Badger Anti-Bug Shake and Spray (insect repellent) review

Dear Beauty Diary,
I've hardly hardly hardly ever come across a product I LOVE so much. Its the Badger Anti-Bug insect repellent! Its $22.90 ($18.04 USD) for 118.3ml, which is pretty pricey for an insect repellent. But this is no ordinary insect repellent. It is 100% natural and organic. It is even USDA certified organic. So all the base oils and essential oils in the product are all certified organic.

There are very few stores in Singapore that sell Badger products. In fact, after extensively hunting around, only Unity stores sell Badger goodies. And only very few, especially big, Unity stores sell Badger products. You can see me constantly stuck in these few Unity stores, foraging around the Badger shelf, sniffing and trying on every Badger product tester. So far, only the Unities at Amara Hotel and West Gate (or is it JEM?) stock Badger products. Le sigh.

In Badger's Anti-Bug range, the insect repellents come in a few different forms. There's the one in the tradition Badger tin, and there's also one in a stick form for you to slather on. I guess some people prefer it in these forms, since the spray form (the one I'm reviewing) requires shaking before each spray. The hard ones don't require shaking of any sort. There's also a sunscreen with the Anti-Bug essential oils in it. Dual function this stuff is, you get sun protection and no bites with one product. Great for saving money.

This comes in a spray bottle, so you need to shake it thoroughly before spraying. The scary thing about spraying is that you don't know when the product will get carried by the wind into your eyes. So I always close my eyes when spraying haha. Other than that, the spray is really good. The mist comes out fine and even with just one pump.

Here's the product description:

• Repels insects naturally with the pleasant aroma of Citronella, Rosemary, and Wintergreen essential oils.
• Laboratory tested to repel mosquitoes and stable flies.
• No synthetic chemicals, DEET or petroleum products.

Good For the Skin. Bad for the Bug.^®  Badger’s Anti-Bug Shake & Spray is a totally organic & natural bug spray repellent. Using pure essential oils to naturally keep bugs, mosquitoes and insects away from you and your family. Based on our effective and popular Anti-Bug Balm formula, this organic Shake &Spray bug repellent naturally repels insects with the pleasant aroma of Citronella, Rosemary, and Wintergreen essential oils. Badger Shake & Spray contains no DEET, petroleum products, or synthetic chemicals, and has been independently lab tested for efficacy - so it's safe and effective for the whole family! The sturdy, lightweight aluminum bottle is easily recyclable.

Look at the ingredients, they are all organic and very safe ^_^ Paradise for organic lovers like me!

Its 100% certified organic

As you can tell, the product contains natural ingredients that are all organic. The essential oils are in pretty high concentration, so I suggest trying out the product first to see if your skin can take it. Usually, everyone, even those with sensitive skin, will be able to use the product. :)

After spraying, the product leaves a cooling feeling behind on the skin. Its a mix of oils and water, so spreading it out is just like rubbing water into your skin. By the way, the soybean oil in the product will moisturise your skin very well, leaving you with soft, smooth and supple skin. Its a bonus product, you keep bugs away, while pampering your skin with hydration. ^_^

Swatch of the insect repellent

You really don't need much of this spray to keep yourself away from the bites. I usually give each arm two sprays, and each leg 3 sprays. After spreading the product out, it covers every inch of my skin. I feel so safe! Safe from itchy bug bites and knowing that I'm treating my skin to only the best and safest ingredients. xD

Oh yes, this product actually keeps bugs away! Surprise surprise. Natural essential oils can help to keep bugs away too, you know. Everyone somehow has this assumption that only chemicals from ordinary insect repellents can keep insects away. When my family went to Pulau Ubin recently for a walk in the thick of the forest, I insisted that they should use the Badger Anti-Bug spray. They didn't believe that it would work, so they used their own repellents which were choked full of harsh chemicals. In the end, they still got many nasty bites, while I was the only one without a single bite. Man I do not kid you. Funny how I was wearing shorts and a plain old shirt that day too. This incident just made me love Badger even more. ^_^

This product has a very strong lemongrass and citrus smell. Oh, I can smell lime in it too. Sometimes, I get a whiff of a fresh, minty peppermint smell. I guess the peppermint is included as a 'perfume', since not everyone likes pure citrus scents. The scent itself is very natural, its like something you can find from nature, unlike the perfumes and scents nowadays that are man-made. To me, the scent from the Anti-Bug Spray is absolutely lovely, and reminds me of my summer days spent frolicking around in ponds, nature trails, etc. :)

