Compare the top 5 balms
Honorable Kubuka
Photo: Boutayna Chokrane
EOS 24h moisture super balm for $6: I’ve been a fan of egg shaped belts since middle school. 24h maximum moisture feels like an older version. There are strong ingredients like shea butter, avocado oil, and castor seed oil. There are params and params-free, phthalates, silicones and synthetic dyes. It’s sparkling, and comes in delicious flavors like coconut milk, mango melonade, and watermelon frosé. The only catch is that it’s not perfumed, so those with sensitive lips might not like it. Texture too – I’m a foreignerwhich means your hair will find its way into your mouth on a windy day. And despite the 24-hour moisture claim, expect to reapply every hour or two.
BURT’s Bees Beetshax Lip Balm for $4: If you have ingredients you don’t know, Burt’s Bees have probably been in your tote at some point. The original formula includes beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and peppermint oil. No petroleum or parabens, and you can find it almost everywhere. That said, beeswax creates a strong barrier but it is not the most hydrating, especially during the cold winter season. The balms coat but don’t penetrate, meaning not much will happen to chapped lips. Peppermint oil can also be a great little sponge for sensitive lips. However, if you are dirty and standing in front of CVS of choice, the smartest purchase is blistex (more on that later).
Glossier Balm Dotcom for $16: Gloslori Balm Dotcom went so lanege lip sleeping mask can run. It’s a multi-purpose slide that includes lanolin, castor oil, and beeswax for maximum moisture retention. Also, it comes in a few veer tiles that play well on no makeup days. But the thick, waxy texture can feel a little clumpy, especially for flaky lips.
Photo: Boutayna Chokrane
Goop Beauty Nourishing Lip Recork for $30: This hydrating lip mask from GOOP is loaded with cermamides to help restore your lip barrier, along with fig seed oil and acai that smells just as tropical as it sounds. While free from silicones, parabs, and artificial fragrances, those botanical oils and fruit extracts help us create a reaction. Patch Test first. Also, at $30 for only 0.3 ounces, it’s not the most expensive balm on my list.
Omorovicza Budapest Perfect Lip Balm for $46: Omorovicza’s Eastering Lip Balm’s Tealing Cands leans gritty, almost like a polish or micro-exfoliator. There are other good things here, like hyaluronic acid and omega fatty acids. But, there are also the necessary (possibly irritating) exteras-eucalyptus oil, perfume, and benzyl alcohol.
Avoid these lip balms
Nivea Dewy Lip Care with Hyaluronic acid: Nivea’s Lord Lip care with Hyaluronic acid is full of emollients, antioxidants and shea butter, glycerin, and vitamins e (more expensive. Unfortunately, there are also a few unnecessary additives, especially geranoil perfumes and “flavors,” which can include any mix of synthetic or natural compounds. Nivea’s integrated pads are not the best; They leave a greasy film and depend There are many better balms available that provide long-lasting hydration without excessive shine.
Blistex Lip Medex: It gives you that instant tendency to Menthol and Kamperor, and a cocktail of flavors and aromas, but that stabbing is a red flag. A general note: “Lip Balms lost often do more harm than good.
Carmex Classic Lip Balm: For the same reasons as blistex, skip Carmex. It contains camphor and benzocaine, taken from ingredients that can irritate the skin and make chapped lips worse over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes chapped lips?
There are many causes, and here are some of the most common causes of chapped lips:
- Cold weather and dry air: Both cold and dry air humidity
- Lip Lick: The more you pay, the drier you get. Picking your lips breaks the natural barrier of your lip, leading to irritation and hyperpigmentation.
- Body reaction: Some lip balms contain ingredients that cause allergic reactions, making dryness and vomiting worse. Common suspects include castor oil, grease, dyes, and preservatives.
- Sun exposure: Your lips are thinner and less pigmented than the rest of your skin, which means less protection from UV rays. Unprotected exposure can lead to painful erections or painful spots called actinic cheilitis.
- Cigarette Smoking: If you smoke, your lips are at greater risk of a condition called glandular cheilitis, which causes inflammation, rough texture, and cracks. It can also raise your risk of developing oral cancer.
- Medicines: Certain meds come with dry mouth as a side effect, including but not limited to retinoids, antihistamines, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines.
- Basic Conditions: Autoimmune conditions like lupus, eczema, or lichen planus can appear on your lips first. If your symptoms don’t go away after trying the usual suspects, talk to your dermatologist.
What ingredients should you look for (and avoid) in lip balms?
Here’s what I should look for on the label:
- Emollients: These are moisturizing ingredients that help repair and smooth lips, chapped lips. Some common ones include:
1. Castor oil: Big, thick, healthy and packed with ricinoleic acid that helps with a tough texture. It is slightly less comedogenic, which means it can clog pores.
2. Cocoa butter or shea butter: These bundles toe the line between emollients and occluather. They check and help to rebuild the natural barrier of the lip without clogged pores.
3. Coconut oil: It is naturally anti-inflammatory, but if you are prone to breakouts, it can be overwhelming for the skin around your lips.
4. Jojoba Oil: It mimics the skin’s natural sebum. Super Lightweight, Nongreasy, and Impossible to Clog Peres. - Offensives: These ingredients form a protective barrier to seal in moisture and prevent natural aggressors. look for Petroleum Jelly . Beehlax in another natural way.
- Determined: These ingredients attract water to keep lips clamp and hydrated; They work best when paired with emollients and offensives to lock in moisture. Standing position Hyaluronic acidwhich hydrates without leaving a greasy residue, but you will also benefit glycerin, aloe veraor honey.
- Antioxidants: Ingredients like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, niacinamideagain polyphenols Help protect against free radicals and aid in the repair of damaged skin cells over time.
- SPF protection: Lips are more vulnerable to sun damage, so choose mineral sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. They are effective, gentle enough for sensitive skin, and do not leave a white cast.
Here’s what to avoid:
- Innocent fragrances and flavors: Yummy scents, including but not limited to peppermint, cinnamon, and citrus, can irritate your lips, especially if you have sensitive skin.
- Menthol, camphor, and other cooling agents: This makes the dryness worse over time.
Seeing a Dermatologist
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, if your lips are still chapped after two to three weeks of constant balm use, you should consult your dermatologist. A professional can help you find out if there is something more like an allergic reaction or a fungal infection – and treat it before breeding.
My lip balm obsm started sometime in 2006 with a fanta lip smacker, but in this case, I found a more sophisticated approach. Over the past eight months, I put 30 bands through various tests and conditions: dry Chicago winters, airplane heat, airplane air, etc. I judged each against a list of factors:
- Ingredients: I’ve scoured every balm for moisturizing ingredients and harsh ingredients that can irritate the lips instead of helping them, such as artificial fragrances, menthol, and camphor. I’ve also prioritized clean or vegan options when possible.
- Texture: I tested how each formula went on, how it wore throughout the day, and how it built up under lip products and other lip products. Anything too waxy, too oily, or that disappeared in five minutes and got a hard pass.
- Packaging and performance: I tested the tubes, the cans, and the twisted rods. I rated each on comfort, cleanliness, and overall friendliness.
- Distance from each other: This guide includes drugstore and luxury lip treatments, makeup and high-end options, and SPF options.
What did we test next?
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