This review is brought to you by Influenster and Qür (pronounced 'cure') and I was sent the following products complimentary in exchange for my honest review. If you are interested in receiving free products to try and review, send me your email via my contact tab and I will send you an invite. I have recorded a video for this one, but in conjunction with the video I wanted to add a short write up about Qür's Clip Balm for both links as well as information I may have missed while recording.
In the box
Upon receiving my box from influenster I opened it and was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful, colorful, and clever packaging! At first, I thought that maybe it was packaged as a PR box, but I didn't let my curiosity last long and how I recieved it, is exactly how it is sent out to consumers. I searched both instagram as well as their website and found that the both cute and clever packaging was how they send out their units to customers. AND I LIVE FOR IT. Kudos to whomever designed this - it's brilliant. See the video for more on this.
The balms are packaged as a two pack - yes, a two pack. Via their website, you cannot buy them individually. If I had one complaint, that may be it; that you can't either mix/match or buy flavors separately from their married pack mate. But hey, give one to a friend?... However, they do retail for $15.00 per pack and are including a 1 oz. complimentary hand sanitizer as well as free shipping on all orders. The flavors/scents that are packaged together, for the clip balm, are as follows:
- Rise & Grind; Lemon Coconut and Uplift; Cherry Vanilla
- Clarity; Fresh Mint and Unplugged; Rose (flavors I received)
The box also contained some small tri-fold informational pamphlets. One was an ingredient list with an explanation of each ingredient. And if you read the last review I did, you know this is important to me and I really think that more companies should disclose what is in their products and explain what the ingredients are. Another was a trifold that had information about the clip balms, flavors, and functionality. The last one was information about Qür the company - their values, mission, and social media/web info.
Using Clip balm
I was sent Clarity/Mint and Unplugged/Rose . The first thing that i noticed upon opening, both, it is that it does not have a super strong fragrance. Both scents are very light and minimal. If you are bothered by strong scents, you should not be bothered by the scent of these. I was a little worried about the Rose scent as I wasn't so sure about a floral scented lip balm, but it's a nice, light scent.
The balms glide on smooth and last several hours, depending on whether or not you're eating and drinking. It's not overly sticky nor does it have a bad taste. Actually, I don't think it has a taste at all - which is totally ok by me. I really like the feel of these balms.
I love the fact that the case of the lip balm has a little clip; for whether I clip it onto my clothing or in my bag, I find it really useful. I just have to be mindful to unclip it from my clothes at the end of the day and it almost fell in the toilet a time or two.
Ingredients
First of all, their website says, "NO BAD STUFF" and I'm all about no bad stuff. But specifically NONE of this stuff; sulfates, phthalates, parabens, silicones, P.E.G.'s, and CRUELTY. I'm trying to pay more attention to products that are cruelty free. Save the animals, y'all. And, as mentioned prior, a little pamphlet came that explained all the ingredients and I feel comfortable with the ingredients used. Qür uses at least 80% natural ingredients and they also use an environmentally friendly supply chain.
For those that want to see the full ingredient list, you're welcome. It's below. It can also be found on the product website.
Ingredients: Beeswax, Caprylic/capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ceresin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-20 Olefin), Shea Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis(Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance, Neotame
Final Thoughts
I really like these lip balms. I do tend to lean toward stronger smelling balms but these feel so nice, I think I can likely let that go. I love the clip and tote lip balm almost everywhere I go, so these are über convenient. However, this set does not have SPF in them but Qür's other lip product does have spf, but it does not have a clip and is almost like a roller (it's patented). The other set of products have different scents/flavors.
I really like cherry flavored products, but I'm not crazy about coconut (the other is lemon/coconut), so I'm on the fence about whether or not I'd like to purchase a different set knowing I may or may not like the flavor. Knowing that the scents are not strong, it may not even be strong enough for me to notice a difference. I may try that set when I run out of these, which may be soon at the rate I've been using these - I love lip balm.
It is to be noted that the Qür products are priced much higher than what I normally purchase lip balm. Let's get down to the nitty gritty; $15.00 for two .14 oz lip balms is over 500% more than what I currently pay for lip balm with spf (from a big box/drug store maybe slightly more). I currently pay under $3.00 for 2 .15 oz that is 93% natural and I will buy 2-3 packs at a time because I keep them everywhere (by the bed, in my car, several in my purse, in the bathroom...). I can not purchase 2-3 packs of the Qür products at a time, they just cost too much. BUT I also understand that Qür is an indie/small company and I do not mind supporting indie companies as well as WOMAN OWNED BRANDS. I feel like the cost of the balm would be less if their packaging was not so lavish. I may be wrong. But I can tell you that I've never bought lip balm and received it in such boutique packaging before, nor have I paid $15 for it. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it also has to be shipped. Currently, shipping is free. I'm assuming that also plays a part in the $15 price tag as well as the components it's made in. But honestly, I'm NOT MAD at it. I am not against buying from them. But I would be pissed if I lose one, at basically $8/per lip balm (I suppose that's what the clip is for, right?). I will either try the cherry flavor of the clip balm or the 360, next. So, I plan to make a purchase. Don't knock it until you try it, I know I will get to know this brand much better. Regardless of the cost.
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