A Zero-Calorie Dessert? - Scharffen Berger's Ganache for Lips
Written: Jan 19 '06 (Updated Jan 21 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Delicious!
Cons: Very pricey and no sunscreen
The Bottom Line: Tastes great, non-caloric and easy to use throughout the day. Is there room in your life for one more addiction?
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Ganache for Lips: All Natural Gourmet Lip Balm |
A few months ago, I toured the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in Berkeley, California. The tour ended by herding the attendees into the gift shop. Since the holidays were coming up, I was happy to browse for a little while. In doing so, I found a display near the cash register of Scharffen Berger's Ganache for Lips.
I'm a compulsive user of lip balm, and all-natural chocolate lip balm sounded pretty darn good to me. Between my husband and myself, we bought a handful to use as stocking-stuffers, despite the steep $4 price, about three times what you'd pay for a tube of ordinary (e.g. Blistex) lip balm. Part of the cost is undoubtedly attributable to ingredients such as real chocolate and hazelnut extract. But the first ingredient is sweet almond oil, a not very pricey ingredient, and much of the price undoubtedly goes to fund Scharffen Berger marketing. Four dollars for 0.15 ounces of product translates to nearly $27 per ounce or more than $426 per pound. Burt's Bees puts out all-natural products that are considerably cheaper. And at the very bottom of the tube one finds that a significant amount of the product can't be raised above the edge of the tube. So one can either dig it out with a fingernail or lip brush, or chuck what's left of something that costs $27 per ounce.
If I didn't enjoy using this product so much, there's no way I'd consider paying this price. In this case, the outlay is actually justified by the pleasure I get every time I put some of this stuff on. For just a moment after application, it really and truly tastes like I've got an absolutely delicious chocolate hazelnut confection in my mouth. I guess that I acclimate very quickly to the flavor, because the sensation is pretty fleeting. My husband could attest that I actually say "MMMMmmm!" just about every time I use Ganache for Lips, though I tend to be a little less demonstrative in the office. If I were following a strict diet, I think I'd use this stuff all the time. It's a great way to get the flavor of real chocolate without actually eating any.
I would say that the feeling of this product on my lips is very slightly different from the Blistex brand, and significantly different from Chapstick. There's no waxiness at all in Ganache for Lips. It also differs from products with a petroleum based lubricant. Even though it lubricates well, there's a thinner, oilier quality to the sensation - so that my lips feel nice, but not coated in anything. On average, I apply this product two or three times during the course of the day. I use a Burt's Bees balm before sleep because that's what sits on my nightstand.
When I'm fortunate enough to stumble onto something I really, really like, I tend not to branch out and try other options. So I've stuck close to my Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache for Lips, venturing only as far as the Chocolate Almond flavor. But there are other flavors available, namely: Cocoa Peppermint, Chocolate Orange, Mocha Latte, Chocolate Raspberry, and Lemon Mousse. The Chocolate Almond is nice, but in terms of yum factor, it's no match for the Chocolate Hazelnut, in my opinion at least.
One drawback (perhaps the only drawback) of having an all-natural line up of ingredients is that there's no sunscreen in the Ganache for Lips line of products. The Chocolate Hazelnut has a nice chocolatey color in the tube, but it goes on colorless, so I don't think there's any protection from UV at all. Obviously, I can live with this, as I'm still using the product in preference to others with a sunscreen. It's something I think about though, as my skin is very fair and there's some history of skin "issues" in my family. I suppose if I were spending more time outdoors on a regular basis, I'd stick to using Ganache for Lips while indoors or in the evening.
I've actually raved about this product to friends and co-workers. In terms of quality and enjoyment, Ganache for Lips would get five stars from me. It loses a star for excessive price. But I'd still recommend it to anyone, particularly chocolate lovers. And the fact that it's colorless lip balm makes it appropriate for men as well as women. Just be warned: this product may be habit-forming.
In case you can't find this product in a store near you, it is available online at Scharffen Berger's website. Try following the shop online link and look under "merchandise." You can also use the website to search for a retailer in your area.
http://www.scharffenberger.com/
Recommended:
Yes
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