Winter Lip Care

Most lip balms contain a base of petroleum jelly which is a nonrenewable resource and is the cause of irritation in many people. WHen looking for a product, keep an eye out for products that combine beeswax with plant oils and nut butters. Shea butter, cocoa butter, and coconut oil do the trick as well as petroleum jelly (i.e. Vaseline). Avoid balms that contain artificial colors, flavors, or scents. 

Although you might see those ingredients in some natural products, be wary of some botanical ingredients too: 

- Essential oils of lemon, orange, grapefruit, and lime might add a nice fragrance but they might also increase sun sensitivity. Use extra sun care if you are using products with citrus oils. 

- Balsam of Peru is a resin extracted to an El Salvadorian tree and is sometimes used as an antiseptic. It is often used as a fixative in perfumes. According to The Green Guide, It is one of the most allergenic ingredients in cosmetics and can lead to contact dermatitis (rash) in people with sensitive skin or allergies. 

- Chamomile is soothing and often used in tea however since it is similar to ragweed it may trigger allergic reactions in some people. 

- Lavender and tea tree oils are ideal for skin and bath products because of their fresh scents and tea tree’s antiseptic properties. However, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study in 2007 linking the use of these oils in topical products with prepubertal gynecomastia (the development of breasts in young boys). Avoid these two products on small children. 

Keeping all of that in mind, here are some good options for your chapped lips. 

Kiss My Face: Vanilla Honey, Ginger Mango, Treat Mint, Cranberry Orange, and a few other Lip Balm flavors as well as a variety of lip colors. Most have some level of SPF and do not contain any animal ingredients. Their base is beeswax, canola oil, and aloe. 

Burt’s Bees: Beeswax Lip Balm, Sun Protection, Lifegaurd’s, and many other balms, glosses, and lip colors. My favorite is the original Beeswax Lip Balm. I mix that with a colored lip gloss. 

Alba: Alba makes a great line of tropical flavored lip balms and a line of tinted lip balms and glosses called TerraTints and TerraGloss made with beeswax and shea butter. I have a few of the TerraGlosses in my purse at all times (Garnet and Bloom if you must know). 

These are all readily available at grocery and health food stores, online, and at many beauty supply stores  

(Photo Credit: Butterfly Kiss Photography)