Dr Paw Paw Multi Purpose Balm - Original, Red and Peach

Dr. Paw Paw's Multi Purpose Balm* is one of those "classic' use it anywhere sorts of products - much like Vaseline. However, although it does contain medical grade Petrolatum it also contains natural ingredients like Olive Fruit Oil, Aloe Barbadanis Leaf Juice and Carica Papaya and is 100% made in Britain. I've been using the Original Balm for months but I only very recently got my hands on Dr. Paw Paw's two tinted balms. I was really happy to see that they felt just as comfortable on my lips, offering a sheer but noticeable wash of colour that stuck around for much longer than I'd expected.

Whilst Vaseline still comes housed in round pots, Dr. Paw Paw's Multi Purpose Balms are housed in travel-friendly (albeit definitely on the large side) tubes that distribute just the right amount of product. You do still have to use your finger to apply the product but I find that this gives the best finished look and helps the colour last too - I think that massaging the product into the lips really helps. 

The Peach shade is definitely on the pink end of the spectrum but it makes a noticeable difference to the appearance of my complexion, really helping to brighten it up! On the cheeks it doesn't "do" that much colour-wise but the formula is just waxy enough that it doesn't disappear as soon as it's applied. The Red shade is much more noticeable on the cheeks, offering a naturally "flushed" look. On the lips it gives the same sheer colour with a sheen (but not glossy) finish. It's comfortable to wear, easy to apply and generally hassle free - but you will have to reapply throughout the day.

One final word - I recently read a very interesting article by Jane from British Beauty Blogger all about "slack fill". This term refers to packaging whose size or design has been created to suggest that you're purchasing more product than you actually are. Although there is no overt deception being made, slack fill is all about using visual tricks and, sadly, many beauty brands design their packaging to incorporate them.

 If you take a moment to look at the photo below, look at the packaging of Dr. Paw Paw's The Ultimate Red Balm* - you can just about see that the product contained within the tube finishes around about the word "Multipurpose" on the tube. This means that approximately one third of the tube is empty when you purchase the balm, and this is the same across all three Dr. Paw Paw Balms. In the case of Dr. Paw Paw this isn nothing to be alarmed about (I've noticed the same thing happened with nearly all my moisturisers) but it is an important factor to consider when you're costing in "value". Don't rely on the size of a tube, check the amount of product you're buying - in this case it's 25ml which is a lot compared to most lip products or multi-purpose makeup items. 

Dr. Paw Paw's Multi Purpose Balms* won't be to everyone's taste but I personally really love the two tinted shades. Priced at £6.95 each, I think that they're very good value for money and I don't think that I could pick between them. Have you tried these before?