It’s a sure sign of winter when I start digging out the lip balm for all the kids in the house.

It doesn’t take much for the cold, dry air to shrivel up those tender baby smoochers and turn them into cracked, chapped, and bleeding lips.

OUCH.

That’s where we are right now. Cracked baby lips. But not for long!

If you’re anything like me, I grew up devouring (literally devouring) those fun-flavored lip balms. Dr. Pepper was a personal favorite. How they got lip balm to taste like soda always fascinated me.

But, as I grew up, I started to learn that those cutesy, fun lip balms that I ate up were actually filled with all sorts of yucky ingredients.

Over the years, I realized that a lot of lip balms on the market were filled with petroleum based ingredients, parabens, artificial fragrances, and who knew what else that was toxic to the body. especially for kids.

When I became a Mom, it became especially important to know what was REALLY in our personal care products. It became my mission to cut out as much junk as possible so that we could live a healthier life.

Toxic ingredients to avoid in lip balm

The list could literally go on and on, but these are the main offenders that are sadly found in many lip balms and chapstick on the market.

Petrolatum (petroleum jelly) – provides a false sense of hydration. Petroleum jelly or mineral oil as it’s also referred to can feel moisturizing, but it in fact is dehydrating and once it wears off, you’ll need to reapply. Petroleum creates a waterproof coating that can also trap bacteria and dead skin cells. Due to the oil refining process, petroleum is frequently contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which is incredibly harmful to people and the environment.

Parabens – can dry out the skin’s barrier. Commonly used as a preservative to prevent the growth of bacteria. Butyl, propyl, and ethyl parabens are endocrine disruptors that have been linked to cancer.

Fragrance – a blanket term that can hide a multitude of harmful chemicals such as phthalates, which are known hormone disruptors and can contribute to respiratory conditions.

Menthol and Phenol – ingredients that provide a cooling effect, that actually dry out the lips. Not to mention they can also exfoliate the lips, removing the outer layer of skin. Not something you want to keep your lips hydrated.

Artificial colors/dyes – many times the dyes are sourced from heavy metals or coal-tar. YIKES.

Octinoxate and Oxybenzone – these hormone disruptors can be found in some lip balms that contain SPF

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – preservatives used to prevent mold and oxidation. They are also endocrine disruptors and can cause respiratory irritation and have been linked to cancer

Alcohol – another drying ingredient that can contribute to chapped lips.

Safe Ingredients to look for in lip balm

Safe ingredients are simple. When choosing a lip balm, look for ingredients that not only you can pronounce, but that you actually know what it is.

Beeswax – a natural way to moisturize and protect lips from the harmful rays of the sun.

Shea butter – it can soothe and hydrate dry, sore lips and prevent them from getting chapped. It is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants.

Coconut butter – similar to shea butter, also rich in vitamins and nutrients – A1, B1, C, D, E, iron, and magnesium.

Coconut oil – protects lips and helps with the healing process.

Vitamin E – can contribute to softer lips by improving circulation and generating new skin cells

10 Natural Lip balms for hydrated lips

To help save you time, energy, and frustration looking for a replacement for toxic lip balms, I have narrowed down my personal non-toxic lip balm favorites – along with a few others that meet all of the clean requirements.

 

Booda Butter

This is my newfound love. It was a happy accident that I started using this natural lip balm stick too. I had heard amazing things about Booda Butter deodorant from a friend, so I just HAD to try it out. When my package came in the mail, to much of my surprise, they included a free sample of their lip balm. I was instantly in love!

It glides right on and keeps my lips moisturized for hours without feeling greasy or heavy. Plus, I really love the shape of the tube. When turned to the side, it covers more surface area – which isn’t such a huge deal for someone like me with paper thin lips. But for my husband, who’s lips should have their own zip code? It’s a game-changer!

Honest Co tinted lip balm

Hands-down, this is my absolute FAVORITE tinted lip balm.

For one, I am not much of a makeup person, so when I do wear it on occasion, it NEEDS to feel like I am not wearing anything. Secondly, it must have clean ingredients (duh!).

