Brand: Clinique
Range: Repairwear Intensive Lip Treatment
Swatched by yours truly: akisa

• A smooth, gel-based lip treatment that repairs the look of wrinkles and chapped lips.
• Protects natural collagen production and provides antioxidant protection.
• Incredibly moisturising and provides long lasting moisture barrier protection so lips stay soft and hydrated.
• Verdict: Regardless of the fact that the ingredient list is so long that it spans 3 sides of the packaging, this has got to be the hardest working stick balm I have ever tried to date.   The moisturising and healing properties are unparalleled (in the stick balm category) and my lips stay smooth, soft and lip lines are dramatically reduced within a few days when used morning & night .   The gel texture is long lasting and keeps lips moisturised throughout the day, and even heals lips overnight.  It is a little expensive but if you are as serious about your lips as I am, I think the results are worth it.

A lip balm that dramatically reduces  lip lines – even when not wearing lip balm? I’m sold!

RRP: $48 AUD

This product was provided for consideration.

Brand: APIVITA
Range: Lip Care
Flavour: Pink Rose
Swatched by yours truly: akisa

•  APIVITA (Latin for “bee” and “vita” meaning life) was founded in 1979 by two Greek pharmacists, aimed at fusing Greek values with modern product techniques to create effective and caring natural products on the market.
• The key ingredient in all APIVITA products lies in the humble bee, using propolis, honey and beeswax in many of its lines.
• Moisturises and softens lips with olive oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, avocado oil, castor oil, jojoba esters and rose oil.
• Rose oil and Vitamins E & C help protect lips from environmental toxins and prevents irritations.
• Restores cracked lips with Vitamin F, calendula oil and avocado unsaponifiables.
• Free of synthetic ingredients such as parabens, propylene glycol, mineral oil and silicones.
• As there are no added flavours, the organic taste of this lip balm is naturally derived from its ingredients.
• Verdict: Pink Rose leaves a sheer pink sheen that you barely notice on lips until wiping it off on a tissue.   For a natural product, I think this delivers great moisturising properties and helps to maintain lips.  Best for daytime maintenance rather than healing chapped lips, or as an overnight treatment.

Leaves a healthy sheen on lips.

RRP: $9.90 AUD
Available at Myer, selected pharmacies & online.

This product was provided for consideration.

Brand: Jack Black
Range: Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25
Flavour: Black Tea & Black Berry
Swatched by yours truly: akisa

• Jack Black’s lip balms are raved all over the blogsphere, and it’s not hard to figure out why once you try it.
• Rich & emollient in texture, it not only instantly relieves lips from dryness, but softens it and provides long lasting moisture.
• The thick barrier not only serves as daytime protection from the elements, but also helps lips recover overnight.
• Contains shea butter, avocado oil, Vitamin E, Green Tea & protects lips from both UVA & UVB rays.
• Free from petrochemicals and synthetic fragrances.
• Comes in a slanted squeeze-tube for hands-free application.
• Available in a myriad of flavours, I tried Black Tea & Black Berry – the flavour is true to its name but more subtle than the “afternoon tea” kick I was hoping for.
• Verdict: A must-try lip balm that lives up to its hype, loved by both men and women. HG material, highly recommended. Grab it at Sephora & GetJackBlack.com.

I purchased this product.

Brand: Elizabeth Arden
Range: 8 Hour Cream Skin Protectant
Swatched by yours truly: akisa

• Cult classic multi-purpose balm that soothes, restores, calms and relieves chapped dry skin & minor skin irritations.
• Can also be used to tame brows, add a dewy finish to eyelids & cheekbones, or gloss up lips.
• Texture is a very emollient balm due to the high percentage of petrolatum (56.8% to be exact).  Also contains Lanolin, Mineral Oil, Salicylic Acid, Propylparaben, Castor Oil and Corn Oil.
• I bought this to apply as a skin barrier to protect my nose, cheeks and lips from minus 25 degree weather, and slathered it on my hands overnight to recover from exposure to hard water & extremely low humidity. This kept my skin smooth and protected throughout my month long stay & helped me fake dewiness in a climate where laundry dries indoors in less than half a day.
• As a lip product, I find it effective at moisturising and reviving dry “flat looking” lips with a high gloss finish.  Results are moderate when used for overnight lip recovery.
• Verdict: Love it as a multi-purpose balm, great for prepping lips while applying makeup. But for speedy recovery of chapped lips overnight, I’d opt for other higher strength lip balms instead.

I purchased this product.

Brand: Elizabeth Arden
Range: 8 Hour Lip Protectant Stick SPF15
Swatched by yours truly: akisa

• Packaged like a lipstick, 8 Hour Lip Protectant Stick moistures and softens lips & provides antioxidant protection with Vitamin E.
• Available in Clear (pictured), and three translucent shades – Berry, Plum, and Blush in Australia.  (Interestingly, the US website features the shade ‘Honey’ but not ‘Blush’.)
• The moisture factor is exceptional for a stick-balm, but is still a notch down from emollient tube-based lip balms. That said, this is great as a moisturising lip base under lipstick as it absorbs quickly & doesn’t make lipstick slide.
• Dermatologist and allergy tested. Tastes similar to 8 Hour Skin Protectant.
• Verdict: This is THE stick lip balm / base for those that wear lipstick religiously & like the idea of a day-time lip balm disguised as lipstick.

Gives a healthy sheen on direct application, but disappears once absorbed completely so that your lips stay soft & lipstick won’t slide.

I purchased this as part of the Eight Hour Cream Set at duty free.