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Lip balm: fragrance-free labels and price per stick
Updated · By the RipePrice team
For lip balm, read the ingredient list, remember that an SPF lip product is a sunscreen, and compare by price per stick or per month, because the tiny sizes make price per ounce misleading.
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At a glance
Reading a lip balm label
Fragrance-free and flavor-free: no added fragrance or flavoring.
Stick, tin, tube or pot
Sticks are the easiest to carry and apply.
Our angle: tiny sizes break price per ounce
A lip balm stick holds a very small amount, so its price per ounce looks huge next to a body lotion.
Quick picks
Fragrance-free lip balm
Check the ingredient list, then compare the price per stick.
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Unit price calculator
Type the price and the total amount printed on each package. Nothing you type is saved.
Fill in both options to compare.
Reading a lip balm label
Fragrance-free and flavor-free: no added fragrance or flavoring. Flavored balms may use flavor ingredients, so check the list if you are sensitive.
Ingredient types: many balms use waxes, such as beeswax or plant waxes, plus oils or butters. A vegan label means no animal-derived ingredients, which rules out beeswax.
Unscented versus fragrance-free: not the same. Check for fragrance or parfum.
A hypoallergenic or dermatologist-tested claim is the seller's description, and it is not a guarantee that you will not react.
Lip products with SPF are sunscreen products, regulated as over-the-counter drugs. They carry a Drug Facts panel, and you should read and follow it. See our mineral sunscreen guide.
Stick, tin, tube or pot
Sticks are the easiest to carry and apply. Tins and pots hold more product but are applied by finger, so keep your hands clean. Squeeze tubes suit people who like to dispense a small amount. Pick the format you will really use, since a balm you leave at home does not help.
Our angle: tiny sizes break price per ounce
A lip balm stick holds a very small amount, so its price per ounce looks huge next to a body lotion. Do not compare them. Compare lip balms with each other by price per stick, and, even better, by how long a stick lasts for you. Track how many weeks a stick lasts and divide the price by it. Multipacks can lower the price per stick, so check that too. If you lose sticks often, a refillable tin or a tube you keep in a single place can cost less over a year.
Divide the price by the number of sticks in a pack.
Note how many weeks one stick lasts.
Divide to get your cost per month.
Buying tips
Buy a single stick before you buy a big multipack of an unfamiliar flavor or formula.
Check the best-by or period-after-opening marking on the package.
Keep one at home, one at work and skip buying more until those run out.
Yes. In the United States, sunscreen is regulated as an over-the-counter drug, so an SPF lip product has a Drug Facts panel. Read it and follow the directions.
What does vegan mean on lip balm?
That the product has no animal-derived ingredients. Beeswax, which is common in balms, would be left out.
How do I compare lip balm prices?
By price per stick, or better, by cost per month based on how long a stick lasts for you. Price per ounce is misleading because the sticks are so small.
When should I see a doctor?
If your lips or the skin around them are painful, very red, cracked or getting worse, stop using the product and ask a doctor or dermatologist.