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The Jojoba Lip Balm is in a metal tin with a screw top lid. The vegan lip balm’s star ingredients are their signature Wadi-Wadi jojoba and Kakadu plum for its vitamin C. The balm had a dense consistency in the tin but it melted into my lips upon application. The balm felt emollient, it did not feel too waxy and it felt smooth on my lips. The balm never became gritty even though I used it through very cold weather. I was unable to detect a taste or scent when wearing the balm. I could smell a subtle scent of the natural ingredients if I sniffed the tin’s contents.

I have pale skin, slightly cool-toned lips and dark ash brown hair. I can look good with some warm-toned lip products, but cool-toned berries, plums, violets etc look much better on me. I have been looking for a lip pencil that works with pale cool-toned lipsticks, but I have not found many in budget and more expensive brands. Many lip products that appear to be cool-toned on my computer screen look warm-toned on me. I recently bought the Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner in Gone Greige. The Temptalia website describes this shade as a “moderately cool-toned, medium-dark taupe”. Gone Greige is a great colour match even though my natural lips seem to have a hint of lavender in them. The Shaping Lip Liner glided easily onto my lips and it had good colour payoff. The product worked well when I first started using it but it started breaking when I had used about half of it. Longevity for Gone Greige was okay when I wore it all over my lips and I did not eat or drink, but it disappeared through a light snack or drink. Longevity was poor if I applied a lip gloss over it. I usually give one or two stars for a pencil that breaks a lot, but I am giving Gone Greig a higher rating because it is a good colour match for me.

I was able to create good definition, separation and a lifted look with a few coats of the Lash Idôle Volumising Mascara. However, because my lashes are almost invisible without mascara and they point downwards, I applied more coats to give more impact. I did not have a big issue with lots of clumps. The mascara often transferred to my upper lid during the application process. Transference is something that I have experienced with other mascaras due to my hooded eyes. Although I liked the results with this mascara, I have achieved a similar look with more budget-friendly mascaras.

My lashes are almost invisible without mascara and they point downwards, so I usually prefer mascaras that give lots of volume. I considered buying the Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in the original formula, but I bought the cosmic black variation because I had hoped that it would have more impact. The product’s flexible brush easily grabbed my lashes to coat them with pigment. The mascara was good for definition and separation, but I did not see extra length and I struggled to build much volume. I assume this is due to the mascara’s thin consistency.

The Jojoba & Enzyme Radiance Mask is in a plastic squeeze tube. The mask had the consistency of a runny gel and it had a fresh scent. I experienced a noticeable tingling after I applied the gel to my face, which took a few minutes to dissipate. I never experienced any discomfort or irritation when the mask was on my face or after I had removed it. I found it easier to remove the mask with a damp microfibre makeup remover. As far as results, I had been using another brand’s exfoliating product before using the Jojoba & Enzyme Radiance Mask so I was unable to tell how effective it was for my dry and mature skin. I assumed that the mask had at least a subtle effect due to its tingling feel upon application. It is possible that someone that had not been regularly using exfoliating products would experience noticeable results from the mask.

Whenever anyone asks me about what to use for irritated skin, I always suggest products with calendula for its soothing and healing properties. The Weleda Calendula All Purpose Balm is in a lightweight recyclable aluminium jar with a screw cap lid. The balm had a dense consistency but it quickly melted into the skin upon application. The balm had an emollient formula without feeling too heavy. I was unable to detect any additional fragrance. I mostly used the product as a lip balm and it was great for this purpose. The balm had a very subtle grittiness upon application but this quickly dissipated. The product is made in Germany.

The Antipodes Joyful Hand & Body Cream is in a metal tube which makes it easy to dispense the product. The cream had a nourishing formula without it feeling too heavy. I used the cream all over my body including my hands. I found the cream was suitable for daytime application and also before bedtime. The cream absorbed easily on parts of my skin that were not very dry, but I had to rub the cream in more thoroughly on parts of my body that were extremely dry. I enjoyed the product’s lovely scent that lingered on my skin for a while. The predominant scent was berry, but I also could smell a citrus note.

I purchased the Stack Mascara in the non-waterproof version. When I first started using the mascara, I was able to get good definition and a subtle fluttery result by applying several layers of it with its buildable formula. The mascara started to stick my lashes together after I had the tube open for a few weeks. The stickiness created some clumps, but they were not huge. The mascara became more volumising when I had reached the suggested expiry date for mascaras (3-4 months). However, the mascara transferred a lot. I have hooded eyes so some transference is not unusual for me, but this mascara was sometimes quite messy.

The Clarins Lip Comfort Oil is in a transparent bottle with a thick sponge-tipped applicator. I bought the Lip Comfort Oil in the shade Plum which had just enough pigment to give a lovely shine to my natural lips. I applied two coats of the oil so that the colour payoff was stronger. The oil had a lightly protective feel on my lips and it was never sticky. What surprised me is that the Lip Comfort Oil was not as nourishing as I had expected. If I applied the oil frequently throughout the day, my lips started to feel slightly drier. I enjoyed the product’s pleasant berry scent and it was not sickly sweet. The product is made in France and its expiry date after opening is six months.

The Maybelline Lifter Gloss is in a transparent case with a thick applicator. I bought the product in the shade called Bubble Gum which looked like a sheer hot pink with a warm undertone on my bare lips. The gloss had just enough pigment to give my natural lips a great shine. The gloss had a slightly thick formula, it felt very smooth on my lips and it was never sticky. I have seen many reviews which say that the Lifter Glosses have a vanilla-like scent, but my product had a strong synthetic coconut scent. Also, the gloss had a horrible aftertaste so I had to be careful to not press my lips together very often. I have not seen lots of negative comments about the product’s taste, so it is possible that my product was from a bad batch. It is also possible that some shades have a stronger taste than others.