Review: Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour

I accrued enough Priceline points to get a $9 voucher. Woo! I decided I’d spend it on something fun rather than something boring like band-aids or an eyelash curler. So when I walked past the Lanolips stand for the zillionth time, I actually stopped and had a closer look.

Lanolips comes in a few different varieties: the original formula ointment, in a big white tube, and then coloured gloss versions. The only ones on the stand were Dark Honey and Apple, though I knew that there were at least two other, pinkier colours around. I selected Dark Honey, since it looked like a nice soft mauve-y shade. With my coupon it came to about $4.

The texture of these takes a bit of getting used to. It really is an ointment, but it does have a more lip-gloss formula, and when it wears off, the effect is like lip balm. It’s like your favourite lip gloss mixed with Pawpaw ointment, which is what I use on my lips at night. Horribly greasy, with no staying power but BOY do my lips feel good come morning! One of the main ingredients in the product is sweet almond oil, which gives it this lovely sweet, vaguely nutty scent. It also has coconut in there, but I can’t smell it (which is great for me because I dislike coconut intensely).

Lanolips aren’t sticky like traditional gloss but it has much more staying power than Vasoline or Pawpaw. It’s extremely glossy. I was disappointed at the colour payoff of Dark Honey, but when I swatched it on my hand, I realised it’s just because it was so close to my natural lip colour. Wear time is pretty good – I can get almost 5 hours wear if I don’t drink too much. You’ll feel a soft, not unpleasant residue on your lips after you’ve eaten, but if you want more gloss and colour you’ll need to reapply. I did actually wear Dark Honey to bed and woke up 7 hours later with a moisturising residue just like a balm, and my lips were as soft as they usually are after wearing Paw paw ointment overnight.

My tube had a little “$5 off your next Lanolips purchase” sticker on it, which ended in a few days. I wasn’t initially going to get another tube, but I happened to be working the last day of the promotion, and I have to walk past a Priceline to get to work, so… I accidentally bought Apple as well :P it’s a red gloss, and I really wasn’t expecting much from it, pigment-wise.

So I was pleasantly surprised! You do have to be a bit more careful applying Apple. If you end up with an uneven application of gloss, you’ll have patches of thicker colour on your lips. Dark Honey I can sort of just slather on because it blends with my lips so well. For the swatch I applied a very light coat, so it's showing a bit more pink in this photo than it is in person; when I wear it you can really see it's a RED gloss. I am glad to report that although Apple doesn't stain, it wears off evenly.

Ahh, application, where these beauties falter a little bit! The tubes are taller than a few I’ve seen, but fit in your pocket. If you’re used to the big MAC glosses with wands, these are a bit smaller. The plastic is pliable yet sturdy, the little sheep logo is SO CUTE and the gold caps are a lovely touch. However, when you unscrew the tap, you’re NOT getting a slanted plastic applicator like I had expected.

Yeah. The ointment-style aperture means that you’re pretty much going to have to use your fingers, at least to neaten your application, if not to apply. I’m not one to carry around a lip brush all the time, and isn’t the point of gloss to be low-fuss? Not something you have to fuss with a lip brush and mirror to apply? As much as I love the product itself, the application is a real drawback for me, especially when I reach for Apple.

The gloss can be a little hard to work with when it’s cold, as well. I keep the tube in my pocket so my body heat keeps it a bit more fluid. I expect it won’t be a problem in summer, and it’s never gotten TOO runny for me to comfortably apply.

The product these are most like in terms of texture, performance and colour payoff would be Sleek Pout Polishes, but I absolutely prefer these, for three main reasons:

1. The tubes are less messy than the Polish pots.
2. I hated the smell/taste of the Polishes, whereas these are much, much lighter and more pleasant.
3. The moisturising affect of the Lanolips is much more long-lasting and effective.

Obviously they aren’t vegan since the main ingredient is lanolin, which is derived from sheep. Lanolin is obtained by shearing sheep, which is done in summer and doesn't harm the sheep, so they ARE a cruelty-free product. There’s a bit of beeswax in there as well, and then lots of lip goodness like shea butter, sweet almond and coconut oils. They have an SPF rating of 15, which is the same as the Pout Polishes.

For Aussie girls, these are available in a bunch of pharmacies, including Priceline. International beauties, never fear! You CAN get Lanolips outside of Australia! Find out more about the product, the company and where to get it at their website. I’m sure I’ll end up picking up a few more colours, and I’m curious to see if the original formula will be able to help my cuticles. As I’m writing this, one of them is scabbed over from a mysterious injury :(