And the Winners Are.......
Finally! I have finally completed my judging for the Best of Lip Balms contest. I judged and re-judged and re-re-judged. All of the Indie Etailers who submitted entries..whether they won or not..should pat themselves on the back for making such great products. But, alas, all of them cannot win. So here are the winners and be sure to visit their sites and get some of these great lip balms!
First Place
There were two lip balms that just stood out above the rest. Both of these are fantastic!
Another fantastic lip balm. Very smooth application, no gritty feeling. It was soft without being melty (again even out in the heat it did not get melty) and there was no hard feeling, you don't have to warm it up to get it on your lips. The original flavor has just a hint of peppermint, good for those guys who don't like all the flavors. No waxy, powdery or heavy feeling when you apply it. And, just like the epli lip balm, this one lasted a good long time. My lips felt soft and smooth and very well moisturized. The Plaid Mushroom's lip balms cost $3.50 per tube and there are other flavors. I also received cherry and the flavor was not overbearing, it was just right. Second Place
I had another tie for second place. Trust me I compared them over and over and these two just couldn't beat each other out.
My Lip Stuff has some amazing flavors..well they have over 400 flavors. I was sent Rainbow Sherbet and Pineapple Upside Down Cake**. Both had fantastic flavor. They were right on the money and true to the name. I was more impressed by the Rainbow Sherbet...I love rainbow sherbet and this lip balm tastes exactly like the real thing. My Lip Stuff's lip balms had a wonderfully smooth application and never got melty. It's soft, soft enough that you think it's going to melt but it doesn't. It lasted a little longer than average but not as long as the first place winners. All natural ingredients in here too! Prices start at $2 depending on whether you get a tube, pot, specialty balm (charity, personalized labels etc). There's even a Lip Balm of the Month club. 
So smooth, this lip balm just glides on and hugs your lips. No grittiness or hardness. Again, soft but it did not melt in the heat. My lips felt wonderful and refreshed. Now these are more "grown up" lip balm flavors. Flavored with essential oils & absolutes. I was sent Rosewood Mint and Chamomile Orange. All natural ingredients too. I really loved the Chamomile Orange..I'm a tea drinker and it tastes like a fresh cup of tea. Really wonderful. Like the My Lip Stuff, the Lily Gulch lip balm lasted longer than the average but not as long as the first placers. A tube will run your $3.50 and there over 20 Aromatherapy flavors to choose from. Excellent product!Third Place
Ok, get mad at me but again there was a tie here too. I re-judged these several times and aside from the flavors they sent...one just couldn't beat out the other.
Karess Krafters sent me Lavanilla and Mango flavors. I really loved the Lavanilla. It's got that touch of vanilla in a field of Lavender. It sounds weird for a lip balm flavor, but trust me, once you try it you'll realize that it's really good. Smooth application with a not too soft, not too hard texture. It didn't leave my lips feeling waxy and it didn't feel heavy on the lips. Lips feel soft and supple. This lip balm lasted just a bit longer than average. The Karess Krafters lip balm is $2.75 and uses all natural ingredients.
The Mom Lady is a fairly new etailer based in Alaska. I was sent two lip balms in A Lil Tipsy (wine cooler) and Cherries Jubilee (cherry & vanilla). The "A Lil Tipsy" was my favorite and no it did not get me tipsy...it's a flavor oil people lol. Very smooth application on the lips. The lip balm holds it shape well and never got soft or melty. It's a pretty sturdy lip balm but I found it didn't need to be warmed up to make the application easier. It seems like you would have to warm it up but it actually just glided on nice and easy. Like the Karess Krafters, this balm lasted just a little bit longer than average. The Mom Lady has 10 flavors right now and a tube will run you $3.Honorable Mentions
There were a few lip balms that although they weren't in the top three spots, they do deserve mentioning.
Moody Bee: Made from beeswax in Canada (they have their own bees!). This was just a wonderful lip balm with a nice peppermint/vanilla flavor.
Kaylala: They sent me this Mango Honey Peach lip balm in a pot. The flavor in this was just incredible. The smell from just opening the lid will just send you to heaven.
Bidwell Botanicals: The Spun Sugar flavor is very very yummy. If you like a sweet strong flavor..give this one a try.
Bath Desserts: They use Hemp Butter which really adds a good moisturizer to the balm. The peppermint gives your lips a nice little tingle.* I judged every lip balm (one per day) both at room temperature inside my house and outside during very warm weather. All of the lip balms were judged in the same way.
**If an etailer sent me two lip balms w/the same ingredients..I judged them together. If an etailer sent me two lip balms w/different ingredients, I judged them separately.
No comments:
Post a Comment