chapstick hydration lock

some people collect books of matches when they travel, i collect lip balms.

my caudalie lip conditioner? it’s from the cosmetic market in nashville – and i got my tube of fresh tinted lip treatment at sephora in chicago. my most recent acquisition, this tube of chapstick hydration lock, is from the duane reade on 6th ave and 36th in nyc.

i was in a major lip balm pinch during my latest trip to the big city (how i forgot to pack any lip balm at all is beyond me!) and so i picked this stuff up on a whim. historically, i’m not the biggest fan of drugstore lip products. for starters, it really weirds me out that they’re in the cough and cold aisle, but then – and more importantly – they don’t tend to live up to any sort of expectations. for the record, i do keep a tube of aquaphor handy and i have made friends with the eos lip ball’ms over the years, but in general, lip balm is always one of the things that i have felt you truly need to spend some money and invest in – but perhaps not anymore.

i was swayed by chapstick’s promise of 8 hour moisture, coq10, hyaluronic, and yes, the vanilla creme scent. upon first application i knew that i was on to something special. this balm falls somewhere between creamy and waxy, hydrating lips on contact and sealing in moisture for a very comfortable and plumped up pucker. the loveliness last for hours and i could care less if i lose the tube in a taxi cab, because, well, it was $3.

i’m giving this one top marks and i love knowing that there’s a lip balm that i can rely on in the drugstore aisles – even if i do have to brave the cough and cold section to make a purchase.

chapstick hydration lock, $2.99 >