Relief in a tube: Esmeria Organics Prickly Pear SOS Rescue Cream

I've had this tube forever and have been using it on scrapes and burns since I got to Hong Kong. It was given to me by Miss Soo the lovely MD of Esmeria Organics before I left as part of a farewell care package and boy has it been handy. 

But the miraculous side of it... the part that has me RUNNING online to post a review of it in my lunch break, is how it stops Mozzie bites from itching like nothing else will. 

I don't know why the mozzies here in HK find me so delectable but they can't stay away. And while I've gotten inured to the Malaysian variety the ones here.... itch. As in wake up in the dead of the night scratching frantically and whimpering in misery itch. In case my point isn't clear yet, that's REALLY REALLY ITCHY. It's so bad I was deliberately scratching holes in my leg so that it would please just stop.

Dangerously addictive: Stark & Son Recharge Menthol Lip Balm with Caffeine

Hello everyone hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and are looking forward to a great New Year!

This post is for everyone who's had to go back to work today and are longing for an energy kick.

Stark & Son is a new menscare line launched by owner of organic and natural brand Silk Naturals, Karen Stark. This tingly mentholated matte lip balm was part of her holiday collection. 

I've become terribly addicted to this, not for it's lip-balm-ness, or even for the menthol kick, but for the straight-up, instant buzz the caffeine gives! I've never tried a caffeinated lip balm before and I can attest that this goes straight into your blood stream far faster than any espresso will!

One swipe and I'm all HELLO! If I use it too often, I get jitters. It's crazy!

Fall/Winter Lip: Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Raspberry

While Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten is definitely my favourite Berry lip of all time there was a spate when I had an allergic reaction to something (possibly shellfish) and had peely lips. Now, peely lips and stains do not work well together, so I fell back on this tube of yumminess to keep my lips berry stained and pretty.

I was amazed at how pigmented Korres' Lip Glaze was and how long it lasted. I found that I could lay down a stain by really working it in with a brush, top off with a balm and then touch up during the day to keep it glossy. It will last through a light meal but not a greasy one.

An empty I'm going to miss: Esmeria Organics Alpine Willowherb Purifying Cleansing Gel

I really do owe Esmeria an apology for this one. They sent it to me ages ago, before I left for Hong Kong. In the craze of moving though, I think I used it once, noted that it left a residue and set it aside. 

When I last returned to Malaysia though I found that my bottle of Johnson's Head to Toe (which I use as a facial cleanser) had been used up. Rummaging through what's left of my beauty store I came across this bright pink tube. 

With Dom's review fresh in my mind, I shrugged and gave it a go. 

Yes it leaves a slight residue, but as I used this medicinal smelling cleanser I started to believe (in a way that was perhaps more therapeutic than realistic) that the residue was helping to heal the angry outbreak I had thanks to Simple's (Evil) Cleansing Wipes. 

The very next morning after using it, I found the breakout was a lot less angry and had started to shrink. Then the worst ones came to a head and healed rapidly. 

Organic de-puffer: Esmeria's Eye Gels

I was sent these two tubes for review nearly a year ago, but have held off reviewing them since I found them a little too dry in winter. Now summer's hit though these lightweight gels are perfect!

I've been using Esmeria Organics Ultimate 5-Effect Eye Gel for All Skin Types for day and their Ultimate 5-Repair Eye Gel for mature skin at nights as I find it the more emollient of the two. As the days get steadily more humid however I will probably just stick to the 5-Effect Eye Gel.

Both these gels are clear, light and runny and have a pleasant floral scent. 5-Effect is more of a floral blend while 5-Repair is distinctly rosy. 

EOS medicated tangerine - disappointing cult lip balm

After hearing so much about these organic balms. Stars love them, they're adorable and they're among the best lip balms you'll ever use. Well... not so much.

