With all the alarmist health news telling us every day that something new causes cancer, it’s no wonder that more people are looking for beauty products with less chemicals and more natural ingredients.

I picked up the tin and tube versions of Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm on separate occasions years ago and thought it would be a good idea to review them both now. While you may think the packaging is the only difference, that’s not the case at all. (More on that later.)

I’m not vegan (I’m a vegetarian though), but I did have a moral dilemma about buying a balm made with beeswax. Why? I’ve heard a lot about Colony Collapse Disorder and how it’s affecting not only the livelihood of bees, but also flowers and plants that rely on bees for pollination. Exploiting bees just to make lip balm seems terribly petty. Then again, two weeks ago, I was stung by a bee for the first time (and it hurt like hell), so maybe I should be selfish and load up on honey and beeswax for revenge. Just kidding.
Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm Pictures:

 

 

Claims: BUSTED

X Soothing
√ Cooling
X Hydrating

Key Notes

• Name: Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
• Amount: Tin (8.5g) / Tube (4.25g)
• Price I Paid: $4.49 CAD
• Price Per Unit: Tin ($0.53 CAD) / Tube ($1.06 CAD)
• Options Available on Canadian Site: Original, Honey & Pomegranate
• Where to Buy: Burt’s Bees (Canadian site / US site), drugstores, grocery stores, department stores & some bookstores

Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm Review

The Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm contains peppermint oil that not only makes your lips tingle (how fun!), but it also freshens your breath. This is where my praises begin and end. Sorry, Burt. And sorry, bees!

I first bought the tin because the packaging was unlike anything I already owned. After using it, I realized that my inner germophobe cringed every time I’d swirl my finger around in the tin. Mind you, I always did that with a clean finger, but still – there are natural oils on your skin that can transfer onto the product. And then you wipe it on your mouth. Just ew!

Later I bought the tube version because it was way more hygienic, and even if I was on the subway and had touched the germ-infested poles, I could use my Burt’s Bees.

What surprised me is that the tin and the tube have different formulas – just look at the ingredients. The tin formula goes on smoother and thinner. The tube formula goes on waxy, thick, and uneven – it tugs on your lips a bit when you apply it. Both have that same peppermint smell and tingle.

Now, I’m the type of person who has a bad habit of slathering on my lip products especially if my lips are chapped. With Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, the more you apply, the dryer your lips feel. It’s almost like a thick matte film covering your lips with the tube version. And even with the tin formula, the more you put on, the slicker it gets, but your lips don’t feel hydrated…just coated. It’s also important to note that when I slicked this onto chapped lips, my lips burned! Must be the peppermint oil.

I give Burt’s Bees kudos for going green, but at the end of the day, your product has to perform well. This one was a major fail in my books. Even when I put on a thin layer and then applied multiple coats throughout the day, the condition of my lips didn’t improve. Furthermore, they felt drier than before I used the balm!

Pros Peppermint oil freshens breath & gives lips a fun tingly sensation Natural ingredients Not tested on animals Tube packaging is made from 50% post-industrial recycled plastic

Cons Exploits bees for beeswax Tube formula has a very waxy texture Tin packaging not hygienic Drying Irritates chapped lips

Final Verdict: 4/10

I wouldn’t repurchase these again. You’d have more enjoyment sniffing these for the lovely peppermint smell than using them for their intended purpose.

This product was Mary’s winner for the 2010 Worst Kiss Award.