Skin & Tonics : Skincare Guides & Product Reviews

Once upon a time in the 90s, there was a badass teenage girl who loved wearing plaid skirts with combat boots, dark lipstick, and smoking cloves. She listened to a lot of Hole, Sisters of Mercy, and techno music. Her hobbies included sneaking out of the house to go to the coffee shop downtown and attending the occasional rave. That girl was me, and here is some photographic evidence:

Halloween 1995. This is a still from some video my friend John shot. I don’t know what my costume is supposed to be, but I looked pretty cool in a cop hat.

Here I am looking too cool for the universe in 1996. This is also a still from one of John’s videos.

I like being a grown up, and though my style preferences are a lot more refined than my gothic chic ensembles of the good ol’ days, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get nostalgic for the 90s sometimes. I probably won’t be slipping on any combat boots, but I have been loving the Clove Lip Embellishment by For Strange Women ($6),  which has a clove scent that is realistic enough to transport me right back to that coffee shop downtown.

Clove Lip Embellishment by For Strange Women

This balm is made from scratch and contains all kinds of nourishing oils and creamy butters for your lips. It’s also made without anything you wouldn’t want in a lip balm – it’s 100% alcohol, phthalate, paraben, synthetic, and cruelty free.

I find it’s a little hard to get it out of the tin when you first start using it, but as you break it in, it gets easier, and once it’s on your lips, it’s heavenly. The formula is extremely moisturizing and the clove is present enough to be enjoyable, but not at all overwhelming.

It’s also available in a tube ($6.50), which I suspect is much easier to work with, but I think my teenage self and my current self would both agree – the tin is just so much cooler.

Skin & Tonics Rating: A-