The big beauty debate: Is lip balm a daily essential or an addictive vicious cycle?
In the first of our new series, our beauty writer and senior beauty editor disagree on the merits of continuous lip balm use - but who’s right?
As a beauty team, there are some things we can always agree on. The importance of wearing the best facial sunscreen every day, how the best mascaras are also the cheapest, and which are the top-tier biscuits in M&S (ideally the bakery cookies, but we'll also accept the shortbread).
There are some things, though, that we have wildly differing opinions on. Double cleansing, the K18 VS Olaplex debate, and how often to use a hair mask. Debates happen daily across our beauty desk, and we thought we’d finally get to the bottom of some of our most heated clashes.
This time, it’s beauty writer Annie Milroy and senior beauty editor Rhiannon Derbyshire’s take on the best lip balm practice. May the best, most correct woman win.
Article continues belowwoman&home's big beauty debate takes on lip balm
RRP: £24
I've tried my fair share of lip oils (almost every one on the market, to be honest). This one is brilliant as it comes in a variety of colours, so aesthetically it impresses, but so does the ingredients list. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid, honey, jojoba oil and seed oil to plump and hydrate without the need to constantly reapply (like I used to).
RRP: £9
It's rare we agree on a product, but you can't really beat La Roche-Posay. This healing balm is a real saviour - it comes to the rescue during the depths of winter chapping or high summer sizzle. The intensely nourishing formula leaves lips feeling soft, comforted, and smooth in seconds - no matter how dire they looked before. It's suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
RRP: £21
Matte lipsticks are known for being drying, but as a dedicated matte red wearer, I’ve tracked down the formulas that manage to keep my balm-avoidant lips quenched. This is one of my favourites - it’s a vivid orange-toned red that really perks up my face. It’s got a lightweight, mousse-like texture, and it’s demi-matte, so it doesn’t feel dry or tuggy.
There was definitely a time when I was quite reliant on lip balm, but I managed to wean myself off it. I apply it on average about twice a week, probably closer to four or five in the winter. Not to put my tinfoil hat on this early in the debate, but I do think there’s something in the more you apply it, the more your lips get used to it, and you need to keep reapplying it - it's a textbook dry lips mistake! Annie and I spend a lot of time together, and when you’ve worked together for as long as we have, your relationship becomes a bit…sibling-like. I noticed she applies lip balm almost constantly, at least once an hour. She’s definitely addicted to lip balm, and I think she needs to break the habit - her lips can’t be that dry!
Hello, my name is Annie Milroy, and I have an addiction. I’m not certain when it began, but without really realising, I’ve become obsessive about applying various lip products throughout the day. The only reason I’ve realised I have such a problem is because my ex-friend, Rhiannon, shamed me after watching me apply it from across the desk excessively. Now, they say the first step is denial, and thankfully, I’ve passed this stage and am onto acceptance. I am who I am, and, apparently, that’s someone with no self-control but with lovely, hydrated lips. But are they? Surely if I feel the need to keep applying, then my lips can’t actually be hydrated? I'm ready to be humbled.
The big debate
RD - I feel bad about shaming you for your lip balm addiction. I think the reason I noticed you apply it so much is that you had that little Clarins lip oil, and it made a little pop sound every time you opened it. Then I noticed the pop was happening more and more.
AM - That’s actually very funny. I didn’t realise you were alerted every time I applied it. Those pops are loud, too! Now I think about it, I start the day with lip balm and then when I get to the office, I treat myself to a lip oil. I like to mix it up.
RD - I actually think lip oils are worse than lip balms. Sorry to double shame you.
AM - Yes, I think you’re correct. All my problems started when I started using the lip oils. They felt so lovely on my lips, and they smell really nice. Also, I really love the pop sound they make. I know that sound genuinely triggers you now.
RD - Like a cork - pop. In the last few months, the best lip oils have really boomed, though - so I understand why. We've been surrounded by them - all in really pretty packaging and glossy colours - like little shiny sweets. So tempting. Even I was swayed before I saw my senses and went back to my best red lipsticks.
AM - Do you remember when you made me empty my handbag to see how many lip balms I had in there? THE SHAME.
RD - How many was it again?
AM- Honestly, about seven. Oils, balms, tints, masks. The lot. Nobody has dry lips on my watch.
RD - Except…you do. You’re still PARCHED.
AM - Yes. I’ll say it again for the people at the back. My lips are still dry. I need help!
RD - How long do you think you can go without a balm or an oil? PS - I really do think you should go cold turkey on oils. I’ll allow a balm, but oils are your downfall. They don’t actually hydrate!
AM - Since you outed me to everyone and now the internet. I have cut back. I would say I can do about four or five times a day. And that is me really trying. Don’t worry - I’ve quit the lip oils. I think they were the root of my issues. Well, not all my issues...Not to make this a big old deflection, but surely you need to apply lip balm more than every Christmas, Rhiannon? Beauty Director Sarah applies every day. She even wears lipstick before bed if she can’t find her lip balm! I can’t be the only mad one here…
RD - I'm willing to admit that I’ve potentially gone too far the other way. As I said, I was previously a big balmer, and I got over it, and now I’m smugly on the other side. I also wear red lipstick every single day - maybe some of those have a hint of hydration, so that helps me from drying out like an old husk.
AM - I think we might be two extreme ends of the lip hydration spectrum here. I think we might need to check with the experts.
What do the experts say?
Abi Cleeve is a skin expert and formulates products for her brands SkinSense and Ultrasun. “Consistent lip balm application really matters,” she says. "Morning and night are a great baseline, and throughout the day, apply as you need it. If you're outside or in an air-conditioned or heated environment, you'll want to top up more frequently. Listen to your lips - if they feel tight, dry or uncomfortable, that's your cue.”
Does this then mean that Rhiannon is depriving her lips of essential hydration? “Not necessarily,” explains Abi. “If your lips are naturally well-hydrated and you're not exposing them to harsh conditions, you may not need a strict lip care routine.”
Can you become reliant on the hydration, or is it a myth? “The idea that lip balm makes your lips ‘lazy’ stems from products that use ingredients like menthol or camphor, which cause a mild irritation that makes lips feel like they need more product,” according to Abi. “Choose a formula with genuinely nourishing ingredients, like peptides, hyaluronic acid, squalane, and shea butter. That said, if you find yourself reapplying compulsively and your lips are still dry, it's worth looking at what's in your product rather than blaming the habit.”
Abi also shares that lip oils can sometimes be dehydrating, depending on the formula you pick. “Some are primarily about aesthetics - they give a glossy, plumped look and feel lovely, but don't contain the actives needed to make a difference,” she warns. “A genuinely therapeutic lip oil, though, can absolutely help to heal and repair. Active ingredients like squalane, peptide complexes and plant-based oils can strengthen the skin barrier and reduce water loss.”
The final verdict
RD - I was expecting to win this, but I actually think you’re in the right here, Annie. As long as you don't slip into 15+ per day applications again. I formally apologise, in front of all the witnesses of the internet. I do wonder, though, if your lips are still dry even through all your balming, that maybe you need to change to a more nourishing balm?
AM- Winning feels really nice. But I agree - I think it comes down to ingredients rather than formula. Lip balms and oils can be good for your lips, but take a look at the ingredients list to make sure there are some nourishing ingredients in there. I promise to stop popping in the office, regardless.
RD - Yes, please.
