Why Not All Lip Balms Are Created Equal (And Why I Think Ours Is Simply the Best)
Let’s talk about lip balm.
It’s one of those products that most of us have floating around somewhere. In the handbag. In the car. Beside the bed. In the bottom of the bathroom drawer.
And yet, despite being such a simple product, not all lip balms are created equal.
Some feel lovely for five minutes and then somehow your lips are asking for more. Some are waxy. Some are sticky. Some taste like you’ve accidentally eaten a candle. And some just don't seem to do very much at all.
So what makes a really good lip balm?
For me, it comes down to what is actually in the formula.
Your lips are a little different
The skin on your lips is thinner and more vulnerable than much of the skin elsewhere on your body. It can lose moisture easily, leaving lips dry, flaky and uncomfortable.
That's why a good lip balm needs to do more than simply sit on the surface.
Ideally, you want a combination of ingredients that soften the lips, help attract and retain moisture, and create a protective barrier to reduce moisture loss.
And this is where I get a little bit particular.
Because I didn't want to make just another lip balm.
Enter the Lip Boost Balm
My Lip Boost Balm with Mango & Manuka Honey was formulated to be the kind of lip balm I actually wanted to use.
Something nourishing.
Something protective.
Something that feels beautiful when you put it on.
And something that makes you want to keep it within arm's reach at all times.
Mango Butter
First up: mango.
Mango butter is rich, creamy and wonderfully emollient, helping to soften and condition dry lips.
And let's be honest, it also gives the balm that gorgeous, smooth, buttery feel that makes applying it a tiny bit addictive.
Manuka Honey
Then there's Manuka Honey.
Honey is a humectant, meaning it has the ability to attract and hold moisture. It's a beautiful ingredient to include in a balm designed for lips that are feeling a little dry and neglected.
And then there's the fragrance...
Mango Sorbet.
Oh. My. Goodness.
It's delicious.
Fresh, fruity and just the right amount of sweet. The sort of fragrance that makes you put the balm on and immediately think:
"Mmmm... I could eat that."
Please don't.
It's skincare, not dessert.
But I won't blame you for wanting to.
And then there's the formula as a whole
Because great skincare isn't just about finding one magical ingredient.
It's about how the ingredients work together.
A balm needs enough structure to provide protection, but not so much that you're left dragging a hard, waxy stick across your lips.
It needs to feel nourishing without being gloopy.
And it needs to leave your lips feeling comfortable.
That's the difference between simply putting something on your lips and actually formulating a product for them.
So, is it really the best?
Well...
I'm probably not the most impartial person to ask.
But after creating it, tweaking it, testing it and then watching people come back for another one, I'm prepared to make the call:
Yep. I think it is.
It's buttery without being greasy.
Nourishing without feeling heavy.
Deliciously scented without being dessert.
And that combination of Mango Butter + Manuka Honey + Mango Sorbet fragrance?
Honestly, it's pretty hard to beat.
So if your current lip balm is living in the bottom of your handbag purely because you keep forgetting to replace it...
Maybe it's time for an upgrade.
Lip Boost Balm. Mango. Manuka Honey. Mango Sorbet. Very happy lips.
And yes, I'm completely biased.
But I'm also a pharmacist who is rather annoyingly particular about formulations.
So I'll stand by it.