This week I have been trying the Burt’s Bees Lip Crayons One of the shades, Napa Vineyard, kept popping up – I had seen it on Instagram and it was recommended to me by a couple of people as being a great shade of red, so I’ve been keen to try it for a while.
I love the crayon design. It allows you to be quite precise in your application, you can use it like a liner to create your desired shape and then fill it in quickly and easily. My lips are uneven, as are most peoples, so I have to cheat my shape and over-draw a bit at the top, the crayon was great for that. You can’t sharpen them though so I wonder how that would change as it wore down. The fact you don’t have to sharpen it, can be a big plus point however – it’s easy and hassle free, no searching for a sharpener, you simply twist them up.
The texture of the crayons is nice; they are soft and creamy and glide on well. They feel really nourishing, I could feel them on my lips but it felt like they were doing some good rather than tight or anything. The finish is described as matt but I would say they had a sheen, especially straight after application. Blot with a tissue for a matter look, although there is definitely still some sheen – some shades more than others. They are not shimmery, which is a major plus in my book.
They are a great everyday product, easy to apply with a nice relaxed feel. They are very creamy, so don’t apply too thickly or they could bleed or smudge. Otherwise they had reasonable staying power – they are not long lasting but the stronger colours left a bit of a stain. They are so easy to touch up and refresh.
There are six really nice, wearable colours ranging from a good nude to a bright red. From the top – Sedona Sands, Carolina Coast, Niagara Overlook, Hawaiian Smolder, Redwood Forest and Napa Vineyard.
The Napa Vineyard is a lovely red – more of a blue undertone than orange. Carolina Coast came out quite mauve on me which initially I didn’t like but ended up being one of my favourites. The colours in general build really well on the lips so you can get quite an intense look.
I have long been a fan of Burt’s Bees, their iconic beeswax lip balm has always been a favourite of mine, and something I recommend to so many people. Their skincare is packed full of skin friendly ingredients that are also kind on the planet too. The crayons are made with nourishing oils such as jojoba and kendi oil, along with shea butter and of course beeswax to condition and lock in moisture.
One unfortunate thing is that these lip colours do contain carmine (as does a lot of make-up). Burt’s Bees are obviously not a vegan brand because of their use of bee ingredients but carmine could exclude others too. Burt’s Bees explanation for their use is –
“We use carmine in some Burt’s Bees lip products because it is a natural alternative to synthetic colourants, which can be derived from non-renewable fossil fuels. Carmine is a natural extract that has been used since Ancient Egyptian times for its red pigment. It provides the best possible red pigment naturally and is used industry-wide in food and cosmetics. We are always exploring new pigments with suppliers, but we have not found any that mimic the hue/shade of carmine or that are able to remain stable in an anhydrous (waterless) formula. Our lip colour products are made of natural oils, waxes and butters, so pigments need to be oil-soluble. For example, vegetable-based pigments like beet juice are water soluble. There are developments being made in the processing of these pigments so they can work well in formulas and we are following them closely. Also, current global regulations do not uniformly recognize vegetable-based pigments as an acceptable cosmetic colourant. Regulatory consideration of these pigments will likely follow sufficient progress in their development for use in cosmetics.”
I know other brands are managing to create reds without carmine so it is a shame that it is still being used. I must admit I am disappointed however I understand they are a natural brand, and carmine does come from a natural source as opposed to a coal tar – I also know it won’t please everyone.
Carmine aside – the choice is up to the consumer and their own beliefs – they are a really great set of lip products with a colour to suit everyone. The price is great too – £8.99 is really reasonable – a great way to brighten up your spring wardrobe.
Has anyone else tried them? What are your thoughts?
