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I mooched into my local Boots chemist and whilst checking out the plethora of lipbalms on offer I saw the mustard yellow capped pot of Carmex. Hmm, I'd heard good things about Carmex - don't models and top make-up artists use it?! With that idea in mind I went off to pay the £2.75 for ... Read review
Carmex Lip Salve 10g
Carmex Lip Salve moisturises and protects your lips. For many years the best-kept secret ... more
of models, Carmex is now a must-have for the fashion conscious. A top seller in America where it's no-nonsense appeal and effectiveness has earned it cult status.
Carmex Lip Salve 7.5g
Carmex Lip Salve moisturises and protects your lips. For many years the best-kept secret ... more
of models, Carmex is now a must-have for the fashion conscious. This lip salve is a top seller in America where it's no-nonsense appeal and effectiveness have earn...
secret of models in the UK is now a must for all deemed fashion conscious. A top seller in America where it?s no-nonsense appeal and effectiveness has earned it som...
added protection of SPF 15. Not only is it a great sunscreen, you can wear it after the sun goes down as a lipstick undercoat, sealant or on its own to give your lips...
balm that instantly relieves your dry, chapped lips so you can carry on your everyday business without irritating lip discomfort! With ingredients including Camph...
balm that instantly relieves your dry, chapped lips so you can carry on your everyday business without irritating lip discomfort! With ingredients including Camph...
relieves your dry, chapped lips so you can carry on your everyday business without irritating lip discomfort! With ingredients including Menthol, Shea Butter, Cocoa Bu...
your dry, chapped lips so you can carry on your everyday business without irritating lip discomfort! With ingredients including Camphor, Menthol, Phenol and many m...
relieves your dry, chapped lips so you can carry on your everyday business without irritating lip discomfort! With ingredients including Menthol, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Lanolin and many more, this luscious lip balm kills germs, relieves discomfort and pain, exfoliates your lips, protects them from free radicals, and softens them for the most comfortable finish!
balm that instantly relieves your dry, chapped lips so you can carry on your everyday business without irritating lip discomfort! With ingredients including Camphor, Menthol, Phenol and many more, this brilliant balm kills germs, relieves discomfort, exfoliates your lips, comfortably removes old dead skin, and softens your lips for the most soothing finish!
A review by Amazingwoo on Carmex Lip Balm January 11th, 2006
Author's product rating:
Gloss?
no
Frequency of Reapplication
infrequent - it lasts!
Advantages:
It works .
Disadvantages:
You might not like the cooling tingle . Or the smell .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
A few months back I thought I had a serious vitamin deficiency; my lips were severely chapped and the corners of my mouth were very red and sore and starting to crack - I was too scared to smile incase my face split open. I then realised that the change was down to the building managers turning our heating down low and our air conditioning high which meant my mouth was drying out and as lips do not have oil glands I was licking my lips every few minutes which as you should know is not a good thing to do as it just makes them dry out even faster.
I kept on applying one of those solid wax stick balms but this was having no beneficial effect, infact I think it was making my lips drier. I then dug out my old favourite pricey lip balm which was in a squeezy tube but as it smelt like something had crept in there and died I decided a new lip balm purchase was in order and as I was on a budget I would not be spending more than £3 on it.
I mooched into my local Boots chemist and whilst checking out the plethora of lipbalms on offer I saw the mustard yellow capped pot of Carmex. Hmm, I'd heard good things about Carmex - don't models and top make-up artists use it?! With that idea in mind I went off to pay the £2.75 for my little 7.5g pot of magic not before unscrewing the lid first just to check someone else hadn't dunked their finger in the pot as this balm isn't covered with security wrap or sticky tags to prevent it being opened and prodded by other shoppers.
On leaving Boots I unscrewed the lid again and wiped my index finger over the solid golden yellow balm and applied it to my lips. I then yelped as my lips began to feel incredibly cold and tingly - this I found was down to the product containing menthol and my lips being severely chapped. I persisted with the balm as the tingly sensation whilst unusual was not unbearable and I found that after one day of applying the balm several times a day my lips were looking better and after three days of applying balm every two hours or so, my lips were now the picture of health, smooth, fuller looking and pink as opposed to flaky, thin and haggard and no, I didn't take before pics I looked far too awful!!
Good Points • Very moisturising. • Not heavy or waxy so doesn't just sit on the surface of the lips. • Balm melts on contact with lips and spreads easily. • The smell - well, I like it! • Compact, fits in most pockets and easy to find in your handbag due to the bright yellow metal lid. • Product lasts a long time. • Gives the slightest sheen to lips so can be used by guys too. • Reasonably priced. • Available in Boots, Superdrug and independent chemists. I've also seen this in Oasis clothes stores although in there it is currently £3.00. • Not tested on Animals.
