Lauma’s lament: Hi there, and thanks for the incredible website! After reading your posts I’ve learned that many products really aren’t that different, and that there are some things a cream cannot change. But there is one thing that is really bugging me: It drives me crazy when my lips are chapped and sore. I have tried loads of products, such as the lip butters offered by the Body Shop (I could swear they make my lips feel even worse, they become very dry after a few hours), but there is only one balm that actually seemed to help my lips (it was probably the cheapest, too). Now I’m worried they’ll stop selling it so I was wondering if you could tell me what ingredients to look for in other lip balms.
The ingredients in The Balm: Petrolatum, Ceresin, Paraffin, Homosalate, Benzophenone-3, Parfum, Octinoxate, Prunus Armeniaca, Beta-Carotene, C.I. 12150.
Oh, by the way, I am from Latvia. We read you here, too!
The Right Brain’s balmy reply:
Hi Lauma, I think yours is the first Latvian question we’ve ever had – thank you and welcome to the Beauty Brains! To answer your question we’ll start with a quick review of each ingredient in this product.
Petrolatum is a greasy goop better known as petroleum jelly. It’s messy but it’s a great moisturizer. Ceresin and paraffin are both waxes; they blend with the petrolatum to give the lip balm its body. Homosalate, Benzophenonone-3 and Octinoxate are sunscreens. Prunus Armeniaca (apricot extract) and Beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A) don’t really serve much purpose at all in a lip balm. And parfum is fragrance .
The first three ingredients are responsible for the way this balm feels on your lips. Of course, the consistency of the product will vary depending on how MUCH of these ingredients are used. Lip balms can be formulated as firm sticks or soft butters. So if you’re looking for a replacement product, look for another balm that has the consistency that you like and that is based on petrolatum thickened with soft waxes. You have a lot of options to chose from; there are at least six different basic types of lip balms!
1. Beeswax
Beeswax can give a very stiff lip balm, depending on how much is used and what it’s mixed with.
Examples: Ecolips and Blistex Herbal Answer
2. Petrolatum
Petrolatum by itself or mixed with lanolin makes a very buttery balm.
Examples: Vaseline, Palmers Cocoa Butter Lip formula
3. Petrolatum with wax
Wax gives the balm a stiffer texture.
Examples: Carmex, Canus Goat Milk
4. Wax and emollient esters
Some formulas use slippery chemicals called esters to lube your lips.
Examples: Neutrogena Lip Nutrition
5. Waxes with dimethicone
Dimethicone is a type of silicone that is approved as a skin protectant.
Examples: Banana Boat, Aveeno
6. Waxes with aloe vera
Depending on the type of Aloe used, this type of balm may contain a significant amount of water.
Examples: Chapstick
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i think i’ve finally figured out what i’m allergic to in lip care from this post. i’ve found that a lot of chapsticks i’ve tried make my throat scratchy and a little bit itchy. from your list, the only ones that have ever bothered me are banana boat and aveeno. meaning i am allergic to dimethicone. thanks, brains!
I had that problem too, tried every lip balm and nothing worked!! Now I’m using vaseline, and my lips are fine!!
Lauma, I sympathize with you. Please consider that you might need to find a lip balm that leaves out an ingredient that irritates your lips. For years my lips were left chapped, flakey, and sometimes sore, by a variety of lip balms. I realized that, just like my skin, my lips are sensitive to a variety of ingredients often present in lip balms. These include any chemical sunscreen (one that is not titanium dioxide or zinc oxide), and anything that makes my lips feel “cool” or “tingly”, including any kind of mint oil, cinnamon oil, orange or lemon oil, menthol, and eucalyptus. Also, many other plant oils, such as lavender oil, irritate my lips (and face), and so does any fragrance. Most all lip balms (and many lipsticks and glosses) contain at least one ingredient that irritates me. One that doesn’t is called Chapstick All Natural, another is Lipsyl Lip Balm Extra Sensitive Hypoallergenic. I bought these in the US. At night I sometimes use just petroleum jelly. I’ve been using these products for about three years now, and my lips haven’t had any problems since. Another problem I that I discovered: My lips became flakey from getting minty toothpaste on them when I brush, and when I accidentally get a bit of facial lotion containing salycylic acid or glycolic acid on them, so I have to be caution when using those products. I hope that you find the lip balm that works for you!
Anna: Don’t be so sure the culprit is dimethicone. In fact, that ingredient is very inert and rarely causes any kind of skin reaction. It’s more likely something in the fragrance or one of the other ingredients.
I use and LOVE Caudalie lip conditioner.
The indregients are: Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Ozokerite, Paraffin, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Cetyl Palmitate (Plant Origin), Isopropyl Myristate (Plant OriginPlant Origin), Butyrospermum Parkii Fruit (Shea Butter – Plant Origin), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (Octinoxate), Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate (Plant Origin), Oryza Sativa Bran Wax (Rice – Plant Origin), Euphorbia Cerifera Wax (Candelilla – Plant Origin), Hypericum Perforatum Extract (Plant Origin), Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Propylparaben, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract (Grape – Plant Origin), Palmitic Acid (Plant Origin), Parfume (Fragrance), Ricinus Communis Seed Oil (Castor – Plant Origin), Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Anise Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate
Coincidentally, the other day I found “Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Swivel Stick”
Cocoa (theobroma cacao) Extract, Mineral (Paraffinum Liquidum) Oil, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcrystallina), Cocoa (theobroma cacao) Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Fragrance, Carotene (CI 40800)
It’s not a lip balm per se. But I am just thrilled with it. It covers my lips well(not like those cheesy chapstick type with tiny openings). My lips are soft again-woot! I lasts for hours, unlike chapstick which lasts about 20 minutes for me.
And what woman would not be thrilled about walking around in a cloud of chocolate scent and taste? :p
Just curious…. why are we addicted to lip balms? What is the ingredient that makes us have a tube of Balmex or any lip conditioner in short reach? Does anyone else have withdrawal symptoms if they can’t find their lip balm?!!
Thanks!
Lynnette
I have that addiction too. Can you tell us what could cause that. I heard that there is an ingredient in those lip balms that makes you need more because it is actually drying the lips. True?
We wrote about lip balm addiction previously. You can see it here.
http://thebeautybrains.com/2006/05/16/are-you-addicted-to-lip-balm/
I have found the balm made by Pharmaca to be the best. Long lasting and without much taste. Its current formulation lists avacado oil, beeswax, organic hemp seed oil, citrus essential oil blend, rosemary extract.
In their earlier formulation, a few years back, the same ingrediants were used but in s slightly different formulation.
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