How to Choose a Highly Moisturizing Lip Balm: Check Just Three Things in the Ingredients List

When you stand in front of the lip balm section, they all say “highly moisturizing” or “hydrating.” It’s hard to tell the difference from the claims on the packaging. In that case, turn the box over and check the ingredients list. You only need to check three things.

First, are oils or butters near the top?

Ingredients are listed in order of how much is included. So the first three or four ingredients tell you what the lip balm is like. If names like squalane, shea butter, or jojoba oil are near the top, it’s likely to be a moisturizing lip balm that gently coats your lips.

If petrolatum is first, it’s the kind that forms a firm barrier on the surface. It offers good protection, but some people find it thick and shiny.

Second, is there a number instead of just “contains”?

“Contains squalane” only means that it’s in there. Whether it’s 1% or 0.1%, it still “contains” squalane. On the other hand, products that list an amount as a number, like “200,000 ppm squalane,” can be compared.

For reference, 10,000 ppm is 1%. 200,000 ppm means 20% of the product.

Third, are there ingredients that coat and ingredients that lock in moisture?

For the hydration to last, ingredients with different roles need to work together.

• Ingredients that coat: waxes and butters like shea butter. They slow moisture loss.

• Ingredients that lock in moisture: panthenol, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin. They draw in moisture and hold onto it.

If there’s only one type, it may quickly absorb and disappear, or feel too heavy instead.

As a bonus, fragrance and menthol

If your lips are sensitive or chapped, products without fragrance or menthol may feel more comfortable. The cooling sensation may feel refreshing, but it has nothing to do with moisturizing.

Gloshell Squalane Melt Lip Balm

was made with these three points in mind. Squalane is the second ingredient, and its amount is listed as 200,000 ppm. It also includes shea butter (86,970 ppm) and wax to coat the lips, plus panthenol, sodium hyaluronate, and ceramide NP to lock in moisture. Fragrance and menthol are left out, so it is fragrance-free and colorless.

See Gloshell Squalane Melt Lip Balm

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