Battle of the Balms

A soft, smooth and healthy lip is a thing of beauty.  Your mouth is a focal point during conversation, a source of entertainment, and our means to survival.  Thousands of words pass through our lips every hour and it isn’t without cost.  Chapped and injured lips can ruin your day, your week and even your life.  If you suffer from constant chapped lips, you know what I’m talking about.  The dryer your lips feel, the more you are prone to lick them, which in turn dries them out even more. It really is such a vicious cycle.  Don’t fret; there is an easily attainable solution available for all of us.  Here is a list of a few popular lip balms that I personally have tried, two of which I loved, and the third, well, that’s another story.

BURT’S BEES – Beeswax Lip Balm w/ Vitamin E & Peppermint (Signature formula) cost: $2.99

This balm was founded in 1991 and has been conditioning our lips ever since.  I first heard this brand in an unexpected way.  A friend of mine told me about a moisturizer that contained mica (shimmer) and I had to have it.  When I got to the pharmacy I was astounded at the variety of products Burt’s Bees had.  Not only did I get the sparkly moisturizer, I also walked away with lip balm.  This 100% natural product contains no Parabens, Phthalates or Petrochemicals.  The beeswax conditions your lips, while the vitamin E moisturizes them.  This formula also uses peppermint oil, which has an amazing smell without over powering your senses. This product is great for those looking for a mild and basic balm that does the job with out all the fluff.  Burt’s Bees offers a large variety of basic balms, tinted balms and lips glosses as well.   I love this product, especially the glosses!

CARMEX – Moisturizing Lip Balm (Original formula) cost: $1.69

Alfred Woelbing invented this balm in 1937.  The ingredients in CARMEX include beeswax, sunscreen agents Octinoxate & Oxybenzone and various oils.  This formula also contains menthol and phenol, which is said to kill germs.   This balm is great for healing and preventing sunburned lips.  People who are constantly exposed to the elements would benefit from using a product like this.  This really is a great balm for the right person, me not being their target buyer. The flavor and scent of CARMEX is extremely medicinal and outright repulses me.  If my husband is wearing this, he knows to avoid any attempt at kissing.  While scent and flavor may not deter some, I cannot tolerate this atrocity in any way.    I will not disagree that I am overly sensitive to the negative attributes.  This balm isn’t widely popular for no reason; those who love CARMEX are committed and loyal customers.

YES TO – Carrots Color Balm cost: $5.99  &  Lip Butter cost: $3.49

This balm was developed in 2005 and I’m extremely thankful for that.  This product is by far my favorite of all balms mentioned in this article.  The formula is 100% natural made from beeswax, various oils, seed extracts and shea butter.  The smell, flavor and texture of YES TO Carrots is amazingly pleasant and leaves your lips feeling like silk.  The tinted balm leaves a subtle color behind leaving your mouth healthy and supple.   As you can probably tell, I am a bit obsessed with these balms and butters. Since my discovery of this product, I have accumulated a large variety of them, if I don’t actually have the complete line. I always have a YES TO carrots balm in my bag! Honestly, I think this company in general has an amazing variety of products and they are definitely worth every penny.

There is a countless amount of different lip balms and butters on the market right now.  Each one of us may have a different experience and opinion of the same product.  For my money, I think you know which balm I’d choose, but please, see for yourself as well.  Healthy lips are waiting.

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