December 30, 2013

Noya Classic Lip Balm and Lip Gloss in Cabernet - pics, swatches, reviews

Hello, Beautiful!

Back in August I received a Noya lip balm in my Ipsy bag, and loved it! I recently was sent two more Noya products to try out... their Classic Lip Balm, which is nice (although I prefer the flavor I received in my Ipsy bag), as well as a new product to their line, their Lip Gloss - which I have in the shade Cabernet. Because I loved the lip balm so much, I had high hopes for the lip gloss - but for me, it wasn't a winner, at least not the shade Cabernet. I'll explain why in my full review below. Check out my review on each product, including all the product info, after each set of pics!




Noya Lip Balm
Flavor: Classic







Noya Lip Balm Info & Review:
Cost/Availability: $3.99 each (0.15 oz full size). Available on the Noya website and everywhere else Noya is sold. Click here to find a retailer near you.
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

All-natural, delectable, kosher lip balms in four craveable flavors. The makers of Noya searched high and low for a lip balm that would meet their perfectionist standards -- on ecreated with only the highest caliber of premium, all-natural ingredients that they could understand, that tasted great, made lips feel wonderful, and followed above-and-beyond quality guidelines. When nothing out there could fit this ideal, they decided to create their own. Their formulas star with ingredients so high quality, they've been certified kosher, and then are manufactured under the very highest standard of excellence to create top grade lip balms for chosen people and just choosey ones.

Each irresistible flavor and formula is made with only four to six all natural ingredients so there's no need to puzzle over unpronounceable additives or suspicious sounding chemicals on the label. What you see is what you get with these four must-have balms that leave lips hydrated, not greasy or slick. Each formula features recognizable ingredients you'd mostly find in the kitchen, like extra virgin olive oil, organic stevia and coconut oil, so you can feel free to reapply as often as your taste buds desire. What you WON'T find in Noya Lip Balms are any preservatives or major allergy-triggering additives.

Noya's Classic Lip Balm has only three natural ingredients - life doesn't get any purer than this! A perfect, effortless balm for a perfect, effortless you. The Classic formula leaves lips soft but won't mess with your taste buds. Great for sensitive skin. All the moisture you want in a balm without any of the drama.

Kosher, natural, lip balm. All-natural. Preservative-free. Not tested on animals.

Through a partnership with The National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC), Noya distributes a free lip balm to homeless and low income people, most without access to basic hygiene necessities,  for every photo of Noya Lip Balm posted to social media.

Currently available in four flavors/scents:
  • Classic: an all-natural balm without scent or flavor
  • Vanilla: a cupcake packed into every balm
  • Cherry: a tangy burst of cherry every time you apply
  • Spearmint: a zesty balm full of fresh, minty goodness

Back in my August Ipsy bag I received my first Noya Lip Balm, which I got in the flavor Vanilla. I loved the scent/flavor and the texture of the lip balm. It was a hit! Now more recently I was able to try their Classic version, which has no scent or flavor - although I do think there is some sort of scent there. Certainly the least offensive, but also the most boring on the lips in terms of flavor and scent. However, the same great formula is there.

I really love these lip balms, and although I do prefer the Vanilla over the Classic, I think any of the four options they currently carry would be great to own!


Noya Lip Gloss
Shade: Cabernet














Noya Lip Gloss Info & Review:
Cost/Availability: $18.00 (0.1 fl oz full size). Will be available on the Noya website.
My Rating: 2 out of 5 Kisses

The Noya Lip Glosses (and lipsticks) aren't yet on the Noya website, so I can't link to them at this time - although I'm sure they will be in the very near future. Because of that, I don't know too much at all about these other than the press release on this product, which is as follows...

A new line of richly pigmented lip glosses with all-natural, kosher-certified formulas. Sometimes, you need a little extra shine for the perfect come-hither pout. Offering a punchy pop of color and a high shine finish, Noya's new line of glosses are great for even the most sensitive lips with its premium ingredients so high quality that each and every one is kosher and so natural you can eat it. In their quest for the best, the founders of Noya have kept their commitment to create all-natural products sans questionable chemicals or parabens.

Each lip gloss is naturally scented with enticing vanilla and delivers a moisturizing punch through its lightweight blend of super-nourishing oils. So kiss sticky or too-slick lips goodbye. Instead, Noya's Lip Gloss finishes range from shimmery and shiny to rich and creamy with essential colors like Pink Frosting, Summertime Peach, Cherry Cordial, Cabernet, and a clear Vanilla, all housed in sleek and modern packaging. These five delicious shades can be used on their own or layered on top of Noya Lipstick for a finishing swipe of sweetness and shine.

