Best Lip Balms

Lip balm is something I can't live without! New York City is terribly dry in the fall and winter both because the weather itself is dry and because of bleeping central heating! Spring and summer are better but you still have to deal with the occasional dryness caused by AC. This post will be dedicated to the most nourishing, soothing and healing lip balms I've ever encountered :) 

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DR. HOUSCHKA LIP CARE STICK

For the longest time, my go to lip balm was DR. HOUSCHKA LIP CARE STICK. I adore Dr. Hauschka and I intend to do a longer post on the brand as a whole and a lot of other products I own. I love their all-natural philosophy and the fact that they're pioneers in using organically and biodinamically grown ingredients in their products (since 1967!). This lip balm is heaven on dry lips however costs too much and lasts too little, both on the lips and on the tube! It still makes it to my favorites because unlike looots of lip balms out there, this one is truly nourishing, healing and comes in a stick so it gets major props for all of those great qualities!

INGREDIENTS: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Beeswax (Cera Flava), Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Linalool, Farnesol, Rosa Damascena Flower Wax, Lecithin *Component of natural essential oils

PRICE: $13.95 (0.16oz. or 4-5 grams)

CONS: Expensive, doesn't stay on the lips for more than a couple of hours and with daily use would only last about 1 month. 

BOTTOM LINE: Despite some cons, this product is 100% natural and as far as efficacy and sensitivity goes, it is definitely Sensitastic approved! 

WHERE TO BUY: www.drhauschka.com/
                                Whole Foods
                                www.pharmaca.com (they often have discounts!)
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NUXE REVE DE MIEL LIP BALM

One summer I had run out of my Dr. Hauschka lip care and was waiting to find something more affordable during a season when I don't need to have a lip balm 24/7. During this same summer I went to Canada where it turned out to be cold and dry and I found myself desperately needing to buy lip balm. That's when I discovered what is to this day my all time favorite lip balm: NUXE REVE DE MIEL LIP BALM. If the weather is dry, my lips bleed, it's a fact of my life. Most lip balms can't stop it and most lip balms can't fix it either. The sensitivity on my lips is not different than in the rest of my body, it's probably worse. And since the integrity of that skin is so easily broken, by the time fall comes, if I so much as open my mouth to yawn, my lips crack and bleed. All the lip balms mentioned in this post (with the exception of the Alteya that hasn't been put through a fall/winter test) have been able to prevent the cracks and heal my lips. With that said, NUXE REVE DE MIEL LIP BALM is by far the most efficient at both of those things. It's repairing properties are unbeatable so I will probably always keep a jar by my bedside for as long as I shall live (in a dry city ;) I probably wouldn't need in the the amazon). It isn't cheap, however, this baby has lasted me 10 months of DAILY USE making it by far the best value for my money!

INGREDIENTS: Cera Alba (Beeswax), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter Fruit), Vegetable Oil, Lecithin, Behenoxy Dimethicone, Prunus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil), Mel (Honey), Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (Octinoxate), Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit Peel Oil), Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Limonene, Glycine Soja (Soybean Oil), Rosa Moschata (Rosa Moschata Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Citrus Limonum (Lemon Peel Oil), Candelilla Cera (Candelilla Wax), Calendula Officinalis (Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract), Citral, Linalool.

PRICE:  $19 (0.52oz or 15grams, please notice that even though it's a bit more expensive than all the other lip balms mentioned on this post, it's more than triple their average 0.16oz or 4-5grams )

CONS: Despite how much I raved about this product, it has two downfalls: It's not 100% natural (you might've spotted the dimethicones in the ingredient list and you don't know how much that saddens me...); it comes in a container which is heavy and unsanitary since you have to be sticking your fingers in it (not at all good for carrying it around in your purse!). That's why i leave it by my bed side and use it everyday, with my clean fingers :) before I go to sleep.

BOTTOM LINE: The presence of some non-natural ingredients didn't cause any havoc on my skin. Even though I wish this was 100% natural, it works very well and is very Sensitastic approved!!

WHERE TO BUY: www.nuxe.com
                               www.dermstore.com
                               us.spacenk.com
                               I've seen several Duane Reade pharmacies in NYC carrying NUXE products recently.
                               If you're in France, I believe you're in luck as you can find these pretty much everywhere and since this is a French brand, you'll find it at its cheapest! I found NUXE at every pharmacy and certain Monoprix plus you can also find it at http://be.nuxe.com/fr

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DR. ORGANIC MANUKA HONEY LIP BALM

The search continued since my favorite lip balms consisted on one that lasts 1 month and is expensive and another lip balm that simply put, does not travel well. On a trip to London about 6 months after my trip to Canada, and in the dead of winter I found one amazing little gem: DR. ORGANIC MANUKA HONEY LIP BALM. Dr. Organic is a UK based brand, so If you live in the UK and suffer from dry lips, do yourself a favor a go pick this up! Your search for the perfect lip balm will be over. Mine would've been, were it not for the fact that I can't find Dr. Organic in the U.S for the life of me :( This lip balm is CHEAP, it last a long time (on the tube, and your lips!) and comes in a stick. This is probably not as heavy duty as the NUXE lip balm, however, much easier to reapply during the day! This would beat the Dr. Hauschka by far except I'm not 100% sure Dr. Organic is in fact all natural :-/ Dr. Hauschka is much more reliable as they have a tradition in making 100% natural products for over 40 years. Plus I can find Dr. Hauscka in NYC! Until recently though, the Dr. Organic lip balm is what I used during the day since I don't ever carry the NUXE lip balm with me.

INGREDIENTS: ricinis communis oil, candelila cera, ozokerite, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, butyrospermum parkii butter, cetyl ricinoleate, cera alba, isopropyl myristate, butyl methoxybibenzoylmethane, cera microcristallina, propolis, tocopheryl acetate, parfum, lepstospermum scoparium oil, bha.

PRICE: £3.25 (0.16oz or 4-5 grams) Seriously???!!!!!

CONS: I'm not an expert but even though Dr. Organic claims this is a natural product, some ingredients on that list (such as bha) don't seem so natural to me, so I'm not considering this a 100% natural product. If anyone can clarify this for me, I'd love to hear about it.

BOTTOM LINE: It's a wonderful lip balm that works delightfully well and as far as sensitivity goes, this is definitely Sensitastic approved!

WHERE TO BUY: Sadly, nowhere in the U.S that I'm aware
                                If you're in Europe: http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/

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REPLENISHING ORGANIC BULGARIAN ROSE LIP BALM

For the past 7 weeks this summer, I've been giving my Nuxe/Dr. Organic lip balms a break and I'm testing out the Alteya Rose Lip Balm, which I've been loving! It still needs to go through all seasons before the final verdict, however, it's looking very promising as a substitute for all above mentioned lip balms. For starter, it's not only, 100% Natural, it's also organic, and so far has felt very soothing and nourishing on the lips. You can find more details about it on this post!