Why the heck did you stop working now?!
I’ve been using Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15 for months and had just decided to get a second tube when the damn thing stops doing its job – and when I need it the most, too!
Typical, isn’t it? Here’s what happened:
What’s In Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15?
COCONUT OIL TO MOISTURISE LIPS
My lips are one of the few areas where I dare use coconut oil. This stuff is SUPER moisturizing… and SUPER comedogenic, too. But my lips don’t get pimples so all’s good.
What makes coconut oil super moisturizing is its high fatty acid content. Lauric, myristic and palmitic acids create a barrier on the lips that slow down water loss.
Moisture stays in your lips, keeping them soft ad kissable for hours.
Related: All You Ever Wanted To Know About Coconut Oil In Skincare
SHEA BUTTER TO STRENGTHEN THE SKIN’S PROTECTIVE BARRIER
I was so sure Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15 was going to work when I saw shea butter on the label.
Derived from the nut of the Shea tree, shea butter is another wonderful natural moisturizer. It works just like coconut oil: it has fatty acids that create a barrier on the skin that locks moisture in.
Studies show that shea butter is more moisturizing than mineral oil. Rumour has it, it keeps lips soft and moisturised for up to 8 hours. And it did… until my lips got chapped. 🙁
Related: Why Shea Butter Is A Godsend For Dry Skin
UV FILTERS TO PROTECT LIPS FROM THE SUN
Can I tell you a secret? SPF is about protection from UVB rays only.
So, when Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15 tells you that it protects your lips from the sun, it isn’t telling you the whole story.
This baby has two synthetic filters – octinoxate and oxybenzone – that keep your pout safe from UVB rays – but they do nothing for UVA rays. Nada. Niente.
Sure, partial protection is better than no protection but… is it only me who thinks no UVA protection is unacceptable in 2018?!
Related: The Best Lip Balms With SPF (That Protect You From BOTH UVA And UVB Rays)
Not sure your sunscreen or lip balm with SPF is up to the job? Download your FREE “Sunscreen Audit” checklist to find out if they’re both safe AND effective:
Texture
Smooth and creamy.
Fragrance
A little waxy, a little coconutty.
How To Use It
Apply it on your lips every time they need some extra moisture or before you go out in the sun.
Performance & Personal Opinion
When Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15 first entered my life, we got on like a house of fire.
Ok, it didn’t add that much shine to my lips as other lip balms do. But its smooth, creamy texture glides smoothly on my lips and keeps them soft and kissable for hours. I didn’t have to reapply it every 2 hours or so.
Little did I know that it was just helping my lips keep the status quo. My lips were already in good condition and the lip balm made sure they stayed that way.
Until the temperatures suddenly plummeted a couple of weeks ago. Cue dry, flaky, chapped lips and all that crap that ALWAYS happen at this time of the year (seriously, is it a curse or what?!).
All of a sudden, Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15 stopped working. I’d apply a thick layer to protect my lips from the cold, but it wasn’t working. The lip balm was just sitting on my lips, making them feel drier and more comfortable than they already were.
Still, I kept using it. This stuff has coconut oil AND shea butter. Surely, it’d nurse my lips back to health, right? RIGHT?!
A week later, my lips were still dry and chapped AF. I threw this in the bin and went back to La Roche Posay Cicaplast lip balm.
Sorry, Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15. I don’t need fair-weather friends in my life.
Who Is This For?
If your lips are already in good condition, this’ll keep the status quo.
Who Is This NOT For?
- Dry, chapped lips
- Broad-spectrum sun protection
Packaging
A simple white and brown tube. Sleek and practical.
Does Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm SPF 15 Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| This decadently creamy lip balm keeps lips hydrated all day long and protects against chapping, cracking and environmental damage from the sun or wind. | It keeps lips hydrated only for a few hours and doesn’t do anything for chapped lips. |
| Palmer’s® Coconut Oil Formula™ products contain ethically and sustainably sourced Coconut Oil and Tahitian Monoï Oil. These raw, natural ingredients deliver rich moisturisation for soft, pampered lips. |
It’s true these ingredients are very moisturising. But in this formula, not too much. |
Price & Availability
$2.00 at iHerb
Do You Need It?
Nope, there are more moisturising options out there.
Dupes & Alternatives
- Coola Liplux SPF 30 Original ($12.00)
- Paula’s Choice Lipscreen SPF 50 ($10.00)
Ingredients
Octinoxate 7.5%, Oxybenzone 4.5%, Ozokerite, glycine soja (soybean) oil, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, ethylhexy palmitate, octyldodecanol, cetyl alcohol, flavor (aroma), myristyl myristate, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, tocopherol, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, gardenia tahitensis flower extract, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, myristyl laurate, stearyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stevioside, rebaudioside A. benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, limonene.
