The Medicated Tangerine flavoured EOS balm has turned out to be a surprise hit with the MB family. Usually I keep my cosmetics to myself (we've already seen what can happen when my children use my makeup unsupervised) but this balm is extremely child friendly. My two boys have been suffering with chapped lips in the cold weather and it can be tricky to get them to apply anything to help. My eldest was instantly fascinated with the egg shape and even more thrilled with the shaping of the balm inside. It's really easy to roll this across the mouth which means he's happy to do this for himself. It doesn't tingle and the tangerine flavour makes it pleasantly fruity without being over-powering.
Of course, it's enjoyable to use as a grown up too! The spherical shape and bright colour are pleasing on the eye. The balm texture is just how I like it too. It feels nourishing but it isn't 'heavy', it also lasts a reasonable time.
The EOS balms (EOS stands for evolution of smooth as I discovered) contain Vitamin E and Shea Butter. On their website it explains that their products are free from gluten, parabens, phthalates and petrolatum, they also say that they are 95% organic and 95 to 100% natural depending on the specific balm.
This is one of those moments that I can't resist standing on my Soap Box. I think that 'natural' has become synonymous with with the phrase 'free from nasties' but not everything that is natural is good for you. As you can see from the sticker this balm contains phenol as an active ingredient. Phenol is a natural ingredient (it can also be chemically derived) but it isn't something I would necessarily describe as a being good for you. I know from working in a lab that phenol is considered to be toxic. However, it isn't a problem in the very small concentrations used here (0.5% of the product). It is even used in small quantities in some Scottish whisky. From my research of it's properties, I imagine it is included in this balm for it's antiseptic properties. Of course, I wouldn't allow my children to use it if I was at all concerned but the use of the word natural does remain a pet peeve for me.
INGREDIENTS
active ingredient Phenol 0.5%. inactive ingredients
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille), Hydrogenated
Coconut Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Flavor,
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract,
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil,
Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai)
Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopherol,
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Zinc Oxide, Ascorbyl Palmitate,
Citric Acid, Honey, Benzyl Benzoate1, Citral1, Geraniol1, Limonene1, Linalool1. 1Component Of Flavor.
Despite the sermon above, I do like this balm very much. The EOS balms are reasonably priced at £5 each and are available from www.cutecosmetics.co.uk.
Disclosure: Product was received without cost for review purposes.
I've just received one of these in a swap with a blogger from the US- I've been really pleased with it and so has the toddler! In fact just minutes ago I was trying to take some photographs of said item and almost all have 5 chubby little fingers protruding into the shot! xx
ReplyDeleteI do think your science back-ground gives you a unique perspective on beauty products and I really like when you go all "science geek" on us! This looks lovely - I always think anything with shea butter in is going to be fantastic at its job. x
ReplyDeleteMmmm I love mine (mine is Summer Fruits though I think... well, it's red!) and the kids love it too - I think its something to do with the shape! Normally Louis is quite funny about putting 'girls' things on his lips but he can't get enough of the EOS!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favourite balms in the world. And phenol in such small quantities is not bad. It's used in this balm (as also in other cosmetics and even the food industry) to kill any microbes that could be lurking around. It also exists naturally in fruit (or phenolic products, not phenol per se), so it's not dangerous, and could be considered natural.
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Love the fruity scent Eos lip balms have!use it so much this winter and doing a fabulous job on chipped lips!Kisses hunni!!
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I have one of these and it was my favorite for a while because I started sticking solely to carmex. I did buy this for my boyfriend though...he left it in the car and it melted. xD I had to get him a new one.
ReplyDelete@Georgia: Ha ha! I've had the fingers in the shot problem before. You should include it in your review!
ReplyDelete@Debbie: I'm glad you think that as I think I can sound like a science grump! 'Natural' is such a beg bear though ;)
@Alice: Yes, I think that must be the Summer fruits one. I was quite taken with that one when I was looking yesterday. It seems they really are popular with the small people!
@Ria: Thanks for your comment. I think we agreed on the fact that the phenol is ok in these quantities and why it is included (it's also used as it's cheap). My point though is that natural doesn't really mean that something is good for you and I take issue with the distinction between synthesised chemicals and natural compounds. Natural = good but chemical = bad is very simplistic and it seems to have become a common marketing strategy. I promise to stop ranting now!! x
@Blushingloves: It's got a great texture hasn't it. It's worked so well at sorting out my boys sore lips.
@Eden-Avalon: Oh my goodness, that must have been so hot…….and messy!
Thanks for your comment. It's great to hear from so many fans of the EOS balms,
Jane x
I couldn't agree more! And I am really annoyed when people think natural is always good and chemical is bad. As in, some products are produced by natural ingredients (eg. aspartame from amino acids) but are horrible for the health, because they don't exist naturally in the body, or if they do they're there connected to something else, that tones up or down their pros and cons. And some chemicals are better than the natural thing they're used instead of, since they're made with what the negatives of the naturals are in mind, and they're trying to keep these out. No more rant for me either :p x
DeleteI love EOS balms. I discovered them on a trip back to visit family in the States and then had to buy more as my two little girls fell in love with them and wouldn't give them back! The shape is ideal- why has no one done this before??
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