Noya Lip Gloss is created from a special blend of powerfully moisturizing ingredients like Coconut Oil, Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil, while cocoa butter and Vitamin E pump up the antioxidants to help fight free radicals. Sunflower Seed Oil is high in healing Vitamins A, C, D and E, and beeswax is used to seal in the moisture to protect soft lips. As with their balms, Noya's products are completely cruelty-free with no animal testing. Made of natural ingredients; no sulfates, parabens, or phthalates.

Currently available in five shades:
  • Pink Frosting
  • Summertime Peach
  • Cherry Cordial
  • Cabernet
  • Vanilla (clear)

Because I already love Noya's lip balms, I had really high expectations for their Lip Glosses. Maybe I set the bar too high, or maybe I got a bad tube, but this lip gloss really let me down. Maybe other shades are better, but the shade I have - which is Cabernet - was a total fail for me.

Let's start with the shade description. In the lip gloss tube the shade Cabernet looks absolutely beautiful! It appears to be a deep wine shade with some shimmer. When I pulled the applicator out, the doe-foot was purple and the gloss on the end looked like that same rich wine shade that it appears to be in the tube. When swatched, it still look pretty but certainly not as pigmented or dark as I thought. I re-dipped the wand about 2 or 3 times for that swatch on my hand. It was when I went to swatch it on my lips that tragedy struck and this lip gloss became a fail for me.

In Noya's press release, it specifically states "richly pigmented" and "punchy pop of color", as well as "high shine finish". I can say no, no, and no to all three of those. This gloss appeared richly pigmented but it's rather sheer on the lips and even applies patchy. Not a lot of product comes out on the wand, so you'll need to re-dip your wand at least one or two additional times to get the color onto your lips.

In the lip swatch photos, the first lip shows it with one layer -- the way I'd swatch and apply any other lip gloss. As you can see, it doesn't really look very pigmented. To me, it looks more like a lip stain than a lip gloss in terms of how it appears on my lips. Then I tried to build the color up, which is what you see in the second lip swatch, and you can see the color did get a bit more intense, but certainly still no where near what a richly pigmented lip gloss should be. Mind you, I'm comparing it to other lip glosses that are in fact richly pigmented. I know all-natural glosses can be really hard to get great pigmentation, so that may have something to do with the formula. Then again, it could just be the shade I have, or maybe I got a bad tube.

As far as the "high shine finish" claim, I don't see it. You'll get some glossy shine, but it's not that crazy glossy and certainly could get a similar finish with a nice hydrating lip balm.

Now back to the shade, Cabernet. As I said, I feel like it appears to look more like a lip stain in terms of color and the way it appears on my lips. Even though it does appear to look like a lip stain, it will not stain your lips. The shimmer doesn't really transfer to your lips like it shows in the tube, but certainly is a huge help in making this product appear more shiny. I didn't write down any notes about scent, but they say it's vanilla scented.

Let's also talk about the price point of this lip gloss. They are $18 a piece, which I could easily justify for an all-natural lip gloss if it truly was amazing. This lip gloss, however, is not worth the $18 price tag. At least not the tube I have, nor the shade.

I really, really wanted to love this lip gloss - especially the shade, it looked so vampy and pretty - but unfortunately this lip gloss is one I wouldn't recommend. Now again, maybe - just maybe - other shades are better. So it's very possible the shade Cabernet is just on the more sheer side and possibly Cherry Cordial or Summertime Peach would be more pigmented. Maybe it's just the shimmer versions that fail and the cream versions will soar. I won't rule out ever trying another shade in the future, but it's certainly not on my "must buy this asap" list.

I absolutely LOVE the Noya Lip Balms, so I think that played a huge part in my disappointment in this gloss. At this present time, I don't think I'd recommend the Noya Lip Gloss in the shade Cabernet. However, if you are after an all-natural gloss that gives a sheer, stain-like look to the lips, then you may just go crazy for Cabernet Lip Gloss!

If you try this gloss please do comment below and let me know your thoughts. Would love to know if other shades are better, or if maybe I just received a bad tube. 

Now let me know what you think...
What do you think of this lip balm and lip gloss? Have you tried either of these or did you add either of these to your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

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