Fresh Sugar Lip Polish

As someone who has a longstanding love/hate relationship with dark lipsticks due to their tendency to feather, I was intrigued by the idea of lip polish/exfoliant. Would the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish help make my lips softer, smoother, and less prone to lip color irregularity? Well, sort of.

To begin with, the jar of lip polish included in the Lust gift set I purchased is tiny. Really tiny. I can't find size information for the $22 stand-alone polish, but the sample is 0.28 oz. Given that the lip balm and hand cream included in the set are full sized, this clearly seems to be where some product quantity skimping happened. It's a shame too, because I really like the lip polish, and I'd guess this sample will only last for a dozen or so applications.

To apply, you scoop a small amount of polish (which has the texture of wet brown sugar with maybe a little maple syrup added to it) onto your fingers and rub all over your lips. You're supposed to let it stay on for 5 minutes, but even after only two minutes my lips felt noticeably smoother, softer, and (surprisingly) moisturized.

When left on for the full 5 minutes the lips feel just as moisturized as they would after a liberal application of Fresh Sugar's amazing lip balm. The smoothness and softness I felt after a much shorter application aren't greatly enhanced by longer wear.

So does it work? Twelve hours after a two-minute application my lipstick feathered just as it would have sans exfoliant. Twelve hours after the five-minute application I found that a dark lipstick (Tarte's Moody) still feathered a bit around the purse of my bottom lip, but not as much as I'd normally expect.  Ultimately I'm far more impressed by the lip polish's moisturizing abilities than by its exfoliating prowess, though I doubt I'll purchase a full-sized tub at any point down the line. 

Fresh Sugar Brown Sugar Body Cream

Do you understand that there's sugar in this body cream?  Because aside from the name (SUGARRRR!) I actually wouldn't know that this contained anything other than lemon scent.

Right off the bat, do I think this moisturizer is worth the whopping $35 retail price? No. Lord no. Hell no. For that price I expect miracles, and while Brown Sugar Body Cream is fine for certain situations, it's far from a holy grail product.

Brown Sugar Body Cream is a thick, lemon-scented (think lemon mereingue pie-type lemon scent) lotion that feels lovely going on. It isn't greasy, it absorbs quickly, and my skin felt immediately softer after applying it. Within minutes, though, my hands felt uncomfortably dry again. I tried this cream again and again, hoping that I could explain the dry feeling away, but I couldn't. It's definitely the lotion.

My hands are prone to some dryness, and I like to stick with thick, heavy moisturizers such as Eucerin during the Fall and Winter months. I could buy a two-up year supply of Eucerin for what I'd pay for a single tube of Fresh Sugar Body Cream, and it would be money better spent. I'll keep this tube around for the summer or for when I don't need a lot of moisturizing action, but beyond that I won't be using this for much in the future.

Fresh Sugar Lip Balm is the BOMB

I recently had the opportunity to try out some Fresh Sugar products from the Lust gift set, and OMG they are amazing.  I'm probably the last person in the Northern Hemisphere to try Fresh Sugar, and now I know why it's so popular.  Let's take a look:

Included in the Lust gift set are a hand cream, a sugar lip exfoliator, and one of Fresh Sugar's famous lip balms.  This is the balm that retails for $22 a pop, which was frankly what piqued my curiosity about the brand in the first place.  Either the balm was ridiculously overpriced garbage that people were suckered into buying because of the "luxury" brand name, or it was the real deal and worth more than I typically pay for lipstick.

I'm pleased to say it is most definitely the latter.

Fresh Sugar lip balm is packaged in a heavy metal tube, clearly meant to withstand a beating in a purse or pocket.  It goes on smooth and creamy, and reminded me of nothing so much as Lansinoh lanolin in solid form.  It's instantly moisturizing, and the moisture sticks around for hours on end.  I first applied a thin coat at 1:00 pm this afternoon and am only now (at 6:30 pm) feeling the need to put some more on.  It's that long-lasting.

Given that the Lust gift set is priced at $28 and a stand-alone tube of balm is $22, the math here is simple.  Snap this holiday deal up before it's gone!

Currently in my cart

Word on the street is that Sephora's VIB 20% off sale will be starting next week, and in spite of the fact that the I bought what felt like half the store at last month's Friends and Family sale, I already have a cart full of new products to try.  I'd love to hear if you've used any of these:

Laura Mercier Book of Nudes:

I know, I know, what do I need with yet another collection of nude shadows?  Truth be told I don't, but this one is so pretty, and I'm hearing good things about the pigmentation of these shadows.  Plus, I love Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer and am always up for trying more products from a brand I already know and trust.

Tarina Tarantino Eyelicity Glitter Eyeliner:

These were reviewed by the Muse recently, and I loved the way they looked.  Subtle glitter is totally my thing this holiday season.  At $16 a pop these are well within my budget for a new and untried brand.

Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek Palette:

 These blushes are getting good reviews everywhere I look, and if they're as good as I hear this set is a great deal even at $45.  I'm still a bit on the fence about this item, but will probably take the plunge with 20% off.

Fresh Sugar Lust Set:

I'm currently living in fear that this holiday set of lip balm, lip exfoliant, and body cream will sell out before the VIB sale starts, not only because I want one for myself, but because I currently have four others in my shopping cart that are earmarked for Christmas gifts.  Please still be available next week, Fresh Sugar!

So what's currently sitting in your Sephora cart?