Finding the Perfect Lip Balm

It was 4 years ago, when I had a friend do makeup on me for my prom night (it was my first time having powder on my face), that I learned the use of lip balm. I am aware that my mother has a banana lip balm in her makeup pouch since I explored her makeup when I was in primary school. But I never knew what it was for. I just thought that the idea of turning something up and down, and applying something fragrant on your lips was pretty fun.

Subsequently, about 10 months later from my virgin makeup, I went out to buy my own set of powders. Then I started searching for a good lip balm.

If your lips are cracked, and you put lipstick directly on it, the lipstick will the wound worse. Lipsticks/lip gloss also dries out your lips. So without the protective layer of balm, your lips are weak and vulnerable. Conversely, using a balm is like applying layer of oil over to seal the moisture in, lock the poison out, and a good one may also heal your chapped lips.

Also, the skin on our lips are 10 times thinner than that of our faces, so if you're already using sunscreen, umbrella, or jackets to shield away the harmful UV rays, all the more your lips need sunscreen too. So look out for the presence of SPF in your lip products.

So here goes my little search:

My 3 miserable lip stuff: Aroma Balm by Make Up Store, Lip Tone SPF 15 by Blistex, and Lipice Colour by Mentholatum

Before I do a review of each, I shall declare that I developed a lot of disappointment after buying the above 3, and I gave up the search after wasting all the products and money. I feel that more than $5 for a stick like that is just not worth it, considering that I somehow just don't feel the undying sense of love towards any of them.

Except for the Aroma Balm, which is good enough, as I've reviewed in my previous post, the other 2 totally cannot make it.

Lipice Colour by Mentholatum
Firstly, Mentholatum is quite a good brand from Japan. One of its latest line of products is the Acnes range, which is currently the No. 1 selling skin care for acne prone skin in Japan. (There are TV advertisements for this.) So I have my expectations for this item.

Secondly, Lipice Colour was highly advertised for on TV at the point in time when I bought it. It is touted to give the ice shine effect, be a good lip balm, and of course, give the colour that lipsticks offer. So I decided to test it.

Thirdly, it comes in a really handy packaging. As you can see, the very slim stick is very easy to keep, and very easy to slide open for use. So I was drawn to it.

Forthly, it is one of the lower range priced with upper range promises lip balms that was on display in Watsons at that time.

However, despite the above reasons that I chose it, I would really say, I made a mistake. Aside from giving your lips the lipstick colour, Lipice does nothing else for your lips. All the promises are fake.

So the lesson learned here, is never to believe highly advertised for products. At least, don't be too convinced by ads. Always have your doubts, and do your research online.

Lip Tone SPF 15 by Blistex
So after learning a lesson from Lipice, I did my research this time. The conclusion was to either get Burt's Bees's lip balm or Blistex.

I had really wanted to buy Burt's Bees, but it isn't available in Singapore. And to ship something which costs less than $10 and paying the shipping fees in just not acceptable in my shopping principles. So I settled for Blistex.

I was very, very happy to find Blistex in Watsons. And there are a few choices by this brand on sale too. I don't like to by originals, as they offer no other benefits. Comparatively, Lip Tone gives a tinge of red, so I can skip my lip gloss or lipstick. It says SPF 15 too.

However, this, again, was a disappoint. It is not smooth to apply. It dries my lips when it is not supposed to. And the tube that I got happens to be stucked, so that now, I can only roll the stick up, but not back down. Really, do not buy Lip Tone. Maybe the original Blistex would be better.

So, should I say again that, like makeup removers, in terms of lip balm, there is also no such thing as value for money, no such thing as cheap and good? Because the most expensive of the lot - Aroma Balm, indeed is working, but not the other 2 cheaper ones.

Okay, but fret not. I've read that Sephora is opening its 2nd of 4 intended flagship stores in Ion Orchard very soon. And that Sephora would carry Burt's Bees's products.

Moreover, I also have another choice offered by Viva Woman - the Eco Lips lip balm, which can be found at Watsons@Ngee Ann City.

Hope I find the right one soon.