Lip balms in Hong Kong are surprisingly limited in selection these days, I can't find the C for Carrots line for example. I spotted this in Bonjour (discount makeup store) for HKD33 and picked it up - why this flavour? They didn't have any other, stores here are erratic stockists.

I expected to like it though, I love tangerine! But alas, it smells like sickly sweet sugus with a medicinal undertone. It's also quite hard - so while sure it functions as a lip balm, it really isn't that emollient.

It IS cute though, and makes for a great desktop lipbalm as it's easy to spot and sits around happily on its own looking cute. Still not sure how people tote these around, sure they're small but they're bulky.

Anyway, I won't be repurchasing this flavour. I STILL may give EOS another try as reviews have proven this to be the least popular one (so THAT's why it was in a discount store!). Summer fruits seems to be the most beloved and the one I'll likely try next. I'll still grit my teeth and use this one up though.

Into organic makeup and/or hate silicones? WATCH THIS

Yaya for Lisa Eldridge!

A burst of fresh orange in the morning: Buds Kids Orange Shampoo & Shower Gel

I don't like this stuff. I'm frigging addicted to it

I loved it from the moment the company gave me the products to try. I'm usually not keen on orange scents because they all tend to smell either like orangina or sugus. These however smell like you're peeling a fresh orange in the shower. Yes. It's THAT awesome. Gives me my morning rush when I jump into the shower. 

 Buds Kids is created by the same manufacturer as the Esmeria line. It's designed to be kid-friendly and is the toddler equivalent of their Buds Baby range. Like Esmeria, this is totally Eco-Certified (so its organic), cruelty free and made in Malaysia. 

The shower gel is mild and cleanses well. As it's organic it's not the foamiest of shower gels but it does lather enough to shave my legs with. I find it non-drying and have been using it everyday for two weeks and still adore it. 

The shampoo's awesome too. Cleans well without stripping and with a smidgen of L'Oreal's Elseve conditioner in the roots I find it stays bouncy all day and is still not greasy by the next morning. At present there's no citrus conditioner in this range in the market, BUT they did pass me an experimental tube to try but I'm not really sold on it. In its defense it's silicone free and I've never really worked out how to use those. It always feels insufficient in the shower and then later I find my hair weighed down. Puzzling! Anyone have any tips?

Sadly neither scent lingers long after the shower - but perfume wearers will enjoy this I think as it won't interfere with your scent of choice.

Instant love! - Esmeria Organics Prickly Pear Protective Body Lotion

It's not often I fall in love with a product at first use, but that's what happened with this. I received a tube for review last Friday and absentmindedly applied some on my right shin. A moment later I reached down to brush a fallen hair off my leg and... hang on... my skin was silky smooth. Like incredibly touchably smooth. I check my thigh and other shin... nowhere NEAR as smooth. Quickly, I grabbed the tube and slathered it on a minute later... everything was silky smooth. Could not stop err... stroking myself.. (Oi! Get your head out of the gutter!). 

The lotion's texture is somewhere between a lotion and a cream and a little goes a surprisingly long way. When applying it gets runnier and almost immediately sinks into your skin leaving no oily residue and (have I said it enough yet) bloody smooth skin wot! I've been using it daily ever since (I'm writing this review Monday night). As soon as I get out of the shower, I pat myself dry and apply. That was 8am this morning, and it's gone midnight now and my skin is still silky smooth! Now I don't have especially dry skin, but even for me this is amazing. 

Organic Skincare: Botani Olive Skin Serum

When my eye first lit on the Botani range, a warm glow came over me. Y’ see, I have a thing for organic skincare and for serums containing vitamin C. I have been using TBS Vitamin C Skin Boost on and off for the past few years and while it works, I have always been on the lookout for something affordable with less dimethicone.

You can imagine my reaction when I finally found something which was organic and had vitamin C. I had to get my grubby paws on it!

