Review: Yes To Carrots Lip Butter

If you're like me, you've probably tried a lot of lip products to find the one that stops your lips from going dry. I must say, I do neglect my lips & sometimes they're so dry & flaky. It's not until I want to use a nice matte lipstick (which shows every flaw) that I regret being so mean to them!

I've been using Yes To Carrots Lip Butter's for about 4 years. This is one product that is very underrated, even by me. Sometimes they find their way to the back of the drawer, however I eventually go back to my Yes To Carrots Lip Butters. They're great to prevent dry lips - or in my case sometimes, to treat a dry lip emergency!

Here's what Yes To... says about them:

"A beautiful smile will brighten your face, but what brightens a beautiful smile? Your lips - soft, smooth and shining! Yes To Carrots USDA Organic Lip Butters conditions, invigorates, and revitalizes your lips, moisturizing to keep them the smoothest and softest they can be. With this purchase, you get all 5 flavors: carrot, berry, citrus, melon and mint. Now you'll never be without smooth, soft lips!

• All Natural Ingredients
• No Animal Testing
• Paraben, Petroleum & Phthalate Free"

The YTC Lip Butters feel very luxurious, & create a buttery, smooth feeling on my lips. This may be something some people wouldn't like, but I love it. They are not waxy whatsoever, and keep my lips very moisturised & hydrated - as long as I keep using them! I spend a lot of time outside in the wind so these really help prevent (or treat) windburn too.

I love that they're petroleum free as products that contain petroleum definitely dry my skin out. I layer it under my lipsticks every now and again (especially lip crayons & matte products) & find that this helps keep my lips soft & my lipstick smooth. The product lasts on your lips for a long time rather than disappearing like most balms. For example, if I put it on before going to sleep, my lips still feel moisturised & soft in the morning!

I also love that this product is in a tube that you wind up, rather than in a tub so it is much more hygienic.

Did I mention that these butters smell great? They DO have a tiny chemical taste but not as bad as some balms I have tried in the past. I try not to "eat" my lip products but inevitably you will get some in your mouth.

The "flavours" I have are: Mint, Melon, Berry, & Citrus (for some reason I have never bought Carrot). My favourites are Berry & Mint. I love the tingly feeling that Mint leaves on my lips! Slightly addictive!

The only Con I've found with this product is that a couple of the tubes I own have broken so that they wind up, but not down. I've learnt to make sure I only wind out a couple of millimetres at a time.**

** Edit: August, 2011: The other day I got sick of the broken Lip Butter not winding so I wound it all the way out, and then put it back (holding it with a clean tissue) to see if it would make any difference. Well, it's actually winding up and down now, so the little exercise worked? Don't ask me how, but I'm happy!

Something that you may want to keep in mind is that these do not have SPF, however I like this as I don't want to be continuously using a lip product that has sunscreen in it when I don't need it. If I do need it, I will put a product over the top that has SPF, so for me, it's a plus.

I definitely recommend that you try one of these lip butters. I will be repurchasing when my tubes run out! :-)

My rating: 9 out of 10

How To Fix A Lush Solid Perfume (Pushed All The Way Out)

I love my Vanillary solid, but one annoying thing about it is that unlike a lipstick, you do not twist it to extend the product - you push it out.  Lush is known to use minimal packaging so I guess it's cheaper as well as being better for the environment, however once you push it out there's no way to push it back in - or so I thought!

I hope this helps other people who may have found themselves in the same predicament.... if this is you (and you have happened to find this page in a Google search panic) scroll down directly to the fix - you can read my discovery story later.... I know the panic you're feeling! I did the same thing but couldn't find anything - which is why I want to share my little Solid Perfume fix!

My First Vanillary Solid

I love Vanillary perfume & when I was given a Vanillary Solid I knew I would love it. (Un)fortunately the previous owner found that she was allergic to it after her skin reacted. Who could say no to a free Vanillary?

Disinfection!

I'm a real germ-a-phobe so I never share my cosmetics - especially mascara, lipstick & eyeshadow (I know plenty of people who do & I think it's awful). I thought however that since the Solid was only used once it should be ok. But, to be on the safe side I wanted to disinfect the surface. Fussy I know, but that's just me!

So, I push out the stick of solid perfume as far as it goes. Can't be too careful right? I carefully wipe the top of the waxy solid with a tissue, & finish by spraying a fine mist of Isopropyl Alcohol on the product. I set it down to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Easy! Disinfection complete!

Oops... the Vanillary Solid won't go back in! :(

So, the alcohol evaporates & I'm left with a clean Vanillary Solid. Fantastic! I grab a tissue & start to push it back in &.... hang on.... instead of the solid moving into the tube it starts to soften with the heat of my fingers & smush the perfume. Uh oh! I stop before I break the Solid pausing to get another tissue, thinking it might shield the heat a bit.

