Review: Blistex SPF 50+ Lip Balm

Where to purchase: Notino: LINK

Price: £2.99

Volume: 4.25g

Made in: The USA

Good for:

-Someone who wants a cheap lip balm that provides spf 50+ UVA and UVB protection.

-Someone who doesn’t like bitter smells/tasting sun block. Also someone who doesn’t care about an elegant lip care formula and cares more about sun protection and also doesn’t mind to reapply the product after eating or drinking.

Description: (from the Blistex website): ‘Our expertly blended formula helps protect lips against the sun’s damaging UVA + UVB rays with SPF 50+ protection – the highest available. It’s infused with a hydrating blend of conditioners and antioxidants, including Vitamins C & E to keep your lips moisturised all day.’

• Perfect for both winter and summer sun

NOTE: the added antioxidants etc are a nice touch. Hydrating blend of conditioners/to keep your lips moisturised all day – these need re application and do not keep my lips moisturised all day.

Directions:

• Apply in the morning before heading out in the sun and re-apply every few hours to ensure your lips are protected
• Gently massage all over your lips every day. Re-apply as often as you like, especially if you’re out and about in dry, cold or sunny weather.

NOTE: I agree with the re-application (of course) but in terms of the product itself, I believe it will require re-application frequently so keep it in your pocket!

How I use it: I use this in the AM after brushing, I usually re-apply by the time I leave to go to the gym and also when I’m at the gym. Probably would also re-apply after the gym (this is all due to drinking water which I feel removes the product).

Packaging: Simple screw bottom lip balm with a cap. I like the blue I must say.

Texture: This isn’t so smooth that it just slips off the lips. I find that this has decent adherence to the lips. Doesn’t feel gritty or grainy. Not like a liquid gel either. This also seems to disappear once eating or drinking and therefore requires re-application.

Note: It’s a bit hard to show you the texture of this product as a swatch but it does blend in seamlessly as you can see, and there is no colour.

Full Ingredients List: ozokerite, tridecyl neopentanoate, octyldodecanol, cera microcristallina, petrolatum, myristyl myristate, isopropyl myristate, polybutene, dimethicone, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, benzophenone-3, bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine, oryzanol, tocopheryl acetate, aroma, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, citric acid, phenoxyethanol, saccharin, sorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, vanillin. Contains: benzophenone-3.

Fragrance?: Yes – This smells so much like vanilla (vanillin is there) – smells very faintly like Carmex.

Good under makeup?: This has seemed to be fine when applying a lip stick on top (depends how much you slather onto your lips).

How Long have I been using this?: 4 weeks

The Effect?: Leaves my skin moisturised, I don’t feel like my lips have that ‘suffocating’ feel that something like a thick petroleum lip balm may have. I would like to add – I don’t know how much specifically of this lip balm is needed on your lips to provie the spf50 – but I figure applying this is better than not applying this in the sun. I do try to give it a few good swipes to really make sure my lips are covered and I can feel the product when I purse my lips.

Lasts for: This disappears if you eat or drink which can be annoying – Could be a good thing if you forget to re-apply spf.

What I like:

• Cheap (makes me feel comfortable reapplying, slathering this all over my lips and making sure my lips are protected with SPF without being worried of running out.
• I like the smell (not overpowering but I love the smell of subtle vanilla).
• Provides a high SPF coverage.
• Easy to use packaging / tube – I love stick lip products because I don’t like messing up my fingers.
• Not sticky
• Glides easily
• Not gritty

What I don’t like:

• This does disappear quite quickly so it’s a bit annoying to constantly be re applying.
• Need to re apply after eating and drinking
• Not particularly hydrating or moisturising (i’d say the laneige lip sleeping mask is more hydrating – but that has no spf and isn’t in stick form).
• Not luxurious
• Packaging isn’t luxurious either

Rating and Conclusion: 3.9/5 a solid spf lip balm – yes it doesn’t hydrate the same way my laneige lip sleeping mask does (that very thin texture and hydration that feeds your lips) and this sits more on top, but it provides spf 50 which is very high – so i will take it! I may experiment with other spf 50 lip balms but 1. they are so hard to find 2. are probably way more expensive than this cheap one and 3. I don’t have such a problem with this that makes me want to try another lip product.

If you want a lip product that absolutely does not need re-application for hours and hours – then the classic lanolips lip balm in a tube I would recommend. The problem is that that does not have SPF.

Would I repurchase?: Yes I would. I think this is a perfectly fine lip balm that provides my spf50. It isn’t luxurious or expensive feeling but that is why I use a more ‘refined’ product like the laneige lip sleeping mask at night. I could try other lip balms but it’s been very hard to find spf 50 lip balms in the UK and are easy to obtain. Boots is easy for me to order from – so the there is a nother product, the Uvistat Lipscreen SPF 50 5g but this is £5.50 – so a bit more expensive than this blistex stick. I could try this, or you could try this if you’re not up from trying the Blistex and live in the UK.