Bomb Lip Balms!

[JoSometimes]

EDIT: This started out as a way for me to chronicle my journey to find my favourite lip balm. The thread quickly gained traction and many people chimed in with their favourites, so I decided to change the point of this thread to be more of a resource to help people find their favourite too.

If you’ve got a favourite, please feel free to post it here. If you’re on the hunt for something, have a read through all the posts. Hopefully you’ll find your favourite holy grail lip balm too!

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ORIGINAL POST:

I’ve been on the hunt for my absolute favourite, holy grail lip balm lately. I decided to provide reviews for ones I’ve tried here in case anyone is interested.

My criteria for lip balm is it needs to restore a feeling of moisture in my lips, provide additional benefits like calming irritation or including SPF, come in small, pocket-friendly packaging, and cost less than $10. I don’t mind scents or flavourslong as they’re pleasant. If anyone has lip balms they love, I’d been interested in trying them out.

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Nivea: Delicious Drop (Peach & Vanilla)

Cost: $7

Pros: Smells absolutely heavenly, soft, buttery texture, restores moisture, has SPF, tear drop shape for wider application

Cons: Difficult to find outside Asian shops, no calming ingredients for irritated lips

Verdict: Love, love love the scent! Will definitely purchase again and use on good lip days.

Lovisia Lip Cream (Pikachu Yuzu)

Cost: $15

Pros: Smells fresh, citrusy, and invigorating, soft texture, moisturizing, super cute, nostalgic packaging

Cons: No SPF, no calming ingredients for irritated, chapped lips, pricy, difficult to find outside Asian shops

Verdict: Very nostalgic but price and  lack of SPF makes it hard to justify buying again. A maybe for days when I need a feel-good throwback to my childhood.

Blistex Deep Moisture Renewal

Cost: $4

Pros: No scent, has SPF, very moisturizing, cheap, easy to find in local drug stores

Cons: No calming ingredients for irritated, chapped lips

Verdict: My current go-to if I need lip balm. I’ve already gone through a few of these.

Benton Honest Lip Balm

Cost: $11

Pros: No scent, consistency is not too think or sticky feeling, long lasting moisture, vegan

Cons: Difficult to find outside of Asian shops, no SPF or calming ingredients for irritated, chapped lips

Verdict: I prefer stick formulas. Probably won’t repurchase again unless they develop a stick formula.

Shiseido Water In Lip

Cost: $10

Pros: Very moisturizing with hyaluronic acid, cooling effect for irritation, SPF

Cons: Has a cough syrup-like smell (goes away quickly), hard to find outside of Asian shop

Verdict: Will repurchase again for days when lips are irritated and red.

The Crème Shop x Hello Kitty Macaron Lip Balm (Cool as Mint)

Cost: $8

Pros: Minty scent, contains vitamin E, very cute packaging

Cons: Thick consistency, no SPF, packaging might be cute but not the most compact

Verdict: Won’t repurchase, but will definitely keep the packaging to re-house other lip balms in (it lies flat, so it’s great to keep in my car on hot days when lip balm gets a little melty)

Blistex Lip Medex

Cost: $5

Pros: Very cooling for irritated lips, easy to find at drug stores, lots of lip balm in container means it will last a long time

Cons: Smells like Vaporub (actually a pro when I’m sick), clunky packaging, no SPF

Verdict: Used to be my go-to when my lips were in rough shape. Have found ones I like more, won’t repurchase.

Eucerin Aquaphor

Cost: $3

Pros: No scent, Seals in moisture, easy to find at drug stores

Cons: Doesn’t restore moisture when lips are dry, no SPF

Verdict: It’s alright. Won’t repurchase unless I desperately need lip balm and there’s no other option.

Vaseline

Cost: $4

Pros: Seals in moisture, can found almost everywhere, shouldn’t cause any irritation

Cons: No other benefits outside sealing in moisture

Verdict: It’s versatile and takes forever to empty. I think it’s going to be a while before I repurchase.

Carmex

$8 for 3

Pros: Has SPF, seals in moisture, easy to find at drugstores, very cheap

Cons: Has a scent I can’t describe (not terrible but not amazing either)

Verdict: It’s meh. Won’t repurchase.

Covergirl Clean Fresh (clear)

Cost: $5

Pros: Contains hyaluronic acid, easy to find at drugstores, comes in other shades

Cons: Really thick consistency, no SPF, doesn’t feel like it adds moisture back (despite containing hyaluronic acid)

Verdict: I really wanted to like this one but it underwhelmed and underperformed. Won’t be repurchasing.

Koaino Eco Lip Balm (Unflavoured)

Cost: $6

Pros: Simple, all-natural ingredients,  seals in moisture, packing is paper-based makes it compostable

Cons: Smells like greasy popcorn, doesn’t restore moisture, no ingredients to calm irritated lips or SPF, hard to find anywhere

Verdict: Not a fan of the scent, won’t repurchase.

