BellaSugar

BellaSugar's Top Five Lip Balm Picks

BellaSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:00:07 -0700

I've written about my favorite lip balms before, but a year and a half has passed and I've got some newbies in the mix that I seriously can't live without. Lip balms are one of my all-time favorite products because they feel good and they provide instant relief all year round. Here are my top five picks (for now). What's your favorite?

This small, silver Molton Brown Vitamin Lip Saver ($18) is odorless and flavorless. It spreads easily, penetrates deeply and I often find it missing in my guy's dopp kit!
Some drugstore brands have got it right! This cool, roller-ball Blistex Cherry Splash ($2.89) is sweet, thin-textured and fast absorbing to correct dryness and chapping.
Bobbi Brown Extra ($55) is the most expensive salve of the bunch, but it works wonders on my cuticles, elbows hands and on my lips. I can't seem to stay away from the subtle geranium smell and thick shea butter formula.
Lancome's Baume Baiser ($25) came out as part of the Mystery Game collection. Although it's no longer in stock, you can still find a few of these indulgent padded soft rose-marshmallow scented lip balms online in the UK (and have it shipped).
A year and a half later, one of my faves is still the amazingly nourishing Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($22.50). It lasts long, it's thick, it smells amazing, and I'm the first to admit that I'm a sucker for the cool screw-top cover.

Doing Drugstore: Blistex Lip Infusion Sheer Liquid Balm

BellaSugar — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:30:45 -0700

Over the weekend, I commenced gardening season by planting my annual beefsteak tomatoes. At the end of the day, as I looked down at my fruitful accomplishment, I realized I'd been stricken with the dreaded poison ivy. When I went to buy calamine lotion, this new Blistex Lip Infusion Sheer Liquid Balm in Cherry Splash ($2.89) came in the package as a free sample.

Never one to resist the temptation of a chapstick, I immediately tried it, and I was wowed by the result. Let me start by noting the cool sensation of the metal roller-ball applicator, which is perfectly refreshing in the hot Summer sun. For the rest of the highlights, read more

Then, there's the texture: Somehow, they have managed to avoid all of the unpleasant waxiness that plagues most drugstore lip balms. This stuff has a great cherry flavor and contains SPF 15. Also, it has a smooth, more liquefied consistency, yet it still binds itself to the lips despite being very light. The result: fully conditioned, chap-free lips that lasted all afternoon. Thanks to Blistex for turning a very itchy situation into a delightful new discovery.

Doing Drugstore: Palmer's Dark Chocolate Peppermint Lip Butter

BellaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:59 -0800

I have a hard time going into Walgreens without picking up some sort of lip thing or other, and my initial purchase of Palmer's lip butter ($2) was no exception. I've always loved Palmer's cocoa butter - my dear mama swears by the stuff, and even sometimes sends me care packages with sticks of it - but I've only used it as a hair and elbow/knee moisturizer.

I assumed anything made with cocoa butter would be creamy and need a little heat to deliquesce, so I was pleasantly surprised by the lip butter's moist, gel texture (I think the result of added vitamin E). It's clear and not sticky, but gives you a little more shine than a Blistex or Lip Smacker, the dark chocolate peppermint flavor isn't at all artificial, and I didn't need to reapply all the time, which is a boon when you're trying not to look like a crazy lip balm obsessive. If you want a traditional gloss shine, this isn't the product for you, but at $2 it's a total steal, and it's made in the US, so you can feel good about its origins, too. My overall verdict: Yum!