Two ingredients worth checking for on any lip balm label: petroleum-based occlusives (fine in small amounts, but they seal moisture in rather than adding any) and added fragrance oils that can irritate already-dry, cracked lips. Neither is dangerous, but neither actually treats dry lips either.
What actually helps dry lips
Shea butter and natural oils do two things a purely occlusive balm doesn't: they add moisture back in, not just trap what's already there, and they tend to sit better on cracked or peeling lips without stinging.
What we use
Our balms are all built on a shea-butter-and-natural-oil base. Mint to Be is our lightest everyday option (€3.95). If you want a richer, more treatment-style balm, Strawberry Daiquiri and Appley Ever After (€6.95 each) both lean heavier on shea for more overnight-repair use.
Balm vs. scrub
If your lips are flaking, a scrub first (fine sugar crystals to buff away the dry layer) then a balm after works better than balm alone — our Sherbet Lemon Lip Scrub is built for exactly that first step.
Browse the full lip care range in Self-Care Essentials.