How Is Lip Balm Made?

Lip balm shown on a background
Picture of Jeffrey Martin

Lip balm is a type of ointment that is applied topically to the lips to moisturize, protect and relieve chapped or dry lips. There are many different brands and flavors of lip balm available on the market. Chapstick is one of the more popular brands, but there are also Carmex, Blistex, Burt’s Bees, and others.

Most lip balms come in small tubular containers and are applied with the fingertips or a fingertip. Some brands offer beveled or contoured applicators for more precise application.

Lip balm is a great way to keep your lips moisturized and protected from the elements. By following the directions on the packaging, you can ensure that your lips stay healthy and hydrated all day long.

Lip balm is designed to do one thing: protect your lips. Any given type of lip balm might do this in any number of ways depending on its ingredients and its reason for usage. 

What is Lip Balm?

Lip balm is a cosmetic product that is used to moisturize and protect the lips. It is typically made from wax, oil, and other emollients. Common lip balm ingredients can include camphor, carnauba wax, beeswax, cetyl alcohol, paraffin, lanolin, or petrolatum (commonly known as petroleum jelly), as well as a variety of dyes, flavorings, and fragrance. Lip balm works by creating an occlusive layer on the surface of the lips. This layer prevents moisture from escaping the skin and helps to keep lips hydrated.

Different Lip Balm Ingredients

Some lip balms may contain SPF to protect the lips from the sun. SPF lip balms are designed to protect the lips from the harmful effects of the sun. They typically contain ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which work to reflect UV rays away from the skin. Cold sore lip balms are designed to treat and prevent cold sores. They typically contain ingredients such as camphor, menthol, and docosanol. These ingredients work to soothe the pain and discomfort of a cold sore.

Ingredients Do Matter

When it comes to lip balm, ingredients do matter. Many lip balms on the market today contain artificial ingredients that can dry out your lips or cause other issues. Some people develop a reaction to the artificial ingredients in lip balms, which manifests as a lip rash. If you are concerned about the ingredients in your lip balm, blending with sustainably sourced ingredients is an option. These lip balms typically use beeswax, shea butter, and other natural ingredients to moisturize and protect the lips.

Blending and Filling

Choosing the right ingredients for a lip balm formula make all the difference. Many brands are now choosing to follow clean and sustainable beauty standards that prioritize the use of renewable, non-petroleum-based ingredients along with high-performing or specialty additives that make a blend truly unique. It is necessary to ensure that all the ingredients perform well together and can blend thoroughly to create a consistent product. 

Then, the blended ingredients are moved on to filling stations where the product is put into the final container. As the product moves out of the filling station, it is slowly cooled to solidify without cracking or separating. Once the lip balm has solidified, the cap is gently put on the filled container, and the lip balm moves on to final finishing at labeling. 

Labeling

The lip balms are in the final stretch. Each container is labeled with the necessary tracking batch code and its final retail-ready labels. Now the product is sealed, labeled, and ready to go to the customer. 

Quality Control

Good quality control is necessary for every retail product. At Federal Package, we use the latest technology to provide quality assurance at every step in the process to make sure that every lip balm is ready for the consumer. 

If you have any questions about creating a new lip balm or the hot pour process, we’re happy to help. You can learn all about our private label capabilities here.

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