If you feel addicted to lip balm or you find yourself putting it on over and over again because your lips hurt without it, this blog is for you. When your lips are peeling, bloody, and chapped, it’s very difficult not to apply more lip balm, even it makes it worse in the long run and keeps you in a cycle. After using lip balm, you might think to yourself, “Why do my lips seem to be getting worse?” Well, the truth is – many products are filled with fragrances, colorants, and other ingredients not only irritate the lips but dry them out further and exacerbate the problem.

So, we’re going to talk about ingredients that will moisturize and nourish the lips. Let’s list some products that actually do their jobs so your lips can have more than just momentary relief. 

Pacifica Beauty Lavender Moon Bedtime Lip Treatment -$12.99

This is similar to the Laniege lip balm, a product that’s been very popular lately. But in contrast, it doesn’t keep your lips in that cycle of dryness. This is fragrance-free, but it does have some plant extracts. So, if you’re sensitive, have angular cheilitis, or perioral dermatitis, you may want to be cautious. Angular cheilitis is irritation, bumps, or bacterial overgrowth on the sides of the mouth. On the other hand, perioral dermatitis is a dry, irritated, and sometimes flaky rash that circles the mouth.  But, before assuming you have one of these, visit a doctor or dermatologist because lip treatments probably won’t do the trick. 

Fragrance-Free Rose Balm: Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm -$16 

Cassandra is obsessed with this one! It’s the first rose lip balm she’s found that doesn’t have rose fragrance in it. Instead, it has a rose wax extract, making it super hydrating. Cassandra loves this one so much. It goes on to the lips so nicely without fragrances and colors, and it actually nourishes the skin. You get the benefits of rose without the potential irritation! Plus, it has squalane! Squalene (with an “e”) is naturally made by humans, and it’s a major component of the oil that makes up our skin. However, squalane (with an “a”) is the hydrogenated version of that, making it more stable and long-lasting. 

Biossance has a vegan version of squalane that was made by a lab in Berkeley, and the brand has been very innovative in creating skincare that is sustainable and delivers well to the skin. Biossance is very transparent about the impossibility of 100% eco-friendly packaging, but they do their best to eliminate waste, and they don’t propagate misinformation. This brand is truly a breath of fresh air, especially in the midst of celebrity skincare lines. And most of all, the formulas actually do what the packaging claims. 

Torriden Solid in Ceramide Lip Essence -$12 

This is a K-beauty ceramide lip essence. It includes jojoba oil, ceramides, and vegan Vaseline. The abundance of ceramides is one of the main reasons Cassandra loves this. Even though the anatomy of our lip skin is much different than the rest of the skin, lips still have an outer layer or “stratum corneum.” 50% of the skin’s stratum corneum is made of ceramides, and the lips are very similar in this way. So, the lips need ceramides even before they get irritated, cracked, or dry. If you’re using an occlusive lip balm or a product like Vaseline, this can help, but make sure you’re imparting water or hydration into the skin. Next, you need to seal that in. This is so important, and fortunately, lip essences check all of these boxes.

Lip essences, especially this one, are a little more liquidy than balms like the Biossance one. So, if you’re looking for something more lightweight, go for the Torriden lip essence. And if you want something thicker and tackier, go for this one. Moreover, Torriden does has a facial toner that is also brilliant, and if you’re someone who loves K-beauty, it’s going to be a favorite. 

But, all in all, If you are someone who struggles with skin irritation, this essence is going to help soothe it. Another tip for irritated lips is to refrain from licking them. Saliva is largely water, and water evaporates. When that happens, moisture is taken from the lips and evaporated into the air, making the lips drier. 

Versed Silk Slip Conditioning Lip -$9.99

This is fragrance-free, dye-free, and mineral oil-free, meaning it doesn’t have Vaseline. If you want a little bit of a tint and color, they do have a few versions with colorants in them. If you’re looking for something a little more glossy, this specific one is completely clear. You can use it during the day over lipstick or an SPF product. 

But overall, this is a soothing lip oil that has skin-supporting antioxidants and vitamins. And, it’s also great for nighttime use. The jojoba oil and antioxidants help mitigate some of the damage that has happened throughout the day. Jojoba closely mimics the oil our skin produces.  This also has camelia sinesis, macadamia oil,  and shea butter. It has no taste, and it’s a perfect night treatment for the lips that blows LANIEGE and Pacifica out of the water.

Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir -$40

This is a nicely fragranced lip oil. If you’re someone who wants fragrance in your lip oil, this is a good one. The applicator has a ball that allows you to use it more sparingly. This has a vanilla flavor and scent, but if you have dry, cracked lips that are hurting you, don’t use this one. Also, see a doctor because you don’t want those cracks to get infected. Vaseline works wonderfully for these cracks. Also, see your dermatologist because these cracks get infected and a doctor can help you understand what ingredients you should and shouldn’t use.