Bad Points • If your lips are very chapped when you first apply this, it will tingle a lot. • You need to apply using your digits so if you have nails, product goes under them and then if you touch your eye/s (or anywhere else sensitive!), boy, it WILL hurt. • The lack of security tape on the product to prevent other shoppers opening it. • As it is popular it can sell out. • I imagine it'll be tricky to get the balm out of the pot when it starts to run low……
~ Ingredients ~
I know you aren't supposed to list ingredients as you can go to the shops and check the product out yourself, however, some of the ingred's sounded a bit bizarre and in need of further investigation, so here goes:-
Petroleum - Makes skin creams smooth. Lanolin - Greasy substance extracted from wool. Once been through the process of purification is used in creams, lotions & potions. Cetyl Esters - Wax mixture made up of fatty alcohols and fatty acids. Theobroma oil - Cocoa butter. Beeswax - What comes out of a bee when it's squished. OK, that's not true. It's actually sweated from the abdomen of bees once they've gorged themselves on sugar or honey. Proving even bees have no self control when it comes to sweeties. Paraffin wax - A component of crude mineral oil. Camphor - An online Wilkipedia says that this is a ".. waxy crystalline solid with a strong penetrating, pungent, aromatic odour". That explains the smell then. Menthol - Made from peppermint oils. Explains the cool, tingly sensation. Salicylic acid - Used as an antiseptic and helps to dry out cold sores. Vanillin - Flavouring agent made from the black bean pods. Fragrance - Niff.
Hmm, some of these sound pretty nasty but I suppose if you were to investigate the ingredients of any cosmetic or shampoo, most would repulse you!
~ Warnings ~ Not to be used by children under three years of age.
**** I checked out the Carmex website and found that Salicylic Acid is closely related to Aspirin, so if you have an allergy to Aspirin, best avoid this balm incase of any reaction. ****
~ A little bit about the Company ~
In 1937 Alfred Woelbing started to develop a treatment for his chapped lips cold sores, this product was called Carmex. During Word War II the product of Carmex had to be limited due to Lanolin (one of its ingredients) being required by the military for rust prevention and lubrication of military equipment.
Alfred and his wife produced Carmex from their home and Alfred went out selling the little jars of balm from the boot of his car. As with all good products, word spread and in 1957 the company was so successful - without spending a penny on advertising - that they finally took production to a facility in Wauwatosa.
The company carried on growing and in 1976 they had to move into a bigger facility in Franklin, Wisconsin - where they are to this day.
In 2001 Alfred Woelbing sadly passed away at the ripe old age of 100 but the company is now in the hands of his son and grandsons, following on in the family business.
Carma Laboratories, Inc. 5801 West Airways Avenue Franklin, Wisconsin 53132
www.carma-labs.com
~ Would I recommend? ~ Yes. I love this balm so much I bought a second one and keep it in my car glove box. Buy it, it works and you never know - you might enjoy the tingle!
Advantages: Tingly sensation, it works on sore, dry lips. Disadvantages: Unpleasant taste.
...Here's why… ** Carmex **
Originating from America, Carmex has been in business since 1937 creating products that protect and look after the lips. It was invented by a very clever man named Alfred Woelbing and has always been run and maintained as a family run business. Alfred invented it on his own kitchen stove and used it to cure his own cold sores. How he managed to think of this is a mystery, but I think it is incredible that someone experimented ... ...inspirational really. The creator of Carmex Mr Woelbing lived to be a lip smacking 100 years old, so maybe this lip stuff has a special ingredient we don't know about!
**What is the Original Carmex Tube? **
Originally, all the products were in little yellow tubs. In 1988 Carmex made their first ever packaging change and added a squeezable tube to their range. It is still bright yellow and has a round red cap that twists on and off. It is made of ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: No nonsense packaging, nice smell, nice tingly feeling Disadvantages: More expensive than normal lipsalves, and not really any more effective
Carmex lip balm is something of a black sheep in today’s world of sumptuous, lavishly packaged, beautiful smelling beauty products. I seem to have a recollection that Carmex was originally only available in America, but these days it sits innocently amongst the lipsalves and lip treatments in Boots looking anything but beautiful in a small round white pot with a yellow lid. The lid is covered with black writing and the product reminds me of something ... ...A small pot of Carmex will set you back £2.49 in Boots – slightly more than a traditional lip balm, but slightly less than one of the lip treatments such as Blistex. The balm itself is waxy in appearance (it contains beeswax, so this is probably why!) and fairly firm in consistency, making it ideal for application with the fingers, as it doesn’t squidge everywhere as soon as you put your finger in the pot, disappearing underneath your fingernails ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Cheap, effective Disadvantages: For some the medicated smell
...don't think its reason for Carmex to run off and re-design!
