Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss

 

This Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss was a no-brainer for me to try because (1) I really like all of their other products that I’ve tried, (2) I respect Burt’s Bees’ company policy, and (3) the glosses are sold at grocery stores and pharmacies, so they’re super accessible and relatively cheap (about $7).

The gloss is super shiny but not sticky. There’s no weird taste or smell. The color is not saturated (as one would expect from a gloss); it’s just the right amount of color in my opinion. And the color you get on your lips is what you’d expect from looking at the color of the tube. My favorite colors are Nearly Dusk, Ocean Sunrise, Rosy Dawn, and Sunny Day. All of them have shimmer, and all the glosses are 100% natural.

Burt’s Bees also make Lip Crayons (deep, matte color), Lip Shimmers (not much gloss; lots of shimmer), and Lip Shine (less color; more glossy).

Burt’s Bees Res-Q Ointment

Burt’s Bees Res-Q Ointment is a little tin pot of heaven. I use it on all kinds of bumps and scrapes, and it really does the trick. It soothes itchy spots (like the poison ivy I’ve got on my arm!) and covers and protects ouchy spots (like the scratches I got from pruning my trees!). It seems to also be reducing the swelling on my poison ivy bumps. I bet it would also be good on mosquito bites.

One drawback is that it’s made with beeswax, which gives it a sticky consistency. That’s a good thing because it really coats and clings to your skin, but it’s a bad thing because it doesn’t get absorbed. So, for example, if you’re typing on your keyboard and rest your forearms that are covered in poison ivy and Res-Q Ointment on the table, you’re going to leave behind a little smear. I guess you could use band-aids to prevent that–I’d rather just wipe off the table when I’m done. 🙂

It’s 100% natural, made in the USA, and, of course, cruelty free. Check out the Burt’s Bees site for more information.

 

Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream

Burt’s Bees makes natural skin, face, and baby care products and make up. The company is careful to note on its website that it strives to make 100% natural products, but only about half are 100% natural (the other half are around 80% to 90% natural). There is a “natural bar” on every product denoting how natural it is, which I think is a nice bit of information to have. Would seeing that the eye cream, for example, is only 99% natural stop me from buying it? Nope. But I, as the consumer, feel like the company wants me to be informed, and I appreciate that.

The Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream is, by far, the best cruelty-free hand cream I have tried so far. I have been looking for a cruelty-free replacement for the Aquaphor Healing Ointment by Eucerin that I keep on my desk at work; that stuff really moisturizes. But it’s basically just petroleum, which is basically just a fossil fuel. So, in other words, I can do better. And this hand cream proves it! The cream is thick but absorbs well–it might leave your hands feeling “wet” for a moment, but that goes away. The moisture lasts for a long time (I usually use this at night, and when I wake up in the morning, my hands still feel supple). And the smell is wondrous: nutty, creamy, and sweet.