Mix It Up With ChapStick’s Mixstix Lip Balms — AND Win All Three Flavors!
Until recently, the last time I used ChapStick, I was riding shotgun in my dad’s El Camino (which was the color of chewed-up grape bubblegum), wearing the hideous Smurfs-colored plaid skirt, matching vest, and white button-down shirt required by my Catholic middle school’s uniform code. My lips felt dry and uncomfortable and, when I said so, my dad quickly reached into his pocket and produced his handy tube of ChapStick — the classic version with the black tube and the white cap. I reveled in how it soothed my lips, providing a much-needed sense of relief, but perhaps because I associated it with my father (who kept a tube of ChapStick in his pant pocket for over 20 years and still does to this day!), I always regarded ChapStick as a bit too masculine, devoid of all the delicious scents and flavors us women relish. As I grew older and earned the money to buy my own beauty products, I discovered a number of lip moisturizers that combined all the qualities I loved: a melt-on-your-mouth creaminess, an instant soothing sensation paired with a formula for long-lasting hydration, tangy fruity scents and flavors, pretty packaging, and so forth. The long list of favorites grew to include Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15, La Mer’s The Lip Balm, eos’ Smooth Sphere, Nivea’s A Kiss of Milk and Honey, Smith’s Rosebud Salve, and Hourglass Cosmetics’ No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil. And yet I never really gave ChapStick another whirl — even as it released countless new flavor options and formulas targeting more specific issues and lifestyles (lip balms for active types, for those with extra dry lips, medicated numbers, and so forth).
When I was approached to try the new ChapStick Mixstix lip balms, then, I jumped at the opportunity, hoping I’d discover a new go-to lip moisturizer and one that wouldn’t break the bank (let’s face it: at $22.50 each, those tubes of Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment are hardly cheap!). Packaged in double-ended tubes with two-toned color schemes, the new ChapStick Mixstix lip conditioners will definitely grab the attention of even the most fickle customer. But, of course, packaging is just window dressing — and, fortunately, what’s inside is just as exciting,
Each ChapStick Mixstix lip balm features two unique flavors that can be applied to dry, moisture-hungry pouts or mixed together to create a third tasty treat. Three ChapStick Mixstix flavors are currently available: Lemon Berry Sorbet, which features a lemon-y lip balm with a yellow cap on one side and a cherry-flavored lip balm on the other end with a red cap that can be mixed to create a flavor reminiscent of pink lemonade; Strawberry Banana Smoothie, which features a banana-scented lip balm on one side, topped with a bright yellow cap, and a strawberry-scented variety on the other end, topped with a pink cap; and Green Apple Caramel, featuring a green apple flavor on one end, topped with a light green cap, and a sugary caramel lip balm on the other, covered by a yellowish amber cap.
I tried the Lemon Berry Sorbet option first and enjoyed it right away since the sugary lemon lip balm feels very familiar and very reminiscent of a refreshing sorbet. The berry flavor was a bit harder to pinpoint since it seemed to combine cherry and raspberry flavors, and it had more of a candy-like feel to it, but I did enjoy how the flavors smelled when blended together. The Strawberry Banana Smoothie, meanwhile, is a surefire hit. The banana flavor might remind you of those crunchy Bananarama hard candies many of us ate as children, while the strawberry scent will remind you of those old-school strawberry bon-bons. Last but not least, there’s the Green Apple Caramel. Now, I tend to hate flavors that are too sweet, so I was dreading trying this particular one, but it turned out to be my favorite. The green apple lip balm reminded me of the Green Apple Jolly Rancher candies I indulged in as a kid, and the caramel lip balm wasn’t nearly as saccharine as I had imagined, instead smelling milky, sugary, and buttery all at once, like a Werther’s Original sweet.
The cool thing about each Mixstix is, again, there’s no obligation to mix the flavors —I, for one, have been mainly using the green apple end of the double-sided Green Apple Caramal Mixstix — but the option exists should you want to experiment a bit and play mad scientist with your lip balm.
Each ChapStick Mixstix is formulated using plant-derived carnauba wax, which gives the product its hardness and helps to make your lips nice and shiny; aloe extract to condition and soothe your pout; beeswax, which contains natural emulsifiers and helps the skin lock in moisture; petroleum jelly, an age-old substance that creates a barrier on the skin, defending against moisture loss; and tocopheryl acetate, a form of vitamin E. Sure, there’s also your fair share of chemical ingredients: from artificial colorants like yellow 10 lake and blue 1 lake to methylparaben and propylparaben (important side note: though found in thousands of personal care products, parabens are of some concern since studies, albeit inconclusive, have found a link between these substances and endocrine disruption and even cancer). If you’re looking for products with nearly no artificial ingredients, then these are not for you, but really, I tend to think these chemical ingredients can only prove toxic if the exposure is insanely high, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Like I said, my dad has been using ChapStick for a million years and he’s perfectly fine.
Available for only $3.49 each at Walgreens stores and Walgreens.com, these are bargain beauty finds of the very best kind.
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GIVEAWAY TIME!
And now, for the fun part: two lucky readers will have the chance to win ALL THREE ChapStick Mixstix flavors.
Here’s how to enter the giveaway:
1. Like Sicka Than Average on Facebook (Facebook.com/sickathanavg)
2. Like ChapStick on Facebook (Facebook.com/ChapStick)
3. Follow Sicka Than Average on Twitter (@sickathanavg)
4. Once you’ve followed the steps above, leave a comment below saying why you’d like to win and make sure to include your Facebook username and Twitter handle. Also, make sure to include a valid e-mail address where you can be contacted should you be selected as the winner.
5. For extra entries, tweet about the giveaway and make sure to mention @sickathanavg
Here’s a sample tweet:
“I’m mixing things up! I just entered to win a set of ChapStick Mixstix lip balms from @sickathanvg! #inthemix #giveaway”
Each tweet will count as one additional entry so the more you tweet, the higher your chances of winning!
The giveaway is only open to US residents and there can only be one winner per household. The deadline to enter the giveaway is October 2nd at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Two lucky winners will be announced by October 6th at 11:59 p.m. EST both on this blog and on Twitter and Facebook. They will also be contacted via e-mail.
Good luck to you all!
