Product Review: Blistex Lip Medex (Lip Balm)

Are you suffering from dry and chapped lips during this winter season? I know the feeling. It is terribly uncomfortable. Nothing seems to work. 

What is it? 

Blistex Lip Medex is a medicated lip balm. Unlike the usual lip balm, it contains medicinal ingredients: Amphor 1%, Menthol 1% Phenol 0.54%, Benzyl Alcohol 0.4%. This medicated formula is expected to deliver a noticeable and immediate cooling action to provide fast relief from the hot, itching sensations that accompany sore lips. It also provides a special barrier that helps lip cells return to their natural moisture. 

How much is it?

I bought mine as a set of 6 Blistex sticks from Costco for C$8. Blistex sticks are usually between C$3-C$5.

Where to get it? 

All leading grocery and drug stores. 

How to use? 

Just apply on the lips liberally.

My experience

My first initial experience when I first tried it was "Gee! The smell ... ". It does not smell or taste good. After all it is medicated. As promised, it is cooling. Was it effective? My lips were just dry so I don't think it was better than the usual lip balm. However, my husband just return from a business trip recently. The weather and flight was very dry and his lips was really in a bad shape after 3 days. He used Blistex Lip Medex for 3 days. It looks much better but his sore and cracked lips still feel uncomfortable. 

My verdict

If you are using lip balm regularly as form of protection, Lip Medex is definitely not the one to use since it does not smell or taste good. If you are trying to rescue seriously sore or dry lips, Lip Medex will not provide an instant solution either. It is probably more effective than regular lip balms. My conclusion is always put on lip balm as a protection, even if it is once or twice a day. Prevention is definitely better than cure in this case! 

Product Review: Biotherm Aquasource Nuit - Super hydrating

What is it? 

Aquasource Nuit is Biotherm's high density hydrating jelly meant to be used at night (a.k.a moisturiser). According to the description on the box, our skin loses the most water during the night. The main active ingredient used in Aquasource Nuit is P Antarctica. It is an micro-organism with the ability to retain its water in icy conditions in the Antarctica. The extract of P Antarctica concentrated in Aquasource Nuit help the skin's regeneration while maintaining optimal hydration. 

How much is it? 

It retails for C$48 for  50 ml bottle.  I got mine for around C$50 as part of the Aquatrio promotion at Sears.

Where to get it? 

All leading drugstores and department stores carry Aquasource Nuit. Look out for the Aquatrio promotion for great deals. Aquatrio contains the cleanser, toner and moisturiser for just C$50!

How to use 

Apply small amount to entire face and neck. Use at night.


My experience

I have been using Aquasource for a while. I thought I would give Aquasource Nuit a try since the store ran out of Aquatrio with aquasource. I was a little hesitant at first as I was worried that the richer formula would result in an outbreak. Aquasource Nuit is actually pretty light in texture and smell. It is quickly absorbed by my skin and leaving it soft and supple within seconds of application. I have used it for 2 days and my face feels nice and soft the next morning. So far, I have not had a breakout so that is a good sign.


My verdict

I like the bottle and how it dispenses the hydrating jelly. It is so much more hygienic than Aquasouce where I have to dip a finger into the bottle. I also like the texture, fragrance and how quickly the product is absorbed. Most importantly, I like the effect the next morning. My face feels more hydrated than using Aquasource.

I definitely recommend using Aquasource Nuit at night. I will continue using Aquasource Nuit every night until I finish this bottle.

DIY Beauty - A Healthy and Natural Hair Mask Using Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)!

I have heard that coconut oil is great for the hair since young. It has been used by Indians for many years and they have one of the healthiest looking hair. I have always hesitated because I thought the coconut smell on the hair will put me off.

Recently, I bought a jar of virgin coconut oil from Wholefoods since it seems like that coconut oil is not such an unhealthy oil after all. In fact, it is almost as healthy as Extra virgin olive oil. While extra virgin olive oil has a low smoke point, coconut oil has a high smoke point so you can do all that frying and deep frying with coconut oil which you can't do with extra virgin olive oil.

I tested out my Virgin Coconut oil hair mask last night.

My experience

I used 1/4 teaspoon of Virgin coconut oil. Do note that virgin coconut oil is a soft solid at room temperature but becomes a liquid at temperature higher than 25 ºC (78 ºF)  To melt it, I just place that coconut oil on my palm and give it a quick rub and  it turns into liquid right away. Next I applied the oil first on the ends and slowly up my slightly longer than shoulder length hair. I did a little scalp massage at the end (when my hands are not so oily). After that, I just use a hair clip and clip it up in a bun for 1.5 hours while I surfed in the internet. I read on other sites than 20 mins is probably enough.

My Virgin Coconut oil hair mask experience turned out to be more pleasant than the one with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The coconut oil dried quickly so within minutes the oil feeling on my hair was gone (though it still looked oily). The coconut smell which I was hesitant about for many years, turned out to be a non-issue even for the 1.5 hours. I think the amount is probably too little to make my hair smell like coconut so that turned out great.

It took 2 rounds of shampoo to get rid of the oily feeling in my hair so a little coconut oil is enough otherwise you will need many rounds of shampoo to get rid of the oily feeling.

The part that I really like is the shine and the silky feeling when I blow dry my hair. My hair also feels really soft. My hair still feels silky, soft and has lots of shine after 24 hours.


My verdict

I absolutely love the Virgin Coconut oil hair mask! It is AMAZING! It is definitely much better than the Extra Virgin Olive Oil hair mask. The effect is so good that I am going to use this once a week.

I am definitely ditching all commercial hair mask for the all natural virgin coconut oil. It is healthy (with no preservatives and other chemicals) and it is cheap! A 414 ml (14 Fl Oz) bottle of Dr Bronner's Whole Kernel Virgin Coconut Oil was C$10.99! It has a shelve life of 2 years without refrigeration and you only need 1/4 teaspoon a week. Imagine a weekly hair mask for 2 years for a price of only C$10.99! Give it a try and I am sure you will be spreading the word around like me. :)