Lip Moisturizer for Life!

[William]

No, I'm not sharing a link to where you can get free chapstick for the next 40 years!  Instead, I am hoping we can all learn about which lip moisturizer works best and last the longest.  My lips tend to get very chapped and I am sick of shopping for lip balm every few months.  So, from your experience, which lip moisturizer is your favorite?

My experience:

1) Chapstick - Okay but feels waxy and only lasts about for a few hours
2) Aquafor - Easily twice as good as chapstick but does not make me too thrilled
3) Bag balm! - I tried the stuff last night and I haven't had to put anymore on for 14 hours!

http://www.amazon.com/Bag-Balm-Vermonts-Original-Moisturizing-Softening/dp/B0014CI4X8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363458552&sr=8-1&keywords=bag-balm

Great price, too!

I know we all like to "buy for life" so what's the best bang for your buck when it comes to lip moisturizer?

[Russ]

Bag Balm is good stuff. I'm not much of one for moisturizers and such myself, but a lot of bike dudes I know use it for chamois cream and recommend it highly. Doesn't smell the best though IIRC.

[sheepstache]

I think the first trick is take the stoic tack and figure out how often you actually need chapstick.  After all, humanity survived for an awfully long time without it.  Build up your tolerance for going without it for a long time (tip: this is easier to do in the summer), and then you will learn an appreciation for when it is actually helpful vs. just a habit or indulgence. 

You'll also learn some stuff.  For example, that we unconsciously use chapstick to cover up the discomfort of being dehydrated; in fact, a couple glasses of water might be what you need, rather than chapstick.  Or the fact that getting toothpaste on your lips dries them out.  Apparently sodium laurel sulfate is responsible for this and it's not really a necessary ingredient, it just causes the foamy bubble part of the experience that makes people feel like they're getting their mouth clean.  Yes, you buy a product and it creates a problem, but don't worry, you can solve that problem by buying another product!  Okay, I am straying a little too far into the paranoid purist realm for my own comfort and will stop now.

[MountainMan]

I find it's enough to use Chapstick before bed, and I don't need to use it during the day.

As long as I keep doing that, my lips stay in reasonable condition.  If I don't, they get chapped very easily.

I'm still using the same Chapstick I bought two years ago, actually.  It's nearly done, and I've got another ready to go.  So I don't think it's a great expense for me.

[Dee18]

I used to be a chapstick fan, but my Christmas stocking included Burt's Bees Lip Balm.  After using it, the Chapstick tastes like chemicals. 

[aclarridge]

If you have more natural oils in your diet and/or you create a more humid environment (don't use the heater as much in the winter), you'll find chapstick unnecessary.

[KimAB]

Vaseline- $3 for a lifetime supply.

[Nudelkopf]

Pawpaw ointment.

Expensive, but I put it on everything.
http://www.lucaspapaw.com.au/

[EMP]

Vaseline- $3 for a lifetime supply.

 This. And what sheepstache said. I went from completely addicted to Chapstick to using a little Vaseline occasionally at night.

[vern]

You can use ear wax as well.  Just don't lick your lips afterwards!

[einzweidrei]

I used to be a chapstick fan, but my Christmas stocking included Burt's Bees Lip Balm.  After using it, the Chapstick tastes like chemicals.

I got a free sample of Burt's Bees Lip Balm during Christmas 2011. I still haven't run out of it. It's far superior to "cheaper" brands of chapstick/lip balm, you don't need to put it on everyday, etc.

I have sensitive skin and I will say that if I apply a little bit of lotion to my face (including the lips) before getting into a shower, it really helps with the drying out of my face.

[tmac]

I have a variety of lip-balm needs, depending on application and location, but I'm a committed Burt's Bees fan, not only because of the quality, but because they're local to me.

In my bag, I have a Burt's Bees tinted lip balm that serves for day-time moisturizer/lipstick. (My only other make-up is tinted moisturizer that evens out my skin a little bit.)

In my car, I have a flat tub of plain Burt's Bees for family lip-balm emergencies. The flat tub is great for the car because if it gets hot enough to melt, it doesn't deform or run out.

Next to my bed in my very dry house, I have a tube of regular Burt's Bees stick balm which, together with a glass of water, keeps me from waking up feeling like Spongebob under a heat lamp.

[crazy jane]

Rub your fingers along the top of your forehead near the hairline. Rub on your lips. Way better than earwax.

[frugallygreen]

Rub your fingers along the top of your forehead near the hairline. Rub on your lips. Way better than earwax.

i have to say that would be sustainable supply of lip balm ;), but i have a better option, simply drink enough water, dry lips or skin are signs of dehydration, if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated, drink enough water till urine is Crystal clear.

