Lip service
Gently exfoliate off dead skin before an application of balm with Lush’s Pow Wow lip scrub, €6.75. Containing organic jojoba oil, spinach powder, goji berry and caffeine powder, it gently removes flaky skin.
If you’ve got a little cash to splash post-Christmas then Creme de la Mer’s The Lip Balm, €58, isn’t just a pot of pretty, it’s also a really good hydrator, protector and repair product for sore, chapped lips.
Sometimes balms can be a bit, well, boring. Not so Clinique’s Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss, €15, which combines good care attributes with a decent shot of shine and pigmentation. The formulation is rich and nourishing and the effect is a makeup result.
Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm, €7.95, contains kind-to-skin goodies like flower waxes, shea butter, beeswax and vitamin E as well as a light tint. A good pick if you like to avoid petroleum-based lip protectors.
Carmex has had a makeover and now comes in a new version, Carmex Moisture Plus, €5.99. Sheer colour choices are new but with ingredients that include vitamin E, aloe, shea butter and an SPF 15, it’s still as essential as ever.
It’s just €3.95, but don’t let the tiny price put you off. La Roche-Posay Nutric is a powerhouse of a product and particularly good for severely chapped and dry lips. This isn’t greasy and is also good for wear under matte lipsticks.
With its egg-shaped packaging and ergonomic balm design, Eos Lip Balm Smooth Sphere, €5.75, has had US bloggers in a frenzy and now it’s available here. In several flavours, it’s 95% organic, and petroleum-free.
Smith’s Rosebud Salve, €9, has the all-important handbag candy aspect to it in the form of the old-school tin. Inside is a 100-year old recipe to soothe sore, stressed lips.
New for fans of super-sweet treats are fun lip-themed goodies from Coca Cola Lip Happiness. Choose from Cherry, Vanilla and Original Coke in a variety of finishes. Lip Pop, €7, is a hydrating balm with added sparkle, making it great for night time.
You either love it or hate it, but there’s no denying that Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream is a wonder that’s loved by many and it’s great on stressed lips. The scent can be very strong so if the original isn’t your cup of tea, try the more lightly-fragranced Lip Protectant Stick SPF 15, €22.
Look for a balm with barrier and nourishing ingredients. Petroleum jelly-based balms are a handbag staple but they tend to lead to the myth that lipbalm is addictive. It isn’t. What happens is petroleum forms a protective barrier on the skin, but once it wears off, lips go back to feeling their old uncomfortable selves, so you slap more on — giving rise to the addiction idea. The best products combine barrier and nourishing ingredients so lips are protected and also given what they need to heal.
Burt’s Bees at health food stores and Nelson’s; Carmex at supermarkets and pharmacies; Clinique at pharmacies and department stores; Cocoa Cola Lip Happiness at selected Boots; Creme de la Mer at Brown Thomas; Elizabeth Arden at department stores; Eos at BeautyEmporium.ie; La Roche-Posay at pharmacies; Lush 96 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork; Smith’s at Arnotts
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
