It was our last day in Siem Reap, Nat and I decided to go around Psar Chaa. We had just had lunch and we thought that buying last-minute trinkets would help digest the food in our bellies.

Psar Chaa, the old market, is located between Pub Street and Siem Reap River.

A warm wind will greet you as you enter. You’ll smell it first; when your eyes adjusts to the dimness, you’ll see what’s being sold. Fresh produce, fresh meat, dried meat, dried goods, clothing, and various souvenir items.

It was my third time in Siem Reap. On my first two visits, I’ve always purchased massage oils, essential oils and various soaps. It was only during this trip that I noticed something new.

Lip Balms. Scented Lip Balms.

This got me pretty excited because I love scents.

This woman had lip balms of different kinds at her kiosk. I have noticed that the lip balms came in two types of packaging. The first type were lip balms housed in small lidded ceramic cups and the other were lip balms housed in wood nuts. I chose the later because they were more practical. The lids of the wood nut were more secure than that of the lidded ceramic cups.

One of the lip balms that I chose was Jasmine. I love this scent. It’s quite pleasant; not overpowering.

I actually had a hard time when I first opened this. I had to use a nail pusher to open up the lid. This was caused by excess product that spilled over when it was first closed.

 

The other lip balm that I chose was a mix of 6 flavours.

I initially wanted a Lotus flavoured lip balm, but alas the woman didn’t have any. She must have seen how disappointed I was because she insisted on letting me smell a particular lip balm.

It was a combination of Banana, Pineapple, Mango, Frangipani, Lotus and Lemon Grass.

When I first brought it to my nose, it was very fruity; but not overly sweet. But when I started rubbing the balm, the other flavours started to come out! This created another scented blend that took me by surprise. The mint of the lemon grass balanced the sweetness of the fruit scents while enhancing the flowery scents. This lip balm is my current favorite.

The lip balms are smooth; very easy to blend/spread on the lips. It does not have a high shine content which I like. I don’t know how these lip balms were made because there was no ingredients list. I wanted to know what was the main vehicle of the balm, but alas, language barriers can make conversation difficult. It’s highly likely that these lip balms use petroleum jelly as their base, the texture reminds me of it.  The balm does not have that distinct beeswax taste nor does it have any hint indicating that it is derived from Coconut.

So far, I have not had any adverse reaction to the balm since I had started using it. So it is most likely safe to use.

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The wood nut lip balms are available around Siem Reap. I’ve seen these in some upscale stores, along the night markets and on some souvenir stalls around the temples. The price ranges from $3 – $10 per piece. It will be more expensive in high end stores. It will be cheaper at the market. I bought mine for $5 for two.

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Let me say that the products I am using has worked for me and it might not necessarily work for you. Always be discerning when purchasing cosmetics or skin care products. Always read the label and the literature! Always do a patch test before you purchase a product for the first time to see that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients listed.

This blog is not sponsored. The products that are shown here are the products that I always use, love and live by.

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