Whether you’re a lip balm addict -- AKA you apply it more times than you can count throughout the day -- or you just use the product occasionally, it’s time to take a deeper look into the ingredients in your favorite lip moisturizing product.
Lip balm is fairly harmless--unless you’re using one that’s made with toxic ingredients. Unfortunately, there is a long list of toxic ingredients to look out for in your beauty products. From your foundation down to your deodorant, it’s important to educate yourself so you know what to look out for.
Dermatologists recommend against using lip balms containing Humectants, otherwise known as Hyaluronic Acid or Glycerin.
“Lip balms with humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin make lips worse,” says dermatologist Leslie Baumann, M.D., to Style Caster. “These ingredients pull moisture out of the skin, especially in a dry environment, and then the water evaporates away.”
This may come as a surprise, considering we use products with Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate our skin. The reason this ingredient isn’t good in a lip balm is that it needs to be paired with an occlusive ingredient to work.
“Humectants hold on to water, and occlusives keep it from evaporating,” said Dr. Baumann. In other words, Humectants will pull moisture to the surface of your lips which will then soon evaporate and cause your lips to feel even drier than before.
Beeswax, shea butter, and other oils are all occlusive agents that will help you retain the moisture that Humectants draw out.
When shopping for a lip balm to hydrate your lips, always look for a Humectant and an occlusive ingredient, that why your pout stays balanced!