Today's a big one! I've actually been planning on writing this post for probably over a year. For real. But what possessed me to finally put fingers to keyboard for this post was that I think I have actually found it - a new holy grail lip balm.
Perhaps you have been through a similar hardship in your life. I had been addicted (and I'm sure many of you out there will know I mean that literally - once you start on balm there is often no going back) to my holy grail lip balm since my mid-teens. My mum used to just fill up my Christmas stocking with this lip balm in the hope it would last me through until the following Christmas. But after a few empty shelves and cold sweats in the night, I finally had to admit the fact that one day, it was gone. After years of addiction, my favourite balm had been discontinued in the UK and so began the search for a new holy grail balm.
It has truly taken me years to find another one that I am happy with. And if you want the low-down, keep reading.
Today I will compare 7 lip balms for you in the hope I can point a few of you who are struggling along the same quest to an answer.
1. Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm (with shea butter and jojoba oil) £1.65
To me, this is a pretty staple lip balm, and one that I'd be willing to bet most of you have tried already if you don't have one laying around the house somewhere. It's the kind of product I would pick up at the airport when I've forgotten to pack the lip balm I actually wanted.
Pros: It's cheap and as far as I am aware, it's ingredients are genuinely moisturising for your lips and not the sort that will dry them out dramatically in the long run while giving temporary relief which can often be the case with this sort of price range.
Cons: It has a funny, chemically smell which I don't like and the formula feels kind of dry to me. Don't get me wrong, it's not drying because it's a moisturiser, but comparatively, this balm feels very thick and dry on the lips as opposed to more oily formulas. I also have to re apply this extremely frequently.
2. Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm with honey £9.50
Heading to the other end of the price scale, is this potted formula by Nuxe. In general I prefer sticks of balm as they are so much more convenient but I love this one. It has a similar consistency to Vaseline but none of the drying ingredients in Vaseline.
Pros: Very hydrating and doesn't have to be re applied for HOURS. Great to hydrate your lips overnight, just put some on before you turn out the light. Pleasant smell from the honey ingredient. Long lasting in every sense.
Cons: The pot isn't so easy to carry around and it's messy to apply and perhaps even a little unhygienic. The formula gets quite hard in cold temperatures. Pricey.
3. Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Stick with honey £5.50
This stick version of the Reve de Miel balm is much more convenient than the pot and feels nice on the lips. While it's almost half the price of the pot version, it's worth noting that while you get 15g of product in the pot you only get 4g in the stick, so you aren't getting more for your money with this in reality.
Pros: More convenient packaging and a nice to apply formula. Cheaper than the pot (but you get a lot less product).
Cons: Not long lasting at all. I find myself re applying this very frequently unlike the pot version. Also I found myself getting through the stick itself very quickly.
4. Caudalie Lip Conditioner £5.50
The same price as the Nuxe stick, this lip balm also has a similar formular. It feels just as nice to apply but lasts longer than the Nuxe stick.
Pros: Convenient stick packaging, long(ish) lasting, nice to apply formula and feels nice on the lips.
Cons: It has that typical lip balm scent and is a little on the pricey side for the amount of product.
5. Arrow Boost Colour Enhancing Lip Balm £11.00
I have to admit, I'm still unsure about this one. Unlike the other products mentioned, this one is tinted so it's nice for adding a little bit of colour to the lips especially on a busy day.
Pros: Nice, convenient packaging, tinted (if that's what you're after), lovely minty smell!
Cons: Very pricey at £11 for 4g of product, and I'm not sure how hydrating all that minty perfume can be for your lips.
6. Agent Provocateur Titillation Lip Balm (and Nipple balm set) £23.00
Please excuse the wear of this product first of all! I've had it a while. This lip balm is part of the 'Titillation' set from Agent Provocateur and as far as I am aware isn't available separately however I wanted to throw it in here. This is a tinted balm and has that slightly stingy feeling on your lips that some lip products do. It has a Vaseline-like texture. It comes in a set with an identical pot of 'nipple balm' and the price varies greatly so shop around. The price I included here was just the most expensive price I came across. I like this one.
Pros: A nice tinted balm, long(ish) lasting, cute packaging with a mirror inside (insert shocked face), lovely smell and that 'lip plumping' tingle.
Cons: Part of a set, packaging is a little inconvenient, pricey.
7. Lanolips Golden Ointment £17.99
We made it! Through the battle to the holy grail. While this product seems on the expensive side, and sure it's a large payout, it actually works out as one of the cheapest as you get 50g of product in this large tube for £17.99. Also, it's not solely a lip balm but intended to nourish severely dry skin of all kinds. I put this on the back of my boyfriends dry knuckles in the winter months.
Pros: Value for money in terms of amount of product for the price, smells lovely (thanks to the manuka honey), lasts for AGES (the most long lasting of all of these), more convenient packaging than a pot and a nice formula. A little goes a long way, for a long time.
Cons: A high payout when you buy it although it will last a long time, and you have to use your fingers to apply.
So here's my final ranking of these 7 lip products from favourite to least favourite:
1. Lanolips Golden Ointment £17.99 50g
2. Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm with honey £9.50 15g
3. Caudalie Lip Conditioner £5.50 4g
4. Agent Provocateur Titillation Lip Balm (and Nipple balm set) £23.00 10g + 10ml
5. Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Stick with honey £5.50 4g
6. Arrow Boost Colour Enhancing Lip Balm £11.00 4g
7. Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm (with shea butter and jojoba oil) £1.65
Thank you if you made it this far!
I also want to note that I like all of these lip balms mentioned in this post. The idea of this was to help you find one that you like, there are none featured here that I would say don't try. I have tried plenty of others that I didn't like, but this is all about ones that I do. So I hope if you are searching for 'the one', that this post gave you some ideas of what might work for you.
I hope you enjoyed this, and please, please let me know if you have your own holy grail balm - I'm eager for suggestions!