[BlueMR2]

I use a lot of it during the Winter.  Luckily I always score enough freebies as samples from various places that I've never had to buy any.

When I was younger I went without it, but having cracked bleeding lips in January and February was always no fun (same for the hands when I used to go without using any skincare on them).  Drinking more doesn't seem to help.  I could drink enough that I felt like I spent all day in the bathroom and it made no difference.

[KimPossible]

If you have more natural oils in your diet and/or you create a more humid environment (don't use the heater as much in the winter), you'll find chapstick unnecessary.

I consume plenty of natural oils, but I've just got naturally dry skin (have since I was a kid, living in the humid South).  I now live in the desert.  There's no getting away from the need for lip balm and lotion for me.

[aclarridge]

I consume plenty of natural oils, but I've just got naturally dry skin (have since I was a kid, living in the humid South).  I now live in the desert.  There's no getting away from the need for lip balm and lotion for me.

I still think it would help to add more oil to your diet though - it gets very dry in the winters here and I have dealt with a lot of dry skin. I used to just eat big spoonfuls of olive oil. I also cook with coconut oil. And have fish oil pills at breakfast.

Speaking of coconut oil, you can rub it on your skin, it works as a moisturizer. You can get a big tub of it at Costco. Nice to be able to use something edible, as you are sort of ingesting creams.
My wife is a big fan of Burt's Bees cream.

[William]

I think the first trick is take the stoic tack and figure out how often you actually need chapstick.  After all, humanity survived for an awfully long time without it.  Build up your tolerance for going without it for a long time (tip: this is easier to do in the summer), and then you will learn an appreciation for when it is actually helpful vs. just a habit or indulgence. 

You'll also learn some stuff.  For example, that we unconsciously use chapstick to cover up the discomfort of being dehydrated; in fact, a couple glasses of water might be what you need, rather than chapstick.  Or the fact that getting toothpaste on your lips dries them out.  Apparently sodium laurel sulfate is responsible for this and it's not really a necessary ingredient, it just causes the foamy bubble part of the experience that makes people feel like they're getting their mouth clean.  Yes, you buy a product and it creates a problem, but don't worry, you can solve that problem by buying another product!  Okay, I am straying a little too far into the paranoid purist realm for my own comfort and will stop now.

This is all good information and it's important for everyone to know.  However, I'm on a medication for the next few months that is essentially drying me from the inside out.  I have to use lip moisturizer throughout the day or else the results would be very ugly and painful.  I have plenty of oil and water in my diet as well.  I could go for more moisture in the air of my house but I don't want to spend the money on a humidifier.

I will try vaseline next time.  It is really, really cheap!

[lifejoy]

Ok the best lip balm ever and one I would take with me onto a deserted island if I could only bring three things!

Lip Smackers Bonne Bell.

Seriously amazing stuff.

[MrsKensington]

+1 for Vaseline at night.
+ 1 for  Burt's Bees stick.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Carmex. That little yellow tub is awesome. Real popular in the upper Midwest I think.

[ChristopherPhilip]

I've eaten a few buttery meals (pasta, veg, mix) and the butter tends to last pretty long on the lips.  Natural too.  Worth a shot, might be inconvenient to use.  I also think we should limit the use of chapstic especially early in the winter season to build up a tolerance.  It gets pretty addictive.

[AJ]

I love me some chapstick, and it is cheap enough that I don't really worry about it. But if you are looking for the most mustachian solution, dermatologists recommend Vaseline. Check out this article:

http://www.americanownews.com/story/16144387/does-lip-balm-dry-out-your-lips

"So, you may be wondering, what actually works? 'All dermatologists say when all else fails, go to petrolatum,' Slaughter says. Another word for this is Vaseline, or petroleum jelly. This thick goo often isn't a popular choice, but doctors say it's the least expensive, the least likely to irritate, and puts the most moisture lock on your lips."

[Richard3]

+1 for Vaseline at night.
+ 1 for  Burt's Bees stick.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Carmex. That little yellow tub is awesome. Real popular in the upper Midwest I think.

I thought it was carmex that got caught using salicylic acid (which actually does the opposite of what you want) in their product? Definitely one of the big lipbalm companies did.

I basically never use lip balm, but when I need it I really need it. Luckily Jeep were giving away little tins of lip balm as promotional swag at the ski resort so I sweet talked one of the promo girls in to giving me a pocketful of it. I should be set for life. If I'm not, I'll just use Vaseline (actually, own brand petroleum jelly, why pay for branding?).

I could go for more moisture in the air of my house but I don't want to spend the money on a humidifier.

A bowl of water over the heater / in the window sill (cold / hot temperatures) will do a surprising amount. As will leaving the bathroom door open when you shower.