ChapStick Moisturizer, $1-$2

So, not a very flashy product, but a necessary one for me: my staple lip balm. I'm not a lip gloss girl but I love lip balm. I feel like if I don't have any with me, I'm going to be distracted by my dry lips literally all day. And lip gloss just doesn't cut it. I've tried a lot, but ChapStick's Moisturizer lip balm is my absolute favorite.

This particular one moisturizes my lips the best. It's not sticky or waxy, and it actually sinks into my lips so they feel conditioned later. It's available everywhere (shown here in an awesome 3-pack) so it's easy to find. Believe me, this stuff works in all seasons, even in the driest of winter weather. Plus, it has SPF 15 (which is great, because I don't think a lot of people realize how easily sun damage can happen to your lips). Guys can use it, too--it doesn't leave your lips shiny and doesn't have a crazy smell.

Final verdict
Cost: $1-$2 for a single one, about $3-$4 for a value pack. Cheap enough to buy as many as you need--one for the nightstand, one for your purse, that one you left in your pocket, the one at your desk . . .
Moisturizes: This is the only one I've found that actually leaves my lips very moisturized, without any waxy feeling.
Repeat offender: I can't tell you how many of these I have. Like I said, I get really weird if I don't have any ChapStick, so I've bought a million of them to keep everywhere. It's my most basic staple beauty product, and I can't live without it!

-T

Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter, $3.00

I tend to gravitate toward Burt's Bees lip balms when I need a new one, either because I lost all of my other ones or somehow managed to finish a tube without losing it! As I was browsing the lip balms looking for the original slightly minty variety I noticed that there are at least 5 different varieties of Burt's Bees lip balms but not the one I was looking for! However this one made with mango butter stood out to me because I love the smell and taste of mangos.


I have tried the Burt's Bees pomegranate lip balm so I knew that their fruity flavor wouldn't be too much. The Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter is a really good, lightly flavored lip balm. It goes on nice and smooth and doesn't cake up at all. It also feels like it is on my lips for longer than a few seconds. It doesn't leave a greasy feeling, yet it feels like it is working minutes after applying it.

Final verdict:
Cost: $3.00 at drugstores and online (I remember when you could only find Burt's Bees and Whole Foods!).
Does it soften lips?: After using it for one day I already feel like my lips have softened.
Repeat offender?: I definitely will use Burt's Bees lipbalms. I can see myself tiring from the mango flavor eventually but for now it is perfect!

-M