Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Encyclopedia of Lip Balms

Welcome to Encyclopedia of Lip Balm! This single post is your one stop shop for everything I've ever written about lip balm! It'll be updated every time I try out or review a new lip balm, so check back often.

Inspired by the Encyclopedia of Mascara by Beauty Addict, I came up with the Encyclopedia of Lip Balm. It is one of the most essential beauty product and is found even with girls who do not use much of make-up. It is not a luxury but a necessity. Finding a good lip balm is often difficult, most of them give good results on application but within a few minutes you forget that you ever even applied something to your lips and you end up reapplying it again. This Encyclopedia will help you buy the right lip balm.
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Lip Balms are arranged alphabetically by brand. Starred lip balms indicate "Beautify's Top Picks."

Now a little bit about me, I have pink lips but they often get chappy so lip balm is my all time saviour, it goes with me everywhere. I prefer lip balm that instantly moisturises my lips, soothes my dry/chapped lips and keeps them hydrated longer; I am more into natural, organic stuff, so my lips remain pink forever.

So while you may not agree with every review here, these are my 100% honest opinions on all the lip balms I've tried. Enjoy - and feel free to post your own impressions in the comments!
And for those looking for a good lip balm - ELIZABETH ARDEN'S EIGHT HOUR CREAM (in tube) is the best lip balm, ever.
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La Mer, world's most expensive lip balm ($45 for just 0.32 oz; £35 for 9g), is also featured in the Encyclopedia of Lip Balms and is one luxury definitely recommended for your lips.


Lip Balm Encyclopedia





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Body Shop Born Lippy ****
Body Shop has a great variety of flavours in Born Lippy Range - strawberry, passionberry, rasberry, mango and peach, mint, watermelon and satsuma. Amongst all the born lippy lip balms I have tried, Watermelon is my personal
favourite. Leaves lips moisturised, soft and supple, smells great, gives a nice shine and a subtle colour to my lips (my lips look great after application). Lasts reasonably longer. It is also inexpensive, though the packaging is what I don't like - you have to use your finger for application which is not very hygienic. A tube, stick or lipstick case is preferable.
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Body Shop Lip Butter
The name butter will make you want to buy especially with flavours like brazil nut, shea (they smell great), but the good part ends here. The lip butter is greasy, does not last long (barely thirty minutes) and needs to be rubbed thoroughly to lips so that it spreads well. One good thing about it is after application the lips look great especially with the coconut lip butter.
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by Terry - Rose Lip Balm ****
This lip balm hydrates and nourishes the lips. It smells feminine (I am not very fond of rose fragrance though), sweet and light and also contains SPF15. Post application the lips for sure look kissable (and glowing) and feel good. It contains essential oils and natural ingredients like Rose Flower Wax, Russian Pastel Oil, and Shea Butter, while sunscreen and antioxidants shield skin from harmful environmental elements. Rose is also Mischa Barton's favourite lip balm.
Buy now
USA - click here to buy, $53
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Ceci Cela

They have Lip Balm (no animal fats or synthetic dyes) in two scents - almond and spearmint with a SPF 15. I prefer their almond lip balm. It leaves the lips extremely soft and hydrated and leaves no waxy-feeling or stickiness. Although I have observed that lip balms with SPF have turned the corner or my lips black.

Chanel Hydrating Lip Treatment ****
As the name suggests, this lip balm instantly hydrates the lips and makes them look and feel soft. It purely works as a lip balm, so don't expect your lips to get super glossy after application. And it also offers sun protection. It also lasts longer on the lips, I feel that this is one of the few lip balms that does not require frequent application. It comes in a black lipstick case that is easy to use and can be instantly identified as Chanel, through logo on top of the case, good for all those wanting to flaunt. However compared to other good products it is a bit pricey, but then its Chanel.
Buy Now
UK - Click here to buy, £18

Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm
This lip balm gives a silky smooth finish and gives a shimmery lip gloss like effect. Lips instantly feel soft, moisturised, plumped up and rosy. But the effect does not last long. If you do not keep reapplying often, the lips feel dry and chapped again. Also it is a little sticky, does not taste good and cannot be said as great value for money.
Buy now
UK - Click here to buy, £15

