I’m not totally sure how much you can say about the use of lip balm, but I’ll give it my best shot. I consider EOS’s lip balm to be a pretty versatile product — and no, I’m not recommending that you try using it as, say, hand lotion. What I mean is that it’s the kind of thing you can wear everyday, whether you’re at work, at the beach, doing chores, etc. The only time you might find it lacking is on a date, assuming you’re the kind of person who likes to go all-out in terms of makeup — this won’t give you anything more than a hint of glossiness, so look elsewhere if you want something that will plump up your lips or give them color.

I’m inclined to say that this is a pretty gender-neutral product, since it’s more or less just higher-quality ChapStick. There’s only a hint of sweetness, though, and some of the flavors that it’s available in seem unlikely to give offense to men (or, for that matter, women) who don’t like traditionally “feminine” scents and tastes — mint, or even lemon, would seem to be a pretty safe option.

Finally, since EOS’s balm is organic, it’s unlikely to pose health problems to anyone, although allergies to some of the ingredients (strawberry, blueberry) are possible, though rare. The only other ingredient that is potentially of concern is linalool — a substance found in lavender and coriander that can be an irritant. However, I have fairly sensitive skin and have yet to experience any problems with this product, so I think it’s pretty safe. For reference, here is a list of the ingredients: Olive Fruit Oil, Beeswax, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Natural Flavor, Shea Butter, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Sunflower Seed Oil, Blueberry Fruit Extract, Strawberry Fruit Extract, Peach Fruit Extract, Linalool.

EOS’s lip balm has a very pleasant texture. It rolls on smoothly and feels creamy and soft once applied. In my experience, most lip balms and glosses have some degree of stickiness, but not EOS’s; I can rub my lips together without any tackiness at all, and it doesn’t even feel particularly greasy or gummy if I accidentally touch my lips with my fingers. I doubt I’ll be giving up Nivea’s lip balm, just because it feels so luxurious going on, but this is a nice addition that still feels very good indeed; if Nivea’s lip balm is like silk, then EOS’s is like velvet.

My EOS balm was an impulse buy at a drugstore, so my flavor options were a bit limited — I’d really like to try “Strawberry Sorbet” — but I like the taste of the “Summer Fruit” flavor. Strongly fruity flavors tend to be off-putting to me, so I was pleasantly surprised that the taste was so mild. The main flavor I detect when I lick my lips while wearing this balm is passion fruit, but there may well be others that I’m not picking up on. The same goes for the scent, although I actually can only smell it when I have the container open — the scent isn’t strong enough to notice while wearing the balm. In any case, if the other varieties of balm are anywhere near as light and refreshing as this one, I’m sure that any one of them would be a good choice.

I was (and am) seriously impressed by how long EOS’s balm lasts. Normally I apply ChapStick or lip balm every couple of hours (or more, during the winter); it’s not absolutely necessary, but I just can’t stand the feeling of dry lips. EOS’s lip balm lasts twice that long (if not longer). I’ve gone an entire afternoon without reapplying it, and found at dinnertime that there was still a light coating of it on my lips. It obviously won’t last quite as long if you’re drinking or eating, but it’s still pretty resilient; it can easily withstand a glass of water, and the residue it leaves on the glass itself is minimal. It’s definitely more durable than any other ChapStick/lip balm I’ve tried — even my precious Nivea — and it seems to moisturize just as well as the best of them. Plus, as I’ve already mentioned, it has a very pleasant texture, and prolonged use doesn’t seem to make it any stickier or less comfortable.

I was originally flummoxed — though charmed — by the spherical container, but it actually hasn’t been any more difficult to apply than ordinary ChapStick. If anything, it’s a bit easier. Being lazy, I don’t swipe a tube of ChapStick over one lip at a time the way you’re probably supposed to; I press it in between my lips and coat both of them at once. As a result, all of my ChapSticks lose their nice, flat top and get more and more pointy until they finally become too flimsy to use and have to be awkwardly smushed flat again. The wider surface of EOS’s lip balm means that I can apply it to both my lips at once without causing quite as drastic an alteration to the shape.

I would be lying if I claimed the container that EOS’s balm comes in wasn’t a huge factor in my decision to try it out. It’s just so cute and unique. Sure, it’s not quite as easy to carry around as a normal tube of ChapStick, but hey, I have plenty of room in my purse. I was made even happier by the way the container opens. You see, not only does it unscrew — which is genius in and of itself, by the way, since it means it’s less likely to become accidentally uncapped and pick up all sorts of fuzz and detritus — but it locks into place with a little, clicking noise. I’m aware that this will probably not make anyone else anywhere nearly as happy as it makes me, but things that snap shut with a click are one of those little day-to-day things that make me feel content and at peace with the world. Who knows why? The important thing is, it had never crossed my mind that my ChapStick could provide me with that Zen-like calmness, so I’m happy as a clam.



Also, the container has EOS engraved in it, which is classy. Additionally, mine came in a little plastic clamshell/cardboard package that had information about the ingredients.

Overall, I’m quite happy with my EOS lip balm. It is a bit pricey, but then again, so is Nivea, so I can see myself switching off between these in the future. My one wish is that EOS would come out with a line of tinted lip balms. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve worn lipstick in the past year—I really don’t care for it at all — but I have pale skin and live in a place that’s cold half the time, so sometimes my lips need a little extra color. A lip balm that lasts this long and is so safe and comfortable to wear that could ALSO give me just a touch of pink or red? That would be about as close to perfection as you can get.