By the way, Badger says that their Anti-Bug spray can last you for up to 4 solid hours! So remember to spritz on again after those 4 hours. This insect repellent is safe, natural, organic, moisturises well, smells lovely and keeps the bugs away. What more can you ask for? This is a must-have. You need it. Just grab it, you won't regret it. This definitely gets a huge approval from me. :D

Tried it? Share your thoughts! :)

Mentholatum - Organic Lip Balm ( Lavender and Orange) review

Dear Beauty Diary,
I haven't been blogging for such a long time. O.o Do forgive me. >.< Anyway, today, I am back with a post on an organic lipbalm by Mentholatum. Its certified organic too, so no worries for all you organic lovers. By the way, Mentholatum is a very famous company, and its products from many of its sub-brands have delivered good results. Heard of the famous Hada Labo? Its by Mentholatum. Oxy? Mentholatum again. Acnes? Mentholatum. Sunplay? Mentholatum. LipIce? Mentholatum.

Now that you've got a good introduction, read ahead for my take on this lipbalm!

I got the Lavender and Orange flavoured one. There's also a Berry flavoured one available. Its sold in Guardian, Watsons, Unity, etc for around $8 (USD $6.30). That's pretty pricey for a drugstore lip balm. However, this is certified organic, so I guess the little bit of extra money is worth it.

As you can tell, this lipbalm comes in a stick form. Being in a stick form, its hygienic and easy to use. However, stick forms usually mean that you don't get a ton of product. :( There's only 3.5g worth of product you're getting.

Swatch of the lip balm. As you can tell, its clear. The balm applies smoothly and evenly.

This lip balm takes some time to sink into the lips. For example, whenever I apply it on at night, I wake up with a thin layer of waxy butter on my lips. It did sink in, but not all of it got absorbed by my lips. By the way, I get my 7 hours of beauty sleep daily. Just saying, in case you're wondering if it doesn't sink in cos I only sleep for an hour or so. Haha. xD

I have very very dry lips that crack every day. Its so bad that strips of dried skin from my lips peel off and hang down in long disgusting layers. Guys run a mile from me when they see the condition of my lips. I understand. Who likes kissing a dried up thing? Urrgh gross. Because of this, I am a lip balm hoarder. Unfortunately, nothing, and I mean nothing at all, does the job for me. :'( That includes this lip balm.

It has gentle and safe ingredients, so I assumed it would be the lip balm that would finally help with my lips. Nah. It didn't sink in, not even after I'd exfoliated my lips. No matter how much (4 layers) or little (1 layer) I apply, it still doesn't sink in much. A small percentage of it did get absorbed, but after that, it left my lips feeling and looking drier than ever. Maybe this balm would work for those with normal lip conditions? But it definitely doesn't work for those with very dry, chapped lips. In fact, it just makes it worse. Sighs.

To me, this lip balm smells like fresh orange peels, with a hint of lavender thrown in. Quite a relaxing and soothing smell. Its not captivating and sultry and all, but it does draw you in. Not bad for a scent.

Oh, I forgot to say that this lip balm does not melt in strong heat. I mean, it will melt in high temperatures, but if you keep it in your pocket with your body heat and all, it won't melt. Still stays well together, so no worries.

Overall, this lip balm doesn't do much for me. It might be a holy grail for some, but it simply dries out my lips, and most of it doesn't even sink in. I'm disappointed, since this is a certified organic lip balm, and I had high hopes for it. I've tried loads of lip balms, from LipIce, Etude House, Burt's Bees, The Body Shop, etc. They used to work in the past, not until my lips started becoming so chapped recently. Not sure if its because of winter. However, Singapore has no winter, its summer all year long. Anyway, my lips are so dry, none of the balms help me anymore.

Does anyone have good, moisturising lip balms for chapped lips that actually work? Please share, I'm getting desperate. In fact, I've decided to give Badger's lip balms a go. I'm so devastated they don't ship outside US. Please do so, Badger. I promise you your legion of fans in the world will hoard your products like crazy, and your sales will double. xD I really want to try the cocoa butter ones from Badger, especially since the Vanilla Bean one sounds so moisturising and delicious! *Drools~* Anyway, I'm heading to the few Unity stores in Singapore that do sell Badger. However, only the classic lip balms are available. Guess I'll have to make do. I have high hopes, Badger products simply don't disappoint. Stay tuned! ;)