lip balm

I have very dry lips that chap easily, regardless of the season. Sunburn, windburn, too cold, not shaving often enough all make my lips chap. So, having a good lip balm (also known as lip moisturisers) is very important to me. Over the years I have tried many different brands and have been left wanting by many of them.

Good old ChapStick just does not cut it for me; sorry Suzy Chapstick. Nivea brands make me look like I just ate a tub of icing. Although they are great at bedtime. Two Christmases ago I got a Burt's Bees lip balm with pomegranate oil as part of a gift. I looked like grandma after over-applying her lipstick. Again, great at bedtime. Most of the Blistex brands work well. Especially their three brands in tubs: Lip Medex, Lip Conditioner, and DCT. Also, one tubed one I am using called Nurture & Nourish.

I have used various all organic and natural ones over the years as well with varying success. The problem with those is that they actually go rancid very quickly. Not a pleasant taste.

The best I have ever used are Neutrogena Norwegian Formula and Zam-Buk. The Norwegian Formula is no longer available in Canada. In fact, it appears that Neutrogena no longer offers any lip balms in Canada, too bad. Perhaps next time I am in the US I will pop into a drugstore and stock up. I have one tube left, still in the packaging which resides in one of my go-bags, with a couple of my last remaining good handkerchiefs.

my last tube of Norwegian Formula

Now the Zam-Buk lip balm. That is something else. It is made by Bayer, in South Africa of all places, even though it apparently was created in the UK (check out wikipedia). It is not listed by Bayer, that I can find, as a product they manufacture, but there are article references on their website. It comes in tube form and a little flat tub, which is great to drop in a pocket.

two forms of Zam-Buk lip balm

I found them in a terrific Dutch grocery store called Bakker's General Store in Manotick Station, Ontario. I stocked up just before Christmas. As I was saying, it is something else. I bought my first tube this past fall to try out. The first time I used it, I was driving the boy to one of his volunteering endeavours with the wife when I found the need to moisturise my lips. Wow! Not only did it moisturise my lips, it cleared my sinuses too. Well, after we ditched the boy, I checked out the ingredients: eucalyptus oil, camphor, thyme oil, and sassafras oil. Everything a growing boy like me needs to stay healthy!

ingredients of Zam-Buk lip balm

The intensity of the "Vic's VapoRub" effect decreases as you continue to use it, but man-o-man, it works great. Unlike some inadequate brands needing to be applied several times an hour, this guy is only applied a few times a day. The best part, it is a pretty cheap product. The tube is about $3.00 after tax and the mini-tub less than $1.50. Several tubes of Zam-Buk will definitely find their way into my go-bags.

One other lip balm that I picked up at Bakker's but have yet to try was recommended by the owner's mother: Purol Lippenstick made in Holland. It is pricey at almost $8.00 after tax, but she swears by it. Its ingredient list is largely unpronounceable by me, but it was such a resounding endorsement, I had to get it to try out. I will probably test it out when our Scout Troop goes on its winter camp this year.

Regardless if your lips chap easily or not, everyone should carry some on them. It has many uses beyond moisturising your lips. A topic to be covered at a later date. blbbl