Here’s What to Look For in A Lip Balm (Plus, Meet Covey’s Seal the Deal Lip Balm!)
Every lip balm is a little bit different, even though they all claim to do the same thing. How hard can it be to keep your lips from chapping and cracking, you ask? Well, it’s not as simple as it appears.
That’s the beauty of skincare — the sheer possibilities! — but also what makes choosing the right products for your unique skin intimidating at times.
So we’re here to educate you on all things lip balm, and spill the beans on a little secret we’ve been keeping. Our lips have been *sealed* but now it’s time to introduce you to Covey’s vegan, three-in-one, ultra-nourishing lip balm.
Get to know Seal the Deal Lip Balm!
Now, let’s get into what ingredients you should be looking for any time you choose a lip balm. There are a few categories of skincare ingredients that immediately jump out.
Ingredients to Look for in Lip Balm
A Hydrator
Hydrating ingredients (aka humectants, which draw water into the skin) are crucial when dealing with dry lips, for obvious reasons. You need to attack flaky, cracking skin with a strong burst of moisture. Common hydrating ingredients in lip balm formulas include:
- Hyaluronic acid
- Glycerin
- Honey
An Exfoliant
If you struggle with flaking skin on a regular basis, it's hard to know what kinds of ingredients can really target that. Gentle antioxidant ingredients like these help to slough off dead skin cells without irritating already dry or cracked lips:
- Pineapple enzymes
- Lactic acid
- Papaya enzymes
An Occlusive
For a lip balm to be truly effective, it's recommended formulas pair a hydrating agent with an occlusive. This dance of attracting moisture and keeping it close is well-known in the skincare sphere. Occlusives lock in hydration, which is why these ingredients are popular in lip balm products:
- Petroleum jelly
- Beeswax
- Shea butter (which also acts an emollient)
- Cocoa butter
(PS. Need a refresher on terms like occlusive and emollient? Don’t worry, we wrote alllll about it.)
Seal the Deal Lip Balm: Ingredient Deep Dive
Now that you know the types of ingredients that make a more effective, nourishing lip balm, let’s get into why we chose certain hydrating ingredients, antioxidants, and emollients for Seal the Deal Lip Balm.
We’re meticulous in R&D — famously so, it took over 12 rounds of development to get First of All Cleanser to supermodel-approved goodness — and Seal the Deal was no different.
Hyaluronic Acid Spheres
Like our Last But Not Least Moisturizer, we use hyaluronic acid in Seal the Deal to dole out a dose of long-lasting hydration to the lips, giving them a plump, healthy look while protecting the skin barrier.
Pineapple Enzyme
Unlike other harsh scrubs for the lips — hey, haven’t we all tried a DIY lip scrub from pantry ingredients that left us feeling like we’d erased our lips from our face entirely? — pineapple enzyme is gentle enough to use daily and powerful enough to exfoliate, smooth, and resurface.
Organic Shea Butter
Shea butter is our nourishing, softening hero. It heals dry lips almost instantly, and feels oh-so-comforting to apply. Unlike other ingredients, shea butter absorbs beautifully and doesn’t leave a greasy top layer on skin.
Petrolatum aka Petroleum Jelly vs. Shea Butter?
Occlusives that contain oil-based petroleum jelly (think Aquaphor and Vaseline) are staples in many households and skincare routines. Slugging has been around for decades!
But, some skin types don’t love being slathered in an occlusive. If the skin isn’t properly cleansed, locking in acne-causing bacteria can have adverse effects on your skin.
The bottom line is — test out what works best for your skin, especially if you’re using an occlusive or emollient ingredient for nightly slugging. For some folks, they might thrive with oils like jojoba, butters like shea, or beeswax.
When it comes to lip balm, we like shea butter because it’s ultra-nourishing and a multi-tasker — shea draws moisture into the skin, softening the lips while also sealing in that moisture. It’s also anti-inflammatory, which feels super nice when you’re dealing with dry, winter lips.
Benefits of Seal the Deal Lip Balm
Here are 5 reasons why we created Seal the Deal:
- To instantly hydrate dry lips
- To deeply nourish and surround lips in long-lasting moisture
- To gently exfoliates and smooth (bye-bye, flaky, chapped lips)
- To plumps lip without irritating
- To give you glossy, light-catching shine — aka the ultimate 90s supermodel look
How to Use Seal the Deal
It’s simple, really. Just pucker up and swipe on a cozy layer of Seal the Deal whenever your lips feel dry. Or, double up at night before bed to use as an overnight lip mask treatment — because you deserve silky lips!
Plus, Seal the Deal adds a glossy shine and plumping effect without the tingles. It’s also free from fragrances and essential oils, synthetic dyes, SLES, sulfates, phthalates, and parabens.