Baby, it's cold outside — and every single part of your body is feeling it, including your lips. So give a new meaning to "lip service" with these ultra moisturizing lip balms, which take all the work out of hydrating and soothing that pain-stricken pout.
Here, my fave lip moisturizers:
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15, $22.50. Visit Sephora.com
Every detail about Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment was considered discerningly — from the cap, which twists on securely so that it can't possibly come off inside your purse or coat pocket, to the smooth, soothing texture, the moisturizing ingredients, and the SPF protection. The main ingredient, of course, is sugar, a natural humectant that not only delivers moisture to lips but seals it in. Other vital ingredients include grape seed oil and meadowfoam seed oil, both of which have antioxidant properties, and blackcurrant oil, which is packed with fatty acids that naturally plump lips. Vitamins A, C, and E further nourish lips and protect them from free radicals. Plus, it has this yummy lemon-y scent that adds to the whole appeal. Yup, it's the complete package.
Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine, $9. Visit KorresUSA.com
I swear by all of Korres' Lip Butters, which are available in a wide range of scents including Plum, Mango, Wild Rose, Guava, Pomegranate, Quince and Jasmine. The lip butters include hydrating shea butter and rice wax, which effectively seals moisture into the lips. I also favor the Guava and Wild Rose lip butters, but the Jasmine one has the most natural tint (a pale nude pink) and it smells like a sweet treat (my little one says it smells like cotton candy!).
Nude Skincare Nude Lips, $14. Visit NudeSkinCare.com
It took me a while to get used to the texture of Nude Lips but, once I did, it was a done deal. When you first dip your finger into the organic lip balm, it will feel a bit grainy and coarse. But, once you put it on your lips, it will melt thanks to your body temperature, softening exquisitely. The lip balm includes cupuacu butter (one of the most moisturizing ingredients I've ever encountered), Tahitian vanilla extract, Tahitian monoi extract, coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamin E. How much do I like this lip balm? I once teared when I ran out of it — real talk.
La Mer The Lip Balm, $45. Visit CremeDeLaMer.com
Does La Mer ever go wrong? I've yet to try a La Mer product I didn't like — and this one is no exception. Like all of La Mer's products, the Lip Balm includes the company's marine extract-based Miracle Broth, as well as other botanicals (like mint) and vitamins that smooth, condition and moisturize lips. What I like most about The Lip Balm aren't its immediate results but, rather, its long-term effects. It doesn't necessarily yield immediate gratification as well as, say, Korres' lip butters, but it does wonders in strengthening the lips' moisture barrier so that your pout will be less likely to get chapped, irritated or overly dry when exposed to extreme heat or cold.
iQ Derma Lip Quench, $31. Visit Glow.com
I tried iQ Derma's Lip Quench about two years ago when I ran out of the lip balm I was hopelessly devoted to at the time (I believe it was the Rosebud Salve, but seeing how many products I try, it might have been any number of things!). I remember being blown away by how efficiently it moisturized my lips even when they looked positively ravaged, crispy, flaky, and just plain ol' raggedy. An anti-aging product and lip moisturizer in one, Lip Quench features a blend of botanical and chemical ingredients including: maxi-lip, a hydrating peptide complex; antioxidant-rich olive and sweet almond oils; and Bio-oil HSBL, which locks in moisture and, in doing so, makes skin appear fuller and smoother.
EOS Organic Lip Balm Smooth Sphere, $3.29. Visit EvolutionOfSmooth.com
As soon as I tried EOS's Smooth Sphere lip balm, I was hooked. The lip balm is packaged in a biodegradable, egg-like, plastic case with a flat bottom (so that you can rest it on a tabletop without fear of it rolling around all over the place). The paraben-free, phtalate-free, 95% organic lip balm features shea butter, Vitamin E, and jojoba oil to moisturize and soften lips. As you run it across your lips, you get a nice cooling sensation that feels really soothing. Plus, the sphere shape allows you to apply the lip balm without having to utilize your fingers (which carry so many germs).
Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve, $6. Visit Sephora.com
A staple in most makeup artists' kits, this tin holds a gentle moisturizing salve that lightly hydrates lips and adds a bit of shine. I love the light consistency, which is very similar to that of petroleum jelly, and the fact that the scent is so light (no forceful fruity, floral or candy-like smells).
NUXE Reve De Miel Lip Balm, $21. Visit Amazon.com
This potent lip balm features ingredients like honey, a natural antibacterial and antiseptic, shea butter, almond oil, and calendula and rose oils to calm skin, nourish and moisturize. And, while the "Reve de Miel" name would suggest a sweet honey flavor, the lip balm actually smells (and tastes) like a zesty slice of grapefruit.
Crabtree & Evelyn Cocoa Butter & Cardamom Lip Balm SPF 8, $9. Visit Crabtree-Evelyn.com
This squeeze tube balm smells like a fresh jar of Nutella (or maybe the creamy hazelnut and chocolate inside of a Ferrero Rocher candy). Ingredients include cocoa seed butter, olive oil, soybean oil and shea butter to moisturize lips, beeswax to smooth the skin's surface, zinc oxide to provide SPF protection, and reflective minerals like zinc and titanium dioxide to add shine. The Crabtree & Evelyn Cocoa Butter & Cardamom lip balm also boasts a sheer terracotta-esque hue.
Motives 40FY Lip Treatment, $20. Visit MotivesCosmetics.com
This new lip treatment from Motives Cosmetics is, well, a treat. When you first dab your finger inside the jar, you'll think it feels a bit like Vaseline but, when you glide it onto the skin, you'll notice its consistency is much thinner and any Vaseline-like stickiness disappears when you apply it onto the skin. The 40FY Lip Treatment smooths any fine lines and wrinkles, and it makes lips appear fuller and plumper — without any tingling, burning or discomfort.
