Naturalla Beauty

Opaque lip colors are great, but day to day, I'm much more of a tinted balm or gloss girl.  I've been fully embracing sheer color this spring with a few new-to-me lip products...


Marin Bee Lip Repair*
The Marin Bee Lip Repair has the least color of today's bunch.  The box describes it as "high gloss hydration," and I think that's very fitting.  Made with castor seed oil, olive oil, honey, and shea and cocoa butters, the Lip Repair is a nourishing lip treatment with a subtle tint and glossy finish.  It feels great and does a fantastic job keeping my lips soft and moisturized.  I like using it as an overnight treatment too!

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm (Sweet Violet)
I'm super late to the game on these tinted balms, but I picked one up last month in support of Burt's Bees finally pulling out of China (and therefore regaining their cruelty-free status).  It's a basic lip balm -- protective and moisturizing, but nothing to write home about on that front -- but what I really like are the creamy, glossy colors.  There's no shimmer in these, just soft, buildable tints.  Sweet Violet is a beautiful plummy-pink that can be worn sheer or layered up for a surprising amount of color payoff.  



Inika Certified Organic Lip Tint (Candy)*
Inika's Lip Tint has quickly become one of my everyday go-to's.  Candy is a shimmery light pink and looks to be the most subtle color in the range.  It's shimmery, but not to the point of looking frosty, and basically just gives the lips a pretty, polished-looking sheen.  The tint is creamy and buttery and despite the shimmer in this particular shade, it doesn't feel at all gritty on the lips.   To create the Lip Tints, Inika took their popular lip balm formula and just added mineral pigments for color, so this is another one that can absolutely stand in for your favorite regular lip balm.   They've also got an energizing peppermint scent that I really like.  Easy to wear and ultra-nourishing, they're definitely a new favorite!

Mineral Fusion Lipstick Butter (Honeysuckle)
Mineral Fusion's Sheer Moisture Lip Tints are one of my all-time favorite lip products, but the packaging -- specifically the lids, which have an annoying tendency to pop off -- means they mostly sit on my desk at home, so I was hoping the Lipstick Butters would be a similar, more purse friendly option.  Honeysuckle, a peachy-pink tint with some shimmer, is a pretty color, but alas, I can't get past how it smells.  To my nose, it has a fake honey, slightly sickly scent, and unfortunately it's one that lingers and is noticeable for at least a couple hours.  The lipstick butter itself seems great -- more pigmented than the Sheer Moisture Lip Tints but less so than Mineral Fusion's regular lipstick line -- but I almost always find myself wiping it off after just a few minutes because of the scent.

(L to R) Marin Bee Lip Repair, Inika Candy Lip Tint, Burt's Bees Sweet Violet Tinted Lip Balm, Jane Iredale Forever Pink Lip & Cheek Stain, Mineral Fusion Honeysuckle Lipstick Butter)

Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip & Cheek Stain (Forever Pink)
The Just Kissed Lip & Cheek Stain is one of those products that starts out a translucent pink in the tube (and on a first swipe), but transforms into a more noticeable color with the warmth of your skin.  Jane Iredale claims that the shade adjusts to your own chemistry and skin tone, which is always a little gimmicky, but it's true that the final color of the Lip & Cheek Stain varies a good bit on different people.  I've seen it look like a soft, neutral pink on some, but on my lips it's a noticeable pop of bright pink.  The arm swatch is much more indicative of how the color shows up on my cheeks -- it's much more vibrant on my lips.  As a cheek color, it gives a soft dewy flush, but it's pretty subtle, so while I think it's a fairly universal product for the lips, I'm not sure how well it would work as a cheek stain on darker skin tones.

If you watch out for synthetic dyes, be aware that the Lip & Cheek Stain does contain lake dyes, however, like all Jane Iredale products, they're naturally-derived and bonded to a calcium substrate instead of the traditional petroleum-derived variety.  

