Ah, the lip balm: The true unsung hero of the beauty world. Usually not as fancy or high-tech as its skincare counterparts, nor as colorful and fun as the makeup alternative. But you know how crucial these little tubes are if you’ve ever been caught in need and can’t find your trusted go-to. Chapped, parched lips are a drag. Personally, I always have one on me. And have spares in my purse, tote, makeup bag, desk, kitchen junk drawer, bathroom vanity, and nightstand. Did you know that lip balm causes acne breakouts?
Of all the strange places that blemishes can decide to pop up, pimples on the lip line can be the most painful. And with good reason—your lips are especially sensitive to inflammation and pain because of the thin skin and a high number of nerves in the area.
But why do our lippies cause breakouts & what should we look for in a good balm?
What You Should Look For in a Lip Balm
As is the case for any hydrating product, you want the ingredients in your lip balm to include humectants, emollients, and occlusive. Having all three is particularly important for good lip products.
However; if you have ever suffered from chin acne, we are willing to bet that your chapstick is one of if not THEE leading reasons why you are experiencing congestion on your chin. Chapsticks don’t just stick to the lips, unfortunately. They migrate around the entire chin area causing “chapstick chin”.
Our chapstick is designed specifically for people with acne and doesn’t contain any pore-clogging ingredients. There’s no coconut oil or shea butter, which are killers when it comes to acne.
Check it out here – affordable & acne safe protection to keep your lips moisturized and happy!
What to Avoid
Many lip care products contain coconut oil as their starring ingredient (despite the fact the oil doesn’t really have any legitimate moisturizing benefits). We never recommend using products with pore-clogging ingredients. Coconut oil is a major no-no when it comes to skincare. Unfortunately, that narrows the use of the majority of lust-worthy lippies out there.
Some of the worst lip balm products cause chin and mouth acne.
Pore cloggers commonly found in lip products are coconut oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, etc. It’s best to avoid comedogenic oils as they are more likely to block your pores, leading to congestion. These include ANY-thing containing coconut oil and palm oil.
Popular Lip Balms That Don’t Make the Cut
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm
Did you know that Clorox bought the brand, Burt’s Bees 15 years ago? The Burt’s Bees Products Company was involved in a class action lawsuit alleging that their cosmetic products contained unsafe “forever chemicals” that posed a risk to human health. “PFAS have become known as ‘forever chemicals’ because the carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS are extremely strong and thus are not appreciably degraded under environmental conditions.”
The Burt’s Bees lawsuit also says the company has claimed its product is 100% natural. Which was found to be untrue. Just highlighting the fact that we should always be carefully reading the ingredients on products, not just taking the gimmicky marketing & advertising words for face value.
Clorox and Burt’s Bees failed to disclose that its products contained unsafe per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of synthetic chemicals known to pose a risk to humans and the environment.
EOS Lip Balm Balls
Raise your hand if you’re a lip balm addict. Whether you simply consider it a handbag must-have or need to be slathering it on at all times, lip balms are a staple. If you’re an avid lip balm-er, you’re likely very familiar with the unique ball EOS Lip Balms.
News of the class-action suit against the insanely popular EOS brand of lip balms caught us all by surprise. Could these colorful spheres of cuteness—and the always-addictively fun flavors they contain inside really be causing harm?
Not many realize this, but EOS actually stands for “Evolution of Smooth,” which is ironic considering the fact that they’ve been accused of being the polar opposite of that. In January 2016, a consumer filed a lawsuit against EOS claiming that the lip balms caused her lips to crack and even bleed (via Time).
Our Mentha Clear Lip Balm
You have plenty of pores on your lip line that are just as prone to clogs as the rest of your face. The use of thick, waxy lip balms can increase the likelihood of acne breakouts and blackheads on the lip line. But extracting a blockage on the lip line is not for the faint of heart—a simple squeeze can leave your entire lip puffy and red.
Your solution is quite simple. We have an answer to your lip balm woes.
Mentha Clear Lip Balm is absolutely our favorite everyday gloss. We can’t get enough of this product. It’s hydrating and it stays on for hours. We’re sure you’ll love Mentha Lip Balm Acne Safe Clear Gloss as much as we do!
Benefits of using an Acne Safe Gloss & Balm:
- Lips stay protected with a mint-infused lip balm
- Hi shine – hi gloss
- Clear no color
- No sticky or tacky feel
- Contains natural peppermint oil for fresh breath
- Wear alone or on top of lipstick
Pro Tip #1 Exfoliate Regularly
For the longest time, the dry toothbrush trick was the only way we knew how to exfoliate the lips. Now, there are products available to give this tender skin the same thorough exfoliation that you give the rest of your face.
Plus, by keeping the area free of lingering dead skin cells, you minimize the likelihood of further breakouts.
Pro Tip #2 Switch Your Toothpaste
Some people are especially sensitive to sulfates, fluoride, and alcohol in toothpaste. Make sure that your toothpaste doesn’t contain pore-clogging ingredients. Natural toothpastes often contain coconut oil, carageenan and other pore cloggers.
If you are struggling with acne, we recommend checking all of your skincare, haircare, and oral care products for sodium lauryl sulfate. Always choose SLS-free.
We recommend using Shmidt’s Wondermint Toothpaste.
Bottom Line
So there you have it! If you are prone to acne, make sure you’re using acne-safe products on your lips so as not to aggravate your skin. Are you ready to go all in for clear skin? Wondering about which ingredients are clogging your pores? Schedule an acne consultation and we will provide you with everything you need to know to get you clear and confident.
Cheers to clear!
Rene