Lip Balm Favourites

I am a bit of a lip balm junkie - for me it's an essential, so I always have one with me. I've tried lots of different lip balms in the past and I tend to switch it up quite a bit but I do have my favourites. 

Nuxe Reve de Miel - Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm

This is one of those products you hear so much about and I'm sure many people will be familiar with this brand and product. I put off purchasing this due to the price, being just under £10, it isn't the cheapest. Although I have to say I really enjoy using this product. This product has a sweet honey scent to it which smells lovely! This balm is a very thick consistency so a little bit goes a long way. It's very nourishing and feels almost like a face mask for the lips as it stays put and seems to almost melt in to the lips slowly. Due to the texture I use this in the evening before bed as it's quite matte, it doesn't offer gloss or colour to the lips as it's more of a nourishing treatment. 

Blistex - Intensive Moisturiser

This is another product that I'd refer to as like a bit of a treatment. It's one that I always like to have about and only tend to ever pick up and use when I feel that my lips need a bit of help. When my lips are looking really dry and chapped a lot of lip products don't seem to actually help. When my lips are sore this is the one. I recommended it to my brother and he loves it!  I only use this product on the odd occasion that my lips need it. Intensive Moisturiser has a menthol scent to it and at times there is a slight gentle tingling sensation on the lips when applied but I don't find it irritating. This product resembles a cream but is quite a thin consistency.

Blistex - Med Plus

This is a clear coloured balm which feels really moisturising on the lips. It adds a slight sheen to the lips and like the Intensive Moisturiser, it feels soothing and has a slight tingle to it when applied to the lips. It also has a menthol type scent, but it somehow seems slightly sweeter in scent compared to the Intensive Moisturiser. This is a must have in the colder months as it really feels like it's working in to the lips and it stays put longer than most lip products- it also feels very soothing and protective.

Soft Lips - French Vanilla

Although this product may not be as effective as the three lip balms above, it is a favourite as I love how it looks on, and the feel of this balm on my lips. This adds a subtle shine to the lips and feels so soft and lovely on. I love the sweet vanilla scent to this as well as the light packaging. 

Palmers - Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Lip Butter

This lip balm is an old favourite of mine! I've been repurchasing this for years now and couldn't be without it. My friend introduced me to this back in sixth form and I fell in love with it. It's no surprise really as it ticks most of the boxes; smells absolutely delicious, feels lovely on the lips and gives the lips a lovely shine. My only gripe is that it doesn't feel as moisturising or hydrating as some of the others- at times it feels as if it just sits there as it's slightly glossy in consistency. But for me I love this balm mainly for the gorgeous scent and how it looks on the lips. 

I do tend to mix it up quite a bit, especially as I tend to pick up new lip balms on a regular basis, but this little handful have consistently been on my favourites list. There are a couple of others that I use on a regular basis and love such as, Burts Bee's Beeswax Balm and Vaselines Rosy Lips.

Do you have any lip balm saviours or favourites?

Favourites - Skin Care

Ren - Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Gel
This is one of the first products that I've tried from the Ren range and I've really enjoyed using it. I was on the lookout for a cleanser that wouldn't irritate my skin, as some previous cleansers have dried out my skin out and left my face at times feeling itchy and red! As this cleanser has a lot of natural ingredients, it really appealed to me.  The cleansing gel foams up nicely and really refreshes my skin. It feels very gentle on my face and does a good job of making my skin feel clean, fresh and soft. The cleansing gel has a rose scent to it, I have a love/hate relationship with rose scents. Initially I disliked it but it's a good cleanser and I've began to not mind it at all. 

St Ives - Apricot Scrub Gentle
I've only recently picked this product up. I normally use the Aapri Exfoliating Scrub Cream, but decided I wanted something a little less harsh for the skin and wanted to try something different. This St Ives Scrub is for sensitive skin so it's more gentle. I actually have normal to combination skin, but this product works best for me. It's a nice and creamy consistency, but still exfoliates the skin well without feeling harsh or irritating. My skin feels soft and refreshed after using this. It also smells gorgeous - a clean apricot scent (if you hadn't guessed). I definitely now prefer this in comparison to the Aapri Scrub Cream.

Origins - GinZing Eye Cream
I think it's important to look after your skin, including the eyes which at times can get slightly neglected. In the past eye creams weren't really a part of my routine but I've been making sure I use an eye cream now on a daily basis. I have the disadvantage of not being able to compare this to other eye creams as I haven't tried many others, but this eye cream works well for me. It leaves the skin around my eyes feeling refreshed, cooled and moisturised. I find it also makes my undereye area look a bit brighter. This 15ml pot has lasted me well over the months as it's one of those products you don't need much of. A small amount of this gently dabbed around the eyes does the job.

Liz Earle - Skin Repair Moisturiser
I first tried this product as part of a set I received with a handful of other Liz Earle products. This one product stood out to me the most and was the one product I really looked forward to using. I purchased the full size moisturiser up once I'd used it all up and it's now a daily staple in my skincare routine. It's quite rich so not much is needed. This moisturiser leaves my skin feeling soft, hydrated and protected. It has a light scent to it which I quite like. I abosolutely love this product, my skin seems to really agree with it.

Estée Lauder - Advanced Night Repair
I was given a teeny tiny sample bottle of this to try out and surprisingly it's lasted me over four months! I don't use this product on a daily basis and when using this serum a few drops are all thats needed, which may be why it's lasted as long as it has. I personally use a couple of drops of this and rub it into my skin before applying my moisturiser in the evening. The serum absorbs quickly into the skin and feels quite nourishing. After using this on a more regular basis I noticed that my skin appears more healthier and radiant looking. It also helps reduce redness. I recently stumbled across a 30ml bottle priced at £33, as oppose to the usual £44, so after being impressed with my little sample bottle I decided to treat myself due to the slightly cheaper price tag. This serum aims to nourish skin and help reduce the appearance of damage or uneven skintone. This really appeals to me and is one of the few products that I've felt has actually come close to achieving such results.

Superdrug - Vitamin E Skincare Oil
This is definitely one of the most affordable of the bunch. It's a product that I have been using for years now and will tend to always repurchase. I think a basic vitamin e oil is a necessity. Like EL's Advanced Night Repair I will apply a few drops of this on to my face before applying my night cream or moisturiser in the evening. I usually use this whenever I feel my skin is looking quite dry and needs a bit more hydration. This is particularly handy in the cold winter months! This oil soaks in quickly and is a nice consistency. The scent reminds me of cocoa butter, which I love. The 30ml sized bottle is an affordable £2.99! It's an absolute bargain, it offers good results and this particular bottle has lasted me months. The packaging is fairly simple, the label fell off at some point, but at the price it is you can't go wrong.

The above products make up the majority of my skin care routine. It's taken me some time to mix and match products that work best for me. I try to use products that aren't harmful to my skin. There are a handful of other skin care products that I also use, some more regularly than others, and enjoy using them, such as; Origins - Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask (love this!), The Body Shops - Vitamin E Nightcream, Liz Earle - Instant Boost Skin Tonic and Botanics - Rosewater Toning Spritz. But my standout skin care favourites at the moment have to be the products I've listed above.  

What are your skin care favourites?