When I was invited to become a member of the Carmex Blog Squad, my kids literally laughed out loud.  They wanted to know how Carmex had “found me out” and where the hidden cameras were.    I’m a die-hard Carmex fan.  Year-round you’ll find it in my purse, desk, vanity, medicine cabinet, and passed out in every form (tubes, sticks and jars) to all my family members.  It’s an excellent value for a budget conscious family and it does a great job protecting our lips from dry air and extreme temperatures that can cause chapping and irritations.  When I apply it, I actually feel it working.  That tingling sensation lets me know that relief and healing are on the way and that the moisturizing and protective ingredients are going to seal in the moisture that will keep my lips soft and smooth.  I love that they are all SPF 15 and that the variety in the product line just continues to expand.

The zippered side of the pocket sewn into the picnic blanket.

Fleece side of the pocket, blending right into the blanket.

Blanket spread out to give you an idea of the size and show the water-resistant underside.

I had the opportunity this week to test and review three Carmex products that I actually haven’t tried, previously  — the new Lime Twist Stick, the new Vanilla Stick and Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Balm in Clear Satin Gloss.  All three were part of a fun gift pack that included a fleece picnic blanket with  a waterproof lining and zippered storage pocket.  Even better, Carmex is sponsoring a giveaway of the same gift set for a Busy-at-Home reader!  You’ll be able to enter at the end of this post.

NEW Lime Twist and Vanilla Lip Balm Sticks from Carmex

Like the other Carmex sticks, Lime Twist and Vanilla are perfect for tossing in a purse, backpack or jeans pocket.  They have all the same great moisturizers I’ve come to expect from Carmex products, plus a few more.  Both glided on smooth and I instantly felt that sensation that lets me know they’re working.  Even after the product has been absorbed and my lips were no longer dry, I could still feel a thin layer of balm on my skin, acting as a barrier against the hot summer air and wind that caused the dryness to begin with.  The lime and vanilla flavors of these new sticks were distinct, in that I really could taste them, but it was not overpowering and in all honesty, had worn off after a few minutes.  The flavors were most noticeable as the product was being applied.  I will definitely add these to our arsenal for protection against the cold, dry air of fall and winter.

Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra hydrating Lip Balm in Clear Satin Gloss Finish

Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Balm comes in a screw-top tube that looks a lot like your favorite makeup.  I tested Clear Satin Gloss, but it is also available in sheer pink, sheer peach, sheer berry, and sheer plum.  I really liked this product, too, and but for this review opportunity, would probably have never tried it on my own.  So, I’m so pleased for the chance to review and share it with you.  It has Vitamin E and aloe and the familiar Carmex “healing” sensation was evident as it was applied.  The nice thing is that it is a little more “dress up” than the sticks and though I still felt it on my lips after it had absorbed, it was a lighter feeling, much like lip gloss.  I like that I can wear this plain or tinted for going out.  You could also use it under and over your regular lipstick colors to add shine and prevent the lipstick from drying out your skin.

When it comes to lip balm at our house, not much will be changing.  We’ll still be buying Carmex.  We just have some great new choices to add to the collection.

Giveaway Rules:

You must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. to enter.  The mandatory entry must be completed before any optional entries will count.  Deadline to enter is midnight (CST) Sunday, September 4, 2011.

Mandatory Entry:

What variety of Carmex is your favorite?  (You can check out all the varieties on the Carmex website.)  Leave a comment below with your answer.

Optional Additional Entries:

1. Like Carmex on Facebook.  Leave a comment below letting me know you did.  Be sure to include your Facebook name, so I can find you in their fans list.
2. Follow Carmex on Twitter.  Leave a comment below letting me know you did.  Be sure to include your Twitter handle, so I can find you in their followers list.
3. Follow Busy-at-Home on Twitter.   Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
4. Like Busy-at-Home on Facebook.  Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
5. Follow Busy-at-Home on Google Friends Connect.  Use the “Join” button in the right-hand sidebar.  Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
   
6. Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter (in the right-hand sidebar).  You will receive an email confirmation with a link that must be clicked to confirm your subscription.  Once you click the email link to confirm your subscription, leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
7. Post this giveaway on your Facebook page.  I want soft, smooth and protected lips!  Enter to win a picnic blanket plus Lime Twist, Vanilla & Ultra Moisture Lip Balms from @carmexlipbalm @busyathome http://ow.ly/68Afq  Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
8. Tweet this giveaway (1x daily) : Win Lime Twist, Vanilla & Ultra Moisture Lip Balms from Carmex PLUS a fleece Picnic Blanket @carmexlipbalm @busyathome http://ow.ly/68Afq  Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.

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I received the Carmex products, listed above, in order to test them and conduct this review.  No monetary compensation was received and as always, at Busy-at-Home, views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.