DHC Lip Cream (Review)

Long time no review

Well.. Let's see if I still remember how to do a proper review since I haven't been able to do it for so long. You know.. Because of my skin.. I kinda stopped using all skin care products. So lip balms are like the only stuff that are reviewable for a long time.

Let's begin. (Typing this as I stuff my face with fruits. Feeling hungry before dinner!)

The DHC lip cream is a dainty little lip balm (contains only 1.5g of products) made for ants maybe. The lip balm itself has no fragrance, but it sure does have a scent. Not really pleasant, but also doesn't stop me from using it. I just tried sticking the tube too close to my nose for comfort to figure out how to best describe the scent. I think it's the smell of rancid olive oil, as it smells similar to some organic olive oil lip balms I've tried in the past. It just doesn't smell fresh.


Photo credit: DHC

The lip balm has a light yellowish colour to it, is soft and glides on upon warming up to my skin temperature. With one swipe, you'd get a thin film of the lip product hugging your lips. This is probably what I like best about it - it doesn't deposit too much product. It's soft, but not that soft where it'll make a mess. After all, a thin film is all you need, especially when using this to prep your lips before lipstick application. I find that the product doesn't really interfere with lipstick application, meaning lipstick will still adhere to my lips despite having a layer of lip balm on it.

It's not sticky nor glossy, only a slight sheen is observed. It moisturizes my lips just fine, nothing too special in my opinion, as the good old Vaseline petroleum jelly does the same job for me. Except, I gotta admit that Vaseline is a lot softer than the DHC lip cream, so it tends to applies thicker than the latter (unless you control the amount you use carefully).

I used the photo from the official DHC site because I didn't want to show you guys the sorry state my lip cream is in. I used it up within a month (used it day and night as my exclusive lip balm to see how fast it runs out) and resorted to extracting the remaining products that's within the lip balm holder. I used something to dig it out and it just looks like a murder scene.

The skinny tube, while it helps with a more precise application, also makes it hard for me to clean it out after the exposed part of the lip balm is exhausted. Usually I can dip my finger into the lip balm holder to use the leftovers, but unless you're of alien descent with unusually long and skinny fingers, you'll need a tool. I used a toothpick to get it out but it didn't do a good job. I could have used a cotton bud to dip and apply, but how many cotton buds will I waste in the process?

Just a question I ponder at night that helps me fall asleep.

The ingredients used in the DHC lip cream are mostly derived from botanical sources.

lanolin oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax/candelilla cera/cire de candelilla, beeswax/cera alba/cire d’abeille, lanolin, stearic acid, squalane, paraffin, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, pentylene glycol, tocopherol, phenoxyethanol, stearyl glycyrrhetinate, panax ginseng root extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract

We have the moisturizing ingredients like lanolin and squalane. There is also paraffin forming part of the lip balm base (the other being olive oil).

Some people with chronically dry lips (or from medication like accutane) found relief in the DHC lip cream. But if you have an average lip like mine, you'll probably find any other lip balm works just fine for you. For a price of USD 9.50 (holy cow it's SGD18.90 at watons), I believe there are other options that work just as fine, but cost lesser.

In a nutshell:
- Moisturizing, for about 4-6 hours before I have to reapply
- Applies only a thin layer of product, awesome for priming lips
- Fragrance free
- Contains botanical ingredients
- Moisturizes like any other lip balms for my average lips

Unrelated thought:
Phew! After writing all of the stuff, I'm relieved I can still write at all.

There isn't any beauty news that interest me enough to want to blog about it. Also, I was at a wake 2 weeks ago and was unable to blog.

To be honest I've been avoiding review posts for a while, not just because I have no content to write about (since I'm not using much products), but also because to come up with an entry like that, I need to take photos of the product. To take a good photo, you need good lighting. Having lived like a vampire for the entire time my skin is bad, I still don't really like the idea of being in a brightly lit room. I'd inadvertently see my skin and it upsets me. I thought I'll be steeled by now, but it still hurts me to see it being abnormal and all.

Taking that photo for this entry is all I can manage for now. I channeled all my focus on the subject and managed to avoid glancing at my hands (that's holding the camera, and I need to look at the camera to review the photos and stuff) for that short period of time. Let's take it one step at a time. 

One photo this time, maybe two photos the next. :)

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BATTLE OF THE LIP BALMS

Everyone else has a (huge) stash of lip balms too right!?

i don't know how else to justify the amount of lip balms i own.
those in the photos are just 5 that i'm currently using, i still have another 3 or more that's not opened yet.
GASPS.

"i am running out of lip balm!"
says no one ever!!!

here's a brief comparison and my thoughts on each of the lip balm.

