[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] The brand, Grace & Stella, is more well known in its home country of Canada. It was acquired by a European investment group in 2023 which is what most likely accounts for its venture into new markets. On the surface, it’s a cosy, feel-good brand with a personal touch – dig below and its a multi-million pound venture (lifetime revenue, its founder, Adi Gullia, revealed is $85 million) that all began with a foot mask.
At first, I wondered why anyone would need three of the same lip mask and then I remembered my own incompetence when it comes to tracking down my lip balms which wander about with me in pockets, handbags and travel bags. Somehow, they’re never where I think they are and as someone who needs lip balm at all times, a trio is exactly what I need. One for upstairs, one for downstairs and one for my handbag. That is about as perfect a lip balm scenario as you can get.
I’ve spent far too much of my life moaning about flavoured lip balms – even now, I cannot bear a minty balm – but that was on the back of a sudden enthusiasm by brands for making every single damn thing vanilla flavoured. It was a definitely cultural learning that Americans like their balms to taste of maltol ethyl (a synthetic vanilla) so when all the cool US brands made their way over to the UK, we had to learn to live with it until we could think for ourselves. These are ‘berry’ flavoured and veer more towards Haribo than fresh fruit salad but I’m not complaining – it’s quite nice. The balm itself can be used lightly for day time salving or more heavily for an overnight mask and uses jojoba, shea and coconut oil as the basis for a very decent barrier that keeps moisture in the lips. It turns out that the trio is extremely good value at £14.95 HERE as a single balm is £8.95. Three stockings to fill? Split the pack.