Citrus Lipbalm Roundup

It seems, that quite inadvertedly I've gained myself a reputation for being a wee bitty lip balm mad - along with lip stain and blotter mad. And looking at my recent posts and buys I'd guess it's TRUE! And it isn't just lip balm mad, it seems I'm grapefruit and citrus mad. Ah well looking at my lovely pressies, I'm not complaining. =)

Anyway rather than bore you with four seperate posts of my latest citrus lip salves I thought I'd just do a quick roundup of them all.

The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter

It's just the wee one sitting on top, but I couldn't resist photographing it perched on my mini body butter which, in turn, is on the full-sized body butter. Isn't it cuuute?

Now in terms of scent this lil tub does not disappoint. It's so chockablock of that pink grapefruit scent that started it all that I'm tempted to use it as solid perfume! It does smell scrumptious but to be honest, a bit too perfumey to be absolutely edible.

It also isn't as moisturising as I thought it would be! I only use it at night because it's in a rather inconvenient tub and leaves a whitish cast on the lips but it really isn't as emollient or as moisturising as expected. If you have very dry lips this may not be for you.

In conclusion, if not for the scent this actually is not quite worth the buy. Also, it's been discontinued and isn't available here anymore, I picked up one the last few tubs in a TBS store in Hong Kong for HKD69.

Yes to Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter in Citrus

This is now one of my absolutely favourite lipbalms! It's more moisturising than its minty sister, and smells exactly like more concentrated St Ives Citrus Energizing Wash! Yummeh!

Like the mint flavoured one, this doesn't leave a glossy finish or have any flavour. Just scent. It's a crisp citrusy cocktail in which I can pick out notes of lemon, grapefrui and lime. Love it! Oh and it's organic, critter friendly and vegan. What's not to love?

I bought this one in Hong Kong as well for HKD19.90 and it's available in Singapore for SGD$5 - so it's actually about the same price in both countries. Maybe slightly cheaper in Hong Kong.

Mentholatum Grapefruit Jelly

This was part of a birthday pressie from the lovely Rinnah and it's the truest grapefruity-est scent I've ever come across. I don't think it's available in Malaysia so I'll have to make Rinnah tell me. I think I spotted it in Hong Kong while I was there but told myself the lip balm mania had to stop somewhere! Gotta stock up next time I'm near it.

Its scent is remarkably like Daiso's grapefruit balm but is slightly tarter (which I love) and well, I'll admit that I have more confidence in Mentholatum balms than Daiso's which make me a bit jumpy everytime I use it. It's not as moisturising as Yes To Carrots but its light refreshing scent makes it great to use throughout the day.

It applies smoothly but isn't very glossy. It also doesn't last very long but I don't mind, it gives me an excuse to reapply. Absolutely love this one.

Star&Rose Sweet Shop Lemon Drops Lip Balm

As if to balance out the lip balm love, this one is absolutely jaw-droppingly dreadful! It's so awful that it's FUNNY. The colleague who gave it to me as part of a darling birthday package from New Zealand (where she was holidaying) was giggling madly with me when I showed her the opened tube and apologised for my complete inability to use it. Her gift was well-meant and she knows I love lemons - but oh my.

It smells like Axion Dishwashing Paste in Lemon. Remember it? I'm not kidding it really does. And as its yellow and gritty it looks like it too. I actually screwed up the guts to apply it and it went on oily and gritty with an overwhelming chemical flavour that had me carefully tissuing it off praying I wouldn't drop dead or that my lips would blister and peel off!

Usually even with lip balms I dislike I'll grit my teeth and just use it up. This one was waging chemical warfare on me. It got binned! So yes if you ever come across this brand avoid it like the plague. The sinister thing is it looks all cute, candy and yummy too. *shudders* Eeeviill....

Silk Natural's Lip Lube in Candy Cane & Southern Praline

Ok, so I confess, I'm wee bitty lip balm mad. Just a bit. ;)

These cheekily named, Lip Lubes, were released by Karen (founder of Silk Naturals) around Christmas and I'm happy to announce that they're still available because they are DELISH (and cute too)!

