A Winter Diversion: The ChapStick Challenge - Week 4

Remember to leave a comment to this (or any of my other ChapStick Challenge posts) before Saturday, March 1 to be entered in my ChapStick Challenge Sweepstakes.  Winner announced next Monday!

And, so. . .

What a difference a week makes when it comes to lip health!  Last week, I was hanging out with the Cool Kids.  And, really.  It was FUN.  But, like is so often the case with Cool Kids, there wasn't a whole lot of substance there.

Sure, Burt's Bees feels great on the lips.  And nothing beats eos when it comes to the groovy-ness quotient.  But.

They don't get the job done when it comes to overnight lip care!

This week, I checked in with some of the heavy-hitters in the lip health line up.  (I suppose we could call them The Nerds.)

First up . . 

Aquaphor (from Eucerin) makes several heavy-duty products for lips, including this one -- which is also suitable for healing severely chapped skin and burns.  Yow!  This is one serious product!  (Aquaphor does have a specific lip product; this is not it.  Although this one is great for lips, too.)

This stuff worked GREAT for overnight.  It is defintely Not Exciting.  No fragrance.  No flavor.  No preservatives.  No glitz.  It does not even register on the Cool-o-Meter.  But it gets the job done.  And that's good enough for me.  (It also worked great at healing a hangnail on my thumb!)

Next up . . .

Neosporin is a trusted name in our house, having healed many a boo-boo over the years.  When I first spotted this Neosporin Overnight lip treatment, I was excited to try it.  You can tell right away that this product belongs in the "overnight" category of lip products.  It's white.  It's creamy.  Maybe a little on the gooey side -- but in a good, it's-working kind of way.

No smell.  No flavor.  It works.  I like it.  (There is also a Neosporin daytime treatment with 20SPF.  I may give it a try this summer when I'm on the lake.) 

Then I tried. . .

Good, old-fashioned Vaseline!  (In a teeny-tiny little jar.)

(Shown with Burt's for size comparison.) 

Way back as a sixth grader, I started playing the flute.  My first flute teacher gave me a tiny little jar of Vaseline to keep in my flute case to use to keep my flute parts lubricated -- and she also mentioned that it worked great to keep your lips from getting chapped.  (The State of Your Lips is essential when you're a flute player.)  Anyway, she got me hooked on Vaseline.  I used it for a long time as my favorite lip product (especially at night or before band class).

I don't like Vaseline as well as most of the other overnight lip treatments available these days.  But I couldn't resist the little jar.  For nostalgia, if nothing else!

Then, I tried . . .

Visit the Nivea website.  You can just tell right away it's not an American company.  (We're so prudish. . . )   Nivea just goes right out there:  Touch and Be Touched.  Their products are all about sensation and touching and kissing.  Who can resist that? 

I like the Lip Butter just fine.  It goes on smooth, seems to last a long time (although not long enough for a good overnight product), and comes in a cute little tin that fits easily into the pockets of a bag.  There are other flavors . . . which I couldn't quite bring myself to try.  I liked the plain, old "Smooth Kiss" variety -- which has no smell or flavor. 

Unlike THIS Nivea product  . . .

I really like Mint flavored lip stuff, so this one had an immediate appeal.  I tried it.  There was a strangely familiar smell to me. . . but it wasn't mint-y.  Not really.  I tried it.  No real flavor.  And it felt pretty good on my lips; kind of tingly. 

I tried it again later.

Defintely a familiar smell.  Maybe faintly minty.  But not much.

Then, it came to me.

I had Tom smell it, just to verify.

Yep. 

Napthalene.

(Moth balls.)

Not overpowering.  But definitely there.

My Nivea Mint & Minerals is now here . . .

 Then. . . I tried this one . . .

Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15.  I love it.  It feels great -- nice and smooth and a little more creamy than, say . . . Burt's Bees or  eos.  And it works!  (Although, again, not well enough for overnight.)  I like the smell (it has no taste).

And. . .

It appears to be discontinued.

I can't find it in the stores any longer.  I can't find it on the Aveeno website.  It appears to be . . . Not a Product of Aveeno Any More.  Which is too bad.  (After I finally got used to rolling the tube up from the top and everything, too.) 

(It does appear to be available here.  I'm thinking of ordering, actually.  I liked it that much.)

