The Beauty Range: Lip Balm for Chapped Lips
Oct 9, 2020
My favorite lip balm is Blistex MedX, but with COVID on the climb, I don’t want to use a product you have to stick your finger into. So here are a selection of balms for chapped, dry winter lips. If you have a favorite that doesn’t appear, leave it in the comments.
The Multi-Purpose One
Made of papaya, this balm can be used on lips, cuticles, chapped skin, eczema, wounds that won’t heal, etc.. It’s also vegan and cruelty free.
The Rising Star
This balm is showing up everywhere. With Cannabis extract, hyaluronic acid, and konjac, this balm makes your lips smoother, plumper and more moisturized.
The Classic One
Since 1895, this salve has been treating dry lips. With a rose-scent and hint of color, this one is a keeper.
The One with SPF
Jack Black Intense Therapy Balm
This Jack Black balm has SPF and serious skin protectant. It also smells incredible with a black tea and blackberry scent. Prefer no scent? Their shea butter balm is scent-free.
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If you wanted to try a Blistex that applies without dipping a finger, Blistex Ultra-Rich Hydration Dual Layer Lip Protectant, SPF 15 is my favorite. It has SPF and it’s smoothing and easy to swipe on. I can usually find it for $5 or less at grocery, drug store, etc.
I ran out of lip balm a few weeks ago and purchased Carmex Comfort Care Natural Lip Balm with Beeswax on a whim and it’s been great. Highly recommend.
I love regular Carmex in the stick form (it’s a twistable solid, as opposed to squirtable goo). I keep sticks in my purse, my bathroom, and at my desk. Long-lasting and no smell (I’m super sensitive to smells and prone to migraines).
Burts Bees Medicated — it’s the only lip balm I’ve found that actually works.
Dr. Dan’s Cortibalm (comes in a tube, dark green packaging) works better than anything I have ever tried. Our dermatologist recommended it while I took Accutane, and it was a lifesaver.
Try as I might, I cannot stop using Aquaphor. It’s SO good and it really heals the chap. But if you prefer to not use a petroleum-based product, I like both the Weleda SkinFood Lip Butter and Burt’s Bees vanilla balm.
100% agree on the aquaphor. The la mer balm is great and luxurious but when my lips are really chapped nothing beats aquaphor.
I go old-school and use Vaseline on my lips all winter long. For anyone who may be averse to repeatedly sticking their fingers in a tub, the Vaseline Lip Therapy stick comes in a few different “flavors” (cocoa butter, tinted, etc) and I also like the advanced therapy squeeze tube.
I also have never had skin sensitivity issues and usually can use just about any type of lipstick or lipbalm, but had a really weird reaction to the Jack Black balms. Just an FYI for anyone who may also have skin sensitivities.
Chapstick Sun Defense SPF 25. Very smooth. Works well under lipstick. SPF 25.
Would prefer a higher SPF if anyone knows of one.
https://www.chapstick.com/discover/chapstick-classic/sun-defense/original-spf-25
I recently broke down and bought Bepanthen (yes, the baby butt cream) for my lips after remembering an old boss from Germany who swore by it. She was like look it sounds weird but it works. Three days in and it’s like I have new lips with no peeling skin or cracks! Reviews say it works well on cuts and scrapes too. I apply it sparingly a couple times a day then layer it on thick at night.
Quick FYI – pawpaw is different from papaya. PawPaw grows natively in the eastern United States. The fruit is edible, but doesn’t store well so isn’t the sort of thing you find in stores.
I just posted the ingredients list from Ulta, I don’t know which it is. https://shopstyle.it/l/bnfmf
The Paw Paw balm is from Australia. Seems reasonable they might call papaya something different there.
CE Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm. Its magic. I cannot speak highly enough. Its the only balm I have used for the last 6 years
These are my two favorites. The first I got in London but is available online (they make a cicaplast B5 balm for skin in a larger tube that is great as a barrier cream, too). The second one is pricey, but lovely as a night treatment & supports a small business.
https://shopcosmetis.com/en/la-roche-posay-cicaplast-lip-barrier-repairing-balm-7-5ml.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwoJX8BRCZARIsAEWBFMKOLvEd7XYp3Q8nAbqyvSl1qZzD6BhriT71IBbJz6UghEEJjevJwv8aAjoEEALw_wcB
https://www.integritybotanicals.com/products/rosey-lip-balm
Love the Jack Black when I’m having problematically dry winter lips.
For everyday, I am obsessed with Moroccan Magic: https://www.amazon.com/Moroccan-Magic-Peppermint-Eucalyptus-Application/dp/B08BBY87D7
My favorites are lavender vanilla and peppermint eucalyptus. I like the weight and the gloss (not too much, just enough on both) and it’s super moisturizing.