Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Lip balm for winter rides?

After over 125 miles this past weekend, my lips are chapped to hell and a little painful.

I do sometimes suffer from dry lips, and the weather makes it worse. I carry a tube of Carmex in one of my pockets - it was good over the summer, but isn't coping well with this weather - I think it's too thin and doesn't last.

Any recommendations please?

(Believe it or not, in previous years I've used cheap lip gloss and can't recall having this problem.)

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

21 comments

Avatar
bechdan | 7 years ago
1 like

coconut oil should do the job and is edible / non toxic / tasty

Avatar
dottigirl | 7 years ago
0 likes

Yesterday, I took a tube of Neutrogena with me and religiously reapplied it every time we stopped. First time the day after I haven't had cracked lips. 

It doesn't seem to stay in place very long, but a little longer than Vaseline does.

Avatar
keef66 | 7 years ago
0 likes

Must admit, I've always found vaseline to be very effective, especially on lips and nostrils when I have a cold.  I'll always go back to vaseline if the Lipsyl isn't working.

Neutrogena hand cream is also pretty good; a little goes a long way and it does last.

And I'm still doing my walking boots with dubbin...

 

 

Avatar
fenix | 7 years ago
0 likes

Never had any problems with vaseline myself. Works and is cheap as anything.

Avatar
dottigirl | 7 years ago
1 like

Mint? Rings a bell...A-ha! A google has found this. 

https://www.futurederm.com/petrolatum-really-dry-lips/

Petrolatum rests on top of the skin, forming a water-repelling film. On the one hand, this makes it is a great moisturizer. On the other hand, you have to be careful what you use with petrolatum, because it locks other ingredients in a moisturizer deep within the skin. For instance, potentially irritating ingredients like lanolin, eucalyptus, mint, and isopropyl myristate travel through petrolatum and get through to your lips, penetrating the skin (Cosmetic Dermatology, 2002).

It would answer why the previous Carmex tubes worked but not the current one - it's mint flavour, and menthol dries. 

So, avoid mint/menthol when you're choosing anything that sits on your skin.

Avatar
LastBoyScout | 7 years ago
0 likes

Currently using Nivea lip salve - works pretty well.

Have also used a couple of the ones intended for skiing - possibly Ambre Solaire. Good for cold weather and usually SPF 15 or more.

Avatar
Jack Osbourne snr | 7 years ago
0 likes

Chamois cream. Slap it on your undercarriage then put what's left on your hands on your lips. Waste not want not.

NB. It also works the other way round

Avatar
dottigirl replied to Jack Osbourne snr | 7 years ago
0 likes

Jack Osbourne snr wrote:

Chamois cream. Slap it on your undercarriage then put what's left on your hands on your lips. Waste not want not. NB. It also works the other way round

Slightly kinky one. Stray pubes would be a tad difficult to explain. 

Must remember this for one of my stories. laugh

 

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 7 years ago
5 likes

Chain lube.  1

Avatar
BrokenBootneck replied to CXR94Di2 | 7 years ago
1 like

CXR94Di2 wrote:

Chain lube.  1

wet or dry lube? Oh is ceramic ok?

Avatar
Bowks | 7 years ago
0 likes

I used Malin & Goetz Mojito Lip Balm. Kept my lips in tip top condition this weekend, which included a 9.5 mile hike up and down Snowdon in 40mph winds and halestorms.

Not cheap, but is good! 

Avatar
nniff | 7 years ago
0 likes

Vaseline lip balm works well for me.

Burt's Bees is OK, but the peppermint can be a bit much around my nose

Avatar
ClubSmed | 7 years ago
0 likes

Probably a stupid question, but what is the issue with petroleum based lip protection?

Avatar
dottigirl replied to ClubSmed | 7 years ago
0 likes
ClubSmed wrote:

Probably a stupid question, but what is the issue with petroleum based lip protection?

Apparently, it can dry your lips out even more. So the more you use, the drier your lips get, the more you use, and so on...

Avatar
Simon E replied to dottigirl | 7 years ago
0 likes

dottigirl wrote:
ClubSmed wrote:

Probably a stupid question, but what is the issue with petroleum based lip protection?

Apparently, it can dry your lips out even more. So the more you use, the drier your lips get, the more you use, and so on...

Exactly.

On top of that, putting chemicals like this on your skin is not a good idea. This also applies to to make-up, skin cream etc. They don't even do your skin any good, they make it worse.

Avatar
ClubSmed replied to dottigirl | 7 years ago
0 likes

dottigirl wrote:
ClubSmed wrote:

Probably a stupid question, but what is the issue with petroleum based lip protection?

Apparently, it can dry your lips out even more. So the more you use, the drier your lips get, the more you use, and so on...

Thanks for this, I'm glad I asked the question and will be following to see what I should be replacing my vaseline with. Your post was very timely as I had been suffering with my lips last week so had turned to the vaseline but was not noticing much in the way of improvement.

Avatar
nniff replied to dottigirl | 7 years ago
0 likes
dottigirl wrote:
ClubSmed wrote:

Probably a stupid question, but what is the issue with petroleum based lip protection?

Apparently, it can dry your lips out even more. So the more you use, the drier your lips get, the more you use, and so on...

'Apparently' according to whom? Funny how a product has been around for decades but 'apparently' does the opposite of what everyone has happily been using it for. You'll be telling me that dubbin rots the stitching on boots next.

Avatar
Simon E replied to nniff | 7 years ago
0 likes

nniff wrote:
dottigirl wrote:
ClubSmed wrote:

Probably a stupid question, but what is the issue with petroleum based lip protection?

Apparently, it can dry your lips out even more. So the more you use, the drier your lips get, the more you use, and so on...

'Apparently' according to whom? Funny how a product has been around for decades but 'apparently' does the opposite of what everyone has happily been using it for. You'll be telling me that dubbin rots the stitching on boots next.

Perhaps it does. Perhaps there is a better product now, since climbing/outdoor kit has been transformed in recent decades. Knowledge advances, best practice can and does change.

We have been told for decades that 'low fat' food is the way to go, that Weetabix or Corn Flakes & skimmed milk, 0% fat yogurt etc are healthy. But health bodies were heavily influenced by big grain companies. Many people are drinking less cow's milk than they used to based on evidence (some of it anecdotal, some proper sciency stuff done by real scientists) that cow's milk may not be the wonder drink that the Milk Marketing Board would have us believe. I could cite dozens of examples.

@ dottigirl - I know a few people who've found that frequent use of lip salve seems to drive the need to use more. These days I only seem to need lip salve after brushing with mint toothpaste, as it dries my lips more obviously than anything else.

Avatar
ktache | 7 years ago
0 likes

Neutrogena, Norwegian formula.  Not fancy, just works.  Lasts for ages.

Avatar
dottigirl | 7 years ago
0 likes

Just checked the ingredients and Carmex does have petrolatum - thought I'd picked one up without. Doh. 

Avatar
Simon E | 7 years ago
0 likes

Badger lip balm.

I would recommend against using any standard petroleum based ones or vaseline. Yuck!

Latest Comments