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Lip balm – used to lock-in lip moisture for over a century

Lip balm has been used for over a hundred years to help maintain healthy lips and heal dry chapped and sore lips. Proper application of lip balm keeps the lip area soft and glowing with health, and is an essential element to an attractive smile.

As the lips do not have their own oil glands, they cannot self-moisturize. It’s therefore important to give them a helping hand by adding a layer of wax or oil-based substance to keep moisture and softness locked-in.

Which lip balm is best for you?

It’s easy to be confused about which lip balm is best for you as there are now so many choices on the market, each claiming to be the best for dry, chapped, sun-sensitive, mature, men’s and children’s lips.

A lip balm’s main purpose is to seal in moisture and add an extra layer of protection to the surface of the lips so it can be protected from the elements, come winter or summer.

Best lip balms for dry or chapped lips

Because the skin on the surface of the lips is so thin, it needs extra protection. Often the first part of the face to feel the effects of over exposure to hot or cold temperatures, a wax or jelly-based balm is ideal for that all-important prevention of moisture loss, so lips can feel comfortable and remain healthy looking and in tip-top condition.

Lip balm containers

Lip balms now come in all shapes and sizes, smells and textures. You may prefer to apply yours in a lipstick style tube, or there are the little pots which can be applied with a finger tip. Compact, squeezy-style containers are another option, so there’s something to suit all preferences.

As well as lip balms offering super-moisturization, or protection from the sun thanks to additional SPF properties, there are those which promise to help lips maintain a youthful appearance, thanks to fine line minimisers. Others claim to plump lips as well as moisturize them.

Tinted lip balms

And if you want a hint of colour with your lip balm, the new breed of tinted lip balms offer an option in between a moisturizing chap stick and a lipstick. These come in all colors, from a hint of red which makes lips appear ‘bitten’ and natural, but striking, to softer pink and peach shades for that barely-there look.

Lip balm for men

Lip balms are no longer just a beauty must-have of women’s make-up bags. Increasingly men are using lip balm to keep their lips soft and crack-free. In the city and country alike, men need the same, if not more, protection from exposure to the elements. This new breed of lip balm for the modern man may hold off on the perfumes and flavors, and tone down the packaging so it appeals more to the rugged man, but they are just as effective and work hard to keep men’s lips in a healthy, attractive condition.

Additional benefits

Lip balms are available from the very basic – those which contain the key ingredient of beeswax or carnauba wax, paraffin, or petrolatum. To differentiate themselves among a crowded market place, many varieties now contain dyes, flavors and fragrance. Others will have medicinal properties including menthol, while others will offer added benefits such as a sun protection factor to protect from exposure during hot weather or perhaps time on the ski slopes.

Natural lip balms

With the average consumer now becoming increasingly aware of what goes into the products they put on their face and bodies, lip balm manufacturers are offering more natural, organic alternatives to appeal to the more eco-conscious consumer. These will go easy or synthetic colors, preservatives and ingredients, instead opting for natural components such as beeswax, and natural colorants, doing away with the toxic elements to provide a gentler alternative.

Make your own lip balm

One way to ensure the most natural product for your lips is to make your own lip balm. It’s an easy process, in fact you can do it in your very own kitchen, with little need to purchase expensive equipment or ingredients.

The key components are a wax such as beeswax and oil such as almond or olive. You can add a natural flavor such as honey if you want to make it taste even better. Essential oils can add additional beneficial properties too. Think about lavender, peppermint or chamomile for a soothing effect. And adding a vitamin such as vitamin E will also have the added benefit of keeping the lips nourished.

Once you have your key ingredients, you can cook them up in a saucepan, and then leave the mixture to cool in your chosen container; perhaps a little pot or lipstick-style tube. Labelling your  creation will help you remember what ingredients you used and when you made the batch. Home-made lip balms make a great gift for friends and family for birthdays and a stocking filling at Christmas time.

Lip balm addiction

Since lip balms have become more advanced and started to incorporate ever more imaginative and elaborate colors, flavors and perfumes, it’s easy to see how people can become addicted to using them. There have been (unfounded) claims of certain brands adding ground-up glass to their products, necessitating the need to constantly reapply to soothe and comfort the over-sensitised lip. However, lip balm application, in moderation, can help keep lips young and supple. By keeping lips moisturized and protected, fine lines and ageing can be stalled and problems such as cold-sores and chronic chapping can be kept at bay.

Lip balm questions answered

This question is asked so often and the answer will be different according to the specific needs of the consumer. What’s the best lip balm for cracked or chronically dry lips? How about the best option for a ski trip or when sun bathing? I want a lip balm that isn’t too greasy or one that has a natural scent. Or a lip balm that smells of fruit salad or chocolate cake. There’s so much choice that there’s probably a lip balm on the market to meet every conceivable need.

Lip balm reviews

To help navigate the lip balm market minefield, this site will provide reviews of the best products available today. These include firm favourite old timers such as Chapstick and Carmex, to luxury alternatives from La Mer and Clinique. Each lip balm has something to offer the dry or chapped lip, the aging lip or the lip which needs a boost of color to face the day with.

Read more about lip balm on Wikipedia or view videos from the queen of lip balm reviews and news Emily Noel.