The Good: Tastes great, Offers some great protection, Revitalizes dry skin on lips
The Bad: Appears to "condition" skin, Expensive
The Basics: Burt's Bees expensive Medicated lip balm with clove oil is an expensive winner from a very trendy company.
I have never been one to go all out for cosmetic or health and beauty products (which is probably why I have not won any beauty contests ever) and it amazes me some of the products that different companies come out with to exploit the insecurities of consumers. Take, for example, Burt's Bees: they have so many products that are so specific, like Hand Salve (reviewed here!) that one wonders how they expect anyone to either function or afford all of their specific products. At the same time, Burt's Bee's has many worthwhile and ubiquitous products, like lip balms. Some of them, despite the expense, truly are wonderful, like the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm with Clove Oil.
Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm is the latest in a long string of lip balms my partner has had me try as part of her efforts to keep our lips soft, supple and kissable. Truth be told, this is one of the best products that she has ever brought home and outside the expense and a strange dependency issue, this is a great lip balm.
Burt's Bees Medicated flavor lip balm comes in the standard .15 oz. tube. It is a discreet plastic tube measuring two and a half inches long by 3/8" in diameter. The lip balm it dispensed by simply removing the red plastic cap (it pulls off easily enough) and twisting a dial on the bottom to push the remaining product up. The lip balm itself is a waxy white (beeswax, actually) colored tube that is rubbed onto the lips and it offers a physical barrier to water and other damaging elements that could crack lips in winter and sunlight which could damage lips in the summer (or winter, whatwith the brightness of sunglare on snow). The product does not leave any coloring on one's lips, which is a plus. However, it does have a somewhat oily sensation that it leaves on the lips, as well as a tingle from the medicated properties actually working.
The sunscreen properties of this Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm are quite extensive and quite real; while there was no SPF rating on the container, it appeared to keep my lips protected in the sun and water this summer vs. nothing on my lips at all. As well, the lip balm worked better than some - like Chapstick - at protecting my lips. I've been using my partner's lip balm since early Spring as well as at the beach and it has prevented my lips from getting dried out in both conditions. Tested in the rough Upstate New York and Michigan winters, this lip balm does adequately protect against chapped lips by forming a physical barrier that helps to retain moisture within the lips without exposing lips to freezing conditions (my wife's lips were so soft from this when we first met!). Similarly, it does a great job maintaining itself as one gets in and out of natural water in the summer. The past few weeks, my partner and I have gone swimming (with a lot of diving!) and I have only had to apply the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm once before going into the water. After swimming for about an hour, I need to reapply, but in general, it maintains the barrier needed to keep my lips from chapping or burning.
As well, the product has decent restorative properties and the Medicated lip balm restores slightly damaged or chapped skin to more supple and pleasant states. When I started using the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm, it prevented further damage and it promoted healing within a week of using for the first time regularly. As well, this just kept my lips from getting chapped again. This is a lip balm that does a lot to moisturize lips, as well as protect them. After my lips healed rapidly, the Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm has prevented them from getting damaged from the elements again.
As well, this product is remarkably easy to apply. It glides on easy and creates a barrier needed to resist the elements. When it is on my lips, I am very aware of its presence for a few minutes because it is medicated and makes the lips tingle (which is pretty delightful when kissing someone!). Of all of the lip balms for lips that I have tried since I started kissing anyone again, this has a somewhat oily texture, but it is not waxy like the Chapstick was. It goes on feeling oily and it feels like a medicated skin cream for about twenty minutes after it is applied. As a result, it is easy to feel when this product has been wiped thoroughly off one's lips as well.
Burt's Bees Medicated leaves no significant color on the lips when it is applied.
On the taste front, this is wonderful. The lip balm has a clove scent to it that is distinct and makes the nostrils perk up much the same way that the taste does. This is a powerful scent when one has their nose close to it, but it is not a smell one gets from across the room, so one may wear it without fear they are stinking up anything! This has a slightly dry, clove taste that spreads over the lips and then tastes spicy, just like cloves on a baked ham. After the first few seconds, the taste fades a little, but for as long as I am able to feel the lip balm on my lips, I am able to taste Burt's Bees Medicated. This oily coating tastes exactly like cloves and the taste holds up for hours!
The Burt's Bees Medicated lip balm has ingredients on the tube, so be sure to check the package before purchasing for any allergies you might have. But the primary active ingredients are: camphor and menthol, which explains the tingling. This is more yummy than it sounds, but it is worth looking into one's food or chemical allergies before purchasing. It is noted that it is not intended for human consumption, so don't look to this for nutrition! The whole inside wrapper on the tube unrolls with medical data on this lip balm, so it is serious about rehydrating lips!
The only other aspect of note about the Burt's Bees lip balm is that it seems to condition lips to itself. Once one has used the high quality lip balms like Burt's Bees Medicated, the lips seem to become dependent or used to the level of protection and lesser products appear to do less after to actually protect, hydrate or revitalize lips. After using one stick of this, I switched to a cheaper product and my lips became chapped quicker, even though I had previously used that product with no adverse effects!
It is also worth noting that this lip balm might be fun - the tingling can be delightful to kiss! - and I might have a lot of good memories for this lip balm - primarily because they cause me to reminisce about the beginnings of my relationship with the woman I love - but that this is a strangely expensive lip balm. A stick costs almost five dollars and regardless of how good it is, that is pretty pricey. But if one has the money, this is a decent lip balm.
For other lip care products, please check out my reviews of:
Blistex Herbal Answer
Extreme Pink Lemonade Blowpop Lip Balm
Chapstick Spearmint
7.5/10
For other health and beauty products, please visit my index page for a list of those reviews!
© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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