Lip balm
is a substance topically applied to the lips of the
mouth to relieve chapped or dry lips and cold sores.
Lip gloss is similar, but generally has only cosmetic
properties. The balm is usually manufactured from
beeswax, petroleum jelly, menthol, camphor, scented
oils, and various other ingredients. Some manufacturers
also add vitamins, alum, salicylic acid or aspirin.
Most lip balms contain sunscreen, to minimize sun
damage.
Lip balm may come in small containers,
where a finger is used to spread it on the lips, or
in 'stick' form (similar to lipstick) which is applied
directly to the lips.
There are many stories of lip
balm addiction, where the users of lip balm feel the
need to constantly re-apply the product, claiming
that their lips will chap and dry if they stop. Whether
it is a physical withdrawal or purely psychological
addiction is unclear. There are some urban legends
stating that lip balm manufacturers add special chemicals
or even fiberglass to their product to facilitate
lip chapping, but none of these claims have ever been
proven. A clinically effective and painless method
for overcoming this addiction is to transfer one’s
own skin oil from a healthy area of skin to the lip |
