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Winter skin: Tried and tested lip balms

Little girl holding out an unbranded lip salve stick. Find tried and tested lip balm reviews in our blog
If you suffer from dry skin, it’s likely that cold, winter weather will wreak havoc with your lips. This means relying on lip balms to get through the winter. There is a huge range to choose from and not just different brands. Most brands have a selection of options including twist-up sticks, tubes, different flavours and formulations. But which ones are best for sensitive skin? We’ve tried and tested a range of lip balms for you.

Back to basics: what makes lips so dry?

Dry air, cold temperatures and wind all draw moisture away from the body. The lips are particularly vulnerable because their skin is so thin. They also lack the oil secreting properties of skin on other parts of the body. To make things worse, it’s practically impossible not to lick sore lips, which exacerbates the problem. Read more about chapped lips here.

What is lip balm (or salve)?

The main purpose of lip balm is to create a protective layer over the lip surface. This both seals in moisture and protects the lip from the elements. Some lip balms also contain ingredients to moisturise and soothe sore skin. These more complex formulations are often known as lip salves.

Lip balm comes in two forms: solid, lipstick-type twist up sticks; and, softer, spreadable ointments packaged in small pots and tubes. If your lips are very dry and cracked, you may find that the softer form is more comfortable to apply.

What’s in a lip balm

Lip balms typically have up to 3 main components:

  • Occlusives – greasy or waxy substances that create a protective barrier over the skin to prevent moisture loss. Typical occlusives include paraffin, mineral oil, candelilla wax, beeswax, lanolin, sunflower oil and silicone. Lip balms composed solely of occlusives have been shown to be effective.
  • Emollients – moisturising ingredients that replace lost moisture. Examples include shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and squalene 
  • Humectants – substances that attract water from deeper in the skin or the air, further replacing lost moisture. These include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, honey, propylene glycol and urea.

Some lip balms also contain antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide and polyphenols. These help to prevent damage caused by free radicals. Other possible ingredients include flavorings, colourants, sunscreens and preservatives. Some lip balms include camphor, menthol or eucalyptus which create a cooling sensation. 

How to choose a lip balm

If you have sensitive skin, check the ingredients for known irritants and stick to simple formulations to avoid the risk of irritation. Look for a balm with a mix of occlusive, emollient and humectant ingredients as these tend to have a longer lasting effect than those with just moisturising ingredients.

Avoid lip balms with fragrances, tints and preservatives (including parabens) as these can cause reactions. Menthol, phenol, camphor and eucalyptus are common ingredients in medicated lip balms (such as Carmex). These are cooling agents and act as mild anesthetics to soothe irritated lips. However, in the longer term they tend to dry out the lips so are best avoided if you suffer from eczema or dry skin. Lip balms that claim to be plumping usually contain cinnamon or peppermint, which can irritate.

Tried and tested lip balms

Finding products that work is often a case of trial and error. Our team has collected their thoughts on these readily available options to help you find your perfect solution.

Our family eczema salve recipe includes beeswax as an occlusive, honey as a humectant and coconut oil as the emollient. It works brilliantly for lips and tastes pretty good too.

Our sources

  1. Tamura, E, et al. “The Efficacy of a Highly Occlusive Formulation for Dry Lips.” International Journal of Cosmetic Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2020,
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31571236/.

Here at ScratchSleeves, we don’t just share our experiences of bringing up an eczema child (and favourite allergy-friendly recipes), we also manufacture and sell our unique stay-on scratch mitts and PJs for itchy babies, toddlers and children. We now stock sizes from 0-adult years in a range of colours. Visit our webshop for more information.

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