I commence to push the solid down with the tissue & the same thing happens. Smush! I'm making it worse, turning the top into a mushroom! At this point I'm pretty unhappy & guess that my new Vanillary Solid may be a goner.

If only I had thought this might happen BEFORE I pushed the product all the way out.

So I sit it on the bench & decide to think this through.......... eventually a picture of a globe appears above my head & I run into the kitchen with my supposedly ruined Vanillary Solid.

How To Fix A Lush Solid Perfume (Pushed All The Way Out)

1. Get your extended Lush Solid Perfume. If you've pushed down with force & it's smushed, use a tissue to carefully mould the perfume back into a tube shape.
2. Put it in the freezer
3. Leave it in the freezer for about an hour
4. Your Solid will freeze & become hard for a short period of time.
5. Remove your Solid from the freezer.
6. Use a clean tissue to push the Solid back into the container. As it will be frozen it will slide down easily.
7. Before you screw the lid back on, put your solid in a clean, dry place for a few hours to give it a chance to "thaw". This will minimise condensation sticking around & let it dry thoroughly.
8. Once completely dry, put the lid back on, & put it away!

Disclaimer?

I guess I should say, follow these instructions at your own risk. I didn't pay for my Solid so I was willing to sacrifice it if the freezer method didn't work. The first "brainwave" I came up with was melting the product in the microwave in another container & let it set but heat is not a friend to perfume, hence why I elected to use the freezer method.

I've been using this Solid Perfume for months after putting it in the freezer. I have not seen ANY changes in the product after putting it in the freezer. The scent is exactly the same, as is the consistency. I am guessing that this would work for the other perfumes too. It worked for me so I hope it works for you too! If you're at your wits end what do you have to lose?

Lush Solid Perfume Tips:

• The screw on cap leaves very little room for the product, so make sure you only push the Solid out a a millimetre or two at most. This is enough to spread the product on your skin but not too much for it to smear itself all over the inside of the lid (quite annoying).
• Use your Lush Solid perfume on clean, moisturised skin. This will give you the cleanest notes & a scent that will last longer!
• Keep your Solid in a cool, dry & dark place to minimalise any chance of melting. It's a very fragile product!

Freelance Shoes - Wedge Boots & Sale.

I was walking past Freelance Shoes in the QVB yesterday when I saw that they were having a sale so I accidentally (heh heh) walked in.

They had a shelf where I saw these gorgeous wedge boots for $60. I couldn't resist them! They fit well, look great & are super comfortable - another reason I love wedges. They also have a slight fluffy lining inside which makes them even warmer.

If you're going past Freelance Shoes, I definitely recommend you go in & have a look - they had some fantastic boots on sale.

You can also view their sales stock from their website at freelanceshoes.com.au

Inglot 15% Off for Westfields Southland (Cheltenham)

You lucky ladies who have access to Westfield Southland have 15% off Inglot from June 20, to August 8. See more information below. Here is the Link to the original page. Enjoy! :-)

Special Offer - Inglot 15% Off

15% Off full-priced items. View this offer and more in the Little Book of Big Offers - pick up your FREE copy at Westfield Southland Concierge or access all offers on the new Westfield iPhone App. WIN a $1000 Westfield Gift Card!!! Present and redeem this special offer using your iPhone with the new Westfield iPhone App and go in the draw to WIN a $1,000 Westfield Gift Card! iPhone promotion Terms & Conditions available at Concierge or westfield.com.au/southland
 
Offer from: Mon, 20 Jun 11 to Mon, 8 Aug 11

Address: Westfields Southland, 1239 Nepean Hwy Cheltenham VIC 3192

Novo Shoes - 2 x Boot Haul

I spotted some boots outside Novo Shoes today & I had to go in to try them on!

These Military style boots (Lance) are very comfy so far, and more importantly will be keeping my feet & legs warm! On sale at $50 I couldn't resist them.

I then saw these gorgeous wedge gumboots (YES! I said gumboots). Aren't they gorgeous - the most fashionable gumboots I have ever seen. Who could say no? They were reduced to $39. Hopefully they'll inspire me to find lots of puddles to jump into! :D

POST NOTE: The Lance Military Style Boots lasted about 2 months before the sole of both  boots wore away.

I DO NOT recommend buying them, or any other products from Novo Shoes. I am very disappointed in the very poor quality. What a waste of money.

Novo Shoes have an online store at www.novoshoes.com.au - This link is directly to the online store, rather than the main page as it has music - makes browsing at work dangerous!

