Lips

Lip balm: care and protection for your lips

A lip balm keeps lips soft and smooth and protects them from the weather. Here you will find caring lip balms, lip sticks and balms with sun protection.

The range suits anyone who wants soft lips: for everyday use in a handbag as well as for overnight care on the bedside table. There are tubes, sticks and pots, so you will find the form that fits your day.

How to choose a lip balm

• Sun protection: an SPF 15 or SPF 20 balm protects lips in the sun.
• Care: a rich balm suits cold and dry weather.
• Form: a stick is handy in a bag, a tube or pot holds more balm.
• Colour: if you want a hint of colour, see tinted lip balm.

Lip care comes from Elizabeth Arden, Eucerin and Kiehl’s.

Lip care through the seasons

Lips are an area of thin skin that feels weather changes quickly. In winter, with cold outside and dry air indoors, lips need a rich, nourishing balm that you can apply in a calm layer. In summer sun protection takes the lead: lips are as exposed in the sun as the face, and a balm with SPF is a simple way to protect them. In spring and autumn a universal caring balm keeps lips soft without feeling heavy.

Sun protection for lips

If you spend the day outdoors, for example on the beach, in the mountains or strolling around town, put a balm with sun protection in your bag. The choice is wide: the Clinique SPF 35 sun protection stick has the highest protection level of them (SPF 35), the Eucerin Lip Active SPF15 keeps lips soft every day, and the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour lip stick is an SPF15 stick that fits a small bag. Apply the balm before going outside and repeat during the day.

Overnight lip care

Evening is the best time to give your lips attention. An overnight lip mask works while you sleep, and in the morning lips are soft and rested. The Laneige overnight lip mask is the closing step of an evening routine: a thin layer before bed and the lips get to rest. A small ritual like this turns the evening into a nice moment for yourself.

Lip balm in your daily routine

• Morning: apply a thin layer of balm after brushing your teeth.
• Before going out: choose a balm with SPF, especially on a sunny day.
• During the day: reapply as needed, for example after a meal or coffee.
• Evening: finish the day with a rich balm or a lip mask.

Lip balm and makeup

A lip balm makes an excellent makeup base: it smooths the lips and adds softness, so the lipstick goes on more evenly. If you want a lighter colour, see tinted balms. For the care of the whole face see also face care products, face creams and facial masks, which complement lip care.

Gift ideas

A lip balm is a small and lovely gift that fits in an envelope or a gift bag. A rich caring balm suits a birthday, and a stick with SPF suits a summer gift for someone heading on holiday. If you want to give more, see gift sets and add a lip balm to the gift bag as a small surprise.

How to choose when there are many options

Start with the question of when you need a balm the most. If mostly outdoors, choose SPF. If mostly at home and in the office, choose richer care. If lips dry out at night, add an overnight mask. And if you do not know where to start, put one tube in your bag and one on the bedside table and see which suits you better.

Stick, tube or pot: the form affects use

The form of a balm matters as much as the formula, because it decides how often you actually use the balm. A stick fits in a pocket and goes on in one motion, so it suits the street, the car and the office desk. A tube holds more and suits those who use a balm a lot during the day. A pot or a small mask is a calm evening ritual that is worth a pause. Many people keep two or three forms at once: one in the bag, one on the bedside table and one in a jacket pocket.

A balm for everyone

Lip balm is one of those care products that suit everyone, regardless of age and gender. A clear, unscented or lightly flavoured balm brings no colour to the face, but gives the lips a comfortable, cared-for feel. That is why it is a good gift for people when you do not know which cosmetics to choose. One good balm belongs equally in a woman’s handbag, a man’s jacket pocket and a teenager’s school bag.

Moments when a balm is at hand

• Winter trip: on the ski slope and beside a hot drink a balm helps keep lips soft.
• Beach day: a stick with SPF fits next to the towel and is a quick extra layer of protection.
• Desk: dry office air is no worry when a tube sits in the drawer.
• Evening on the sofa: a rich layer of balm closes the day calmly.

What helps lips stay soft

The softness of lips also depends a little on small habits. Drink enough water during the day, give the balm time to stay on the lips and reapply when the lips signal dryness. The same goes for the evening: with a rich layer of balm before bed the morning feels more comfortable. Lips value regularity more than a rare big treatment, so choose a balm that you like and want to use.

Frequently asked questions