(L to R) Marin Bee Lip Repair, Inika Candy Lip Tint, Burt's Bees Sweet Violet Tinted Lip Balm, Jane Iredale Forever Pink Lip & Cheek Stain, Mineral Fusion Honeysuckle Lipstick Butter)

The Bottom Line
If you're in the market for sheer lip products, I hope one (or more) of these will spark your interest!  With the exception of the Mineral Fusion, which I suggest smelling in person before you commit, they're all pretty universal and suited to just about anyone.  For bolder -- though still sheer/buildable -- color, I'd suggest the Burt's Bees and Jane Iredale, and for ultra-dry or chapped lips, the Inika and Marin Bee would be your best bet.  

What are your favorite tinted balms and sheer lip colors?

The Holistic Beauty Expo took place this past Friday in Toronto.  It was a day focused on holistic skincare, self-care, and self-love, and brought together Canadian natural and holistic brands, each with their own story and a focus on overall well-being.  The event included brand booths, speakers, and a unique Walking Facial that allowed attendees to experience some of the skincare lines right then and there.

I can't cover everything, but I want to share some photos from the event (excuse the quality -- I was relying my phone!), along with some of my favorite discoveries and highlights.

It's always a pleasure to see what's new with Province Apothecary.  I'm eager to try out Julie's new Natural Face Lift Ritual, a two step technique that combines acupressure point stimulation and facial massage.

Cocoon Apothecary's rebranding looked beautiful. (I'm kicking myself now for not getting an overall photo of their table!)  I was especially eager to swatch their new Reflector SPF 30 Face Sunscreen.  We all know sunscreens are tricky, but Reflector seemed to sink in really nicely with no crazy white cast.  The sunscreen offers broad spectrum mineral protection from zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and is also biodegradable and reef safe.  This one definitely jumped to the top of my summer wishlist!

Also new to my wishlist is the Kiss My Curls Nourishing Hair Oil Spray from Clean Kiss Organics.  Clean Kiss's founder, Jodie, is a fellow curly girl, and Kiss My Curls is a lightweight blend of rosewater and marula, argan, and jojoba oils.  Everything from Clean Kiss smelled amazing and Kiss My Curls was no exception!

I'd never heard of Boosh before, but their lipsticks were incredible!  Beautiful mineral-based colors, organic ingredients, and a moisturizing formula.  I also tried out the Lip Plumping Balm, a lip treatment that's equal parts elegant and effective.

Ground Soap is an Ontario company that makes some of the very best palm oil-free soaps I've used.  After many years as a fan, it was great to chat with Angela, the company's founder, and finally put a face to the brand!

Okoko Cosmetiques was one of the lines I was most excited to check out upon first seeing the exhibitors list!  With an aesthetic reminiscent of May Lindstrom, everything looked super luxe and gorgeous.  I've heard fantastic things about Okoko's products and I love the company's focus on overall skin radiance and luminosity.  I'm especially intrigued by the bright-colored, multi-purpose Sublime Balm, which can function as a cleanser, mask, and moisturizer.

Another brand I'd heard of but not seen in person before was Bella Aura Skincare.  Yasmine, Bella Aura's founder, keeps it real and was lovely to talk to.  Bella Aura is donating 50% of the sales of their Essential Energy Boosting Kit this month to Lilly from Genuine Glow's GoFundMe, which is raising funds for her husband's cancer treatment.

Uniquely-Pure, an aromatherapy-centered line, was another new discovery for me.  The Dreamy Hair Treatment and Bath/Body Oils sounded especially fantastic!

I also enjoyed talking with Christine from BodyCherish.  Her product line, which incorporates crystal essences, smells incredible, so it was amazing to hear that she herself actually has no sense of smell!  Cherish is an energy healer and Reiki practitioner and all her formulating is done from the vibrational feel of the ingredients.  


All in all, the Holistic Beauty Expo was a great event and I'm happy I was able to attend.  Andrea Ashley, HBE's founder, is aiming for a bi-annual expo that will take place every year in Toronto and Vancouver and I'm excited to see where she takes it next!