The 7 Best Lip Balms You Need As A Frequent Traveller

One thing a traveller must always have with them is a trusted lip balm. Travelling can be tiring, especially long flights. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look your best as you get off that plane. One swipe of a good lip balm can quickly improve your overall mood.

The air in aeroplane cabins can be very drying. Cold air in temperate countries too. Let’s be honest, no one wants chapped lips while they’re floating down the canals of Venice or hiking to the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.

It’s neither comfortable nor attractive. That’s why having a good one that’ll keep this from happening is vital. But which one is the best?

In this guide, let’s take a look at our seven best choices for you. Hopefully, this will help you keep your lips hydrated. What makes a good lip balm, you ask? Let’s take a little look…

Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash

What Makes A Great Lip Balm?

One thing you need to consider as a traveller are the rules of the road. That means paying attention to the lip balm’s composition. No one wants security to find something that shouldn’t be in our carry-on bag and have it confiscated just because we thought it didn’t count.

Keep in mind that gel lip balms could be considered as liquid. That means you need to keep the weight under 3.4 oz.

Now that we’ve that little PSA out of the way, let’s look at the important features. You can use these to judge which lip balm is the best for you and your moisturising needs.

Check The Ingredients

Paying attention to the ingredients of your lip balm is a key factor for many reasons. Check if you’re allergic to any of the listed components. You don’t want to put something on your lips that’ll cause damage in the long run.

You don’t want to put toxic ingredients on your lips. Look out for things like BHT or Parabens. After those two factors, all that’s left is to decide between organic or non-organic ingredients.

SPF, Your Shield From Sun’s Harmful Rays

If you’re looking for a double-duty lip balm while you explore the streets of London or ski along the Alps, then looking for a lip balm with added sunblock features is a must. You wouldn’t want to have sunburnt lips, right?

Safety Seals Are A Must

Lip balms without safety seals might not be the best choice. Steer clear from those and keep looking. If it has one but it is broken, then it may not be fresh, or someone has taken it for a test ride.

Scented Or Unscented?

Scent can add a little oomph for practical lip balm stick. Vanilla, peppermint, or citrus are few common choices. No matter if you’re looking for a fragrance-free option or trying to find a scent you like, you need to factor in the fragrance.

Size Matters

You’ll want to be able to carry it with you on board a plane that’s why choosing the right size is important. Consider also the size when thinking about the length of your trip. The worst thing would be to have that perfect lip balm and then realize that halfway through your trip you’ll be out without a backup or extra stick in your bag.

Photo by Burst on Pexels

Best Lip Balms

Now you know how to choose your lip balm, it’s time to dive into the 7 best lip balms for travellers. We’ve carefully curated the ones we feel will give you the most bang for your buck and allow you to travel without worrying about having chapped lips.

Photo from Amazon

This lip balm from Zelens contains 13 ingredients and does much more than just moisturise. With this brand and type, you get a restoring lip balm that also plumps your lips, making it great for night-time use as well. It soothes and protects your lips from the elements that travelling miles will throw at them.

Photo from Amazon

Next up is a travel-friendly option from Frank Body. The Frank Body Lip Balm has a nice thick consistency and is crafted with tons of great ingredients like Vitamin E, coconut and Coffee Arabica oil. The only thing that this lip balm doesn’t offer is SPF coverage.

Photo from Amazon

A tried and true staple that is one of the more budget-friendly options on our list is this lip balm from Burt’s Bees. Burt’s Bees, in general, is a great brand but if you’re a traveller looking to help keep or repair any unwanted damage on your lips.

It offers great moisture replenishment with its mix of several different kinds of butter like cocoa and shea. Burt’s Bees will heal any damage with the addition of menthol and eucalyptus. One word of caution, if you have sensitive lips, you may want to go with the regular Burt’s Bees as the menthol/eucalyptus could irritate your lips.

Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash

Glossier offers multiple options fit for anyone. They smell great and offer long-lasting coverage. It’s good for anyone which gives them a great level of versatility.

If it doesn’t bother you that the balm contains petroleum jelly, then the Glossier Balm Dotcom is a good choice.  The product moisturises and protects your lips as it should.

Photo from Kiehl’s

Kiehl’s #1 Lip Balm is a great option for travellers. It comes in a nice easy-to-pack tube and smells great. Kiehl’s soothes the lips while moisturising it without leaving a greasy film.

This lip balm doesn’t offer a lot of SPF coverage, but it does have it. It isn’t a truly budget-friendly option, but it does work well.

Photo from Fresh

This lip treatment from Fresh is a great choice if you’re looking for a tinted lip balm. Like Kiehl’s, it’s a bit on the pricey side. However the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment with SPF15 has a lot to offer.

It hydrates and shields your lips from the sun. You also have multiple colour options to choose from.

Photos from Amazon

The M.A.C. Cosmetics Lip Conditioner is a nice travel choice. No one can ever go wrong with M.A.C and that includes this lip conditioner. This is dermatologist tested and goes on the light while still moisturising.

It comes in a travel-sized tube and is fragrance-free. It’s a little pricier than some of its competitors. But it works extremely well when used on a regular basis to help keep your lips from chapping or drying out.

Photo by Jaxson Bryden from Pexels

Final Thoughts…

Just a reminder for those travelling by plane, solid lip balms have no restrictions. However, gel lip balms might be subject to the rules of carrying on liquids. To be on the safe side, it wouldn’t hurt having a plastic bag with you.

If you hate having dry lips, then having any of the seven lip balms above would be your salvation. Go on, get yourself a balm stick and worry no more about chapped lips as you get off that plane.

Besides having your trusted lip balm, there’s another type of balm you need to have with your travels – the Tiger Balm!