Love Your Lips This Winter! My Top 6 Lip Balms & Treats

Let’s talk about lips for a moment… Most girls I know are always on the look out for the perfect shade of lipstick. Yet, very few actually give their lips the proper love and care that they deserve.

So today, I thought I’d give you a quick insight into some of my favourite lip balms and treatments for winter.

Some of these products have been long time faves, with some new ones getting my nod of approval. Either way, these are my go to lip protecting products of the moment.

Zam-Buk Original

Let’s start with my favourite of the lot! The Real Makoya! Zam-buk (the green one, not featured in the image above)!

I’ve been using Zam-Buk original for years and it has never failed me. Not only is it an amazing lip product, but a great little goodie to carry in your handbag for emergency stings and burns. It’s such a miracle worker, that when my dad got stung by something on the beach in Greece, some old lady came running up to him, with her tin of Zam-Buk that she got from a cousin of a cousin’s cousin in “Afriki” (Africa).

I use a teeny tiny bit, as too much leaves a film on my lips – The trick to using Zam-Buk is to use a small amount and dab it on the lips, then gently massage it into the lips. Don’t smother it on your lips, as the oils need to be “activated” for them to penetrate the lip!

Zam-Buk Cherry Lip Balm

I wanted to try out the Cherry Lip Balm version (because it’s so pretty) and have quite liked it, so it’s stuck! Unlike the original, the Cherry one doesn’t have all the same ingredients that make the original Zam-Buk such a miracle product (Oil of Eucalyptus, Camphor, Oil of Thyme and Oil of Sassafras). Instead, the Cherry one has been developed for lips only and contains; Petrolatum, Paraffin Wax, Colophonium, Microcrystalline Wax as well as colourants and flavourants.

For lips, both the original Zam-Buk and Zam-Buk Cherry Lip Balm work wonders ! When my lips are really buggered in winter, I always go for the green tin, but since our winters are rather mild here in Durbs, the Cherry one has been great!

My only issue with Zam-Buk in general is the tin. Although they have adapted it slightly since the good ol’ days, sometimes it can still be tricky to open. In summer especially – I find that if I leave it in my car or in a bag that is out in the sun, I can just forget about using it.

Price: Under R5 bucks!

Lipsano SPF

Another great product for lips, that reminds me a lot of Zam-Buk (becuase of the texture), is Lipsano SPF. It’s a perfect product for summer (because of the SPF and water resistance) but it’s just as effective in winter for keeping your lips soft and gorgeous. The bonus… The packaging is way better than Zam-Buk, with a twist on lid that doesn’t allow the product to “leak out” when it gets hot. Bear in mind that it also costs nine times more than Zam-Buk, so we can forgive ZB for being a little tricky to open sometimes!

Still reasonably priced, Lipsano SPF contains Lanolin, Beeswax, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E. Then, for the sun protection properties it contains Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Benzophenone-3 and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane.

It helps to soothe and protect your lips, while keeping them soft, supple and moisturized. When you apply it, it has a lovely cooling effect and the consistency is a lot less sticky than Zam-Buk – which I like.

Price: Under R50 bucks!

Blistex Moisture Melt

For a lip balm formula, I really like Blistex Moisture Melt. My lips are super sensitive, and the slightest germ or fragrance can really irritate them. Blistex Moisture Melt has no overpowering fragrance  and the word “melt” added to its name is very fitting! The formula feels like melted butter on your lips.

It’s a brand imported from America, and infused with moisturizers that keep my lips hydrated for a good few hours. It also contains an SPF of 15 – so great for outdoors, both summer and winter.

Price: Under R100 bucks!

Comfort Zone Lip Blooming Scrub and Lip Blooming Balm SPF 10

I received this Italian brand of lip products as a birthday gift earlier this year. Unfortunately there was no information attached to the gift, so I actually have no clue where you can get them (or how much they cost), but I do know that they are Blooming fantastic!

I love, love, love the Lip Blooming Scrub. It’s ideal for a quick, gentle and really comforting lip exfoliation. It contains jojoba microspheres, orange peel wax, rose extract, distilled rosewater and apricot butter.

You can see and feel the jojoba micorspheres in the product which help to make your lips soft, while the other ingredients hydrate, nourish and just give your lips lovin.

It’s not a lip balm, but rather a lip treatment. You just apply a thin layer onto your lips and massage your lips together (or I guess you could use your finger) until you feel the product absorb into the lips. I leave it on my lips for a little while because I like the tingling feeling (thanks to the rose water). Then just remove the excess with a bit of cold water and, ahhhh!

Lip Blooming Balm SPF is another winter/ summer/ year round lip product I love. It’s a nourishing anti-oxidant cream that softens the lips and absorbs beautifully. I especially love using it after the Scrub!

Its ingredients include; hyaluronic acid, wheat root gum, olive butter, soy oil, rose oil, jojoba oil, rose extract, rosewater, allantoin, panthenol and vitamin E.

The first two ingredients help to stabilize hydration, while the olive butter and soy oil nourish your lips. Rose and jojoba oils add more hydration, while distilled rosewater refreshes and tonifies. To keep your lips soft, allantoin and panthenol decongest your lips and UV filters protect against sun damage.

The texture is creamy and has none of that sliminess associated with lip balms. To use it, just apply onto the lips and massage it in until it is fully absorbed.

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula

Palmer’s, Palmer’s, Palmer’s – a brand that always makes me happy. I love their rich body butter’s, lotions and soaps, and the brand has been around for a really long time and is trusted the world over!

They’ve recently re-packaged their Moisturizing Lip Balm with a new oval shape swivel stick that makes it so much easier to apply. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Balm is high in Vitamin E and uses the power of Cocoa Butter to give your lips deep hydration. In essence, it’s a pocket size version of Palmer’s world renowed, tested and loved solid Cocoa Butter jar formula.

It helps to protect dry, chapped, cracked or wind burnt lips and the SPF 15 makes it another great, “outdoorsey” product!

Price: R15 bucks!