Be Kissed by Nature: Lavera Basic Sensitiv Lip Balm

I was grocery-shopping for my mum the other night when I accidentally caught sight of Lavera Basic Sensitiv Lip Balm. I have fallen in love with it since that very evening! Our local drugstores and supermarkets have just recently brought in Lavera. I actually find the quality of this lip balm nothing inferior to those launched by the counter brands, if not better! I am never a fan of organic stuff and I definitely won't rave about this being an organic lipstick. What this lip balm shows is however the power of Mother Nature, which works wonder for my pouts!

It's packed with a cocktail of natural ingredients like shea butter, olive oil, beeswax, jojoba seed oil, sweet almond oil and sunflower seed oil. I am delighted by its gentle taste of honey and the protective sensation it brings. It wraps my lips in a super comfortable, lasting, and non-sticky film of moisture that is just nice for both normal lip care and lip prep before wearing my lip sticks. I like it over my MAC Prep + Prime Lip (HERE) which is less moisturizing, noticeably less lasting, and far more pricey (this one only cost me HKD39 or USD5!!!). To top up the protection, don't forget you'll also get natural UV protection (roughly SPF 6) from the nourishing shea butter. That's not the end of the story! As with all other Lavera products, it's free from parabens, synthetics, preservatives,  petroleum-based products, and cruelty (no animal testing!). Think I'm not only kissed by Nature, but also kissing Nature!

I've already popped it into my everyday makeup bag and daily skincare compartment! =)

Prepping your lips

My lips have been very dehydrated, well in fact my cheeks are the only pretty-good pieces of skin I have, and they've given lots of people a false impression of my actually-flawed skin! Anyway, to ensure that my lips can look moist and sheer the whole day, overnight prep is the first and most important step. Although lip scrubs (e.g. Fresh Sugar Lip polish) are available in the market, I'm trying to cut down on the unnecessary skincare expense and see if some cheaper alternatives can serve the same purpose.

Before bed...
All you need to prep your lips overnight is a thick lip balm that doesn't disappear in a minute since your lips will need continuous hydration through the night. I use Bioderma Atoderm Lip Balm for dry, chapped damaged lips, generously. As the product description says, it restores the chapped, dry lip mucous membrane, it really does! By now, you should've noticed that I'm a big fan of Bioderma, but my fondness comes with reasons! If you have dry lips like mine, your lips will most likely look horrible the next morning, with a pale white layer of skin surfaced. Now, (SCRUB) RUB IT OFF GENTLY!!! Make sure you've rubbed off all the surfaced dead skin. I always do the rubbing right after washing my face, when my lips are still damp and soft, to prevent cracking my lips. You can now finish off the morning routine with a thin layer of lip balm.

Before hanging out...
I had a hard time hunting for the right lipstick and lipgloss that won't leave me with chapped lips after a few hours. But this hunt should come after the one for a good lip balm that can be worn under lipsticks/gloss.

Mac Prep + Prime Lip is a good buy. It feels like a thin layer of silk. Unlike many normal lip balms, it won't make the color 'swim' on your lips. You will be able to glide your lipstick smoothly, evenly, and happily on your pouts.

A more luxurious choice is Chanel Hydramax + Active Lip Care. The tender layer of moisture wraps your lips comfortably and gives your lipstick a naturally smooth and glowy touch. The effect is very lasting - Love it!