Lip Balms

I am a lip balm addict! Well, not really, but I do keep one in every room for convenience. So I'm dedicating a whole post to the many lip balms I use and love.

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Soothing Lip Balm
This the best oil-based lip balm I've ever used, hands down! It is minty and fresh and does exactly what it claims to do - soothes! As you can see, it is a translucent milky white. Its consistency is thick but not sticky, and it is so glossy it might as well double as a lip gloss! If I can only carry one lip balm everywhere, I will probably carry this one. I put this on at night before I go to bed and it would still be there in the morning when I wake up!
I have been using this lip balm for a long time now, at least 3-4 years, and I am surprised not too many people know about it. It was really cheap at first, only $5 each. On sale, it goes for $2 - awesome deal! Then Victoria's Secret revamped the packaging and upped the price to $7 each. Even on sale it would still be $5. Oh well, $5 is not so bad for a product I love!


Rosebud Perfume Company
I own every single one of their balms except for the Smith's Mentholated Salve, which I will get later. These salves are all for multi-purpose use on lips, hands, elbows, knees, wherever dry and chapped skin exists. They run about $6-7 each depending on where you buy them.

Smith's Rosebud Salve
The original salve that launched the company. It is oil-based, quite thin in texture and not sticky at all! My only complaint is that because of its thinness, it has zero staying power on my lips! I put it on, and it'll be gone in 15 minutes! Also, the rose fragrance takes a while to get used to, but only because I'm not a rose person and I actually dislike the scent of roses. A minor note - even though it looks red in the picture, it's actually a light translucent salmony pink.


Smith's Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm
I'm not a big fan of this balm, only because it is wax-based. Even though it's got oils in it, it is still, well, waxy! It is quite good though, I just don't like wax-based balms and salve, that's all. If you do, you will probably LOVE this balm! I also use it to keep my raggedy cuticles in check.


Smith's Brambleberry Rose Lip Balm
This balm's is oil-based, so already it passed my test :D It also has a heavier rose fragrance with a tinge of berry, which will probably take me some time to get used to, but it tastes good so I'm not complaining. Not that I eat it or anything, but it's got honey and vanilla in it and they give it a little sweet touch. It is a translucent raspberry pink and has the same consistency as the original Rosebud Salve although with better staying power.


Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm
This is one of my favorite oil-based balms, second only to the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Soothing Lip Balm! Again, even though I'm not a big fan of rose fragrance, I actually quite like the minty rose scent. It feels so good on my lips - smooth and soothing yet a little tingly from the mint at the same time! It is a translucent tomato red, because it's a little thicker than the original Rosebud Salve, it lasts much longer and has a glossy finish. I absolutely adore this balm! I have one on my desk at work!


White Cloverine Brand Petrolatum Salve
A multi-purpose oil-based salve for chapped skin, but I use it primarily as a lip balm :D It has a lemony scent and similar consistency with Smith's Minty Rose. I like it a lot! And the pot is HUGE -twice as big as Smith's and VS's- for the same price!!!


Sephora Professional Most Complete Lip Balm
I was hoping this to be oil-based, but sadly it is wax-based, so yes, it does feel a bit...waxy. I do like the minty vanilla flavor, only the pot is itty bitty - smaller than the Carmex pot!!! Then again, I got it for only $2 from Sephora.


Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Lip Protectant SPF 15
A wax-based chapstick, basically. To be fair, it did last for quite a while on my lips and felt less waxy than your average chapstick, but it also has this chemically smell I just cannot stand. I went through it in a couple of months, so for $17 it's not worth it.

***Picture from Macy's.

Estee Lauder Lip Conditioner SPF 15
Yet another wax-based chapstick in a fancier packaging. This one is doesn't feel as thick as Elizabeth Arden's, but it also doesn't last as long. It does make a nice base for lipstick though as it is not too oily or shiny and gives the lipstick a natural sheen. But that's about it though, so again for $17, you can get better lipstick base (like one of those balms!!!).


Maquillage Lip Essence
This one is not exactly a balm, but it's not really a gloss either. It is a bit shiny and has a translucent pearly tint, but it's consistency is too thin to be a gloss. It's recommended use is as a lipstick base, but I usually just wear it alone like a gloss. It is a very small tube and is quite pricey for $18, excluding international shipping from Japan (or Hong Kong, wherever you get it from).