, just like a Tootsie Roll. 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 Tootsie Roll. This waxy coating tastes exactly like Tootsie Rolls and the taste holds up for hours!

The Tootsie Roll 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: oleyl alcohol, petrolatum and microcrystaline wax. This is more tasty 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!

It is also worth noting that this might be fun 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 for a lip balm that does not moisturize, that makes it a tough sell for most. But if one has the money and is looking for something fun and playful to entice a partner with, Tootsie Roll is a hard taste to beat as far as lip balms go!

For other lip products, please check out my reviews of:
Burt's Bees Medicated Lip Balm
Blistex Herbal Answer
Extreme Pink Lemonade Blowpop Lip Balm

5.5/10

For other health and beauty product reviews, please click here to visit my index page on the subject!
© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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