Highland Mint

When I was about sixteen or so my family had annual passes to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. You need only know me for about ten minutes before you learn of my deep and burning hatred of zoos. I cannot abide them. Like, at all. They are smelly, it is always hot, I always get a sunburn, and there is a 99.9% chance you will get pee'd on by an Elephant (my claims to fame in life are that I have not only been pee'd on by an Elephant, but also a cow. Someday I'll tell you about them). if all that weren't bad enough, there is nothing you actually do at a zoo. So in lue of being pee'd on by smelly animals who mostly just lay around doing nothing, I would look through the shops. During my times in these shops (we went alot, because, y'know, the animals change so very much from week to week.) I discovered Badger Balm. They had a pots of these lip balms as well as sticks and there were samples. Being a lip balm fanatic (seriously it looks like I collect the stuff) I tried all the ones they had there. The company sold really pretty sounding scents/flavours like Chai Rose, Cinnamon Bay, and Highland Mint.

At this time in my life I was obsessed with two things: Scotland, and a Scottish actor ( don't even ask, cuz I'm not telling you) who happened to think that badgers were the strangest animals ever (His website was called something like The Roaming Badger and he frequently referred to himself as a badger and it was all weird, but he did have very pretty blue eyes). I had giggled when I saw the name of the company, and when I saw the Highland Mint, I giggled even more. then I tired it. My life was forever changed. As far as lip balms go, this stuff takes the cake! It is soothing, and makes my lips so soft, and had just a hint of that tingling mint feeling. Beyond that it smells incredible. I'm not joking, this is the best lip balm on the plant and I'll put my right eye on that. So I bought a pot of it. I think the pot lasted a week or two. So I bought another the next time we were there. Same story. Then our passes (thankfully) expired and while I was so happy about not having to stare at yet another lion sleeping anymore, I did lose access to my favourite lip balm.

But as fate would have it, my favourite vintage/thrift shop (that is sadly no more) started carrying the sticks. I was thrilled and overjoyed and happily bought them every time I went in there. Well the next summer I went to the UK and Ireland and carried my Badger Balm. It was stolen by some girl on the trip when we traded sweatshirts one day, and I demanded it back. I got it back on the day we went repelling off the side of a castle (which by the way I am terrified of heights and did everything I could to not appear so as we leapt off the side of a castle. While it was fun, I did land squarely on my hiney and will probably never do it again.). It had been two days that I been without that stupid lip balm and it was like Christmas getting it back. Sadly the stick lasted until the last day of the trip and I had to fly home sans lip balm. Oh well, I thought, I'll just buy some more when I get home. So get home I did, and off to Dee Lux I went, and guess what? They had gone out of business in the time I had been gone. Life as I knew it was over.

I have been searching high and low for this stuff ever since then. It's an organic brand, so health food stores and the like should carry it right? Oh no. They carry badger brand hand and foot balm, but no lip balm, and no Highland Mint. I could order it online, but then I'd have to pay shipping and when the sticks are three bucks a pop, I'd rather not. About two weeks ago I was in Sprouts buying toothpaste and there I saw it. Badger Balm Sticks!! I literally ran to the display only to find they did not have the Highland Mint. At that point I decided I would break down and just order the darn stuff online. So yesterday I ran over to Clark's across the street. Clark's is a health food store and carries 99 cent Arizona Ice tea, which by the way, I am addicted to. I got my tea, bought the refill to my facewash, bought some rose scented Witch Hazel, and went to check out. I had searched the toiletries section of the store for that stupid lip balm as I do every time I'm in there. But alas, nothing. So there I am standing in line and an organic raspberry dark chocolate bar was staring at me tauntingly. I told the chocolate to go away and looked up one row as if to let it know it did not have any power over me. And that's when I saw it. It was unmistakable. The green cap, the purple swirly label, the cute little fuzzy creature holding an orb. Could it be? I squealed and grabbed a stick hoping my eyes did not deceive me. They did not. I had finally found my lip balm! I bought the thing and ripped off the seal, opened the cap, and breathed in the smell. Oddly enough I was instantly back to that day of abseiling (repelling). Every time I use it now I'm back there. All I know is that I am delighted to have my lip balm back. I highly recommend it. Your lips are in for a treat.