J Beauty

I’ve had a really bad bout of chapped lips this winter season! Over the years, I’ve never really used lip balms as I hated the whole waxy feel so I would turn to lip gloss. Problem is, I don’t like using lip gloss while I’m at home. I feel too made up! LMAO!

So, I finally broke down and started buying some inexpensive lip care to get my chapped lip problem under control.

First, we have Softlips. Can you believe, this is the first time I’ve used a product from Softlips?

Packaging: 5 out of 5
Quality: 2 out of 5
Overall: 2 out of 5
Price: $1 @ Big Lots
Would I buy again? NO!

What the website says:

Softlips® raspberry with green tea extract lip protectant/sunscreen with SPF 20

Active ingredients:

Dimethicone 2% (Skin Protectant), Octinoxate 7.5% (Sunscreen), Octisalate 3% (Sunscreen),
Oxybenzone 3% (Sunscreen)

Inactive ingredients:

butylated hydroxytoluene, camellia oleifera leaf extract [green tea], carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, castor oil, cetyl alcohol, ethylhexyl palmitate, flavor, menthol, myristyl alcohol, myristyl lactate, myristyl laurate, myristyl myristate, oenothera biennis (evening primrose) oil, ozokerite, punica granatum extract [pomegranate], squalane, vitamin E, white petrolatum

What I think: I found this lip balm to be too waxy for me. I didn’t like the feel of it on my lips. I have a tendency to chew my lips from time to time and YUCK, I hated the waxy feel on my teeth! I know that a lot of people like this balm but honestly, I’m glad I only paid $1 for it. I can throw it away without feeling guilty for spending much.

Packaging: 5 out of 5
Quality: 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Price: $1 @ Dollar Tree
Would I buy again? Yes!

What the company says:

Our unique moisture replenishing system combined with a botanically enriched formula of vitamin E, jojoba oil and almond oils, delivers maximum hydration and shine. Enjoy the clean, deliciously crisp flavor experience of Aquafina lip oil.

Ingredients:

Polybutene , Ethylhexyl Palmitate , Squalane , While Oil , Menthol , Tocopherol , Sweet Almond Oil – Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis , Jojoba Seed Oil – Simmondsia Chinensis , Benzyl Alcohol , Hydroxy-Citronellal , Citral , Benzyl Salicylate , Cinnamal , Benzyl Cinnamate , Linalool , Benzyl Benzoate , D-Limonene , Propylparaben , Cinnamyl Alcohol , Orange 39 , Red 33 , Red 57 , Blue 27

What I think: I love this! I’ll admit, I was a little wary of using it when I first saw it at Dollar Tree. I had thoughts of a thicker oil but it’s pretty watery.

It seems to last a bit longer on my lips than lip balm does and it’s very hydrating! The applicator is nice in that it’s kinda spongy and it’s not messy at all!

The taste is interesting. It’s not overtly minty but neither is it foul tasting. I like that it’s just a hint of taste.

I got this when I purchased my favorite drugstore body lotion, Nivea Smooth Skin. It was free with the lotion. Heh, I almost bought it separately till I saw it was packaged with the lotion. Not a bad deal at all!

Packaging: 3 out of 5
Quality: 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Price: $2.49 – $2.99 @ Walmart/Target/Kmart/Rite-aid/Walgreens
Would I buy again? Yes!

What the website says:

NIVEA Lip Care ESSENTIAL with Moisture Store Effect:

* Provides long-lasting care for hours.
* Effectively protects the lips from drying out in all weather.
* Contains natural ingredients that pampers your lips: jojoba oil and shea butter.

The result is softer and healthy looking lips for longer.

NIVEA Lip Care innovative moisture store effect – highly effective formula based on skin’s own Hydramine and Grape seeds extract, supports the natural moisturisation of the lips for longer.

NIVEA Lip Care – live life with a smile.

Skin compatibility dermatologically confirmed.

Ingredients:

Microcrystalline Wax, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetyl Palmitate, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Myristyl Myristate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Polyglyceryl 3 Diisostearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Coco Glycerides, Pentaerithrityl Tetraisostearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), C20 40 Alkyl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera (Camauba) Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Panthenol, Beeswax, Water, Fragrance

What I think: While this balm does have some wax in it, the key ingredient that won me over was the Shea Butter. This balm is soooooooooo soothing on my lips! Not waxy and I can bite/chew my lip without feeling a waxy build-up on my teeth! It applies so lightly on my lips that it really doesn’t feel like you’ve applied a balm but almost like a lip oil.

Another plus, no taste! Some lip balms that claim to have no taste, have this weird after taste! This one doesn’t.

The only downside to this balm is that it doesn’t last as long on your lips. Well, I don’t mind that too much as it’s so smooth and soft gliding over my lips. I find myself carrying this in my pocket at home and reapplying it happily.

I’ve got a couple other lip care products to do comparisons before I give a final verdict on which is my HG (Holy Grail) lip care product. I will say that among these 3, the Nivea wins!