The best moisturizing lip balms WITHOUT petroleum jelly and parabens

The best moisturizing lip balms WITHOUT mineral oil

Because the second I started using lip balms without petroleum jelly, my lips stopped flaking and peeling off. Hopefully it helps you too.

Yes, I am a hater. I’ve tasted the haterade, and I’m drunk with hate. I h a t e petroleum jelly, and all the sneaky names it disguises itself as– mineral oil, paraffin, petrolatum; I hate it all.

You can read more about why petroleum jelly isn’t the best ingredient for your lips/skin here & here. But, basically, it’s a byproduct of oil drilling. The Vaseline brand is super refined to get any potential carcinogenic toxins out, but it’s hard to say if off brand petroleum jellies go through the same amount of refinement that make it safe. Plus, it doesn’t actually moisturize your lips. It seals moisture in so if you have dry lips to begin with, it’s not going to add any moisture.

And, here’s the thing: why not moisturize your lips, which are prone to aging quickly, by using natural oils that have more benefits, instead of an ingredient that is a byproduct of oil drilling? You can find moisturizing lip balms without petroleum jelly. You just have to be willing to do some research and spend a little more than $4.

As a teen, I never paid attention to the ingredients in my lip balm (hello, Soft Lips, my then beloved go to lip balm that never really moisturized my lips no matter how much I slathered on). My lips certainly paid the price. Sandpaper textured lips that resemble raisins just aren’t a good look, especially when you’re trying to kiss all the boys (lol jokes). My lips craved some TLC. That’s when I started doing some research and found the culprit: petroleum freaking jelly, and it’s not the good kind of jelly. ~~It’s peanut butter jelly time, not petroleum, a byproduct of oil drilling, jelly time.~~

The Best Moisturizing Lip Balms Without Petroleum Jelly (and Parabens)

Kaplan MD

Their Lip 20 Mask and Lip 20 Balm* are a beautiful little duo that work really well together, and have a ton of great extracts. I like to use the lip mask when my lips need an extra surge of moisture. I leave the mask on for 5-10 minutes then apply the lip balm on top to seal the hydration in. The great thing about the lip balm is that it has an SPF of 20 so you’re also protecting your lips from sun exposure. I also love the addition of peppermint because it’s cooling and tingling and feels like a little cold treat on your lips.

Complex Beauty

Not only is their Pout Protector Vanilla Lip Mask free of all petroleum derivatives, but it includes a blend of complex– I had to– blend of amino acids, plant stem cells, and peptides that are anti aging. Our lip skin is thin, and shows wear and tear easily so make sure you’re paying for quality ingredients that work. Don’t let the word “mask” confuse you though because you don’t have to wipe it off after a certain amount of time. I tend to apply this while I’m doing my makeup then kiss off the excess before I apply a liquid lipstick, and it helps keep my lips soft and moisturized. The consistently is like a melted lip balm that is very nourishing so it’s a great overnight lip balm too. It’s my go to on no lipstick days. It also comes with an airless pump, which is an added bonus to the already great ingredients. Basically, airless pumps prevent air from getting into your product so they last longer and don’t get contaminated.

Grown Alchemist

The brand I’ve wanted to try for ages hasn’t let me down with their Watermelon and Vanilla Lip Balm. If you don’t like the scent of watermelon, I would suggest staying away, but if you do, give this a go. The only downside to this is the packaging. I love the look of it, but the product does leak out a bit when you unscrew the cap because it’s in a squeeze tube and the formula is more liquidy. So, you do get some product leakage and wastage, but it’s not so bad that I wouldn’t purchase it again. Hopefully that stops once I use up more product.

Basalt

Their Sweet Mint Lip Balm and Overnight Lip Masque are newer to my collection, but oh so good. The Overnight Lip Masque reminds me of the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask since it also contains agave nectar, but the consistency is much thinner and less sticky. The Sweet Mint Lip Balm is thicker in consistency and very moisturizing, but not sticky. Plus it leaves your lips feeling minty, which I personally love. The only downside I have is that the cap to the Overnight Lip Masque doesn’t close completely for me. No matter how much I twist it, it doesn’t lock. But, hopefully that’s just my tube. Still, it’s not something that would stop me from buying it again.

Bite Beauty

One of the first pricey lip balms I tried and loved (as seen by the dingy tube) is the Agave Lip Mask. The Basalt Lip Masque is similar, but this one has more ingredients, and tastes better in my opinion. Not that you’re going to eat your lip balm (…or are you?). It’s a lot thicker so if you suffer from extremely dry lips then try this one because it coats the lips like a luscious, hydrating coat of TLC. The texture is kind of like petroleum jelly, but much much better for your lips because of the great ingredients like resveratrol, an antioxidant, and we all know those are very important for anti aging.

Lanolips

This is another lip balm that’s quite new to my collection, but it’s another good one that is on the thicker side. I had to work pretty hard to get the goods out of the tube so make sure you warm it up between your hands to make it easier. I have their Lips 101 Multipurpose Superbalm* that can be used on the lips, cuticles, and really any other dry patches so it’s a great all in one product. This is 100% lanolin oil so there aren’t any other ingredients with added benefits, but it is a great moisturizer that feels soothing on the lips, and helps heal other dry, cracked areas.

It’s hard to narrow down which one I’d pick out of all of them because they all have different ingredients, and work really well. But, I really love the Complex Beauty packaging because it comes with an airless pump so it keeps the product secure and protected. Plus, it’s in a hard plastic tube that won’t get damaged or accidentally erupt in my bag, making it the perfect “to go” lip balm.

The Best Moisturizing Lip Balms Without Petroleum Jelly