Three years ago, I shared with my readers the greatest discovery I made for my lip care.
I loved Agave Lip Balm and Agave Lip Mask from Bite Beauty and used them for a couple of years… until the brand decided to join the holier-than-thou crowd and went vegan. No. Same as fat-free or sugar-free foods are not identical to their less healthy predecessors (you might like them or prefer for health reasons or even for their taste, just don’t try to persuade me that they taste the same), lanolin-free Agave Lip Balm wasn’t as moisturizing as the one that I fell in love with. I found and bought a couple of old formula products postponing inevitable, but at some point, I had to accept that my favorite product was gone.
As I was on my last tube thinking of what to do next, I got an amazing tip from one of the YouTube videos. If you haven’t heard this yet, don’t laugh, but Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream for Breastfeeding is just amazing for keeping your lips moist all night. It’s not expensive, and it comes in small inconspicuous tubes (in case you want to have some in your purse).
I was completely satisfied with my discovery and would have stuck to using it for years to come, but in my Sephora Birthday Gift, I got a sample of Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. It was love from the first use! The one I got was the original (Berry scent), and not only it keeps my lips perfectly moisturized through the night, but it also has a very enjoyable light scent and texture.
You would think I’d stop there: I found two great products. But finding that Laneige mask made me think that I was so stuck on the loss of my favorite Agave Lip Balm that I didn’t even think to look for anything else. So, I just couldn’t resist when I saw on Sephora’s site a Give Me Some Lip Balm Set.
It was quite educational to try 5 more products. I tried them without reading anything about them. While all of them are fine and quite… usable, none of them was love for me.
Sephora Coconut Lip Balm & Scrub – a strange combination, in my opinion: who on earth has come up with the idea that these two purposes can be served by the same product? I would have probably liked it more had it a more pronounced coconut smell/taste. I might finish it eventually, but it’s not something I will ever consider purchasing.
Tarte SEA Jelly Glaze Anytime Lip Mask in Strawberry Jelly has a light tint and some scent… The tint reminds me of a strawberry more than the scent. It is fine, and I use it at my work desk when I’m not wearing lipstick for a Zoom meeting. Since during the day I periodically eat or drink something, I’m not sure how well it hydrates – I re-apply it from time to time, which is fine with me. But once it’s gone – it’s gone.
Rose Petal-Soft Deep Hydration Lip Balm by fresh has a noticeable rose scent. It smells very pleasant until I apply it. Surprisingly, I discovered that I don’t like a rose in my lip products: it feels as if I had not fully washed off rose soap from my lips. I can’t complain about its moisturizing qualities, but I won’t use it if I have a choice.
Lip Fetish Divinyl Lip Shine in Nude Venus from Pat McGrath Labs is exactly what it promises to be – a lip shine with just the slightest hue. It’s not something to use at night, but during the day it has its uses – as a part of the discounted $21 5-product set. But I would have never paid its full price of $36. Almost all lipsticks, lip balms, etc. that I own are at least as nice as this Lip Shine, if not better. And most of them are less expensive.
Ilia Lip Wrap Treatment Mask is fine doing the job, but it is completely scentless and tasteless… For $26 it costs, I can buy more than a year supply of that Lanolin Nipple Cream.
My experiment has shown that with skincare I follow the same pattern as I noticed with perfumes and food: I do not like “all-natural,” “fat/sugar-free” or “clean” products (in the Sephora set all but Pat McGrath’s products were marked as “clean at Sephora”). In my book, all those properties are secondary to a good product. Quite rarely do I find something that I like among those that proudly announce their “virtues.”
I plan to keep taking advantage of the off-label use of the Lansinoh’s lanolin cream. And once I finish my small jar of Laneige, I’m going to buy the full version. Eventually, I might try their other scents: grapefruit and apricot smell nice. But initially, I’ll continue with the original berry scent, hoping that they won’t mess with a good thing that works. It is such a pleasure to use that product!
Do you have any favorite lip moisturizers?
Image: my own
Undina's Looking Glass 
I used the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (in Strawberry) until I used up the full size jar. I was buying something else at the time and the cashier just “casually” mentioned this product and I was enabled to buy the large sample 😂. I liked how it made my lips feel and somehow, I only ever used it as part of my evening routine. The only thing I hate about it is that one has to apply it with fingers (or a Q-Tip, which would waste product).
