Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Evolution of Smooth (EOS)- Smooth Sphere Lip Balms


What’s the one thing that could make deliciously moisturizing, amazing smelling lip balm even better? Try unique and absolutely adorable (and ergonomic!) packaging.
 Enter the Smooth Sphere Lip Balm from Evolution of Smooth (EOS.) A 95% organic little bundle of richly scented shea butter and jojoba oil available at most drugstores, pricing ranging from $2.99 to $3.29. They are gluten, paraben, petrolatum, and phthalate free and should be gentle enough for most sensitive skins. I would, however, advice people with nut allergies to proceed with caution, as the shea could cause complications.
I first encountered this product in a Walgreens and was intrigued by the unique packaging and bright colors. I bought the Summer Fruit and Honeysuckle Honeydew on impulse and got totally hooked on the brand. The lip balm spheres are moisturizing and lightweight, never gooey or sticky. They do get a little heavier when it’s time to re-apply, but they last for a good handful of hours and they all smell so nice reapplication is not a hassle. The only major differences in texture are the medicated and sun protection balms. Also, if you carry a gigantic tote bag like me, the size and shape make them easy to find in the cavernous depths of a big purse.

Here are my thoughts on the individual flavors:

Summer Fruit- The first one I ever tried! It goes on smoothly, covering your lips with a soft, moistening sheen and keeps them nice and hydrated. It smells sweet and fruity, with strong hints of pitted fruits, such as peaches and apricots. All in all, a win!

Ingredients: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract*, Linalool. * Organic.


Honeysuckle Honeydew- Honeydew feels exactly like Summer Fruits, the only obvious difference being the smell. I didn’t pick up too much on the honeysuckle, but the ripe honeydew is certainly there, with a slight reminder of Juicy Fruits Watermelon Bubblegum.

Ingredients: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Cucumis Melo (Honeydew Melon) Seed Extract*, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract*, Limonene, Linalool. * Organic



Sweet Mint- Very minty, indeed! The smell before applied is pure peppermint, but once on it comes off as more vanilla mint and leaves lips with a pleasant tingly sensation. Texture-wise, it’s the same as the two above.

Ingredients: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Limonene, Linalool. * Organic. 


Passion Fruit- Unfortunately, our little Passion Fruit Sphere has been discontinued. Originally, it was sold in a combo pack, along with Strawberry Sorbet. It’s been gone ever since the duo disappeared in stores (and Strawberry went solo!) but EOS has been known to sometimes bring back stuff during holidays, so maybe we can see our little purple friend again in the future. To be perfectly honest, though, this is my least favorite of the whole line. While the texture is pretty consistent with the other balms, the smell just didn’t wow me. It’s kind of like a watered-down mixture of Honeydew and waxy aftertaste, with a hint of Summer Fruit. Not as sweet, or as pleasant as the rest of them, nor any hint of actual passion fruit. The only thing that made me particularly happy about it was the lovely shade of lavender it came in.


Ingredients: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract*, Linalool1. 1Component of Natural Flavor. *Organic. 

Strawberry Sorbet- My absolute favorite, hands down!!! And not just because it’s pink. The texture is consistent with the regular lip balms, though a bit thicker, but the smell is succulent strawberry heaven, with a tiny hint of something else, almost citrus-y.

Ingredients: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract*, Limonene, Linalool. * Organic.


Lemon Drop with SPF 15- My first specialty EOS! Very sweet lemon smell, reminiscent of citrus flavored cookies or lemon meringue pie. It offers a nice bit of sun protection for your lips and tastes great. The only other differences are the texture, which I would describe as a little oilier than the others and I feel as if I need to reapply it a little more frequently. However, neither of these is so prominent that it changes the product for me.
Ingredients: active ingredients Octinoxate 7.5%, Oxybenzone 3.0%. inactive ingredients Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D’abeille), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Natural Flavor, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil*, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool. * Organic. 

Medicated Tangerine- This elusive little balm seems to be the hardest one to find in stores (at least in my city) to where I ended up ordering it online. Living in the sunny South, winters are usually pretty gentle on my skin, so I didn’t really have the need it, but after a friend from Boston raved about it, I had to try it. The initial smell is very medicinal, similar to other medicated lip products, like Carmex. However, once on, you can taste the sweet tangerine and the medicinal part fades. It feels a little bit thicker than the rest, but not annoyingly so and during a trip to Savannah last December (which is freezing by my standards) my lips were kept soft and protected from any chapping.


Ingredients: active ingredients 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 Benzoate, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool. * Organic.  


 So there we have them! Great lip balms in a very cute way.

Final Verdict: Love it!

P.S.- There was also another sphere (Pomegranate Raspberry) that came in one of the holiday packs, alongside Sweet Mint and Honeysuckle Honeydew. Sadly, I was not able to get my hands on one of these, but the good news is that EOS fanatics can enjoy the same fragrance in some of the company’s other products, many of which I look forward to reviewing soon!



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