Kissable lips needn't cost a fortune to maintain, says frugal gal Hannah Rochell as she tracks down lip-smackingly good deals for under £5
Brrr... as the cold wind and snow rolls in, it’s that time of year when your lips need a little TLC. But don’t let anyone tell you you need to spend a fortune on lip balm. While I love the luxurious Eve Lom Kiss Mix, I only know that I love it because I was given a free sample. There’s no way this frugal gal would pay £16 (yes, SIXTEEN!) for a tiny pot of paste. If there’s one thing you can do well with very little money, it’s moisturise your lips. I put some of the best budget balms to the test.
First up was Burt’s Bees. I really like this brand. The products always smell fantastic and have the added bonus of being all natural. Its beeswax lip balm comes in more flavours than you can shake a stick at, but I can highly recommend the original and honey flavours, and especially the pink grapefruit (£3.69, www.boots.com ) for zingy morning freshness.
Next E45 lipcare which you can pick up for just £2.44 at Boots. I loved the old-school white stick in a tube and this one felt the most moisturising of all the ones I tried. It’s not particularly glamorous, but in my experience its the plainest products that work the hardest. Equally Nivea’s tinned lip butter, especially in raspberry rosé, is lovely and comes in at just £1.99, www.superdrug.com .
As a huge fan of all things containing cocoa butter, I was delighted to try Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula (£1.79 each at Superdrug). The cocoa also tastes really good, and I loved the slightly greasy texture. As a tried and tested product on other parts of the body, it makes sense that it’s perfect for soothing for dry, cracked lips.
Although I prefer lip balm in a tube, I was won over by the adorable Victorian style packaging of Figs & Rouge tinned lip balm (£3.49 each at www.feelunique.com ). Turns out that the balm is also very nice indeed and is 100 per cent organic. I particularly like the Aloe & Mint and Wild Cherry flavours.
My last is the well-known Carmex brand but I urge you to try Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm (£4.49 at Boots). I am hooked! It leaves a subtle glossy tint and moisturises effectively for hours. It even feels as if it plumps the lips a little, although no such claims are made on the packaging.
So, when you’re looking for your next lip balm this winter, remember this rule: if you’re spending more than £5, you’re spending too much!