When Sara Happ’s publicist got in touch with me regarding her new Sweet Clay Lip Mask — my interest was immediately piqued. I read “clay lip mask” and thought — aren’t clays traditionally known to suck excess oil out of the skin? You know I had to try it for myself, even though I knew I was running the risk of zapping moisture out of my pucker. But… that’s what I do — so I gave it a shot, and I wanted to let you in on the details of this interesting new product.

So if it not supposed to purify and detox your lips, what in the heck does it do? Well, it’s kind of the opposite, actually. It has a blend of mineral-rich bentonite clay (but don’t try that on your lips alone), Swertiamarin (an Ayurvedic herb native to the Himalayas — I’m still learning more about this ingredient), shea butter, olive oil, sesame extract, grapeseed oil, and Vitamin E for rejuvenation and hydration benefits. Somehow, within that blend of ingredients, it’s supposed to be able to restore dry skin, and help firm up the delicate area. Surprising, right?

Sara Happ Sweet Clay Lip Mask looks like pale pink frosting in the pot, with a dense consistency. It feels pretty buttery as I glide my finger along it to pick up some product after the warmth of my skin softens it up a little bit. It’s easy to apply, and will leave your lips an opaque pink hue while it sits — but it doesn’t dry down. It stays creamy, and hydrating while applied. The packaging states to use it pretty much whenever and for however long you want. It has a sweet, slightly minty taste and gently cools and tingles.  [Read more…]