Sephora Collection Clean Lip Balm (Coconut, not pictured)

Cost: $10

Pros: Clean, coconut scent, restores moisture, smooth texture, some of the packaging is paper-based, comes in many flavours

Cons: No SPF or calming ingredients for irritated lips, doesn’t seem to be available anymore

Verdict: Not listed anymore, so couldn’t repurchase it even if I wanted to.

[CattyT3]

I do like the Jack Black Moisture Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 but it is quite heavy, and I'd rather not waste an SPF balm to wear to sleep as nice as this does feel.  

I snagged a Juvia's Place lip balm on sale for less than $2 last year (normally $12), and I did want something other than peppermint to see if there's a tint to the other colors, but this is what the only flavor I was able to get.

The packaging is very pretty (oddly enough the lid isn't in any images, but it's got golden patterning), I will keep it as a vanity decoration when it's finished. I do like using this any time of day or to sleep as it's very thin but, true to the name, nourished my lips very well.

I was having an issue with my lips having extreme dryness just on the inside of the lip, and I put this on before sleeping and I woke up with the dryness and irritation gone from the previous spot of irritation that was still recovering and what would have been another place of irritation breakout was completely calmed down.
I got busy I wasn't drinking much water in the summer heat and my mouth just wasn't happy - normally I do not have this issue & this is subsided now completely : )

[ionianblue]

@CattyT3 @Can you say which one flavor was the nicest? Or every one?

[CattyT3]

I've only tried the natural mint one so can't say anything about the other flavors.

[ionianblue]

You skipped Burts Bees 🍯

Their overnight lip mask is awesome! Try it!

Edit: 🍯thanks for recommending  🙏✨ @JoSometimes would you review

 Farmacy Honey Butter Beeswax Lip Balm 0.12 oz/ 3.4 g please ✨🛍💕

[JoSometimes]

@ionianblue Interesting request. I’ll see if I can grab one next week!

[Emy10]

@ionianblue  Oh! This emoji reminded me the Honey Pot lip balm from Colour Pop that i cant get because its always Sold Out on theyre website. The pot is so cute. 

[ionianblue]

🍯 @Emy10 so cute!

[Emy10]

@ionianblue  Awwww yess!!!! 😍😍😍😍😁😁😁

[JoSometimes]

 

@Emy10 @ionianblue You guys need to check out Frudia’s lip balms. They’re a k-beauty company and the containers are exactly this!

[Emy10]

@JoSometimes  Nice!! I will check it out 😃😃😃

[Emy10]

The new Glow Recipe Plump gloss/balm.

This. This is it. NO other brands did it right.

Not La Neige, not Fresh (apart that i like the Fresh Sugar Coconut one for the look it give on my lips, thats a kind of lips blurring white glossy look), not Lanolips, not Aquafor, not Cerave, not Nivea, not Blistex, not EOS, not Sun Bum, and not quite a few others i tried.

Some just dont hydrates at all, some do for 5 minutes, some DEhydrates the lips (hi EOS), etc etc etc.

The new Glow Recipe Plump balm/gloss is the Only one that works (for me anw). 

[SportyGirly125]

@Emy10 @Have you tried Tatcha the Kissu?

[Emy10]

@SportyGirly125  yes, i forgot about it! ...and it wasnt great as it left a weird film and texture on my lips and itched too.

Im still in aw over the Glow Recipe balm/gloss. 

This really is the only one (for me) that: hydrates, repair, and doesnt do the weird texture thing on the lips that seems to detach/remove dry bits from the lips (La Neige, Fresh, Tatcha Kissu and a few others do that, to my lips anw). 

The Glow Recipe balm/gloss hydrates/repair and leave my lips in theyre best shape for days. I didnt (forgot) to use it for 2 days straight and my lips were still in theyre best shape ever.

By shape in mean: hydrated and even(no unevenness lol). 

[SportyGirly125]

@Emy10 @I have it too but hate that it doesn’t come with a lip spatula but I saved my Laneige ones to use with it. To me it works that same as the Tatcha Kissu one. 

[Emy10]

@SportyGirly125  Omg yes, i thought it would come with a little spatula and was suprised to see it didnt. I need to try to find one now; idk if those are sold separatly, i guess ill look on Amazon lol 😉

[CookieGirl1]

@Emy10 now if only it smelled like watermelon 🤔

[Emy10]

@CookieGirl1  which one ?

[CookieGirl1]

@Emy10 the #Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Lip Gloss Balm 0.5 oz / 15 mL .

[Emy10]

@CookieGirl1  it smell or it doesnt ?? Lol

[JoSometimes]

Thanks for sharing your fave lip balm @Emy10! I’m glad you found THE one for you.