Most women are addicted to one and men feel no shame in using one. Even women who swear against make-up seem to always have a lip balm in their handbag. A lip balm is not make-up. It is an essential for keeping one’s lips protected from extra heat or cold, from the sun or from the wind. A lip balm protects from cracked lips, perks up tired lips, helps disguise smokers’ lips and makes lips look more luscious.
We all knew that. But do you know the harmful chemicals that might be in your little pot of lip balm? Most lip balms are petroleum jelly based, which is a by product of crude oil. Studies have linked this to various kinds of diseases. They may also contain saccharin, mineral oil, paraffin and parabens. So make sure you use a natural one, preferably organic. It’s better for you and for the environment.
When I decided to start my walk down the path of eco-consciousness, the first product I decided to attack was my lipgloss. I was also mostly that annoying friend who forgot to carry her own lip balm and dug a finger into a friend’s lippy pot but ever since I went natural, I magically had my lip balm in my bag all the time.
Here are the top five that I would recommend to anyone wanting an inexpensive and reliable lip balm:
1) Nirvaaha Vanilla Cinnamon Lip Balm – 12g – Rs 150/-
India’s answer to the world famous ‘Burt’s Bees Beeswax lipbalm’. Having been a user of Burt’s Bees, I can honestly say that switching over from any other lip care product to Nirvaaha’s Vanilla Cinnamon Lip Balm should be a piece of cake. Its base is beeswax and it has a very mild flavor. It leaves a slight minty taste on your lips and a lovely aroma lingers. Nirvaaha also makes this one in an Apple flavour so you can take your pick.
<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-in.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=IN&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=greenokplea06-21&marketplace=amazon®ion=IN&placement=B01N2LYRWX&asins=B01N2LYRWX&linkId=04c1faae5c63dcb6df7c61d0d23458d3&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff">
</iframe>
2) Rustic Art Grape Lip Balm – 8g – Rs 320
At almost double the price of other lip balms, this one is definitely a tad pricy but it’s well worth it. Once applied, it keeps your lips feeling juicy for the next few hours and in the winter when your lips are feeling dry and chapped, there’s nothing better than some Rustic Art loving for them. The grape variant will give a slightly purplish tint to your lips and they also have Rose, Strawberry, Orange and Mint flavours that will each impart a slight different colored tint to your lips.
3) Soultree Viola & Kokam Butter Lip Balm – 6g – Rs 195
This one was a definite hot seller at the Karma Konsum Green Market last year. I usually like lip balms that have a tint so this one is not on the top of my list but it does seem to be a favourite amongst most other people. Its smooth texture just glides over your lips making it very easy to apply and reapply. It also comes with a lovely fragrance to boot.
4) Vanastree Kokam Butter Balm – 15g – Rs 100
This one is my absolute favourite and for me not other balm comes close. With a beeswax base, the colour of Kokam and the smell of camphor, this lip balm gives lips a lovely shine, a deep magenta tint and an ultra soft feel. At Rs 100 only, it is also the least expensive. If I haven’t already convinced you of the awesomeness of this product, this salve can also be used on cracked heels, elbows and other dry spots.
5) Young Cosmetics Lip Balm – 5g – Rs 110
I’m not usually a fan of this kind of packaging for lip products. I prefer pots. However this lip balm with a clarified butter base is definitely worth a ranking in my top 5.
I’m hoping to slowly be able to start making some of these products on my own. There are plenty of recipes available online. More on this when I actually come around to some experimentation. In the meanwhile, if you have more time on your hands or the extra enthusiasm, you’ll find some DIY lip balm recipes here. (http://www.brit.co/homemade-lip-balm/)