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In This Article

The cycle of soothing dry, chapped lips can often feel like a futile endeavor.

Lately, we’ve been wondering if our go-to remedy could be a low-key contributor.

A woman with brightly colored nails applying lip balm

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But, could our attachment to our preferred chapstick actually be making the issue worse?

Many claim that after using lip balm, their lips feel even more dry.

Meet the Experts

Why Do We Use Lip Balm?

Lip balm is a necessity for many peopleeven those with the simplest beauty routines tend to use it.

What Is Lip Balm?

In essence, lip balms are pocket-size topical remedies for soothing irritated skin on the lips.

Does Lip Balm Make Your Lips More Chapped?

Below, our experts break down which ingredients to search for, as well as which to avoid.

If you have chapped lips, Dr. Kung also recommends you avoid any lip balms labeled as medicated.

“Phenol, in particular, is an exfoliant which can dry out the lips even more.”

Clinical Medicine & Research.