I picked up over 100 lip applications on the beach in 2018. Shown below are about half of the pickup. While not the top item picked up on the beach, it still represents plastic and an item that is easily swallowed by marine animals. No matter if it is ‘Eco Friendly’ plastic is still toxic and can you recycle them?
ChapStick, ChapIce Carmex, Kiss My Face, Bliztec, Burts Bees, Sun Bal, EOS, Nice, and of course the swag give-aways. The only one that has a recycling program is Burts Bees. which according to Statista Brain is the #1 best selling lip balm but if you add all the Chapsticks together they outsell Burts Bees.
Burts Bees: One Burts Bees is is sold every second somewhere in the world. That means that 86,400 of these yellow tubes are purchased in a 24-hour period. Burts Bees uses natural ingredients, is a sustainable company and they give back.
Chapstick is owned by Pfizer (Viagra) and was invented in the 1880’s. There is some talk by medical professionals who claim that ChapStick dries out lips.The ingredients they use are phenol, menthol, and salicylic acid along plus flavorings or scents. The chemicals in these ingredients cause irritation to the lips, remove outer layers of the skin, and cause allergies to flare up.
Carmex: Launched in 1937, In the United States, the active ingredients of Carmex lip balm are benzocaine, camphor (1.7%), menthol (0.7%), phenol (0.4%), and salicylic acid. (Wikipedia) But on the Carmex website, they list other ingredients and do not animal test.
EOS: Rare to find and maybe not as popular as they were, since they have received some bad press. (Business Insider)
If you can believe this.. Lip Balms can be a bad habit and can make your lips drier. Did you know that while illegal, whale blubber was used in lipstick?
- $55 billion/ year: Size of the Cosmetic market.
- 0 Testing required on cosmetics.
- 9 bounds of lipstick the average women uses n her lifetime.
- Denmark banned banned propyl and butyl paraben in cosmetic products for children under 3 years old.
- Heavy metals, pesticides, sperm whale excrement, snail slime and ground fish scales are some cosmetic ingredients that may be included in lip balms.
Toxic Ingredients in Lip Balms
- Petrolatum or Petroleum jellyl, mineral oil is made from refined petroleum.
- Butylated hudroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxtoluene (BHT) This is a preservative. These chemicals can cause endocrine disruption, organ-system toxicity and even cancer.
- Parabens (Propylparaben Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, IsopropyIparbens and any other paraben. Also known as endocrine disruptors, which are linked to breast cancer and melanoma. For men, propyl and butyl parabens might lead to reduction in sperm production.
- Fragrances and Flavoring: These might be hidden as they are known as trade secrets. They might contain phthalates. Phthalates are hormone disruptors and have consequences of allergy and asthma symptons as wells as reduced sperm count in men and reduced female fertility
- Sunscreens: Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Homosalate. Sunscreens are not only toxic to humans but are one reason that the coral reefs are dying. In fact many sunscreens are not allowed on some beaches.
Do they work?
Studies say that lip balms not only may not work and could be bad for, but they can be a bad habit. The Cleveland Clinic came up with 7 Signs that your lip balm use is a bad habit
- Do you apply it very frequently?
- Do you have to carry it with you at all times?
- Do you have it stashed all over? (Your purse? Your car? Your bedroom? Your bathroom?)
- Do you spend a lot of money on it?
- Have your friends or family commented on your frequent use or spending on it?
- Do you go out of your way or make yourself late to get more?
- Do you have trouble concentrating or enjoying life because you can’t take your mind off the need to apply it?
Bottom line: Save your money and the environment by eliminating the lip balm habit. If you really feel the need, get use Burts Bees and get their FREE recycle pouch and recycle the containers or make your own Don’t take to the beach.
Resources
Whales: Campaigning To End Whale Products in Cosmetics
Cosmetics Companies Still Using Whales
Toxic Ingredients in Lip Balms
This came at the perfect time for me, cathy. I know my lips are “addicted” to lip balm, and yes, i have one handy in every location: purse, car, kitchen, bathroom.
I do buy burt’s bees and do recycle, but would love to drop the “habit”..will investigate how! Because, you are right, petroleum jelly is not good either!
I wonder about coconut oil.
I have a brother and a niece that are also addicted to lip balm, I am going to send this to them. I think it is the question is what plastic items or items encased in plastic do you really need and or can give up. I am constantly questioning myself as well.