Avoid This Toxic Ingredient in Your Lip Balm

Love having your lips feeling soft? You might want to rethink your lip balm brand because with every application you’re feeding your body toxic and harmful substances.

Summer, winter and every season of the year, I used to suffer with chapped lips – I felt like the Joker.

For years I used the famous Vaseline but as I began to switch over to safer skincare I realized most lip balms are highly toxic and do very little to heal chapped lips.

In this article, I want to share about the most common (and toxic) ingredients used by many lip balm brands, risk factors and safer options that have worked wonders for my lips without putting my health at risk.

So let’s get started with the most popular ingredient – Petroleum jelly – and why staying away from it is ideal.

WHAT’S PETROLEUM JELLY?

Many brands (such as Vaseline, Blistex, Aquaphor, Chapstick, Neutrogena and others) contain petroleum jelly aka petrolatum – a byproduct of oil refining commonly used topically to treat from dehydrated and flaky skin (and lips) to diaper rash.

The components that are removed during the refining process of petroleum jelly are carcinogenic in many cases. Although many brands claim to be pure and highly refined, it doesn’t always mean they’re safe. – It’s not in vain that many lip balms warn the consumer to use only externally.

Remember that anything you apply on the skin is absorbed into your bloodstream in only 26 seconds. So if you’re applying petroleum jelly on your lips or any other part of your body, it’s also getting in your system.

PETROLEUM JELLY DOESN’T MOISTURIZE

It only gives the illusion of hydrated skin. All it’s doing is suffocating your skin by blocking pores so moisture can’t get in or out.

In many cases petroleum jelly can also lead to allergic reactions.

This is why people who are suffering with acne and rosacea should stay away from petroleum jelly because it can lead to more breakouts and aggravate the skin condition.

OTHER INGREDIENTS TO AVOID (in your lip balm and other skincare products)

Parabens (methylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben and any others)
Fragrance or parfume
Chemical dyes
Mineral oil

Use this list for when you’re shopping for lip balm or any other skincare products or cosmetics to make sure you’re staying away from harmful ingredients:

MY FAVORITE LIP BALM MADE WITH SAFER INGREDIENTS:

My lips are in love with Beautycounter’s lip conditioner, it comes with me everywhere I go. I apply it before working out, when I’m at the beach, under my lipstick, before bed – can you tell I really like this lip balm? It’s lightweight, ultra-moisturizing and perfect for both, men and women. The best part is it’s made with safer ingredients such as avocado oil, jojoba oil and shea butter so your lips feel and look beautiful without compromising your health.