Kiehl’s #1 lip balm & eucalyptus lip relief

2016 was definitely the year in which I discovered Kiehl’s as a beauty brand. When browsing one of their stores one day, I spotted these lip balms and I was intrigued enough to pick them up. Especially when a brand markets one of their products as the #1 lip balm then I have to try it. Come winter time my lips become dry and chapped and they can use all the help they can get. Do these lip balms live up to my expectations?

Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1
Kiehl’s Eucalyptus Lip Relief

I have quite some expectations of a good lip balm. They should be easily applied, nourish and protect my lips and not leave them too dry and chapped. I need my lip balms to be quite heavy duty and I like going for quite thick lip balms, especially during night time to ensure I wake up with nicely moisturized lips.

Both lip balms come in a tube which is easy and hygienic. I like carrying the Eucalyptus Lip Relief with me on cold days to top up at the end of my working day to keep my lips nicely moisturized. I am currently using the Lip Balm #1 as my daily night time lip balm, replacing my long standing favorite: Nuxe Reve de Miel.

The Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 comes in classic Kiehl’s packaging and retails for €8. That is a little cheaper than Nuxe’s as that costs around €12. The front of the packaging tells you exactly how to use this lip balm: apply generously and leave it to absorb into the lips.

This is one of those lip balms that really puts a type of film onto your lips. It feels rather sticky and very emollient. It spreads onto the lips quite effortlessly, but I would be careful to apply this throughout the day. Because it applies so easily it quickly gets outside your lip line and if you’re a daily make up wearer such as myself, you may find that it disrupts your foundation in the mouth area.

The ingredient list isn’t too impressive to be quite honest. However, all I can say about this lip balm is that it works. It’s not super heavy duty, but for the past 2 months or so this lip balm has been a great night time moisturizer for my lips. It doesn’t only apply a protective layer, but the oils in this lip balm definitely sink into your lips over time and allows me to wake up with nicely nourished lips indeed.

In the swatch you can see what I mean when I describe this lip balm as emollient. It is not runny like water, but more like an oil. It almost dissolves the minute it heats up and you start spreading it round. Therefore, the texture was one I had to get used to. All in all, the Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 is a great every day lip balm to keep in your purse or to slather on before bed time.

The packaging of the Kiehl’s Eucalyptus Lip Relief looks only slightly differently from the regular packaging. At €9.50 this lip balm is a little bit pricier, but it also promises to do something differently from a normal lip balm. This is supposed to be more heavy duty and was formulated to help against dry lips especially when you’re traveling on planes.

The consistency of this lip balm is very different from its sister. Where that was very emollient, this is a lot thicker and balmy. More like a cream rather than an oil. It still applies very easily and with this a little goes a very long way. You only need a small nib to spread all over your lips and ensuring enough moisture.

I like using this lip balm as my daily on the go lip balm. The packaging is light weight and easy to carry around and you don’t have to stick your finger into a pot to apply it. Of course the other lip balm does that too, but the difference between them and why I like this more during the day is the strong eucalyptus scent. The smell reminds me of the type of products you apply to your chest and nose area when you have a cold. It is very minty and refreshing which is great for an inbetween pick me up throughout the day, but not the best if you’re trying to get to sleep.

The Kiehl’s Eucalyptus Lip Relief is definitely a much more intense product. That’s why the ingredient list isn’t only longer (look at all those oils and extracts!) but also why it has a completely different composition. I can recommend this if your lips get sore and chapped due to the cold and dry weather. I absolutely love using this after wearing a liquid lipstick which can be quite drying after a full day of wear.

What is your favorite heavy duty lip balm?