MY LIPS act up during the winter/autumn months…I know that season is nearing an end, but seasons go as much as they come, and wouldn’t it be great to be prepared for the coming winter? In the past I found no matter what I tried nothing helped the cracking…which seldom happens, and the all round dry lips feeling. This winter I was determined to find something that worked well for me, and because I love me some lipstick, I opted for things I could also wear under some lipstick without any hassle…and even things that worked on top of lipstick.
Let me let you in on these old and new discoveries for me.
(1) VASELINE
I was never a vaseline on the lips type of girl. Growing up it used to give me black heads around my lips and I never really enjoyed just how mooshy soft my lips would feel. It was almost as though they lost all firmness and felt unfamiliar. People in my circles have long been in on the secret of petroleum jelly – what vaseline is made of – on dry or chapped lips. I was a little slow on the up take. The thing with petroleum jelly is it forms a protective layer on the lips, locking in whatever moisture was already on the lips while nourishing them and allowing for a renewal process to occur without interruption. It is the kind of treatment one can use on their lips at night time before bed – as this is the time skin usually replenishes itself.
AVAILABLE AT: Your nearest drug store/ pharmacy/supermarket, in different scents.
COST: +_R15
(2) JUSTINE’S LIP THERAPY LIP BALM
I went through a second wave of a Justine product ‘craze’ while I was pregnant. We all know their tissue oil is bawss! But it took me some time after giving birth to use those products again…somehow they reminded me of pregnancy and all the odour sensitivity associated with it. So when I bounced back this balm was my best friend. I even wear it underneath my matte lip colours because it also has that hydrating dewy matte finish and feel about it. What makes this a great find for the winter seasons is all the awesome oils used in its formula, such as sweet almond. And come on, let’s be honest, one girl to another, the chrome packaging does add to the swag right? I love everything about this balm and at the moment it’s the one I reach for the most.
AVAILABLE AT: Your local Justine consultant…if you struggle to find one, you can always use mine.
COST: (Justine products are always on special, it differs per month), R135
(3) BLISTEX DCT BALM
First thing’s first, no sunshine formed against your lips shall prosper, what with the SPF spectrum of 20 on this product, please…recognise! We all know how damaging that winter sun can be. As if that was not awesome enough as it is, the product has ingredients such as aloe, cocoa butter and vitamin E…I mean! I do admit, it has somewhat of a tingling sensation when you first apply it to the lips, but I like it, automatically I believe that it has begun working it’s magic, which includes, but is not limited to replenishing moisture to starved cells. I reach for my DCT more in the winter months, but it is definitely a product for all seasons, as are all the products on this list.
AVAILABLE AT: Clicks and Dischem
COST: +_R70
(4) ELIZABETH ARDEN’S 8HOUR CREAM SKIN PROTECTANT
The name says it all, but let me try unpack it a little. I discovered this product in 2008, some girl at a party I was at was using it and I instantly found the packaging and actually product, from the consistency to the scent, pretty interesting. And the rest, like they say, is history, lol…I’ve been hooked ever since. I reach for it mostly for when I’m looking for a minimalist glossy finish to my lips. What’s special about this award-winning product is … besides the fact that it is not exclusively designed for lip therapy, is that it is also a favourite with the stars. LOL, it also hydrates and protects your skin for up to 8 hours, meaning it is a long wearing product. No but honestly, it is a must have in your make up bag, it’s good for skin in general, including nails, rough spots on knees and elbows…and the list is endless. Among other ingredients, one can also find castor and corn oil in this product. It has multiple other beauty uses, I may do a separate review and blog entry on those as well, but let me just say for now, you are guaranteed multiple uses out of one tube.
AVAILABLE AT: Beauty stores
COST: R215
(5) LABELLO
Last but not least…and this is Labello in general and not any specific scent in the range. But I’m currently loving mine in Fruity Shine. This is a typical balm, at first glance, what’s special about Labello is that their formula has Hydra IQ which is intense moisturisation technology which penetrates deep into the skin regulating the skin’s moisture balance and reducing water loss. You may even recognise this formula in some Nivea products. And of course I just love how the Fruity Shine smells, and well…tastes on your lips as well.
AVAILABLE AT: Local drug store/pharmacy/supermarket
COST: +_ R20
These, I must admit are probably staples in most people’s cosmetic shelves, and I absolutely understand why. I’ve also heard great stuff about the Baby Lips menthol flavoured lip balm as well as Soft Lips and many other brands. So this is not a??? list, and neither is it the end of my discovery. What it is though, is a guide to those who like me, find that during the winter months our lips need a tad bit more TLC.
Please feel free to comment on any brand or type of lip therapy you can recommend.