A balmy winter...

Of course you know that I'm not talking about the weather because we've just ended the coldest July in 20 years down here in Melbourne! Speaking of the weather - and here's my segue - I do gravitate more to using my lip balms in winter so I felt like doing a bit of a rundown of the lip balms I currently have on rotation.  It's been at least a couple of years since I last did this type of post and I'm confident there are no repeats from the original so it's time...

The pots

All of these little pots live on my bedside table so I like to alternate between them as my nightly lip balms.

• SODA & Co Lip Balm (Orange Splash)*- This natural lip balm is the lightest formula of the three.  The Cocoa Butter rich balm melts under the touch of my fingertips so I end up with subtly slippery soft lips that smell deliciously of orange and cocoa. I get that pleasant whiff of something reminiscent of orange-infused chocolate every time I open the tin so I must admit to opening the tin just to have a little sniff! It's all about the delicious factor with this to be honest! This lip balm doesn't pretend to be a heavy duty formula so it doesn't last through the night although I'll still use it at bedtime if my lips aren't overly dry. You can read my original review here for more detail about ingredients etc.

• Philosophy Kiss Me Tonight Intense Lip Therapy - I bought this as a specific overnight lip treatment after looking for a medium priced luxury balm.  This stuff feels heavy-duty as soon as I put it on - it's very thick and suitably sticky enough for me to know that it's going to hang around on my lips for more than a few minutes and is enriched with ingredients such as shea butter and olive oil. My lips initially feel a little tacky but it settles after a while (or maybe I just become accustomed to it!) and I wake up the next morning with flake-free lips.

• NIVEA Lip Butter (Vanilla & Macadamia)* - I'd just finished a tin a few months ago when I received another as a PR sample which is fortunate because I'd have repurchased this anyway. I find NIVEA's Vanilla & Macadamia lip butter to be one of the most addictive and inexpensive lip balms in my collection so I'll freely admit to going overboard in the reapplication of this before bedtime!  The texture is thick and yes, buttery, so it's not the slightest bit sticky on the lips. It feels extremely comfortable and moisturizing and I'm a fan of the delicious, almost ice-cream, vanilla scent.

The tubes

• Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil - This tube was a swap gift from the very generous Liz some time ago and it also warrants a precious spot on my bedside table because it's so smooth and moisturizing. This is very sheerly tinted - actually pretty much undetectable on my lips - so I've added it to my overnight lip treatment rotation. It makes for a nice little change from dipping my fingers into pots, especially when I've just applied my nightly hand cream!

• Yes To Carrots Conditioning Lip Butter with SPF 15 (Pomegranate) - I don't have too much to say about the formula of this balm because I've not worn it in a little while.  I bought it specifically for the added SPF so I'll wear it when I'm exercising outdoors in the warmer months to protect my lips from sun damage. It's fit for the purpose and is handy to stash in my pocket for reapplication.

Tinted balms

• Yard The Bloss (Balmoral Bliss) - This is a locally produced organic balm/gloss hybrid and that's how it's earned the unique name 'Bloss'.  It's glossy and contains the moisturizing ingredients of a good balm including cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, shea butter, jojoba and olive oil.  Note to self:  Balmoral Bliss is a sheer candy pink that I don't wear often enough because it's a pretty and more subtle alternative to pink lip gloss.  

• Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 - This is another swap gift, this time from Larie! I've been toting this tinted balm around in my office makeup bag and have been using it as an after lunch lip treatment when my lips have been dehydrated from excruciatingly dry formula matte lipsticks - I love a good old fashioned powdery matte lipstick for that retro look but it never loves me back!  In any case, this balm does feel seriously moisturizing on the lips, like a cushiony protective layer rejuvenating and protecting them from the elements and the colour is very sheer but buildable enough for me to look a little more rosy lipped when I most need it.

• Hurraw! Black Cherry Tinted Lip Balm - This is the newest tinted balm in my rotation and while I hesitated because of the cherry scent - sorry but I'm not a fan of anything cherry flavoured other than fresh cherries themselves - I found that it's not too overwhelming and quite bearable.  This balm feels very light and pretty much weightlessly moisturizing on the lips and the tint is again buildable enough to give me a natural flush as needed.  I also feel quite virtuous using this balm because it's "...100% natural, vegan, made from premium raw, organic and fair trade ingredients". 

Swatched top to bottom in the same order as above

So that is my lip balm collection as it stands for winter 2015! 

What are your favourites? Do you reach for them more in winter or all year round?

(Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)