I know what you’re thinking: “You’ve been working PROFESSIONALLY for SIX YEARS behind the scenes in beauty in Los Angeles… and your first review is on LIP SMACKERS?!? Are you 12?!”

So, I love beauty products. And more importantly, I love beauty products that are accessible – meaning that they are AFFORDABLE, and hopefully, available at a number of retailers (Target, CVS, etc.). This is really important to me, and I bet it’s important to you, too.

Listen, I love my $20 First Aid Beauty lip balm. It comes in a cute little box. It comes in a cute little jar. The IL (ingredient list) is really beautiful (luxurious ingredients, many of which of plant derived, mixed in with some effective synthetics). I can go on.

But do you know what I really love? And will likely always have on hand? Because it makes me happy? And above all else – WORKS LIKE A CHARM? My Lip Smackers Vanilla Lip Balm. It is so buttery, so moisturizing, and has this super delightful, sweet vanilla flavor.

In college, during one of my two (COUNT ‘EM, TWO) rounds of Accutane, my lips were peeling, and bleeding, and essentially falling off of my face. It was just awful. If you haven’t heard of Accutane before, it’s a very intense oral acne prescription drug that you take for months at a time, and it dries out your whole body. Everything, your skin, your lips, your eyes, everything feels hopelessly parched.

I remember buying and trying any lip balm I could buy at CVS. I was just so uncomfortable, to the point where EATING was hurting my mouth. I couldn’t eat a sandwich because I was NOT ABLE TO OPEN MY MOUTH THAT WIDE without extremely painful cracks opening up. I was beside myself. Until I found this lip balm. I would layer it on multiple times a day and it felt like the only thing that would provide any type of comfort. Simply put, the stuff works.

One of the things I love about beauty products is that you almost develop a relationship with them. You look at your stash and think, “My grandmother used this moisturizer for 40 years and now I use it from time to time because it reminds me of her” or “This shampoo smells like my mom so I use it because it brings me memories of growing up.”

During college, I was so deeply insecure. I thought Accutane would solve all my problems. Super secret PRO TIP: No single thing will ever solve all your problems. Ha!

Around this time, I found MakeupAlley and just started researching as much as I could about beauty and skincare. I was beyond hooked. I was just determined to be the most knowledgeable I could be. So, this little Vanilla Lip Balm reminds me of that. The taste, the feel, and how the simple packaging would fit right in my little jean pocket. I would apply it religiously, even after finishing my second round of Accutane.

And now, nearly a decade later, I take it out from time to time. I pop off that little cap and apply it, feel the buttery texture between my lips, and revisit that sweet vanilla flavor. I also do this in winter, when I’m less concerned with nostalgia and just want some comfort for my extra chapped lips.

NERD TIME: In this section, we can nerd out together. A major part of my job is looking at ingredient lists (IL’s) and quite literally dissecting them. Nothing gives me more pleasure than picking up a product, flipping it over and looking at the ingredients 🙂

In looking at these ingredients, the (likely) main driver of efficacy is the petrolatum. Petrolatum is a funny ingredient. It’s not necessarily earth friendly (since it’s derived from petroleum), but it is the gold standard for “barrier repair.” The magic of petrolatum is that it actually increases the rate of skin renewal, so it’s used medically in burn units to heal damaged skin. It’s kind of a miracle ingredient, so it’s very common in applications for extremely dry, cracked skin.

The rest of this formula includes a number of emollients (think oils) (Castor Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride) and some waxes (Carnauba Wax, Beeswax). These will also provide “occlusive” benefits – meaning that they create a type of oily/waxy barrier to trap in moisture and hydration. The formula also includes a touch of sweetener (Stevia & Sucralose), and lastly some colorants and flavor. It’s not necessarily a complicated formula, but most great products aren’t!

INGREDIENTS: RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, PETROATUM, BEESWAX/CIRE DABEILLE, OZOKERITE, POLYBUTENE, FLAVOR/AROMA, COPERNICIA CERIFERA (CARNAUBA) WAX/CIRE DE CARNAUBA, OCTYLDODECANOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, STEVIA REBAUDIANA LEAF/STEM EXTRACT, SUCRALOSE. MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), RED 6 LAKE (CI 15850), RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140).

Do you have a lip balm that you love? Or do you have a specific product in your arsenal that you have been buying for a long time? I would love to hear from you 🙂

xo megan