Does the beauty world actually need more brands of trendy lip gloss? Probably not. But does it need more cosmetics that double as novelty items? Hell, yes.
Just when we thought we were running out of cute things to fiddle with in our handbags comes Balmshell, a new brand of lip goo from Canadian identikit twin sister duo Jenny & Fi (that's Jenny and Fiona Lees).
It's available in 10 shades, each with its own "unique personality," which translates into a different design. Like those kitschy souvenir pens that contain tiny boats or girls in bikinis floating through a scenic setting, the Balmshell applicators feature icons and scenes from the stylish girl's life, created by hot Spanish illustrator Mar Murube.
From the sparkly snow-globe effect of the Audrey-inspired Classic to the tiny canoe of the Wilderness Girl, these glosses promise to amuse your inner girly girl. And when the lip gloss is all gone, the handle can be unscrewed and attached to the keychain that comes with the gloss, so you can use it as purse jewellery.
Better yet, the gloss actually feels good going on, conditioning the lips with a formula containing lanolin oil, jojoba and no artificial preservatives. No perfumes, no sticky smackers and no plumping irritants. Just good old-fashioned lip gloss with a novelty story gimmick.
--
$25 each, exclusively at Holt Renfrew, http://www.balmshell.com.