Lip balm without fragrance or flavor

Which option should you choose?

Plain white petroleum jelly is a useful starting point if you want the shortest ingredient list, especially for very dry or cracked lips. A thick ointment seals in water longer than waxes or oils. Check that the actual product is plain petroleum jelly, rather than a scented or flavored variation. Lip balms come as sticks, salves and ointments, so a tube is not a more advanced qualification than a pot.13

CeraVe Healing Lip Balm combines petrolatum with mineral oil, glycerin, three ceramides and sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid. Its formula is also lanolin free. Choose it if you want a formulated balm rather than plain petroleum jelly, but check the package matches this ingredient list. The Healing Lip Balm name matters here; do not assume another CeraVe product has the same formula.2

How do you check for fragrance and flavor?

Check fragrance and flavor separately: a fragrance free claim does not answer the flavor question. Read the full ingredient list for fragrance, perfume and flavoring, including named aromatic ingredients. An unscented product can contain fragrance used to mask other smells. Botanical, herbal and natural descriptions can also hide scented ingredients. Natural fragrances are still fragrances, despite having better countryside credentials.45

For chapped lips, avoid cinnamon, citrus, mint and peppermint flavorings. Also skip menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, phenol and salicylic acid while your lips heal. These ingredients can irritate or dry already chapped lips. Removing fragrance alone will not make a balm suitable if another ingredient is causing trouble.136

How should you use it?

1. 1Apply your chosen balm or ointment in the morning, then several times during the day whenever your lips feel dry.
2. 2Reapply after eating or drinking, rather than waiting for your lips to become cracked again.
3. 3Apply before bed. A thick ointment is particularly useful overnight for very dry lips.
4. 4Before going outdoors, use a separate fragrance free and flavor free lip sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. For chapped lips, look for zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Reapply every two hours outdoors.

Avoid licking, biting or picking your lips while they heal. Saliva makes lips drier as it evaporates, and picking can create cracks and sores. Skip lip scrubs, which remove the protective outer layer. If cold wind is a trigger, cover your mouth with a scarf; if indoor air is dry, a humidifier can reduce moisture loss.136

What if even an unflavored balm causes a reaction?

Stop using a product if it burns, stings or tingles. Fragrance and flavoring are not the only possible allergens: lanolin, castor oil, propolis and vitamin E have also caused allergic contact cheilitis, meaning lip inflammation from contact with an allergen. A reaction can involve redness, scaling, itching or swelling and can develop hours after application. For recurring reactions, a dermatologist can arrange patch testing, including testing your own lip products, to identify what you need to avoid.47

How long should healing take?

Regular balm use should ease discomfort while your lips heal, with noticeable improvement within two to three weeks. See a dermatologist if your lips are not improving by then, or sooner if they worsen or frequently bleed despite home treatment. Persistent chapping can have causes beyond dryness, including allergy, infection or a reaction to medication.14