I loved my little, gold tin of strawberry Lip Smacker. I carried that thing around in my Hello Kitty purse and used it every day.
Well, I used it until it ran out.
I had become so used to the feel of it on my lips that I began licking my lips instead. Boy, did I ever. Of course, you know what that means.
I experienced severe chapped lips. You know the kind little kids get. Every bit of skin around my mouth was bright red.
And sore. So very sore.
That skin was completely raw. Yet I just kept licking. It was a vicious cycle.
It stayed raw until my mom slathered the area in lip balm regularly. I am proud to say that I learned my lesson.
Lip balms can be found all over the world. Males and females alike rely on them. They are a staple in pretty much everyone’s arsenal, especially during these colder months when the brisk air and brutal winds seem to destroy our hopes of having soothed, softened, hydrated lips.
Lip balm has been around since at least 40 BC in the time of Cleopatra. The Ancient Egyptians would mix together beeswax, olive oil, and animal fat to be used for the lips.
That sounds like a pretty smart combination if you ask me. The beeswax and olive oil are definitely ingredients you can commonly find in lip balm today.
Fast forward to the glorious 1800s. Pure genius. This version of lip balm is probably the most portable and convenient. Brace yourselves. It’s earwax. Yep. Some genius suggested rubbing a little earwax on your chapped lips.
Next time you run out of your lip balm, just grab a little ear wax and massage it right in. You go ahead and try it. Let me know how it goes. I’ll take your word for it.
VaselineⓇ came on the scene next with their petroleum jelly.
Not too long after, Chap Stick was created with little tubs of camphor, oil, cloves, aromatic oils, waxes, and petrolatums. And, yes, it was Chap Stick not Chapstick. Picture a candle with no wick.
It was in 1912 that today’s version of ChapStickⓇ in a tube was born.
That seems to be all it took for other lip balm creators to follow suit. Now there are countless choices in the lip balm market.
Finding a lip balm with the right hydrating ingredients is important if we want to protect our lips. Here are some ingredients that you should keep an eye out for in the hunt for your next lip balm …
The following are great moisturizing ingredients that are found in many different brands of products.
Shea Butter
Shea butter comes from the fat on the African shea tree nut. The rich tree nut oil in shea butter can soak into your skin, creating a smooth and soft barrier that seals in moisture.
It also contains high levels of anti-aging properties, which is great for the sensitive skin on your lips. Shea Butter has extensive anti-inflammatory and healing properties as well, making it like the holy grail for lip treatments.
Beeswax
Beeswax is a popular ingredient in many lip products because of how natural and gentle it is on the skin. Beeswax also provides a protective barrier on the skin from any harmful environmental impacts while restoring and rejuvenating the skin for fresh and healthy lips.
It is also a humectant, which is something that attracts water, keeping your lips hydrated for longer periods of time. I tend to think of wax more like plastic. But that is not at all like beeswax.
Bring on the beeswax!
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an essential nutrient with anti-inflammatory properties which is also fat soluble. It supports skin health, cell function, and the immune system.
There are also loads of antioxidant properties of Vitamin E that help to protect skin from environmental stressors such as the sun’s harmful UV rays. Many people take vitamin e supplements every day as a way to provide their body natural sun protection. Who knew?
Vitamin e occurs naturally in several foods. Almonds just happen to be one of those foods high in vitamin e.
Aloe Vera Extract
People have been using aloe vera for generations. It is a really common ingredient in skin care because of its vast healing and hydrating properties.
Not only can aloe vera soothe and moisturize, it can also help to heal cold sores, eczema, frostbite, cuts, and dry skin.
Aloe helps improve the skin's natural firmness to fight against aging and keeps the skin hydrated without giving it a greasy feel while vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids nourish the skin as well as promote cell regeneration.
Some of these next few ingredients are not as universally used in lip products but still do wonders for the nourishment of lips.
Green Tea Extract
Green Tea Extract is a bit of a powerhouse when it comes to its properties. It has benefits that extend far beyond our lips. You will find green tea extract in lip balm because it protects the skin from harmful effects of UV rays and it also soothes and hydrates the skin.
In doing all of that, green tea extract helps diminish any signs of aging skin, keeping it looking young and healthy. The benefits of green tea extract could fill this page.
Pass the green tea extract, please! I’ll have some of that.
Sunflower Seed Oil
This oil contains Vitamin A, an antioxidant that moisturizes and soothes skin, lessening the signs of aging. Sunflower seed oil is a great ingredient for those with sensitive skin because it gently moisturizes and heals the skin.
At this point, I’d like you to note that none of these key ingredients for nourishing your lips had anything to do with earwax. Ok? So, don’t go digging for gold in your ears. Just no. Don’t do it.
So all these ingredients are great for protecting and moisturizing lips and skin, but it’s not very realistic – or fun – to look at the individual ingredients of each and every tube or pot of lip balm in the store.
And frankly, there are many ingredients that do not help moisturize your lips at all. Here is a list of ingredients for you to avoid:
- Salicylic Acid
- Camphor
- Menthol
- Phenol
- Fragrance
So, to save you some trouble, there is a product that has each and every one of these ingredients, as well as many others that are great for healing dry, cracked, chapped lips. That product is Snow’s lip balm!
Snow is a teeth whitening company who also happens to offer other products like lip scrubs and treatments as well! Snow only uses safe, good-for-you ingredients in their products, and they never use harmful chemicals or test on animals.
In addition to these seven beneficial ingredients, Snow’s lip balm contains others that promote healthy, soothed skin such as Papaya extract, glycerol, hyaluronic acid (which sounds scary but is actually a hydrating ingredient used in many different skin care products), and resveratrol.
So, if you are in need of a new lip treatment or just want to soothe and protect your lips, pick up Snow’s lip balm on their website. Your lips will be so glad you did!
