I hate to do this, to tease you with the possibility of a fancy lip balm when the truth is that Vaseline, the classic, the staple, is the best overall pick. It outperformed our previous go-to, Burt’s Bees, which is nicely scented and works well enough but doesn’t coat your lips in the same way. That one is more similar to a classic Chapstick, which, while effective, feels like a thin but nourishing layer of moisture as opposed to Vaseline, which is more buildable and can be as thick as you’d like. Then there’s the matter of ingredients. Although beeswax is generally well tolerated by most, serious allergies to Vaseline are pretty rare, making it a good option for sensitive skin types too. It contains a single ingredient — petroleum jelly — an incredibly effective occlusive that locks in moisture and provides near-instant relief to ultradry chapped lips and skin. Recently, when my lips underwent a freak allergic reaction to another lip product, Vaseline was the only thing that would soothe my cracking, raw lips. In five days it was cleared up, but I continued to keep Vaseline close, and it quickly turned to my go-to for everyday use. It layers nicely under other lip products (namely Ami Colé’s lip gloss, which can feel thick atop dry lips) and melts down over time. Strategist kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman is also a regular user, as is Strategist writer Amber Pardilla, who says, “This is what you use when your lips are bone dry, chapped, and ready to bleed.
