Lip Balm Review

[KnottedYet]

Ok, it's sort of "apparel". Bear with me.

I just bought a new (to me) lip balm, and really like it. So I figured, in my narcissistic way, that I should review my lip balms.

My lips are very picky. They burn easily and can get very irritated by some lipsticks and balms. And I don't do well with slimey petroleum based balms.

Burt's Bees lip balm: my gold standard. I love this stuff. I have tubes in every jacket pocket and every bag and one in the car that melts and oozes on a regular basis. Strong minty flavor, kind of tingly.

Lizard Lips: my SPF balm. SPF 22. Kind of goofy vanilla-y flavor, but it works great and stays on well. I have multiple tubes of this as well.

Burt's Bees Lifeguard's Choice: My tube is probably 3 years old. Not gone yet, because it's not that good. It's the regular balm with titanium dioxide added. Perfect! Buuuuuuut, the ti clumps up on your lips after a few minutes, so most of your skin has no protection.

Dr. Bronner's and Sun Dog's Magic Organic Lip Balm: my new favorite! I got the orange ginger flavor. Very mild, almost non-existant flavor. Less "hempy" than Merry Hempsters lip balm. Goes on thin, very smooth, and not greasy at all. And the tube is pretty.

[kerrybelle]

Lip balm is my addiction! It's nice to hear some reviews on some different.

Burts Bees is my favorite, too. They have a new version with honey instead of the mint. It's nice to have a change once in awhile. The only difference is the lack of tingling.

I agree with your opinion of the lifeguard's choice.

I'll have to try the others you mentioned.

Thanks again,

Kerry

[pooks]

Burt's Bees lip balm: my gold standard. I love this stuff. I have tubes in every jacket pocket and every bag and one in the car that melts and oozes on a regular basis. Strong minty flavor, kind of tingly.

This is what I discovered this summer and have been in love ever since. But what I use are the Lip Shimmers. They add color as well as gloss/balm/protection. I haven't had chapped lips since I've started using them, and that's amazing. I also put it on before I go to bed at night.

http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/...owSubCategory=

My favorite shade is papaya but it's new and harder to find. I get it at Whole Foods.

I may try Dr. Bromner's -- but I love the fact that Burt's Bees is like lipstick at the same time.

[Kitsune06]

I like Merry Hempsters, esp. since a friend of the family is one of their main marketing guys. It melts a little too quickly, though, and some 'flavors' are a little too gritty.

I found a little tin of handmade bees' wax and olive oil lip balm, unflavored, at the Fair and have been using that... it works better for me than anything I end up getting at the store, so I'd probably be a fan of Burt's Bees or Dr. Bronners

[HipGnosis6]

Burts Bees is my favorite, too. They have a new version with honey instead of the mint. It's nice to have a change once in awhile. The only difference is the lack of tingling.

The honey one is a little grainy feeling. I still prefer the original but like Knotted said, it's my "gold standard" for lip balm these days. I have a nice tea-tree oil balm that I like too, but it has that tea-tree taste and tends to get soft from heat REALLY easily so I don't use it as much. Helps heal up chappiness like a dream, though...

[Tiffanie]

Burt's Bees lip balm: my gold standard. I love this stuff. I have tubes in every jacket pocket and every bag and one in the car that melts and oozes on a regular basis. Strong minty flavor, kind of tingly.

I have been addicted to this stuff for years. If I find that I'm running low, I tend to panic until I get a chance to pick some up!! Really, I'm pathetic.

As pooks mentioned, the lip shimmers are really nice too. Same minty/tingly feeling with a bit of color!

[Haudlady]

I like Badger Balm... they have all sorts of good stuff. I have found that my lips and face get really dry when I'm riding - I can't understand how my DH goes out without "gooping up" first!

http://www.badgerbalm.com/

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I wore Burt's lip balm for YEARS, my favorite, loved the peppermint oil in it. Then I suddenly out of the blue became allergic to it! Every time I put it on my lips ballooned up huge and burned like mad for a whole day with red rash around the edges- AWFUL!!. I read about this happening with other women and Burt's. Turns out the essential oils were the offending ingredients.
Now I use Chapstick moisturizing chap stick, as it has sunscreen and no problem ingredients like peppermint oil or menthol. It amazes me to read the ingredients now and see how many lip balms have menthol and/or essential oils of some kind. Most do.
There's also a peach flavored balm from the health food store I can use safely.

I read somewhere that the more often you apply lipsticks and lip balms, the less the natural lubricant glands on your lip skin work anymore. They normally put out some sort of natural waxy protective stuff. (apparently breast areola areas do this as well, as a way to protect your sensitive skin while nursing). I remember when I was addicted to lipstick for years- when I didn't put it on my lips got terribly chapped within hours. When I weaned myself from the goo, it took weeks but my lips began to be naturally soft and chap-resistant again. They also got their natural pink color back again gradually.

Funny story- when I met my DH 7 years ago, that was when I had to break my lipstick addiction- literally because it was getting kissed off every few minutes and it became just too much of a hassle to keep putting lipstick back on!
Now I use the chapstick a few times a day, but i try to not have it on all the time, or for bed.
Try going Commando!!!

[Blueberry]

I'm also a Badger Balm fan - I love their sleep balm - I use it on pusle points every night before I go to sleep. Plus the company is great - I had a tin go rancid soon after opening. I called to ask about shelf life, and they asked me what happened. They sent lots of free goodies - and I didn't even ask for a replacement - they volunteered Their products are all natural, so they last a year or so before turning (though my sleep balm is now several years old with no ill effects). Burt's Bees - I've had some problems with that going rancid!

Their lip balms are good in all but the coldest weather for me. Then I need something a little thicker. Bath and Body Works makes a lip and face balm in their remedies line that works great for me in really cold weather.

Carrie Anne

[CorsairMac]

I'm allergic to mint and to SPF so finding a lip balm without either one is one of the hardest things.

I LOVE the Hempsters lip balm - no SPF, no mint. Badger is the same way.

I'm with whomever said they panic when they run out coz I can't just "run into the store" and buy more....but ironically - since I've quit using the lip balm with SPF, I don't have a problem with chapped lips anymore. Hmmmmmm

[KnottedYet]

Just looked at my Dr.Bronners Sun Dog. It has ginger and orange oils, but no mint or spf. It's the one I mentioned was like Merry Hempsters.

CorsairMac - how do your lips and skin handle zinc oxide and titanium dioxide?

For me the icky lip problems came from using petroleum base lip balms. Isn't it funny how sensitive our lips can be?

[pyxichick]

I can't live wthout Kiss My Face lip balm. I have the Cranberry Orange, but they have lots of flavors.

It's organic, has spf 15 and it's not waxy or gritty or tingly or anything, just smooth.

In fact, I love all their products. I have the Early to Bed bath bubbles, the Peach hand soap, the lavender shaving soap...

Kate- who loves her essential oils

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I can't live wthout Kiss My Face lip balm. I have the Cranberry Orange, but they have lots of flavors.

I use their Peach one all the time- it's gentle & does not have some of the essential oils that cause my awful allergic reaction to Burt's lip balm.

[Tiffanie]

I picked up Alba's Terra Tints lip balm the other day. Very nice!

[Bikingmomof3]

My all time favourite is Pedro's Lip Schit.
When I cannot find that one, I use Burt's Bees or Badger Balm.