==========

And, with that, I'm concluding the testing portion of my ChapStick Challenge.  Next Monday, I'll tell you which products have ended up with a permanent place (at least until I find something even better!) in my handbag . . . in my knitting bag. . . in my desk drawer. . . and on my night stand.  I'll also be announcing the winner of my ChapStick Challenge Sweepstakes -- so don't forget to leave a comment!

 

 

Comments

[Patty]

Doug is a big Aquaphor user on his hands. This has been fun and OMG I've got to find that Vaseline container!

[margene]

The first three you listed are my top three and one tube or another is in every drawer, in every pocket, and/or every bag I own. I'm rooting for Aquaphor. I've enjoyed your research and the sacrifices you've made to keep us informed. I'll proudly wear the nerd flag on this one!

[Patty]

Thanks for being the guinea pig on this quest. I think I'll look for Neosporin with SPF 20.

[Marilyn]

I've heard of the brands but I didn't realize that they made lip products too. Interesting! You have been quite the investigative reporter on the soft lips quest. ;) It's been fun reading what you learned. I still think I'll stick with Burt's though!
xoxo

[Suzy]

Wonder if any of these companies would give you free samples if they knew of your extensive testing ;) Oh, and I played the flute, too -- heh.

[Vivian Watson]

Interesting...when nothing else will ease my lips, I use Eucerin cream...not the lip stuff, but the stuff from the big tub....maybe I will have to try the aquaphor.

[britt]

Vaseline is fantastic, but I could never get over the goo factor. My dad uses (to this day, still embarrassing) vaseline in his nose when he has a cold to prevent what I call "Tissue Fissures" that come from using kleenex so much

[Vicki]

I think I'm going to need to make a chart.
;)

[susan]

I use this one:
http://thegreencanary.blogspot.com/2012/04/all-natural-lip-balm.html

I can't stand the thought of putting petroleum products on my lips. And I think many of the commercially available lip balms have parabens or petroleum products in them. Burt's Bees doesn't, but they're owned by Clorox now and I try to buy from local or small businesses.

[Carole]

I really prefer products that are available in a tube rather than a tin or jar - I don't like getting my fingers all goopy in order to apply a product. That's probably why I hardly ever use Vaseline. I'll keep an eye out for that tube of Aveeno, though, in case we still have some in my neck of the woods.

[Rachel]

Oh too bad about the Aveeno - I like it too! And I found and tried and like the eos sweet mint - hurray:)

[bonny]

Cheers for the ChapStick Challenge! You've really been a wonderful source of information for me and far more fun than Consumer Reports! I'm excited to try the Aquaphor and Aveeno myself. It looks like the Aveeno might also be available at drugstore.com: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=142227&catid=183588&aid=338666&aparam=goobase_filler
They have free shipping with a $25 order.

You've done such a great job with this that I'm hoping maybe you'll take on a hand cream challenge next!

[Mary]

I've really enjoyed this series and look forward to the winners net week. and btw- another GREAT manicure!!

[Diana Troldahl]

I love the Eucerin hand and body lotion, it is so rich, smooth and LASTS! I use Aveeno, for comparison and my old-lady dry skin comes back in a few hours. When I use the Eucerin, my skin looks great for an entire day.

[Chiko]

I use "vitamin E stick" by Reviva for overnight -nothing exciting.

Thank you, Kym, your reviews are very helpful.
I'd like to tryout a few mentioned here.

[Melissa]

Kym,

Thanks for doing this. I've seen a few products that I think I'm going to try for overnight care. Hadn't realized how much I needed this information.

[Brenda]

I love Aveeno lotion, so I was excited to see the picture of the lip balm, and then to find it is discontinued... Usually companies wait until I try a product before they discontinue it (my husband thinks I might actually be cursed in this regard).

Have to try the Aquaphor for hangnails.

[Cookie]

Yeah, smelling like moth balls just isn't sexy...

[kmkat]

I think I will look for that Aquaphor product. Scentless and overnight-lasting sounds good. The cats and dogs (and Smokey) wrinkle their noses at me when I have the Mentholatum scent on my lips ;-)

[Pam]

So now I have to look for Aquaphor -- as a regular lipstick and lip balm user (Burt's Bees and eos lately), my lips do OK mostly, but my cuticles are terrible in the winter.