Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter: My Winter Life Saver

The author trudging to class.
Hello, darkness, my old friend...

Well, well, well... I had thought that it was warming up here, but according to the forecast, my "spring break" next week will involve snow and subfreezing temperatures. So. The Midwest strikes again! Anyways, what a perfect time to discuss the best way I've found to protect my lips from this kind of weather.

You know there's tornadoes here too? I left the beach for this? (Graduate education, etc, etc)

After moving here from California last fall, I am (still) in the midst of my first "real" winter. As such, I am on high alert of developing chapped, peeling skin and lips. As the weather transitioned from hot and sweltering to freezing cold and bone dry, it became very clear that my old lip balms were not cutting it. After browsing Target's website during a sale last November, I ordered several potential replacements. Vaseline Lip Therapy in Cocoa Butter is the winner by a mile!

The winning lip balm stands victorious over its fallen competitors...

Packaging
It comes in a small tin containing 0.6 oz. This may seem tiny, but a little goes a long way. There are some reviews complaining that the lid is difficult to take off, but I haven't had any problems.

Application
To apply, I just swipe a little balm on my fingertip and spread it on my lips. Some people might find sticking their fingers in the tin every time a little icky, which I get. I'm okay with it because I only use it once in the morning and once at night, so I'm at home, and I wash my hands right before. However, this isn't something I would carry around in my bag or take to work, unless I was confident I could easily wash/sanitize my hands.

Texture
As you might guess, the texture is similar to regular Vaseline, but the Lip Therapy version is a little thicker, smoother, and less greasy. It spreads easily and leaves a thin, smooth layer that lasts for hours and protects against the elements. It wears away gradually, faster if you're eating or drinking (like any lip product).

There is a light cocoa butter scent, which fades after 20 minutes or so. If you like the smell of cocoa butter, it's a nice bonus; if not, I doubt it's strong enough to be a deal breaker. Personally, I don't have a strong sense of smell, so I didn't even notice it until I sniffed the actual tin, lol.

Ingredients
In my experience, plain Vaseline protects lips from losing moisture but doesn't do much actual moisturizing. I feel like the addition of cocoa butter really gives this product a 1-2 punch: hydration and protection! Also, if you're into short ingredients lists, Vaseline Lip Therapy only has three: petrolatum, cocoa butter, and flavor/aroma.

Results 
Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter has been a life saver (lip saver) for me this winter. Even on days when it's below freezing and super dry, my lips feel great. Once I started using this product in the morning and evening, I went from applying chapstick like every ten minutes to... maybe once or twice during the day. Total game changer.

The penguins approve!

Value
As far as price goes, there's everything from basic $1 drugstore chapsticks to $40 lip crèmes from France. A Vaseline Lip Therapy tin is currently $3.49 at Target, which places it safely in the "good deal" zone for me. Especially considering I only need to use it twice a day instead of the 20 times a day I was using my old lip balms!

Overall Rating
This is an HG for me, for sure.
5/5!

Where to buy:
Target, 0.6oz tin currently $3.49 ($5.82/oz)
You can also buy a little 0.25oz tub for $1.79 ($7.16/oz), if you'd like to try it out.
Vaseline Lip Therapy also comes in Aloe, Rosy, and Original versions, which I haven't tried, but they also receive high ratings.

Gifs are from giphy.com

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purity Review: The Oil Cleanser that Converted Me

I love it so much it sparkles...

When I first started reading about AB, I have to admit I was very skeptical of double cleansing. First of all, cleansing twice seemed superfluous. Second of all, I could not get over the idea of an oil cleanser. You're telling me to put oil on my face?? Did I not spend the entirety of my teenage years trying to get oil off my face?? Crazy talk. However, after enough time down the rabbit hole of AB blogs and forums, I decided to give it a go and ordered Banila Co Clean It Zero Purity oil cleansing balm.

You're telling me... to put oil... on my face?

The first time I used it, I was cringing and praying I wouldn't break out from adding more oil to my face. Let me tell you, that reaction was pure nonsense. By the time I finished my double cleanse with CosRx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, my face had never felt cleaner. Or softer. Or smoother. It was like I had just truly washed my face for the first time in my life! And that, my friends, is when I became a total believer in the AB skincare philosophy.

Me after double cleansing literally one time.

Packaging
The cleanser comes in a solid plastic container with a little plastic spatula and a plastic disk that fits over the opening, under the lid to store the spatula. Personally, I think the jar is adorable (but not too adorable, ya feel), and I like how it looks sitting on my bathroom counter. The spatula is solid and works well. The only thing I would change is I wish it snapped onto the inside of the lid or something instead of having to fiddle with the plastic disk.

Brand new from the box! The spatula and spatula-holding disk come in plastic on top of the jar.

Left: My new jar, still sealed. Right: My in-use jar with the plastic spatula and holder lid.

Application
To use the cleansing balm, I scoop out a small amount (~hazelnut sized) out of the jar with the spatula and transfer it to the back of my hand. Then, I use my fingers to spread some dabs around my face and gently massage it around. Next, I usually hop in the shower to emulsify it with warm water, rinse, and follow up with my low pH cleanser (currently CosRx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser). Obviously, you can also do this at the sink, but I tend to splash water all over the front of  my shirt, so... shower it is!

Texture
It's very smooth; the balm looks waxy but has a texture closer to room temperature butter when you scoop into it. It's similar in appearance and texture to solid coconut oil. I really like that it's a balm instead of a liquid oil - much easier to travel with! Once it comes in contact with your skin, it melts into a liquid quickly. It also emulsifies easily with a splash of water.

From left to right: straight out of the jar on my hand (that's about how much I use at once), spread around my hand, emulsified with water, and rinsed off all the way. It looks a little melted in the first picture; it actually comes out neater, but I was trying to get it just right for the photo and ended up smearing it.. :/

Results
My face feels so, so, so much cleaner now that I'm using this cleanser. I think my skin feels softer too. Before really reading up on skincare, sunscreen removal was a huge issue for me. I always felt like I still had gunk or residue on my face, even after scrubbing away with my old face wash (ugh). No more! This cleansing balm does an amazing job taking off even my thickest physical sunscreens, and my face just feels so much happier and cleaner.

Value
This is not the cheapest oil cleanser on the market, but at around $20, I think it's a reasonably good value. Using it once a day, a jar lasts me around 4.5 months. If you'd like to try the original Banila Co Clean It Zero, it is usually available for a few dollars cheaper. Personally, since I was a total skincare newbie when I ordered this, I decided to play it safe with the Purity version, which is supposed to be better for sensitive skin. YMMV.

Overall Rating
In case you haven't guessed, I highly recommend this product. It is for sure an HG cleanser for me, and I've already ordered a new jar so I'm ready when this one runs out.

5/5!

Note: So, I recently find out that most cleansing balms, including this one, contain polyethylene. Polyethylene is used to make microbeads and a lot of common plastic goods, and unfortunately, it has some pretty nasty environmental effects. I'm not saying don't buy cleansing balms because I think minimizing your environmental impact is personal, and there are lots of different ways to cut back besides your choice of cleansers haha. That said, I'm planning to look for alternative oil cleansers that I love just as much after I use up my supply. Can't be too sad about an excuse to try new products! ;P

Where to buy:
iHerb, currently $19.78
Code for 10% off your first order: HKP964 **
Referral link **

Memebox, currently $24
Link for 20% off your first Memebox order **

** Indicates referral link or code