Review: LUSH Butterball Ballistic

As you've seen from previous posts, I've been trying out quite a few Lush products since finally getting past the smell to enter the store.

Since the weather in Sydney has become quite cold, I've been enjoying relaxing hot baths - trying out various bubble baths & of course, Lush Bath Bombs/Ballistics!

Butterball is the 3rd ballistic that I've tried. Here's what Lush has to say about it.

"The bouncing Butterball is chock with chips of cocoa butter to melt all over your hot body in warm water and smooth you all over like a master masseur. It will fizz joyously, scenting the water with sweet musk and vanilla and softening you up nicely."

The Scent
There isn't much to say about this. Butterball has a subtle scent, both in the ballistic & in the bath. It's a soft powdery smell which is pleasant however also non de-script (AKA boring) not my favourite Lush scent

In Action
In the water, Butterball is equally non de-script. It certainly has a lot of bubbles but not much else other than tiny brown blobs of cocoa butter that float on the top of the water. I do admit that my skin felt quite soft even before I finished my bath, however it also felt greasy & tacky. Not my favourite feeling. The bath also became quite slippery.

The Cost
Butterball is $6.50 for a 98g ballistic.

The Verdict
I find all of Lush Ballistics expensive for what they are, & not a beauty essential however some of them are worth purchasing every now and again for a treat. I also love the "theatrics" of some of the Lush Ballistics - a mix of pretty colours as well as the aromatic scent of essential oils. Unfortunately Butterball comes up a little short & I won't be repurchasing it. I can get my cocoa butter fix in better ways.

Don't get me wrong, Butterball is pleasant, but I just don't feel that it's worth it. So, I don't recommend it.

My Rating: 2 out of 10

Review: LUSH Curly Wurly Liquid Shampoo

On one of my last few visits to Lush I was given a sample of one of their liquid shampoos called Curly Wurly. I've never tried any of their shampoos before so it was quite interesting.

Here's what Lush says about it:

"Absolutely gorgeous, preservative-free coconut and vanilla shampoo to calm curls and tame tangles. Curly Wurly makes thick, unruly curls behave. It’s bursting with nutritious coconut and heaps of natural butters to help nurture dry hair and eliminate frizz. Use with Coolaulin conditioner for tamed tresses fragranced with coconut and vanilla."

Using Curly Wurly
Curly Wurly is marketed to people with Curly hair (hence the name). My hair is fine, straight with slight waves (when it wants). I find that despite not being the intended hair type it worked well for me.

The consistency of this shampoo is unlike any other - it's quite "mushy" with an odd beige orange colour with actual pieces of coconut mixed throughout. I've read of others having trouble washing these pieces out of their hair but I haven't had this issue at all & don't even spend extra time rinsing. The coconut just comes out. I'm guessing that people who actually have curly hair may be the leftover coconut victims.

One thing that surprised me is that I only have to use a tiny amount to get a good clean - I scoop about just over a pea size out of the container & then rub this between wet hands. Although the product lathers it's a tiny almost unnoticeable amount. I then rub it through my hair starting at the back.

The first time I used Curly Wurly I was quite sceptical. When you rub it through your hair it does not feel like its actually doing anything. It's not until the product is rinsed out that I felt my hair was cleaner, but also softer as if I had used a conditioner. Once dry my hair is very soft, shiny & manageable. I find that I don't actually need to use a conditioner when I use Curly Wurly.

The Scent
I have to say, the first time I smelt the product I was, well, not impressed. It has Absolute Vanilla oil (my favourite essential oil) as well as Coconut Oil (and pieces) but there's something that gives it a strange scent. Possibly the egg? It's not TOO off-putting to use it thankfully. My hair smells divine (a vanilla coconut scent of course) once it dries, so the strangeness in the unused product doesn't really matter

The Cost
Curly Wurly is $20.50AU for a 220g tub. This does seem quite steep but I imagine that it will last a long time with the amount I use. Being preservative free the product does expire, however the label indicates almost a year & 3 months until the end of life. It will be interesting to see if I run out before or still have some product left then.

The Verdict
I haven't finished my sample yet however I was pleased enough to go back to Lush & buy the full product. I still see a few more washes from my sample, but I hate to run out of things I like!

I really like using Curly Wurly so I see myself repurchasing it again when my tub runs out. Due to the coconut oil in the product I won't use this every time I shampoo as I don't want it to build up in my hair, so I alternate with my other products. I usually team Curly Wurly with Lush Cosmetics American Cream conditioner, just to add the American Cream scent.

I'd recommend that you ask for a sample to see how you like it, but just make sure you rinse it out well so you don't have coconut pieces stuck in your hair - particularly if you actually have Curly Wurly hair.

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10