Elizabeth Arden ***** - I will rate it the best Lip Balm, ever.
Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream can be used to soothe, moisturise, protect and highlight skin, but I particularly love using it as an ultra-intensive lip balm and gloss. It's very soothing indeed and needs only occasional re-application when compared with similar products. It has a herbal, medicinal smell, which some may not like, but then the product is so good that you will forget the smell and even get used to it once you start using it. And the plus is, it is not just a lip balm but have many other uses - it is primarily used to "soothe minor skin irritations" and "for symptoms of chapping, peeling or flaking due to minor burns, sunburn, windburn, scrapes, abrasions or cracked lips" as suggested by the blurb on the tube. EA also has an eight hour lip protectant with SPF 15, but I find the cream more effective. My absolute favourite and even celebrities, models and make-up artists worldwide keep the iconic Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream tube at hand for all manner of beauty emergencies. It is indeed the Best Lip Balm available in the market.
Buy Now
UK - Click here to buy the 8 hour cream in tube for £20 or click here for 8 hour lip protectant in stick for £16.
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La Mer Lip Balm
La Mer Lip Balm (one of the world's most expensive lip balm; $45 for just 0.32 oz) moisturises and soothes even the most dry and chappy lips and lasts on lips for hours keeping them softer. It has a light texture, goes on smooth and is not greasy like most of the lip balms. It works on contact to soften roughness, relieve dryness and flaking and help heal seriously dry lips. Must have, especially in winters, if you have very dry lips. The balm contains an essential protein found in the arctic that helps insulate vulnerable lip skin from extreme conditions of heat and cold. Mint comforts the lips and enhances the balm with a cool, refreshing flavor. The results are immediate – lips look and feel smoother, softer, plumper – yet long lasting. A luxurious indulgence certainly recommended and I am sure you will love the taste. Liv Tyler loves the product and swears by it.
Buy now
Click here to buy online or get details.
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L'occitane Anti-drying Lip Balm
Comes in a stick, the case is not alluring and even the product fails to deliver the anti-drying claim it makes. It is sticky, leaves a waxy feeling, has a weird smell, tastes bad and the effect of the balm does not last very long. Though the balm stick lasts longer than the usual lip balms. Overall, the French company fails to deliver as it other products does. Not the worst lip balm, but definitely not worth a buy.

Nivea
Easy to use, cheap and effective. It is a good product and I definitely recommend this to men. Lip Balm for men is what I would say this is.
Buy Now
UK - Click here to buy

Shiseido Protective Lip Conditioner SPF10
You might have to reapply every fourty minutes or so, but otherwise the Shiseido Lip Blam is great. I love the silver case it comes in - looks great, easy to carry and easy to apply. It gives a great shine and gives my lips a nice colour after application. But you might want to consider other product if you don't want reapplication every fourty minutes.
Available at departmental stores worldwide.

Suki
They say it is long wear lip balm that heals and prevents chapping without a glossy or waxy residue, and I completely agree. This lip balm delivers, but is sticky and I do not like the smell. However apart from this, the product delivers all that is required from a lip balm. But not a brand that is easy to find (you will not find it in India). Highly recommend if you prefer natural and organic products.
Buy Now
UK - Click here to buy
USA - Click here to buy
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Vaseline
Most inexpensive and one of the oldest lip balm ever in the market. Soothes chapped lips and instantly fixes the driest and cracky lips. The packaging of this product is very simple and the tube is easy to use. It does not taste or smell of anything, which is good in a way. It is not sticky and doesn't irritate or sting. However the product contains petroleum jelly, which some dermatologists have claimed is harmful for skin. A few of my friends have also mentioned that regular use of Vaseline Lip Balm has turned their lips darker. I personally feel safer with natural rather than artificial/chemical products. Although all the lip balms use chemicals, but natural biotics are safer and less toxic. Especially since lip balm is something you end up eating, will advice to go for as natural product as possible.
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Buying Lip Balm

Take due care while buying lip balm. Please do not but cheap lip balms, as you apply them to lips and it goes in your stomach. You don't want to eat harsh, cheap chemicals which maybe toxic and cause damage to your health. If you do not wish to spend so much, use some home remedies. Apply milk cream (malai) regularly and as often as possible. Before going to bed, massage olive oil gently to your lips (generously). Buy only good quality lip balm and check the ingredients carefully.

Look out for the one that contains natural substances. Otherwise, it might irritate your dry lips instead of making them soft and supple. The lip balms that contain vegetable oils, like olive oil and almond oil, are the best for lips. These vegetable oils help lips in producing natural oils and become clean and shiny.

It is advisable to buy lip balm that offers sun protection, especially for summers. However, it is not necessary that it will suit your lips too. Some people are sensitive to sunscreen and they should go for the lip balms without any sun protection.
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And to conclude, The Best Lip Balm in the world title goes to Elizabeth Arden Eight Hours Cream.
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8 comments:

  1. i like Lush lite lip balm they're good. love d natural and fresh smell of d balm. its very light too. havent yet tried elizabeth's though.

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  2. Hey you've said nothing about MAC lip conditioners?!

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  3. Hi there

    Thanks for your feedback. I would soon get a MAC lip conditioner and then write a review. I try to feature those lip balms which I have used myself and get feedback from others also and then review them.

    Currently I am using La Mer Lip Balm and totally loving it. Its grea to taste, feels good on lips and keeps the lips hydrated and supple.

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  4. What about Bobbi Brown's Lip Balm SPF 15?

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  5. bobbi brown's lip balm does not last too long, though it smells good.
    In fact it also fails to adhere to the natural ingreients criteria.

    full of good smelling chemicals

    ReplyDelete
  6. hey, can you please add copyright information?

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. @Anonymous Dec 18 - copyright information on what? I did not understand, can you pls elaborate. Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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