Allergic reaction - Can anyone help me pin point a common denomenator?

[sparkles0913]

Hi Beauties!

I am beyond frustrated with an allergic reaction I have been having to literally every single lip mask/balm I have tried. The reaction manifests as flaky, dry skin around my lips that burns and itches, it starts in one spot and progressively gets worse until my whole mouth is surrounded by it! I don't have sensitive skin so this surprised me, and it also surprised me it occurs on the skin right around my lips, not on my lips directly. 

This reaction has happened with every single lip mask/balm I have tried and shows up about 2 days after I start using the product and takes about 3 days to recover after I stop using the product, part of that time it gets worse before it gets better.

The brands of lip masks/balms I have tried are:

Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask Original 

LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask Intense Hydration with Vitamin C Original 

Marc Jacobs Beauty Re(cover) Hydrating Coconut Lip Oil 10 Kissability 

Bite Beauty Agave+ Intensive Vegan Lip Mask Agave 

Biossance Squalane+ Rose Vegan Lip Balm 

Mario Badescu Lip Balm Original 

Farmacy Honey Butter Beeswax Lip Balm 0.12 oz/ 3.4 g 

It also happened with the Eos brand lip balm.

I am wondering if there is a common ingredient in every lip mask I could be reacting to? My initial thought was Lanolin but to be blunt I put this on my nipples after breastfeeding and have never had a reaction. Anyone have any ideas or a similar story? I am really sick of trying to use Vaseline to keep my lips moist since that just sits on top and doesn't actually help long term. Maybe I can summon @WinglessOne  to use some of her mad scientist/ know it all skills? lol

[WinglessOne]

@sparkles0913  Hmm... honestly, the culprit(s) could be anything. This is one of those cases where you'll have to compare the ingredients of each product (I find a spreadsheet's best for that) to find what they have in common, if anything. Maybe they have a common category of potentially irritating ingredients, like fragrance components (limonene, linalool, cintral, etc.) or essential oils (citrus peel oils, bergamot oil, damask rose oil, etc.). Annoying and frustrating, I know; I've gone through this exercise myself with several products. But it can be helpful in the long run. 

Have you tried CeraVe Healing Ointment as a combo lip balm & mask? Like Vaseline, it also contains petrolatum. But it also contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and 2 forms of vitamin E. These are all beneficial ingredients that have antioxidant and/or hydrating properties. Some folks love this ointment for longterm lip care. For my lips, it's not enough; I use Glossier Bubblewrap as a serum on damp lips, then top it with Aquaphor Ointment. But it might work well for you. 

Speaking of Bubblewrap: I can't use that stuff anywhere else on my face, and I try to keep it off the skin immediately around my lips. For me, it causes inflammation everywhere except my lips, which is oddly funny... or funnily odd... Anyway, it's not a product I can overline my lips with. You might have the same "great for my lips, as long as I keep it off the rest of my face" relationship with one of the products you listed. I know some of those products are hard to keep confined to your lips: I've used and enjoyed the Tatcha lip mask (though nowadays I find it's less effective than plain ol' Aquaphor atop a lip serum) and that stuff likes to spread, thanks to its texture. So... it'd be safer not to try using those products again. 

[sparkles0913]

@WinglessOne  thanks so much for the thoughtful reply! I will try the cerave and if push comes to shove I will make that spread sheet to try and figure this out Lol 

[pinyo]

@sparkles0913 unfortunately I can’t be your Sherlock, however I’ve gone through something similar and wish I had people to guide me too! It was so bad that I have a permanent split in my lip from the constant splitting, bleeding, and irritation. 

i have allergies to the laneige, bite mask, eos, chapstick, burts bees etc. While I still don’t know the culprit, the following I’ve used have been mostly winners and provide hydration and happiness. I say mostly because I have to alternate between them since after a couple of months/weeks of use with just one, my lips get irritated so I keep switching. I still don’t know why, but at least I sorta have a system now. Also, for me I can’t use one during day and other at night...even if it’s just aquaphor. My lips get really swollen, flaky, itchy, and mad mad mad. 

perhaps try aerin lip balm (its rose scented btw) or jack black shea flavor. I don’t recommend other flavors because if you’re having sensitivity like me, it’s not worth the risk. Hope this helps!