Winter Lip Solutions: Make Smooching A Smoother Affair

Feb 16, 2010 by Nelly

I sit sometimes, reading the news or following up on my Twitter stream and find myself biting the dried up areas on my lips.

This only happen at wintertime, and only when I neglect to continuously apply some lip balm. As I change bags on daily basis, I found the past way to make sure I always have some lip balm on hand is to have one in every bag. This of course makes lip-balm reviews an easy task.

Behold my stash (and corresponding) mini review on my collection of lip balms.

Burt’s Bees Replenishing Balm with Pomegranate Oil ($4.99 – available in Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart)
I’ve had this lip balm and re-purchased it for the past 2 years. I love how it smells, I love the way it feels and it holds its ground in freezing temperatures. I do need to reapply it after eating and drinking , so I’d say it’s most effective when re-applied every 4 hours or so. But this particular balm is a staple item of my skin care drawer, and travels with me overseas as well since it maintains consistency in extreme negative and positive temperatures (tried and tested in 42 ℃).

RoC Dermatologic Enydrial Lip Balm ($9.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart)
I’m a little on the fence about this one. I don’t see spectacular differences that justify the price, when compared to the most basic lip balms. I know the package tells you all about the vitamins, silky smooth lips and such. But if you’re a proper lip balm user applying on daily basis, your lips are smooth and soft anyway. So I think I’ll give this a pass when I finish the stick.

Blistex Silk & Shine (available in Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws, around $3.99 and under)
I think I’ve had Blistex since I was 12. I like the product itself, as it does what it’s supposed to do without any extra fluff on the packaging and the price is right.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve (Sephora, $8)
This is a must have on any person’s list. Rumour has it the product stayed very same to its original releases back in the 1950s. Not only is it a great replacement for lip balm, it’s also a hand-moisturizer and skin soother when you’re in a pinch. I’ve applied it over finger-burns, flaking skin (especially at wintertime) and occasionally foot cream when I had no other alternatives. It sells in a pot, so you’ll need to be careful in your use (i.e. clean fingers when digging into the pot, and no double dipping or sharing with others).

It’s a little pricier than most balms listed here, but it’s a great travel companion because of its “all in one” nature. It’s thick enough to withstand food and drink if you apply it on your lips, and smells pleasant.
There is also something reassuring about it’s consistent 1950s look.

And finally, a good old fashioned tube of Vaseline (Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal-Mart, Loblaws, mostly around $1.99 for the tube)
I don’t know many people love Vaseline as much I do. Wait. That sounded improper.
Nonetheless, Vaseline is a great multi-tasking product. It essentially does everything the Rosebud Salve does, but it doesn’t have the smell and its a little oilier. I have a tube of Vaseline that travels with me most places. I can share it with other people too, since its in tube form and use it on hands, feet, and in lieu of proper body lotion when I lack the proper products.
The price is also great. You can buy a few and throw them in your gym/work/travel bags. And if one gets lost, no problem. Skip the coffee for that day and invest in the $1.99.
Now, you can rightly ask me why I want to have 2 similar products like the more expensive Salve and the Vaseline tube. The answer is quite simple: I like nice smelling and well-packaged products for my lips. I also like its smoother and less oily feel.

So a quick recap, in order of preference:
- Burt’s Bees
- Rosebud Salve
- Blistex
- Vaseline
- RoC.