VASELINE | PETROLEUM JELLY | ~6 SGD

vaseline is probably the best value of money out of all products here, at only 6 SGD, i get 368g of product and i am pretty sure i can NEVER finish this tub. ok, never is a strong word, so let's just say i won't run out of vaseline for another 5 years AT LEAST.

it's not sticky nor shiny, and does an awesome job preventing my lips from getting dry. layer this baby on before bed and you'll wake up to gorgeous lips. due to its viscosity, vaseline runs the risk of going on too thick, but that's a welcomed quality when i use it at night.

as it does interfere with lipstick application, i usually apply it before starting my makeup, only wiping/blotting it off just before moving on to the lipstick step.

SMITH'S | STRAWBERRY LIP BALM | 7 USD

this lip balm hands down smells the best!!! their scent is what makes this special, i guess. oh, and that lovely pink colour balm too! it doesn't tint my lips pink though.

in terms of its ability to prevent dryness, it does a rather mediocre job. it's harder than vaseline, so it's harder to get a good amount of products onto my lips. i'll need to reapply this more just to keep my lips from drying out. definitely not something i'll use overnight because i tried it and.. my lips were a little dry in the morning.

the formula is not shiny, making it an undetectable lip balm.

it contains beeswax and lanolin on top of petroleum jelly, and while it smells like a minty strawberry, it tastes nothing like strawberry. not even like the artificially strawberry flavoured pocky.

it's safe to say the only redeeming point about it is the sweet scent. is it worth 7 bucks? not in my books. and the packaging is a pain in my ass at times because it's so hard to open it.

LUCAS' | PAPAW OINTMENT | 3.25 AUD

one of the cult favourites well known for its protective capabilities, it's also known to be a "very expensive petroleum jelly" since it's mostly petroleum jelly. in my honest opinion, it is indeed very similar to my vaseline petroleum jelly, but the formulation makes all the difference between the two.

in singapore's temperature (around 30 degC year round) it's a lot softer than vaseline, more shiny for sure. the blend reacts well to my body temperature as it melts into my lips nicely and coats it thinly. it's as though the softness of the product make it incapable of layering too thick a layer (a tragedy that might happen with vaseline). when i smack my lips together, they glide across each other with ease unlike the slight friction i get after using all the other lip balms. that's a strangely satisfying sensation.

there is a slight scent to it, but almost undetectable. if any, it's a natural scent that does't put me off. i can't speak of it's power to "relieve and cleanse" to be honest. if vaseline works well on wounds, this will too! but you know, this will be a greasier version.

due to its shininess and slipperiness, i also blot it off before applying my lipstick. otherwise, it's the perfect overnight treatment for my lips.

CARMEX | SOOTHING LIP BALM | 1.59 USD

i was actually using this lip balm on my skin to soothe any irritation because of its awesome cooling sensation. with added camphor and menthol, it calms any tingles within my skin very well.

cooling lips felt amazing too! it doesn't sting, and the effect last for a few minutes at most. the scent though!!!! it took me a while to get used to it. the first time i smelled it i was really taken aback.

the formula is just as soft as the lucas' papaw ointment, it's definitely more greasy than vaseline and lucas' which might be due to the additional ingredients such as petrolatum, cocoa seed butter, mineral oil, lanolin and so on. the lip balm feels heavy even though i only used a thin layer, and the shine is real.

i haven't worn this overnight before, but it being more greasy and thick than lucas' tells me it'll work just as well as an overnight treatment.

MAYBELLINE | BABY LIPS | ~3 USD

perhaps i am too used to using softer lip balms (like vaseline and lucas' papaw ointment), i find the baby lips not meeting my high expectations after seeing how it's been raved as the most hydrating lip balm out there. those girls are missing out.

it's not as greasy or oily as what i'm used to, but the redeeming point about the baby lips is its light application, and adorable scent. the one i have smells like grape juice, and i gotta say i quite like it!

i'd say this is the perfect lip balm to wear beneath your lipstick without have the need to blot it off prior to lipstick application because it's not quite as oily as the other lip balms. the lack of shine makes this invisible on my lips, except for the slight tint that gave it away. it's also a pretty no-mess product since you don't need your fingers, nor have to worry about it melting and leaking out of the package.

definitely not my go-to lipstick for sleeping though, because it's just not enough to keep my lips from drying out. i need something heavy duty.

the other issue i have is the long list of ingredients used to formulate this lip balm. like, WAY TOO MUCH YO! but then again, do take note that i've used an one ingredient lip balm (vaseline petroleum jelly, which is 100% petroleum jelly) for years. so anything more than one is many in my opinion.

IN A NUTSHELL

there's always a lip balm for ever situation! when i need an extra layer of protection, i drift towards the oilier/softer products. when it's a little prep for makeup, i use the harder products.

personally i drift towards unscented and uncolored lip balms because i love using them on my skin too. any multi-purpose products score extra points in my heart because i just need to carry one item out instead of two! lip balms are awesome barriers to lock the moisture within our skin, so don't hesitate to use it on your skin if necessary!

i can't decide if i prefer vaseline over lucas' papaw ointment or not. both are very similar in terms of function, but lucas' makes my lips feel more lubricated, and i quite like that.

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