The Smell
Believe it not this could be the point at which many will winch and decide its not for them. Although the smell suits me perfectly, for many it may be the downfall of the lip salve. The product is not so much perfumed but more smells of what it is. I'm not sure if the smell has been enhanced, but its highly likely that it is purely the ingredients forming the smell. In the tin, ... ...the price becomes even cheaper. Carmex is an American product and so of course is available cheaper in the US, but although less than a dollar over the pond its not really worth importing, if however you happen to be over there then why not purchase some.
So what is it?
Carmex contains antiseptic, thus as mentioned earlier the TCP smell. Due to this its largely marketed as a treatment rather than a lip salve. Boasting help for lip blisters, cold ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
...1 lip balm… Carmex!
Carmex lip balm comes in one of two containers; my personal favourite is the small white pot with a yellow metal lid. It's very sturdy and can take being battered around in your hand bag or pocket no problem and the screw lid also means that spillages are practically unheard of. It's also available in a plastic tube, very similar to those used by Blistex which aren't quite as sturdy in packaging in my opinion but do have a lip ... ...well.
So what makes Carmex so good then? Well firstly it contains a property known as salicylic acid which is related to an ingredient found in normal aspirin, this means that it combines with other ingredients to act as an antiseptic and also has a cold sore drying property. The reason it tingles when you first apply it is because it contains a small amount of camphor and menthol which act as a cooling agent to calm dry and rough lips. There's ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Mildly effective Disadvantages: Is it addictive?
...One could ask what Carmex has to do with Marmite and one would be fully justified in doing so. After all, Marmite, for all its sticky gooiness would not be terribly suitable for use as a lip balm (visions of black and white minstrels spring to mind) and I doubt that Carmex would taste too good on toast! What they have in common is Marmite’s tagline – you either love it or you hate it! – and, as this product has never been actively ... ...the middle. To touch, Carmex again, is not unlike Vaseline. It has a slightly sticky feel and at this my hopes of a good purchase began to flag.
What was most noticeable, however, was the strange medicinal smell that was emanating from this little pot. The smell was far stronger that the seemingly small surface area would have you believe possible. Smells, are such strange things and almost impossible to describe so please bear with me. This balm, ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Makes lips soft, lasts for a long time, SPF 15 and easy to find in your bag! Disadvantages: Fortunately for Carmex I can't think of any...Perhaps not good if you don't like a light menthol?
...Carmex Cherry LipBalm won't change your life, it won't make you stare at your other lipbalms with disappointment and it will not give you a whole new face... But it is really rather nice and is now a crucial part of my 'beauty regime'.
I first bought this product before going off to Glastonbury festival this year. I'm quite happy to be amongst the greasy unwashed masses, there's no way I'm scouting out a shower at 4 am to avoiding the usual morning queues. I just cannot be bothered. But whilst I'm lazy in bundling up my hair into a headscarf or doing the babywipe wash, I do like to try and make my face look at least a little more presentable than the rest of me. A white kohl, bit of tinted moisturiser and a nice lipbalm and I'm out of the sweltering heat of the tent and off to see a nice band or something. So, I wanted something...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: cheap, effective and long lasting Disadvantages: clinical packaging, thick
...I bought the carmexlipbalm pot some time ago as my lips were really chapped and sore. I was in a shop browsing the different lipbalms available and decided to go for this one simply because it was the cheapest on offer.
When applied to the lips it gives a slight tingling situation - some people might like this, others may well not.
Positives:
Instantly smoothes and soothes the lips.
Helps to prevent dry flaking skin.
Does not need constant reapplying.
Lasts for ages - I've had the same small pot for over a year and it isn't even half used up even though I use it on a very regular basis.
Negatives:
Packaging not all that appealing so it can easily be passed over on a shelf in favour of more elaborately packaged products.
The lipbalm is very 'solid' so can prove hard to get from the pot to your lips - one way to get round this is to...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Flavour, Its Cold Sore related properties Disadvantages: Practicallity of fingers and jars. Price
...Carmex, i used to love it but after a while the tingling sensation it leaves on your lips can become irritating. However the unique flavour of camphor and menthol is either loved or hated, i personally like it, it makes the product distinctive and both the Camphor and Menthol have properties to aid the products efficiency as anesthetics / anti-itch.
Popularity of this product worldwide is phenomenal, especilly as the company which produces is undertakes no form of advertising of their product apparently. It has litterally grown from word of mouth, and its distinctive coloured packaging.
Primarily sold and created within the USA for cold sore remedy (this is not stated on UK packaging) mainly due to lack of clinical trails maybe, essentially however some people state its the only thing what sorts out their cold sores...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
05.10.2009
26.04.2007