This tinted lip balm glides on like butter and gives off a slight tint. The tint isn’t too bold, but just enough if you have pale lips like myself (I seriously got the shaft with the lip genetics). It looks amazing, feels great, and lasts a long time!

For someone with fair skin and auburn hair, the dragonfruit color is my favorite.

Naturistick

These are a little bit more budget-friendly and what I buy for my kids.

My boys love them because they get to pick out their out flavor (this helps them keep track of which is who’s) and they last a really long time. I only have to buy one set of these a year, so I will just put them in their stockings at Christmas and renew their stash the following year.

Mongo Kiss

In all fairness, I have NEVER tried these lip balms before. But, holy moly, the price is just as economical as the naturistick and they have even more flavor varieties!

The ingredients are amazing. The reviews are great. There’s no reason why I would never try these. In fact, I literally just ordered them so that I can! I don’t really need these, but I feel compelled to try them now and report back when I do.

They also have a vegan option which is beeswax free & comes in plastic-free packaging, which is great for our planet.

I have a feeling that these little babies will make it’s way into my favorite things.

Weleda Lip Butter

This is one of the first natural lip balms that I ever used back in the day (nearly 19 years ago).

My husband worked in the supplement / body care department at whole foods and he was always buying me new body products when they were on sale. He got the best deals and I got spoiled with natural wellness products – a match made in heaven?

If you prefer a squeeze tube lip balm with all plant ingredients, then look no further. This is it.

Mineral Fusion Sheer Moisture Lip Tint

Another lip tint option and a very good one. I LOVE these lip tints for a few reasons.

First of all, they glide on your lips like butter and feel so nice. They really keep your lips hydrated and moisturized for a long time! The color is very bold and a little bit goes a long way. It also has a bit of shimmer in them, so they are a bit more youthful, but so fun to use!

They aren’t my pick for an everyday lip balm, but I do love to use them when out and about or special occasions.

Origin body balm

Another option that I have never used before, but I am really drawn in for a few reasons.

First of all, it’s a lip AND body balm! I LOVE me some practical, all-in-one options. Not only because it saves money, but because I am a simple girl and the less clutter I have lying around, the better. All-in-one products are my love language and I am digging the idea of this body balm stick.

Secondly, it’s completely eco-friendly with it’s packaging. As someone who has a lot of kids, making safer choices for the environment is always at the top of my mind. If I can reduce plastic in any way, shape, and form that I can, I will do it.

EOS lip balm

These used to take up residence in my purse, nightstand, vanity, and bathroom closet.

I probably had enough of these at one time to distribute to an army (that and Burt’s bees – but they didn’t make the list because their ingredients aren’t really the best).

I won’t lie: these aren’t the cleanest, but they are still a pretty good option in terms of budget. They are also found basically everywhere, so if you don’t have time to order any of the options above, you can grab one of these in a jiffy at Walmart or the closest drugstore.

Earthley Natural Lip Balm

Again, another lip balm that I have yet to try, but I try every personal care product that earthley makes.

Not only do they make products that you can literally eat because of the clean ingredients, they are local to me (O-H!).

If you’ve been needing to make an Earthley order, might as well add this to your cart too!

Lansinoh Nipple Cream

Yes, you read that right. NIPPLE CREAM.

This is what I recommend if your lips are in serious trouble. Or if you live in a super dry, cold climate.

Don’t be turned off by the name. It’s just lanolin. 1 ingredient. It’s used so commonly with breastfeeding moms because it heals dry, chapped nips super quick and it’s safe for babies.

If it’s safe for babies to have it on their lips, then it’s safe for you!

And the best part about using nipple cream as a lip balm is that a tube like this lasts FOREVER. It also adds a nice shine to your lips, so if you’re a minimal makeup girl like myself, you just scored yourself a wonderful lip gloss. BAM.

What’s your favorite all natural lip balm? Did it make the list? If not, share what your lips love the most in the comments!