I have the unfortunate habit of rubbing my lips together when I'm bored, tired, nervous, walking, sitting, wearing any lip products, and not wearing any lip products (yes, this accounts for ALL THE TIME). It annoys me when my lips feel dry, so I'm pretty obsessive about keeping lip balm of some sort on them. Sadly, anything I put on my lips tends to disappear within a half hour, usually leaving my lips feeling even more chapped, which makes the cycle worse...so you can see why I'm always on the lookout for the perfect lip balm. I want something that will last a not-insignificant period of time, that leaves my lips feeling moisturized even after I've managed to wear it off, and that isn't sticky or goopy, because I absolutely hate it when my hair sticks to my mouth. The original Burt's Bees tends to leave a weird white residue on my lips, probably because I apply it too often, though I do like the Pomegranate Replenishing kind, except that it doesn't last very long. I used to use the Medicated BB with Clove Oil until my ex told me he didn't like the way it tasted; current boy hasn't mentioned any aversion to it, but I also don't use it very often. I hate ChapStick because it always leaves my lips feeling drier than they started; I don't mind the regular Blistex, but I've found that it works best at night, since I don't like dipping my fingers in the pot all the time. The Blistex Daily Conditioning Treatment gave my lips a weird rash and made them extremely chapped and painful. I used to love Carmex, but it started irritating my lips, too. Aquaphor is fantastic at night in the winter, when my lips need lots of help, but a little too slick for during the day. I tried Rosebud Minted Rose Lip Balm, but found it way too sticky and not at all moisturizing--not to mention, it wore off in 20 minutes.
When Temptalia reviewed the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm, I figured I would give it a try. It's a little more expensive than I'd like ($7.50/tube), but you get a fair amount (0.25 oz, as compared to Burt's 0.15) and it has SPF 25, which is a definite bonus.
The best thing about it for me, though, is that it a) lasts longer than pretty much anything else I've tried, and b) leaves my lips moist, even after it wears off. The texture is pretty thick, and you really have to squeeze the tube to get it to come out, but I like that, since it means I rarely put on too much. The "flavors" (no taste, just scent) I've tried, with my thoughts, are:
––Vanilla and Lavender: Emphasis on the lavender. Smells much more masculine than you would expect (at least, for me). This was the first variety I bought, and a tube of it lasted me over 2 months, applying multiple times a day.
––Natural Mint: I like the tingliness of the mint, and it helps freshen your breath, but I find it makes me rub my lips together more, and thus doesn't last as long. For those who don't have my bad habits, though, this may prove to be a favorite!
––Lemon and Chamomile: Quite sweet; the chamomile comes through, for me, as a strange base to the vaguely-chemically lemon. It's a nice scent, just a little too sweet for me.
Sephora currently has a two-pack of Black Tea & Blackberry and Grapefruit and Ginger for $10, which I look forward to trying with my next order.
Overview
Price: 8 (more expensive than drugstore lip balms, but way cheaper than other high-end)
Value: 10
Quality: 14 (the scents may be off-putting)
Pigmentation: 5 (none to speak of, though it is very mildly glossy)
Duration: 5 (1-2 hours, even with my lip disturbances, and the moisturizing properties last well beyond then)
Consistency: 5 (thick but not sticky, glides on smoothly)
Packaging: +1 (the squeeze tube is GREAT; no germs, like with a pot, and no tugging on sensitive or chapped lips, like with a stick--there have been many times when I've gone to put Burt's on only to have the friction from the stick against my lips break them open, which is seriously ouchy!)
Buy again?: Yes (in fact, I already have!)
Grade: A+
If you're looking for a great lip balm, I highly recommend Jack Black! Those who are sensitive to SPF may have issues with it, but Sephora has a great return policy. What about you? Have you tried Jack Black? What did you think?
When Temptalia reviewed the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm, I figured I would give it a try. It's a little more expensive than I'd like ($7.50/tube), but you get a fair amount (0.25 oz, as compared to Burt's 0.15) and it has SPF 25, which is a definite bonus.
The best thing about it for me, though, is that it a) lasts longer than pretty much anything else I've tried, and b) leaves my lips moist, even after it wears off. The texture is pretty thick, and you really have to squeeze the tube to get it to come out, but I like that, since it means I rarely put on too much. The "flavors" (no taste, just scent) I've tried, with my thoughts, are:
––Vanilla and Lavender: Emphasis on the lavender. Smells much more masculine than you would expect (at least, for me). This was the first variety I bought, and a tube of it lasted me over 2 months, applying multiple times a day.
––Natural Mint: I like the tingliness of the mint, and it helps freshen your breath, but I find it makes me rub my lips together more, and thus doesn't last as long. For those who don't have my bad habits, though, this may prove to be a favorite!
––Lemon and Chamomile: Quite sweet; the chamomile comes through, for me, as a strange base to the vaguely-chemically lemon. It's a nice scent, just a little too sweet for me.
Sephora currently has a two-pack of Black Tea & Blackberry and Grapefruit and Ginger for $10, which I look forward to trying with my next order.
Overview
Price: 8 (more expensive than drugstore lip balms, but way cheaper than other high-end)
Value: 10
Quality: 14 (the scents may be off-putting)
Pigmentation: 5 (none to speak of, though it is very mildly glossy)
Duration: 5 (1-2 hours, even with my lip disturbances, and the moisturizing properties last well beyond then)
Consistency: 5 (thick but not sticky, glides on smoothly)
Packaging: +1 (the squeeze tube is GREAT; no germs, like with a pot, and no tugging on sensitive or chapped lips, like with a stick--there have been many times when I've gone to put Burt's on only to have the friction from the stick against my lips break them open, which is seriously ouchy!)
Buy again?: Yes (in fact, I already have!)
Grade: A+
If you're looking for a great lip balm, I highly recommend Jack Black! Those who are sensitive to SPF may have issues with it, but Sephora has a great return policy. What about you? Have you tried Jack Black? What did you think?
