The Body Shop Born Lippy

The Body Shop is known world over for the excellent natural ingredients in their products, be it make-up or skin care. They are the second largest cosmetic franchise in the world. The unique thing about The Body Shop is their social activism, like their Policy Against Animal Testing, Community Fair Trade and The Body Shop Foundation. Today I will be reviewing the most basic lip balm from them, that is Born Lippy in 'Raspberry'.

WHAT THE BODY SHOP SAYS: A glossy and moisturising lip balm with a sweet berry flavour, that leaves lips looking and feeling soft, smooth and kissable. Main ingredients are Raspberry extract, Organic beeswax and Lanolin.

PRICE: Rs.195 (incl. of tax).

PACKAGING: The lip balm comes in transparent little 10ml tub with a screw-on lid. On the lid is a sticker with the product's name printed in neat white font, as well as the logo of The Body Shop. The background of the sticker is a squiggle of something that looks like a raspberry drawn by a child. Hence it is more of a fun, convenient product, rather than something luxurious. The small sized lip balm tub can be popped into even the smallest of bags, so it's very travel-friendly.

TEXTURE: The texture of the balm is smooth, but a bit sticky at the same time (as opposed to Born Lippy in Watermelon, which is on the creamy side). Because of the gooey-ness of the balm, you need to wipe your finger every time you dunk it into the tub. However, once you apply it on your lips the balm is extremely smooth and makes your lips feel super soft.

COLOUR: The colour of the lip balm inside the tub is bright pink, as it is a Raspberry lip balm. But the colour does not transform onto your lips. So this is a colourless lip balm, but gives a really high shine and gloss. You can use it as a lip balm as well as a clear gloss. Other variants available are Watermelon, Strawberry, Satsuma and Pink Guava.

SMELL & FLAVOUR: The balm gives a very sweet fragrance, like all other products with berries in them. People who don't like fruity, sickly sweet smells might not like the smell this lip balm gives, but I personally love it. The flavour of the balm is also sweet and berry-like. It's very hard to stop yourself from licking your lips!

LASTING POWER: The gloss as well as the moisture of Born Lippy lasts for quite a while, about 2 hours. The Lanolin is absorbed by the skin readily and hence it keeps your lips perfectly soft and moisturised.

SOMETHING EXTRA: The beeswax contained in the lip balm has been produced in remote forests of Zambia, as part of The Body Shop's Fair Trade Community. So do your little bit for world by buying this product and helping the families of beekeepers in Zambia!

CONCLUSION: This is one of the basic lip balms that I usually use. It's a perfect treatment and care product for your lips. Your lips stay soft, smooth, shiny without any traces of dryness. The only con of this product is the finger dipping into sticky raspberry balm. Other than that, this is a great, extremely economical product!

RATING: 4 out of 5

MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner SPF 15

Let me begin with a lip balm from one of my favourite cosmetic brands, MAC. Often cited as one of the most popular cosmetic brands, MAC has a lip care range offering a basic Lip Conditioner (in a variety of packaging) as well as a range of tinted ones. I will be reviewing a Tinted Lip Conditioner in the shade 'Fuchsia Fix'.

WHAT MAC SAYS: A protective emollient balm formulated with SPF 15, a sheer wash of colour and an all-natural sheen. Conditions lips, locks in moisture. Contains Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Avocado Extract, Wheat Germ Oil, vitamins A and E.

PRICE: Rs. 870 (incl. of tax).

PACKAGING: The lip conditioner comes in a chic white box with the logo of MAC embossed all over it. Inside the box is a 15ml tub of lip balm. It's a very sleek and stylish looking tub, with a black screw-on lid and transparent bottom with MAC's logo printed on the side. The tub is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and you can easily carry it in your purse or bag.

TEXTURE: The texture of the balm is incredibly smooth and buttery. You can glide your finger easily on it. The balm is creamy and non-sticky, which is a major plus. It does not feel heavy on your lips and is extremely moisturising. It truly is a 'conditioner' for your lips.

COLOUR: I bought the shade Fuchsia Fix, which looks like a bright pink in the tub. However, as the name of the product suggests, it only gives a tint of pink sheen on your lips. So it is very natural looking, giving you the perfect tinge of colour. Other shades available are Petting Pink and Gentle Coral.

SMELL & FLAVOUR: It smells very vanilla, candy-ish. I personally love the way it smells, all sweet and yummy. The balm does not have any flavour (to me), which is a good thing because that way one can resist the urge to keep licking it off.

LASTING POWER: Since it is a very light balm, you cannot expect it to last for a really long time. If you don't eat or drink a lot while you have applied the lip conditioner, it lasts up to 2 to 3 hours. But it does keep your lips all soft and conditioned while it lasts.

SOMETHING EXTRA: The lip conditioner contains SPF 15, so your lips have some protection from the sun, while looking pretty at the same time.

CONCLUSION: This is one of my favourite lip balms. Although you have to use your finger to apply it, it is not at all sticky. A balm which moisturises your lip while giving you a natural colour too, it's perfect for every day use. Also, it is totally worth the cost. Love it!

RATING: 4.5 out of 5

The Story

It all started with my mum's tubes of ChapSticks. As a kid I hated lipsticks, but loved the idea of this wonderful type of 'make-up' that I could apply on my lips without smearing them with any bright colour. Thus, I got my first tube of ChapStick. Later on I discovered Lip Smackers and their colourful, fun tubes made me instantly forget all about ChapStick. Years have passed since then and I have moved on to 'greener pastures'. I've picked up and tried a million of lip balms, glosses and have even learnt to appreciate lipstick. So now, a self-confessed lip balm and gloss addict, I would love to share my views on the various lip products with everyone here on the virtual world!