March 3, 2021

Lunchtime Poll Says Maybe Expensive Lip Balms Are Over

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You inherit 5 million dollars the same day aliens land on the earth and say they’re going to blow it up in 2 days. What do you do? Buy all the expensive lip balms and use them while you still can?\

Naaa I think say expensive lip balms are over.

I was browsing Sephora during a late night sesh this week and came across Glow Recipe Glow Lip Pop Lip Balm and I came to an epiphany. The heavens opened up, Angels sung, and the beauty Gods whispered to me, “Stop buying expensive lip balm!”

Glow Recipe’s lip balm looks like something you’d pick up at the dollar store in all seriousness! Why am I sitting here buying $22 lip balms anyway? I mean, there are so many cheaper options available.

I think I can safely say that I’m going to give up expensive lip balms and stick with drugstore ones from now on. I admit I have a problem when it comes to cute little lip balms and I’m looking to rectify that! So, new New Year’s Resolution: Expensive Lip Balms are over! Stick with drugstore ones.

Let’s see how long this lasts!

Think I can survive?

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About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Lisa

    Lanolips is the best – as long as you’re not adverse to lanolin. Love that stuff, in all forms.

    • Isabella Muse

      I love their line of products. Especially the multitasking stuff!

    • Kimkats

      I SO totally agree! This is all I use now!! It is AMAZING. I have the “regular” stuff, and the peach and strawberry for when I’m feelin’ all fancypants… 😀 But it does more for me than any other one I’ve ever used. Shea butter just sits on my lips and skin in a greasy pool and never sinks in, which is a shame.. but there you have it. Lanolin allaway!!!

  • Mandy

    Not quite a lip balm, but Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is worth the splurge. Anything else isn’t worth it.

    • Isabella Muse

      I agree! I love it! But some of these regular old lip balms for $22 and upwards are mad. I’ve decided not to buy them anymore!

      • Robin Hawkins

        I agree with you.I always buy on sale but then new balls/lip oils/masks come out and I wonder what’s in them? 24k gold? I just bought a colored Chapstick and am very happy. Long live drugstore lip balm!LOL

  • Robin Hawkins

    I agree with you.I always buy on sale but then new balls/lip oils/masks come out and I wonder what’s in them? 24k gold? I just bought a colored Chapstick and am very happy. Long live drugstore lip balm!LOL

      • Jennifer.refinedbeauty

        Tatcha DOES contain gold. And I’m guilty for buying it “�♀️

        • Jen

          Also guilty! The Tatcha 24k gold spun lipbalm is superb quality. It was the only thing my lips responded to when they started drying and cracking really badly after my environmental allergies exploded as a result of moving from the Midwest to the south. I use it day and night and like it better than most lip masks. A little really goes a long way, too!

  • Rachel

    I really love the Fresh balms, but they are so danged expensive I just can’t justify it. I try to get the deluxe samples when they are available and I did pick up one of the holiday sets when Sephora had its Sale on Sale after Xmas. Otherwise I stick to Dr Bronner’s peppermint balm. It works great and is like $3.50. It’s my fave since Yes To betrayed me and discontinued their peppermint balm!

    • Isabella Muse

      guilty but I haven’t purchased on in years! I like them but the cost is like why am I doing this? They are so sheer it’s ridiculous to spend that much! $3.50 much better!

  • Dena

    Expensive lip balms are never sweetened and tend to feel and taste oily. The kid in me prefers yummy, sweetened flavors. Have you heard of Delight Naturals? Oh my goodness! Heaven! I’ll PM you a link.

  • V

    It seems like with each passing year I am allergic to more and more stuff. At this point, the only lip balms that don’t irritate my skin or leave me with peeling lips are the Drunk Elephant one and the Fresh balms that come in the thin circle pots. I used to LOVE the tinted Fresh ones in the tubes but octinoxate is definitely one of my no-no’s. I haaaaaate this because I used to love just basic chapstick.

    • Isabella Muse

      oh no! That’s horrible! Sorry to hear it 🙁 Hey, simple vaseline is great for lips!

      • V

        I’m allergic to petroleum lol. Seriously it’s out of hand. It’s the same with toothpaste… and it seems like every time I find a balm or a toothpaste that is “safe” I end up developing a sensitivity to something in that one.

  • Sakura

    Well I love the Milani Rose butter lip mask (you can get it at Ulta) and I think that it is much better then the Lanaige one! It has a nice rose scent/taste, but is a very light scent. I’ve stocked up in case they discontinue it.

  • Susan

    Stay strong Muse! I have a lip balm addiction and I’m embarrassed by the amount I’ve spent on fancifully packaged lip balm.

  • dia

    When it comes to lip balm, I mainly look for something that 1) has purer ingredients, because I end up ingesting so much of it and 2) something that doesn’t melt in the heat.

    • Isabella Muse

      I’m well preserved thanks to all the lip balm I’ve “eaten” over the years!

  • MDW

    At that price would make sense to make it a twist up balm for delicate eyelid skin.

  • Eilern

    I have tried almost every, or so I think, lip balm on earth, from drug store to Laniege and more and still have chapped lips every day. Vaseline, Aquaphor – nothing works. First Aid Beauty – everything just sits on my lips and dries up and peels. So I’m finished with all of them. No more.

      • MDW

        Ya, like Lisa above said, there’s something about lanolin, though not vegan, that works well on skin. And Nivea is lanolin based.

