SPF | Girl Gloss

Lizard Lips Lip Balm

I came across Lizard Lips Balm at an out of town convenience store after I accidentally left home without a balm (how I managed to do that I will never know). So it was a lip balm emergency! I had never heard of it, but Lizard Lips came through. In fact, I found that I love this balm!

The balm feels rather creamy, but wears and lasts the way a waxier balm would. It also is SPF 22. The formula is petroleum-free with Aloe, Shea Butter, Sal Butter, Vitamin E, and Grape Seed Oil. It also includes Comfrey and Sage—a couple of interesting ingredients. I ended up with the vanilla flavor, which is light–just enough to taste it without it being overpowering. I then noticed online that they have other flavors including tangerine and raspberry, which I would prefer. So now I am left looking for those!

This is one of the best new balms that I have tried in a long time. I will be keeping an eye out in the drugstores for more in order to stock up. I haven’t seen it very near me, but it also can be bought through some online sources, such as here: Lizard Lips Lip Balm at Amazon.com, or you can Shop for Lizard Lips Balm on Bizrate/Shopzilla.

Popularity: 6% [?]

MAC Cosmetics Sun Tints SPF 20 Liquid Lip Balm

MAC sent me a sample of their MAC Cosmetics SunTints Liquid Lip Balm, SPF 20 that is part of their Baby Bloom collection, available now through September, 2009.

This tube lip gloss has a sheer tint and good moisturizing feel to it. One note of cautionis to apply it a bit on the heavier side (you don’t have to pack it on or anything though) to avoid any stickiness.

Gloss and sun are not always the best mix, so it is always nice to see new additions that include SPF!

Popularity: 9% [?]

Three SPF 15 or Higher Lip Balms for Sunny Days

I went biking this weekend and, while I forgot sunscreen on my arms and paid for it, I did not forget my lips!

Lips can burn just like any other part of the body, so sunscreen is a must when outdoors. It is also better to use a bit thicker or waxier formula outside so that it will last a bit longer and also protect against wind.

Here are my three favorite lip balms for outdoor activity.

Exuviance Multi Protective Lip Balm, SPF 15 (read previous review): this balm has a nice balance between waxiness and moisturizing. It lasts well, feels great and has SPF15. It also comes in a very generous size.
Mission Skin Care SPF 15 Lip Balm (read previous review): Mission products also have a good balance between providing moisture, yet are waxy enough that you don’t have to constantly reapply the balm. The tubes are quite small (but also inexpensive). That is nice for ease of carrying, but not so nice if you like a bigger balm.
Banana Boat Lip Balm, SPF 30 : Banana Boat is my favorite drugstore balm. It is a nice and simple waxier balm with no flavoring or anything special other than that it lasts longer than most other balms for me and has a higher SPF. The company also makes SPF 45 and 50 versions that I have not yet tried. It contains Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, and retails for between around $3. Drugstore.com has the Banana Boat SPF 50 Lip Balm for $2.09

Looking for these balms or other lip balms with sun protection? Comparison Shop for Lip Balm with Sunscreen.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Exuviance Multi-Protective Lip Balm SPF15

Exuviance makes a great lip balm that is perfect for outdoors or sporting activities. Essential Multi-Protective Lip Balm SPF 15 has a nice buttery feel, but is waxy enough to provide protection and staying power. Because of that, I love it when I am running. I don’t like to take balm with me on a run and Exuviance’s balm manages to last for most of a run while also providing sun and wind protection.

The balm includes UVA/UVB sunscreen at SPF 15, and light Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) for exfoliation. It also has several good conditioning ingredients, including shea butter and lanolin, along with a nice mix of oils.

If you want a good outdoor balm, be sure to check this one out!

Comparison shop for Exuviance skin care products

Popularity: 7% [?]

Mission Skin Care SPF 15 Lip Balm

I have a new favorite outdoor lip balm! Mission Skin Care, a line developed with athletes in mind, has a great sun protection balm that comes in three flavors: Orange, Sweet Vanilla, and Mint.

I gave the orange and mint a try, and boy do I like them! Both are quite tasty (the orange is my favorite) and the balm has a nice buttery feel to it, while still be waxy enough to stay on and provide good outdoor protection. That is a nice texture that is hard to find in a balm—most formulations tend to be either quite waxy, which does last well but feels less moisturizing, or they are more glossy, which looks nice, but doesn’t last. Watch for an upcoming review of an Exuviance balm that has a similar feel.

The size on these is small, which I like for outdoor carrying in a pocket, and at $3.99, the price is low enough that the size is not a concern in terms of value.

This one gets two big thumbs up from me!

Popularity: 9% [?]

Prana Plumping Diva Lips

I love lip plumpers, but it is no secret that I think most of them don’t really work. I just still love them because I like the bit of tingling sensation that they give and many of them are still really nice glosses. Well, once in awhile one comes along that actually seems to work too, and then I get really impressed.

Prana Plumping Diva Lips gloss has a particularly strong sensation to it, and when I tried it I did get some actual visible plumping from it that lasted for a decent amount of time.

Here is a bit on it from the company literature:

Vitamin-based stimulants enhance circulation and produce the lush fullness. Collagen-enhancing Centella Asiatica helps lip stay naturally plump, instead of thinning with age – a nice long-term improvement. Age repair comes from quartet of peptides including blockbuster Matrixyl 3000®, and an infusion of Acmella Oleracea extract, one of newest anti-aging discoveries. This member of the isobutylamide family may be the most potent way to erase and prevent fine “expression lines” on the upper lip. And finally, Plumping Diva Lips also contains Octyl Methoxycinnamate, considered the best zinc oxide sunscreen available.

Overall, the gloss from this one is also quite nice. It is very shiny and there is no stickiness. The addition of sunscreen is also a nice touch. I don’t have a photo of this one, but it is a fairly standard sized tube with a sponge applicator. Diva Lips runs at $36 for a .23 oz tube at the Prana website.