A roundup of the Fashion Journal team’s 13 holy grail lip balms
IMAGE VIA @gisou/Instagram
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
Lip smackers.
Finding the right lip balm can be an arduous task – at this point, I’ve tried hundreds of them. I’m not alone in this quest, and pretty much everyone I know has their firm favourites (and their intense dislikes). To me, they’re as essential as your keys, phone and wallet – and I know my day isn’t going to plan when I find myself frantically searching my bag only to realise I left my Dr. Lipp at home.
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Parched lips can really bring you down, especially in the depths of winter (hello, chapped lips). If you’re on the hunt for a new lip balm, our team has shared their tried and tested favourites below.
Giulia Brugliera, Fashion Journal‘s Managing Editor
Shiseido’s ColorGel LipBalm
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At $37, Shiseido’s ColorGel LipBalm is probably going to be the most expensive balm on this list but as a ‘going out’ lip balm, it’s well worth the investment. I discovered it at a Mecca Maxima store last summer, when the attendant suggested it in a nude colour for my wedding day. We used it in conjunction with a lip pencil for the Big Event, but it’s since become the only lip product I wear. It gives my lips the moisture they need, with just enough oomph to look ‘put together’ thanks to its sheer coverage.
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Lanolips Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm
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I’d somehow never tried Lanolips until last year, when I received the Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm as a gift. It’s easily the best day-to-day balm I’ve used and I’m not alone in this sentiment – it’s received thousands of five-star reviews. It’s also an Aussie brand, meaning it’s doing the A Beauty category proud. At $18.95 it’s well worth trialling if you haven’t already.
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Joahanna Wickramaratne, Fashion Journal intern
Frank Body Lip Balm
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If I could have only one item to take to a deserted island, it would undoubtedly be lip balm. From $4 Vaseline tubs at Woolies to $29 lip balms at Mecca, I’ve searched far and wide for some must-haves to stash in my glove box and every bag I own (leaving home without lip balm automatically guarantees a bad day). One of my favourites is the Frank Body Lip Balm. It offers a perfect blend of hydration and glossiness, as well as a neutral scent that’s perfect for any occasion. It genuinely is the lip balm that keeps on giving because I haven’t run out in over a year!
Get it here.
Maggie Zhou, Fashion Journal‘s Branded Content and Features Editor
Kosas Plump and Juicy Collagen Lip Boost
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I’m a big fan of Kosas’ products – take its eyebrow products for instance. But I hadn’t tried any of its lip products, not even its famous lip oil. A couple of months ago, I switched my everyday lip balm to Kosas’ Plump and Juicy Collagen Lip Boost. And I adore it. Unlike other plumping lip products on the market, like a certain ‘lip injection’ tube I tried once, this is subtle and gentle. I’d say it doesn’t puff up my lips unnaturally, but it maintains its natural shape and plumpness. That aside, it’s buttery in texture and glides on smoothly, leaving my lips feeling hydrated.
Get it here.
Gisou Honey-Infused Lip Oil
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I missed out on the lip oil craze that swept beauty circles last year. But when a Mecca PR package recently arrived at work with this glass bottle of goodness, I understood the hype. Housed in a custom-designed, curved bottle (made to mimic the way honey moves), this lip oil is a touch of luxury. For me, it acts more like a lip gloss than a lip balm but it’s never sticky. Instead, it leaves my lips looking glowy and feeling moisturised.
Get it here.
Izzy Wight, Fashion Journal‘s Assistant Editor
Carmex Original Flavour Moisturising Lip Balm Tube
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I love a bargain. I’m the cheapest material gworl I know! While it’s not always a great quality to have (sale sections will be the death of my bank account), it does mean I have a selection of fabulous inexpensive beauty products. At $5.99, the Carmex Original Flavour Moisturising Lip Tube is one of my holy grails. I love the tingling sensation, it’s never greasy and the vanilla-y scent is very comforting. I’m a tube gal because I find it easier to apply, but the tub is good too!
Get it here.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry
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The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is one of those rare products I’m willing to splurge on. It’s award-winning and beloved by the beauty community (we’re talking over 12,000 reviews) for a reason! I apply the silky, deeply moisturising formula before bed for pillow-soft morning lips. It also smells good enough to eat (berry is my fave, but would also smother mint choco all over my body).