    • Jennifer F

      If you are not allergic to it, try lanolin based balms like paw-paw ointment. And/or see dermatologist to see if it not oral dermatitis related dryness.

  • Claudia

    I stopped buying expensive balms years ago. My current fave is Pacifica pineapple splash. It softens my lips, smells like pineapple, doesn’t make my lips peel, is 4.99 and it somewhat resembles the ones from Fresh but not as melty and no SPF. I have noticed it makes a difference in my lips whether or not I drink enough water and if I rinse my lips and then apply balm while they are still damp. The one balm I miss the most was by the Honest Company, the texture was beautiful and it was cheap at 2.99 but sadly discontinued.

    • Isabella Muse

      They have a lot of other ones though! They are always doing lip balms 🙂 maybe you can find one to love?

  • Sara

    I agree! I always look at expensive balms sideways but have to admit Fresh lured me in with all their recent flavors of their Hydrating pot balms. I do like those! But drugstores proved years ago that you can find a tube of complete lip happiness for very little cost. My first was Bonne Bell Lip Smackers, so affordable and amazing quality. Can’t say that about the new Markwins made Lip Smackers though! Also eos has really stepped up their game in recent years and offers interesting and well done flavors plus the balms have gotten a lot softer and more hydrating.

    While we’re on the subject of lips, what has happened with a lot of recent lip gloss formulas?! They’re very thin and runny and offer no staying power. I don’t understand the need to wear thin lip gloss. It use to be the thicker “stickier” lip glosses, the more prestige and en vogue. Shinier and longer lasting too. I hope we get back to that because I can’t stand a thin lip gloss.

    • Isabella Muse

      I used to love bonne bell! Markwins def changed something! I agree! Lipglosses seem to have changed a bit lately! I like shine but they aren’t always as long lasting imho!

      • miska

        I didn’t know anything changed but I had suspected as much. I used BB Lip Smackers for years with no issues and all of a sudden they make my lips peel something fierce. Ugh, why does the quality go down the tubes when another company takes over!?!? ***Looking at you, Urban Decay***

        • Isabella Muse

          sad sigh! I sound like my parents lately but I miss the good old beauty days lol!

  • miska

    Oh geez, I shudder to think of the amount of lip products that I’ve consumed over the years. The absolute BEST HG status DS product that I use to heal my lips is called Lansinoh. It’s 100% lanolin, no scent, no taste. Super thick and it stays put overnight to heal my dry lips. It can be used for multiple issues…chapped lips, chapped nose (from kleenex abuse), sore nips (this is actually for nursing mom’s with sore nipples!!!), dry cuticles, cracked feet and the list goes on. It’s a 40g tube that gives you the most bang for your buck. Love this stuff so much. One thing is it can leave a bit of a cast on your lips…but we’re all still masking so who cares. I enjoy Lanolips products but I think they’re pricey. Also, a great DIY lip scrub I make is just a mix of vaseline (plain or scented, whatever blows your hair back) and sugar. Mix the two to the desired consistency and use as a lip exfoliator. More so than balms and treatments, I cannot justify paying out the ass for a lip scrub. I’ve been slowly making my way through my “lip treatment” stash. Lip products are and always will be my Kryptonite.

    • Isabella Muse

      just looked it up! Need to try that! I normally use a tube of rosebud salve as it always helps with all sort of issues including softening lips ;D

      • miska

        Let me know your thoughts on it if you end up trying it out. I’m only halfway through my tube and I’ve had it a little over two years! A little goes a long way. A word of caution though, it’s very thick and it seems to be a bit thicker in the colder months. To me, a small price to pay for all of it’s uses.

  • MDW

    Speaking of lip balm, Weleda has a beeswax one called EVERon that has a slightly sticky substance. That affordable lip balm stays on a very long time, applies smoothly and cleanly and the tube lasts a long time.

  • Moxie

    I was actually just gifted a Reve De Miel lip balm off my wishlist by from a friend on Twitter, and it’s $24 which for me is crazy expensive (hence the WISHlist).

    I usually never even think about anything over $10 but my trusted Nivea actually made my lips worse and I mentioned they’re in bad shape.

    I hope I don’t like it too much because $24 is steep.

    • Isabella Muse

      Oh no! I love Nivea’s balms too sorry to hear it! Let us all know about the Reve De Miel!

  • Jennifer F

    My all time fave is the ORIGINAL Bite Beauty Agave one that has lanolin in it. Since they’ve gone vegan and reformulated it, there’s no lanolin and, in my opinion, nowhere near as good. So that equals money saved!

    • Isabella Muse

      bite beauty’s mask is def a good one! I haven’t tried the new formulation now I’m sad to hear it changed!

  • Dannell

    Oh my goodness! Have you tried the new ELF ones?!?! They come in a ton of colors (remind me of the Fresh ones), smell like honeydew melon, have a cute little heart in the core and are just lovely!! They are $6, so not dollar store cheap but I just bought 5 colors (FIVE!!! But I had to pick up some summer colors while I was shopping!). They are called the ‘Hydrating Core Lip Shines’. Can’t wait to see what you think!

  • Cherie

    I do like the Biossance, Laneige and Baume de Rose lip balms as splurges, but other than those, I stick mostly to natural drugstore or handmade lipbalms (esp with hemp seed oil) from various soapmakers that cost me around $2-3. A favorite nighttime lip balm for me is Carmex, plain ‘ol Carmex in the little jar.