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| GoodGuide Rating | Health | Environment | Society | User Reviews | Average Price |
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$2.99
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At first this stuff worked great for months as a lip moisterizer. However, there is something in it that triggered an allergic response, and I had to stop using it. I'm sticking with Lip Ivo, the best, and good old Chapstick.
When I recently ran out of lip balm (I'm an avid user), I wanted to look into something a little more "green" - organic, if possible, and paraben free. I also needed something that wouldn't irritate my incredibly sensitive skin allergies (which is why I tend to go for unflavored/unscented/uncolored personal care items). And, of course, all other things being equal, I prefer a lip balm that lasts as long as possible.
As a 'scientific' trial, I decided to try out three different "natural" lip balms available on Amazon, this one included, and limit myself to one lip balm a day, recording my observations and frequency of use in a 9-hour work day. (And if that doesn't make my life sound exciting, I don't know what will, ha.)
Dr. Bronner's & Sun Dog's Magic Organic Lip Balm, Naked - 5 Stars
Dr. Bronner's little purple stick of lip balm isn't perfect, but it's about as near as I could find in "natural" lip balms. It's USDA Certified Organic (as opposed to the more flimsy "Natural" moniker) and - according to their website, at least - the company is certified as a Fair Trade company. The "Naked" version is almost completely scentless and tasteless (although they do sell scented and flavored ones for people who like that sort of thing) and the ingredients list is refreshingly short - a mere 5 ingredients, perfect for the allergenically inclined. The lip balm goes on smooth and feels extremely nice, but I did have to apply more Dr. Bronner's lip balm the most frequently - 8 to 9 times a day in a nine hour period.
Hugo Naturals Lip Balm, Vanilla & Sweet Orange - 3 Stars
Hugo Naturals doesn't sport the USDA Certified Organic label, but several of the ingredients on the ingredient list have "Organic" in the title (although "Certified" is nowhere to be found, so I'm not sure how to take that). The ingredient list is 10+ items long, but you can visit their website to download a complete list of ingredients in their products, which is nice if you have a specific allergy or additive you're trying to avoid. The "Vanilla and Sweet Orange" flavor has a nice, mild scent to it, but there's a slight "tingle" at application that I found slightly unpleasant - perhaps a reaction on my part to the citrus additives? Furthermore, I noticed that after wearing the lip balm for awhile, the tip of my tongue started to itch irritably, to the point where I found myself gnawing on my tongue to 'scratch' it. This irritation occurred on all of my "Hugo Naturals Days", but not with the other lip balms, and since I cycled the days randomly I suspect that the relationship was a causal one. As for application, Hugo Naturals goes on smoothly and I had to reapply 7-8 times in a nine hour period.
Yes To Carrots Lip Butter, Melon - 4 Stars
Yes To Carrots also sports the USDA Certified Organic label, albeit with an odd "95% Organic" disclaimer just above it. The long ingredient list (13+ items) notes which ingredients were certified organic and which ones weren't, and you can visit their website for a complete ingredients list for each flavor of lip balm they offer. I bought the "Melon" flavor on the theory that it would be the mildest, but I notice that the "Melon" flavor also contains a good dose of citrus orange extract. I didn't notice a tingle or an irritation with this lip balm, however, which was a relief. The scent is a mixed-bag - I would probably describe it as "cheerful" smelling, but it feels overwhelming, particularly right after application. Actual application is smooth and application times are the least frequent - 7 times each day, within the nine hour testing period. I'm not sure, though, if the application times were less because the lip balm lasted longer than its compatriots or if it was because I was dreading the wash of bright-cheerful-melon scent. Whether or not that is a bad thing will depend entirely on the user - I can imagine that many children would find the scent delightful.
Bottom line, you probably can't go wrong with any of these lip balms - I recommend all of them over the non-natural, paraben-containing brands available. I'm happy I ordered all of them and will use them all (except perhaps the Hugo Naturals, due to my unique allergy issues) until they're gone... but after that, I'll probably only reorder the Dr. Bronner's and stick with that one.
I liked this product. It works great as a moisturizer under lipstick or gloss because it has a bland taste. Only four stars because AMAZON.com raised the price from $10.40 to $17.94 in only a few months. The LEMON-LIME has a great taste too.
I recently had to go to NY in freezing weather. It was below freezing and very dry. My lips wanted to crack and chap but I kept them lubed with this product and survived my 10 day Ordeal with perfect lips. I am Extremely Grateful for this product. I also love Dr Bronner's Sun Dogs Magic Balm.
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