Get it here.
Tia Harmer, Fashion Journal intern
Blistex Intensive Repair Lip Balm
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My lips are easily irritated, and Blistex and Vaseline seem to be the only two brands with the power to calm them down. The Blistex Intensive Repair Lip Balm takes the cake due to its added SPF 15 and eucalyptus and menthol cooling effect (and its cute little size). I get eczema around my mouth so anything scented will just piss it off.
My brain can’t comprehend spending more than $10 on lip balm, so when I saw the Blistex balm at Woolies for $5.70 I knew we were destined to be together. Even my doctor supports my love of the Blistex Intensive Repair Lip Balm, so you know it’s good.
Get it here.
Cait Emma Burke, Fashion Journal‘s Editor
Kosas Wet Lip Oil Plumping Treatment Gloss
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I bought Kosas’ Lip Oil on a whim – I had a Mecca voucher that was burning a hole in my back pocket, and I’m a big fan of everything the brand does. My expectations were high (I rate Kosas’ brow products and concealer highly), but this lip oil exceeded them. While not technically a lip gloss, it treats your lips to a concoction of peptides, hyaluronic acid and evening primrose oil and leaves them feeling remarkably smooth and hydrated. I have it in the shade Fruit Juice and use my fingers to sheer it out, so it acts more like a lip treatment with a tint that adds some much-needed colour to my very pale lips. The packaging is very cute too, which never hurts.
Get it here.
Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips
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I’ve raved about Dr Lipp’s lip balm on FJ before, and with good reason. I have chronically dry lips (a leftover effect of years spent on Roaccutane to treat my cystic acne) and this is the only lip product on the market that keeps them chap free without me having to reapply it every 20 minutes. It’s 100 per cent medical grade lanolin and is multipurpose – I sometimes use it to add a sheen to my cheeks and eyelids, or on any other part of my body that’s feeling particularly dry. It’s a must have.
Get it here.
Liv Ledwidge, Fashion Journal intern
Olieve and Olie Lip Balm
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I’ve been using this balm for the past two years and to say I’m obsessed is an understatement. I will not leave the house without Olieve and Olie mint lip balm in my bag. It has a nourishing blend of organic butters, waxes and oils and is infused with pure vanilla oil to soothe, protect and assist in healing dry and damaged lips. The best part is it doubles as an eye cream as it’s rich in natural vitamin E, which provides anti-aging and anti-allergenic benefits. I couldn’t agree with the label more when they describe it as a “little pot of liquid gold”.
Get it here.
Ella Taverner, Fashion Journal‘s Partnerships and Campaign Manager
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm in Vanilla Bean
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The Burt’s Bees Lip Balm in Vanilla Bean is my tried and tested favourite for soft, hydrated lips. The formula is super light and non-greasy and keeps my lips feeling fresh for hours. I slap this on morning and night and keep a tube in my car for when I’m busy running errands. The vanilla bean scent is a great balance of sweet but subtle, and at $6.95 at my local pharmacy, it’s a no brainer.
Get it here.
Ultra Violette Peach Sheen Screen™ SPF 50 Hydrating Lip Balm
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As someone with sensitive and often irritable skin, I’ve definitely put myself through the wringer when it comes to tinted lip balms. So it’s no surprise that the expert skin fairies over at Ultra Violette have nailed the your-lips-but-better tinted formula, free of parabens and full of SPF 50. The Sheen Screen in Peach keeps me fresh-faced on those no-makeup days and is the perfect base under lipstick for nights out.
Get it here.
Celeste Martine, Fashion Journal intern
Frank Body Lip Balm
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I picked this up from Mecca one day and proceeded to lose it that week at a music festival. Once it was gone, let me tell you, I missed it dearly. With a faint coffee scent and a thick balm consistency, this Frank Body Lip Balm is made up of a blend of natural ingredients like vitamin E to soothe chapped lips, coffee arabica seed oil to stimulate collagen production, and lanolin to provide intense hydration. It’s my protective barrier that’s been my saving grace against the cold Melbourne winter.
Get it here.
For more on how to keep your lips in tip-top shape, try these tips.
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