Burt's Bees Original Lip Balm

Burt's Bees original beeswax lip balm has been the same formula since the company started in Maine in 1984. The yellow tube with the bearded face of Burt Shavitz on it is probably the most recognizable lip balm packaging in America. The peppermint tingle when you apply it is immediate, and the wax barrier keeps my lips from cracking in winter. At $3.50 per tube, it sits at the intersection of affordable and effective that most personal care products miss. The ingredient list is short: beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower oil, peppermint oil, and a few others I can pronounce. Simplicity has been consistent since before "clean beauty" was a marketing category. My mom kept one in her purse when I was a kid. I associate the scent with her, and that sensory memory is probably worth more to me than any formulation claim.