There are many people wondering if lip balm works with you or against you. People have been speculating that lip balm brands purposely make lip balm that further dries your lips and causes you to use it more and buy more. It has been recently spreading on TikTok of people questioning if lip balm works the way most expect it to because we need to reapply it so often. Alison Su (9) claims that she has”tried so many chap sticks” and she “feel[s] like [she is] always reapplying,” but never knew exactly why.

Though such  accusations are true for some lip balms, not all lip balms perform this way. Whether lip balm works for you or not depends on how you use it and what brand you are using. 

Lip balm has been used for decades, dating back to ancient Egyptians, who made it with beeswax, olive oil, and animal fat. They worked to protect their lips from the sun and moisturize them. 

Now, lip balms are used for the same purposes and include many of the same ingredients. Many lip balms are made up of beeswax. However, there are many natural ingredients and synthetic ingredients added now, along with flavorings and scents to make it more enjoyable. Some of these new ingredients include antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients that may work to dry and irritate lips.

So, there are ingredients in many lip balms that cause dryness and irritation, such as menthol, eucalyptus, camphor, lavender, or other fragrant ingredients that can trigger an inflammatory reaction. 

Though this is a common reason people are experiencing dryness and irritation, they are also caused by overuse of lip balm. 

Lip balm works by creating a watertight barrier, which prevents people’s skin’s moisture from leaving the surface of the lips. Therefore, lip balms only work when there is moisture in the skin to be held by the lip balm in the first place. This is a major reason why there are many misconceptions of lip balm.

If one has dry lips, it is necessary for them to use certain products or lip balms that contain humectants, which draw water from the deeper layers of the skin to the surface level. Examples of humectants include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and urea.

These ingredients are why not all lip balms are cheap, since they are able to create moisture and may have exfoliating properties. These highly priced lip balms also typically don’t cause irritation and sensitivities. 

Lip balm is not a scam. However, doing research before purchase is paramount in the steps towards hydrated lips. It is important for one to find ingredients that work for them and to not overuse their lip balm. If one does this, lip balm will be more healthy  and hydrating.