Vegan lip balm is similar to but different from organic lip balm. Here’s why—and seven of my favorite vegan lip balms to add to your clean beauty routine!
Are you wondering what the difference between organic and vegan lip balm is? If you aren’t vegan or are new to the lifestyle, you might think the two are interchangeable.
Vegan lip balms are slightly different from organic lip balms, though. If you follow a vegan lifestyle, you cannot necessarily use every organic lip balm on the market.
We’ll cover why – and what you should look for in a vegan lip balm, instead. Plus, I’ll even share a few of my favs!
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What is Vegan Lip Balm?
Vegan lip balm is not made from or tested on animals and is therefore cruelty-free. It’s all plant-based!
It can be difficult to find a vegan lip balm (which is why I’ve put together this list!). A lot of lip balms are made from beeswax, which is an animal product.
Harmful Ingredients Found in Traditional Lip Balms
It’s good to avoid pretty much any ingredient list full of intense, hard to pronounce words. That’s the main reason why Essential Moves to Wellness is a thing! I want to help you find better options for your beauty and personal care products.
The best organic lip balms will not have a super long ingredient list, because your lips need only simple ingredients, to stay nourished and hydrated.
For a full list of harmful ingredients to avoid, read my ultimate guide to organic lip balm.
But for now, you should avoid:
- Petroleum
- Phenol, menthol, and camphor
- Salicylic acid
- Parabens
- Oxybenzone
And of course, fragrance. It’s a totally legal loophole for companies to keep their product’s scent a trade secret. This one word can be a coverup for thousands of ingredients that a company doesn’t have to tell you about!
What Makes a Lip Balm Not Vegan?
Pretty much any lip balm that has animal products in its ingredient list, or has been tested on animals, is not vegan. This can get tricky, because some products you wouldn’t realize are animal products, such as lanolin.
A lot of lip balms contain lanolin. But lanolin is animal fat.
Other animal products that may be lurking in your lip balm include:
- Glycerin (look for vegetable glycerin instead)
- Stearic acid
- Carmine
- Milk
- Honey
- Tallow
And of course, beeswax.
If a lip balm lists any of these ingredients, it is not a vegan lip balm. Womp womp.
The Difference Between Vegan Lip Balms and Organic Lip Balms
A vegan lip balm is not made from animal products. But like organic lip balms, it’s also not made from harmful ingredients.
A vegan lip balm uses all-natural, organic ingredients, usually derived from plants, rather than animals, and it is cruelty-free.
Organic lip balms, of course, are also all-natural and made from organic ingredients. But their ingredients can be both plant-based and animal by-products, such as beeswax.
So, an organic lip balm can be vegan-friendly or not vegan-friendly, but vegan lip balms are also organic.
What Should I Look For in a Vegan Lip Balm?
It can be hard to find a vegan lip balm because it’s hard to know if the ingredient listed is derived from or tested on animals. It can take some research!
Or you can make it easy on yourself and just order from a list like this. That way, you know you are getting a vegan lip balm, without all the guesswork.
If you do go shopping, look for something with all-natural, organic ingredients. Labels with shea butter, mango butter, coconut oil, hemp oil, sunflower oil, and calendula flower extract are great places to start.
Just be sure to avoid labels with honey, milk, or beeswax.
The Best Vegan Lip Balms
You can avoid the shopping and research though, and just choose one of my favorites! These are all great vegan lip balms. I honestly can’t think of a single thing I don’t like about these lip balms.
They are moisturizing, smell fantastic, and even taste great! Plus, they leave your lips shiny and healthy looking. What’s not to love?!?
As someone with perpetually chapped lips (Thanks Colorado weather!), this is a must for me. All of these options make my lips feel great! When I remember to put it on haha 🙂
Ilia Lip Wrap Reviving Lip Balm
Ilia Reviving Lip Balm is a 2022 Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner. And it’s easy to see why!
This really thick cream works great to smooth and plump, for a supple, full-looking pout. Its moisture-repairing, barrier-building formula keeps lips looking super healthy, sexy, and shiny!
It’s made from sea succulent, hyaluronic acid, and prickly pear oil, to hydrate and nourish your lips.
And it feels great on your lips on cold winter days! I always keep a tube of this in my jacket pocket to take with me on cold walks outside. It creates a fantastic moisture barrier!
Cost: .23 oz. for $24
Hurraw! Vegan Lip Balm
If you like Lip Smackers, you’ll love Hurraw! Remember how Lip Smackers came in what seemed like a million different flavors? That’s exactly how Hurraw is. 🤯
The only difference is Hurraw is made with fantastic ingredients! I’ve linked to their vanilla flavor and it’s lovely. It’s infused with organic, raw vanilla beans, which makes it taste and smell absolutely amazing.
Plus, the rich, buttery formula goes on super smooth and provides long-lasting moisture. You won’t have to constantly reapply – unless you are addicted to vanilla, of course.
Some vegan lip balms melt in warmer temps, but you can carry Hurraw in your jean pocket all day, and it will not melt!
Cost: .15 oz for $4.99
Axiology Cotton Candy Skin Lip to Lid Balmies
These little balmies look like a crayon and come in standard lipstick size, minus the tube and package. They would make an amazing gift for a teen or preteen girl!
And they are perfect for traveling because you can use them on your lips, eyes, and cheeks! They offer a kiss of color and a lasting sheen, wherever you apply them.
They, too, are made from nourishing oils and extracts. I also love their staying power!
Cost: three .12 oz. crayons for $38
Soapwalla Lip Locked Lavender Mint Lip Balm
Soapwalla is serious about lip protection. Made with coconut and avocado oils, and enriched with Vitamins A, D, and E, Soapwalla Lip Balm not only moisturizes but heals cracked dry lips.
And it feels so good on the lips! Take it from someone whose lips are almost always dry and cracking. The lavender really helps to soothe the pain.
I also like to use it at bedtime because the lavender scent is so soothing. But the mint provides a refreshing, tingling sensation too.
Cost: .15 oz. for $9
Dedcool Coconut Milk Balm Stick
Dedcool is also great for moisturizing dry, chapped lips. Key ingredients include shea butter, candelilla wax, and Vitamin E, among an amazing list of nourishing oils. Oh, and coconut, of course.
This lip balm keeps your lips looking plump and hydrated. But what I really love is the scent – it makes me feel like I’m on a tropical beach all day long!
Cost: .33 oz. for $10
Meow Meow Tweet
Meow Meow Tweet is my favorite brand for sustainability. Their jumbo-sized lip balm is housed in compostable paper, instead of tubes, so it is biodegradable.
But these cool push-pop style paper tubes are not airtight, which means you must use the product within six months.
And once you push it up through the tube, you cannot push it back down again. Much like those orange creamsicle pops we loved from our childhood! They can be annoying but nostalgic.
Other than that, it’s a great vegan lip balm choice! It’s made from olive, coconut, and rosemary leaf oils, along with cocoa butter. And Meow Meow Tweet uses candelilla wax instead of beeswax.
My favorite lip balm from them contains eucalyptus and peppermint! Eucalyptus helps relieve respiratory ailments and itchiness, and peppermint can help you stay focused and energized.
Cost: 1 oz. for $14
Final Thoughts on Vegan Lip Balm
Finding a vegan lip balm can be a bit tricky if you don’t know what to look for. The key is to look for clean, plant-based organic ingredients, but also watch out for animal products.
Many organic lip balms are not vegan, because they contain ingredients like beeswax, honey, and milk, or are not cruelty-free.
Make it easy on yourself and choose one of my favorites! And then pop back here and let me know which one you tried!
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