Upsides to the Down Economy/ Lip Balms

Since it's wintertime, I've been wanting to blog about lip balms. Which is the best for keeping the sensitive skin on your lips smooth and chap-free? I had a couple criteria to judge the contestants on. #1 The lip balm had to be affordable (under $10) and #2 Easy to purchase. This means you can buy these at your local drugstore and do not have to make a special trip to Sephora. I judged the lip balms on:
How they smell, taste, application ease and if it contains SPF. I realized the importance of this the other day, during a three hour tennis match, when the lip balm I used had no SPF and my lips got burned. The skin on our lips is very thin and so needs extra protection. If you are going to be in the sun for any extended period of time, pick a lip balm with sunscreen in it. I did not test them on durability because I am not making a career out of testing lip balms. So, without further ado, the results, from lowest to highest.

• #10 Chapstick Lip Balm

There is no SPF in this one and it tastes and smells like Chapstick. $2.00

• #9 Nivea A Kiss of Moisture Essential Lip Care

This one comes in a big tube that looks like a glue stick. It has a slight fragrance, no taste

and goes on smoothly. No SPF. $2.47

• #8 Kiehl's Lip Balm #1

This is the one exception to the "easy to buy" category I made, because I already had it

at home and had heard how great Kiehl's products are. It felt greasy, like petroleum jelly

going on. This is probably because it was 90% Petrolatum. The other ingredient was

Octinoxate, a sunscreen. It also comes in big tube, making it less portable. SPF #4 $7

• #7 Neutrogena Lip Moisturizer

I am a sucker for anything with a flag on it. This has the Norwegian flag and says

"Norwegian Formula" yet the only ingredients it lists are two sunscreens. It has no smell,

no taste and a waxy feel. SPF 15 $2.50

• #6 Chapstick Ultra Daytime Formula

This one comes in a larger package, but the applicator is slanted, making for easier

application. It tastes OK, but was a little greasy going on. 33% Petrolatum SPF 15

• #5 Burt's Bee's Beeswax Lip Balm

I love the one this one tastes (you can taste the beeswax) and it is 100% natural. It smells

good, tastes good but has no SPF. This is a good choice if you are not going to be in the sun.

• #4 Jolly Rancher Watermelon Lip Balm

This one is a fun lip balm I threw in because watermelon Jolly Rancher's remind me of my

youth. It smells good, tastes good, which can be a negative because licking your lips makes

them become chapped. I leave this one in my car for a lipsmacking good time. No SPF.

• #3 Carmex Lip Balm

This is really a tie with Blistix, and it's just a matter of personal preference. Both smell

medicated, taste medicated. My friend Susie likes Carmex because it "tingles", which is

probably the camphor/menthol it contains. SPF 15 $2

• #2 Blistix Medicated Lip Balm

This one smells medicated, tastes medicated, goes on smoothly. When I swipe this on

before a tennis match, I feel it is my final touch before going to battle! It has a pinkish tint

to it, probably the result of red 6 lake in the ingredients. It also has camphor. SPF 15 $2

• #1 Soft Lips Vanilla

Some people love this lip balm, others do not. Obviously, since it is #1, I love it! It has a

couple things going for it, the other lip balms do not. It smells delicious, tastes good and

has an SPF of 20, higher than any of the others. As an added bonus, it comes in a very

skinny tube, perfect for sticking in your pants or jacket pocket. And, at $3 for 2, it's a good

deal.

I hope this review has helped you select a lip balm that will keep your lips silky smooth throughout the winter. The one other lip balm I heard good things about, but have yet to try, is EOS. That will have to be a topic for another day.