noya Giveaway!!

If you missed my post on noya and their fabulous lip balms (and gloss!) you should probably head over and check it out by clicking here. If you did read it and my review got you excited (which many of you expressed to me that you were!) then you're going to be thrilled with the latest giveaway! That's right, the company generously allowed me to give away 2 lip balms to 2 winners! How awesome is that!?!


2 of you will be winning 2 lip balms of your choice. All you have to do is use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. It may take a moment or two to load. Don't forget to "like" this post. All entries will be verified. Giveaway open only to US readers. Good luck!




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Talk About Lip Care - noya

I feel like I'm on a roll when it comes to discovering awesome (new to me) lip balms that don't irritate my ridiculously sensitive and persnickety pout and I'm having so much fun sharing them with you! Today I would like to introduce you to noya and their collection of all-natural lip balms that are simply made with only 4-6 ingredients and are highly effective, cruelty-free and certified kosher.



Noya offers a Classic, unscented balm as well as 3 other varieties – Cherry, Spearmint, and Vanilla. If you know me at all you know that I almost always go for plain, unscented balms and I do really love this one but I also, surprisingly, love the other flavors as well. The Vanilla in particular is delicious and reminiscent of a tasty cupcake or a bowl full of frosting, and I can't deny that I love baked goods and their scent. My Mom has become partial to the Spearmint while the Cherry balm has found a home with a friend.



Side note - These lip balms would make great little gifts since they come in really adorable boxes. They are also nicely priced at $3.99 each.



If you're curious about the ingredients list the Classic Balm is made with Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Organic Stevia. While this balm is not suitable for those of you who are vegan it is appropriate for anyone looking for a moisturizing, soothing, and long-lasting lip balm. This formula has a nice medium glide, meaning it goes on easily, locks in hydrating, and lasts on the lips. It is perfect alone or under a colored lip product of your choosing.

Speaking of colored lip products, I was also sent the Summertime Peach lipgloss. This gloss coats the lips with a lovely sheer and shimmery nudey peach color and feels and wears more like a balm than a typical gloss. I don't find the color to be very buildable, and instead provides a natural looking wash of color. It's not super shiny but I personally don't like the look of overly glossy looking lips on myself. I tend to reach for lipstick more often than gloss but this one feels great and looks nice. It's not sticky or goopy and my hair doesn't seem to naturally gravitate towards it and get stuck in it. It has no discernable scent or taste. Also, the packaging is quite lovely.



The company also has 3 other shades of Lipgloss as well as 4 lipsticks (one of which has especially caught my eye, hello Apricot Swirl!). Overall, I'm a huge fan! You can learn more about the company and their product offerings by clicking here to visit their website. You can purchase noya online here or you can find a reatiler near you by clicking here.

Talk About It - Alima Pure ( + CLOSED GIVEAWAY!)

I am a huge fan of Portland based natural beauty superstar, Alima Pure, and their line of lovely cosmetics. I seriously adore the brand and their vast selection of cruelty free, high quality, and eco-friendly mineral makeup. A few weeks ago I posted a Wish List Wednesday on the Beautiful Basics Facebook page featuring the Sombra Contour Powder and many of you e-mailed me asking me to review it which prompted me to write to the company. The founder of the company, Kate O'Brien, generously sent me the Contour Powder and a couple of other products I'll get to shortly.



I'm a firm believer in the power of contouring. It's actually my favorite part of applying makeup and it's something I always, always do. I have always used my favorite bronzer to shape my face but have often found that the color is unconvincing. Don't get me wrong, bronzing is another favorite step in my makeup routine but it tends to work better as a way to warm up the face rather than sculpt it. Alima Pure's Sombra Contour Powder has become my absolute favorite, must have makeup product.



Sombra is a dusty tan color, with no red or orange in it at all, that is very pigmented but easy to blend. It's also buildable so it's extremely versatile. It's incredibly natural looking and helps define bone structure. I apply this powder to the hollows of my cheekbones, the crease of my eyelids, and the sides of my nose to create definition and slim out my face. It mimics natural shadows and adds so much depth to my face. I don't think I will ever be without this wonderful powder.


I have also been experimenting with the Natural Definition Mascara in Black, another product that many of you have asked me about. I have very sensitive eyes and mascara can be a huge irritant for me but this formula is awesome! It goes on smoothly, wears well throughout the day, feels soft instead of crispy, and provides natural looking length and definition. I would say this works as well as any traditional mascara without the harsh and scary ingredients.


I have always been curious about Alima Pure's Lip Tints so I was excited to see that I had been sent one! I received the shade Holly Berry, which if you're a regular reader you probably know is right up my color alley. This particular shade is described as Spiced Rose and on me equates to a "My Lips but Better" color. It is surprisingly pigmented which makes me curious about the rest of the lineup! The formula is wonderfully moisturizing and gentle on my sensitive lips. It smells (and tastes a little) like a delicious, organic chocolate bar and lasts quite a long time!



I have nothing but good things to say about these products, and Alima Pure as a whole, and hopefully the lucky reader who wins the giveaway with fall in love with this trio as much as I have. If you want the chance to win these products, as well as the cute pink Alima Pure makeup bag, all you have to do is use the Rafflecopter form below. It may take a moment or two to load. Don't forget to "like" this post. All entries will be verified. Giveaway open only to US readers. Good luck!



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Talk About Lip Care - Yu-Be

I am extremely picky and somewhat snobby about the lip balms I use. You can call me a lip balm connoisseur if you would like because I like what I like and I know what works. There have been many lip balms that I have hated, some I have liked but only two that I have loved. I have raved about my favorite lip balm many times over the past couple of years on Beautiful Basics, but today I'm excited to share my thoughts on Yu-Be, the first lip balm to even compare to my beloved Moist Stic. For the record, I can't pick which one I love more because they're different so just know that this is a part of my top two.

If you're new to Beautiful Basics or unfamiliar with my blog and the tales of my irritable lips here is a very quick background: My lips are extremely sensitive; beyond sensitive. Most lip products irritate my lips so when I find one that I like enough to share on my blog please know that it is extremely gentle unless otherwise noted. I get these weird rashes when I try new products that my lips don't like. They become painfully inflamed, red, and start to peel and flake. It typically takes a while for them to heal. I'm not sure what causes my lips to go haywire but it happens fairly regularly. As a beauty blogger I am constantly trying new products but I am always very apprehensive to try new lip stuff. I always get very excited to discover a product that doesn't bother my sensitive lips and I become very loyal to it.



Meet Yu-Be, an all-natural lip balm from Japan made of Soybean Oil, Beeswax, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Camphor, Coconut Oil, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Stevia, and Rosemary Extract. This formula was created by pharmacist Yoshikiyo Nowatari in 1957 and has been a favorite and bestseller in Japan for over 57 years.

Days before this lip balm arrived I had a reaction to some lipsticks I was testing out. My lips were raw, dehydrated, and inflamed. I can't say that I was excited to try out another lip product but I thought that the camphor in the Yu-Be could only help my uncomfortable lips. I was right! My lips were completely healed after only using this balm for two nights in a row.

The formula is fantastic – It's undeniably healing as well as being soothing, hydrating, and protective without being greasy, heavy, or tacky. It doesn't taste or smell very good but it's so therapeutic that I don't care very much. It's very medicinal and therefore does a great job of healing. It lasts an extraordinarily long time on the lips. I apply a generous coating to my lips at bedtime and wake up with quite a bit of moisture left.

If you're interested in Yu-Be you can learn more by visiting their website. Youu can locate a retailer near you by clicking here.

(FTC: This product was provided to me free of charge for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own and honest.)