In an industry where there is an overwhelming amount of product launches daily, Product Of The Week helps you cut through the noise. To help you find your new beauty and wellness favorites, this series highlights the tried-and-true products that our writers can’t live without.
There’s nothing worse than dry lips. I’ve experienced this a few times— packing a full makeup bag and forgetting lip moisturizer, only to be entirely uncomfortable the entire day.
I knew I had to be strategic when planning my trip to Mexico. Cabo is celebrated for its breathtaking views and warned for its desert-like weather. Packing a lip balm that could hold moisture in one of the driest climates was a challenge I desperately needed to conquer.
When it comes to lip balms, I typically take a classic approach. Opting for whatever my local drugstore has to offer. This usually ends with me having to reapply multiple times daily and never truly feeling like my lips are getting the satisfaction they deserve.
I needed something more rich in formula. Yves Saint Laurent is known for its impeccable high-class standard products. To my surprise, they sent me a series of lip products that included their very own lip balm lip gloss treatment. This included the Yves Saint Laurent Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick. I was thrown off by the option of purchasing a $43.00 balm that I was gifted. Could the quality be that good? The only way to find out was to pack it in my travel bag.
Long flights call for a good read. For me? That means reading about the ingredients in this tiny product. The ingredients were hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and mango oils. The formula didn’t seem like anything outside of your go-to lip balm.
As I tried to figure out what the hype was, I subtly glided the product on my lips. This was my attempt to protect my lips from the drying plane air that had been circulated for hours. My lips smiled with ease as the heavy formula melted in.
My smile only increased once I landed in Mexico. Desert air greeted me as I made my way into my hotel. Like most, I immediately made myself at home, organizing all of my beauty products on the bathroom sink as if they were my very own. My YSL lip balm and my other lippies were adjacent to the beachfront view shortly after I took her out for a day in the sun.
Walks around the depths of Cabo and long stints by the beach and pool were a high priority. As the heat began to rise, so did my need to keep my lips hydrated. The formula was thick without being too greasy, which I sincerely appreciated since the rest of my body was actively melting.
This product got me through one of the hottest days throughout the trip. Keeping my lips hydrated most of the day with little need to reapply. While its hyaluronic acid and vitamin E ingredients play a role in the process, I mostly credit the mango oil, known for its high fatty acids. My lips received the vacation they deserved for the first time in a long time.
Still, the question lies: is a $43 lip balm worth it in this economy? Like the trip, I no longer thought of the cost by the end of my use. The benefits of the product remained at the forefront of my mind. Just like vacations, I believe this lip balm shouldn’t be used too often. It’s the emergency beauty product you use when your lips have been overworked and need a break. Life is short. Buy the beauty product and take the trip, too.