Product Review: Sara Happ’s The Lip Scrub

Since the first step is admitting, here goes.  My name is Stacie, and I am a lip picker.  Yes. My lips have been chronically dry since before I came out of the womb I suppose. Since I have sensitive skin that is prone to clogging, scrubs either weren’t enough or balms too rich or just flat out didn’t work.  So there they remain, dry, and totally pick-able.

I received Sara Happ’s The Lip Scrub as a gift from a co-worker (hayyy Angie!) and the same night I took it home I used it with such enthusiasm. I had never heard of this brand but Sara Happ touts herself as “the lip expert” and word-of-mouth from a friendly beauty enthusiast is priceless to me. I appreciate when a product developer is focused on a certain area.  It gives me confidence that they know what they’re doing if they can be successful in one area.

The Sara Happ brand’s promise is conscious-friendly: “No animal testing, ever. 100% paraben-free, always. Using the highest grade essential oils and extracts, every time. Dressing our gems in eco-friendly packaging. Manufacturing in the USA, proudly.”

Off I went to scrub the day away!

Ingredients:

Unlike your run-of-the-mill gas station last minute buy, this one has few ingredients that are natural.  I didn’t see anything that caused me pause, or made me afraid to try it given my acne prone skin. Plus there were some nice additions of vitamin E and oils that both moisturize and pack an antioxidant punch.

From the box: Sucrose, Petrolatum, Caramel, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) seed oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (jojoba) see oil, Oryza Sativa (rice) Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Anuus (Sunflower) seed extract

Packaging:

This comes in a clear glass jar with a silver top, adorned with the moniker of sh.  It looks sleek, and higher end.  The box it came in was a gorgeous dark, rich caramel-y brown that appropriately paid off the name of the flavor I was gifted – brown sugar. It is small but well-crafted.  On top the box had foiled Sarah Happ in a cute script and her claim to fame, “lip expert” with a lip smooch. I did have to frown there. So sophisticated until that last bit.

Application:

I opened the jar and saw a tightly packed concoction of dark brown sugar.  However, there’s no whipped or gel about it.  It’s a super condensed and somewhat hard to dig out of the jar.  I had to use my ring finger with some gusto but I found that works because you really don’t need that much.  *You may want to invest in a tiny spatula for sanitary reasons. Then, spread it on around in circles with my ring finger even outside of my lip line to exfoliate where those little lines like to creep up.  Around and around I went for about 2 minutes, making sure to get the creases and the driest parts of my lips.  The product held on for dear life, didn’t dissolve, didn’t feel too scratchy but wasn’t a fine grain, either.

I tasted the brown sugar and it was pretty good.  Not artificial or overly sugary.  You could taste the caramel.

Overall:

Once I was complete I wiped it off with a tissue and voila! Moisturized, buffed lips that felt buttery and smooth.  They, and the area around my mouth didn’t feel roughed up or slathered in oil.  It felt, well, just nice.  I’ve used this a few times and follow up with a lip balm (currently using Hempz Sweet Pineapple and Honey) to which my lips stayed moisturized, happy and flake free.  I didn’t notice myself picking because there was no dry skin!

It is on the pricier end at $22 for .5oz.  It states on the box 30 uses, but after using it a few times I’ve hardly made a dent.

If you’ve got dry skin and enjoy a glass of red wine (but not the leftover evidence) then this is a great option to try!

Overall: 5/5

Price: $$$$$

Packaging: 5/5

Have you tried a Sara Happ product or have a lip product you love? Drop us a line in the comments.