Nowadays, for convenience and because I like how it feels on my lips, I use O’Keefe Lip Repair at night and the SPF 35 during the day. I have also been using Jack Black Intense Therapy with SPF 25 which I got as a freebie from Nordstrom.
And finally, I have been carrying a Sun Bum Mineral Lip Balm SPF 30 but I have never used it other than test applying it when I first bought it. I did not like the coconut taste but maybe I’ll use it again today and see how I feel about it now – I am on my way in to the office and it is still in my purse.
LikeLike
Laneige doesn’t have strawberry now, but I like a couple of those that they have – so, I’ll see if I want to get any other than berry. I understand what you mean about applying with your fingers. While I don’t have any issues with that while at home before going to bed (I wash my hands right before that, apply a lip product and then a hand cream), I can suggest using a plastic spatula from some other product once you finish it (I keep those and reuse for all jars that do not come with those convenient tools :) The brand also has a treatment that comes with a tool to applying it (but it’s not a fruity one). And also they have Lip Glowy Balm that comes in a tube with the regular applicator end. It has the same flavors as the sleeping mask. But it doesn’t have SPF, which I think I need – so, I’ll be checking out your recommendations.
LikeLike
Funny how cosmetics/products for one purpose can serve a different purpose totally fine. For lip moisturizing I really like the Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin lip balm. To me it’s good as it protestem my lips from cracking in winter. I usually only use it in the cold season.
LikeLike
I was myself amazed by that hack! But, as you can imagine, it is a good idea: if it’s safe enough for babies, it should be good for adults as well :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to use Nivea lip balm and have stuck with the Burt’s Bees original (definitely not vegan, lol) for the last few years, although I don’t love the minty smell when it’s applied. Great tip about the alternative products!
LikeLike
I used Nivea for years! But they also changed the formula several times, and now, while I like it when I just applied it, it doesn’t work for as long as I would like it too.
LikeLike
I loved the Bite product as well. Have a full size jar of the LaNeige going, pretty good. I also tried that Sephora sampler and wasn’t terribly impressed although I will use everything up eventually (and I agree on rose scented lip… not my favorite!). I can’t say I have found anything for night that I like better than the Bite, but for day I enjoy the Milani Fruit Fetish lip balm. (Don’t shame me, I have pumpkin spice and I like it!)
LikeLike
I constantly hear praises for Milani products from different YouTubers. I’m too snobbish to use drugstore brands for either makeup or skincare, but I might consider a lip balm.
I still think that the original Bite’s product was phenomenal and much better than anything I tried either before or since. But if you are fine with a completely scentless and tasteless product, try that lanolin one: I swear it works as good as the Agave products did. It is not as pleasant/wonderful in application as the Bite’s products were though – which I miss :(
LikeLike
I have a hoard of Agave Lip Mask in my fridge, plus a jar of the LaNeige strawberry. But during the day I mostly use the Fresh tinted lip balms instead of lipsticks.
LikeLike
I missed when they were reformulated, so my last 2 or 3 I was buying already close to the expiration or even after (I stopped once I got a stale one and decided not to gamble any more). I wish I would have thought about the fridge! Oh, well…
LikeLike
My daughter swears by the Laniege. My friend gifted her the strawberry day one which comes in a tube and a mini of the night one in mint. She also had the big strawberry pot until my other daughter ” borrowed ” it.
LikeLike
Now I feel like I missed on something great: so many people mention strawberry one… :) But I like the berry… So, I should probably watch it carefully not to miss if the brand decides to discontinue or reformulate it.
LikeLike
I’ll be honest and admit that I have never bothered to take care of my lips as a separate body part category. You were kind enough to send me a couple of Agave products and that off-label cream(!), and I have now lost my lip care cherry. I also share your view on ‘worthy’ products: if they work and I am not allergic to any of the ingredients, I am in!
LikeLike
Unlike some other care steps/categories where I do it because I think I should, with lips I do it not to feel bad (I mean, physically).
LikeLike
My favorite at the moment is Kiehl’s lip balm, and lucky me, it comes in a mango variant as well. 😁
LikeLike
Hmm… Mango, you say… :)
LikeLike
Pingback: Saturday Question: Skincare – Scented, Fragrance-free or Unscented? – Undina's Looking Glass