A properly selected lip balm will make your skin feel comfortable for several hours. (Although I will say that reapplying throughout the day is okay, especially if you drink hot liquids, eat, are in a cold environment, or lick your lips). Balms that can achieve this can do so because they contain a blend of moisturizers, emollients, and occlusive ingredients that help restore the skin barrier.

Moisturizers, like the aforementioned hyaluronic acid, help attract and retain water. mindbodygreen lip balm uses sodium hyaluronate, a reduced version of HA that is able to penetrate deeper into the epidermis. However, in the formula they need to be combined with emollients and occlusives, which will provide a certain stability.

Look for emollients that can nourish and restore the barrier, helping to fill in cracks and soothe chapped skin. We use a blend of castor oil, moringa seed oil and shea butter in our lip balm. Shea butter, for example, has been shown to retain moisture in the skin and protect the barrier1. One study shows that it has similar local effects as ceramides2the polar lipids discussed earlier decrease with age.

Every good balm needs occlusive properties. Occlusive ingredients, such as wax, create a surface barrier on the skin to protect and retain moisture. In balms, these are your waxes, such as sunflower seed wax and beeswax.

For added measure, look for a lip balm that also contains antioxidants like vitamin E. These can help protect your skin from environmental damage and free radicals (the things that age your skin in the first place).