Candy Cane is a yummy vanilla peppermint flavour and undoubtedly my fave. For those afraid of landing a toothpaste-flavoured peppermint don't worry. This is a cool menthol with a hint of vanilla and a sweet taste.

Southern Praline is truly special in my experience. Ever had a pecan tart? Well this smell just like it. Melted, buttery brown sugar with warm toasted pecans. Mmm... Candy Cane trumps this primarily because I find it so distracting. And I start craving pecan tarts, pecan pie, pecan cinnabon rolls...

Although SN says these are more for sealing moisture in than for heavy-duty moisturisation I have no complaints. They are glossy, smooth, emollient and are definitely moisturising enough for me. Just word of warning, they may melt in Malaysian weather if you tote it around in your bag under the hot sun. I keep them at home and at my office desk for a treat now and then.

At US$3.99 each they won't break the bank, and it's a great price for hand-made, critter-friendly, natural balms. The tubes are full-sized and I'd definitely repurchase if they're still available when I run out.

More minty lip balm: Yes To Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter

I suppose y'all have noticed by now but Syen and I are just a touch Lip Balm mad. We also both seem mighty curious about organic range, Yes To Carrots. It's cheap & cheerful tree-hugger philosophy just strikes a chord and you want to like what they put out. So I was pretty keen to try this mint balm (I have a thing for mint balms too) I picked up in Singapore.

Formula
Organic and critter-friendly (yep lookin' at you Pet) the site promises that the balm's key ingredients of coconut and olive oils and vitamin E are:

All grown using environmentally sound practices without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides that could be harmful to our bodies or Mother Earth.

* All Natural Ingredients
* No Animal Testing
* Paraben, Petroleum and Phthalate Free

Use & Flavour
Sadly, I find the balm notas moisturising as I'd like. It's rather hard (there's no glossy finish so it's guy-friendly balm btw) and I have to apply and reapply frequently. I haven't noticed my lips looking better or softer either, but they haven't dried out. Fortunately, I LOVE the minty flavour!

It's not sweet in the least and greatly resembles the scent and flavour of Garden Mint balm by Crabtree & Evelyn. Only less intense and easier to apply as it's in a tube form. I keep it by my keyboard at work and find it a refreshing break when writer's block hits.

Conclusion
I love the flavour enough that I might be tempted to repurchase if I come across it again. At about SGD$5 it's nicely affordable for a fun treat - just wish it was available in Malaysia.

Review: Sukin Cream Cleanser

I have been cautiously dabbling in organic products for the past few months as SLS-free products help reduce my after-bathing rashes (read here). Keyword being "cautious" as I have encountered some organic products with essential oils which caused rashes to bloom in spectacular patterns and sizes.

You can imagine that I approached this cream cleanser with some amount of trepidation then. I like Sukin as it's a really affordable Aussie organic brand and as a general rule, I prefer cream cleansers for double cleansing instead of oil. Oil cleansers just wreck havoc on my poor skin.

Sukin products tend to come with a citrus scent and this is no exception (sorry, Kahani. It's an orange citrus scent, not grapefruit). The product itself is a rather thick cream which spreads out quite easily over the face. It is easily removed as well with some warm water or damp cotton without leaving your skin feeling odd.

Unfortunately, it doesn't remove makeup as effectively as I hoped it would. I could still find some traces of foundation on my skin after washing the cream off and had to take extra care in washing my face with my second cleanser. On another note, it didn't seem to cause any breakouts or skin problems while I was using this (I have since finished the bottle).

Verdict? I would give this 3 out 5. Not great but not a bad product either. You could either use this in the morning on its own or doubled up with another cleanser in the evening. I am not planning to repurchase it though.

Sukin cream cleanser is pretty affordable at AUD 9.90 for 125ml but I would give this a miss unless you are planning to try organic products.