The Best Plastic-Free Lip Balm
Moisturize your lips without contributing to plastic waste
Image: Sisterspro, Adobe Stock
Globally, humans produce about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste per year and only 9 percent (this number dips to close to 6 percent in the United States) of this plastic gets recycled. Much of this plastic ends up in a landfill, and some of it ends up in the ocean — the UN Environment Programme estimates that currently 75 to 199 million tonnes of plastic can be found in the ocean. In both locations, plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose.
Lip balms are traditionally packaged in a small plastic tube. While this plastic is usually recyclable, plastic chapstick tubes are small and can easily fall through the cracks and end up in the landfill or ocean. To avoid contributing to plastic pollution, it is best to avoid products made from plastic (especially single-use plastic) whenever possible. This is becoming much easier when it comes to personal care products.
Several brands are making lip balm that is packaged in paper or aluminum containers. Sometimes these options can be a bit pricey, so it’s also important to know that it is pretty easy to make your own lip balm at home. If you want to try the DIY route, try this simple homemade chapstick recipe from Way of Being.
If you prefer store-bought options, here are some great plastic-free lip balm options available online:
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Alpine Provisions Lip Balm
Made from organic coconut oil, shea butter, and a blend of rosemary, peppermint, spearmint and tea tree oils, Alpine Provisions Lip Balm is both moisturizing and refreshing. Their lip balm is vegan, free from parabens, sulfates, gluten, soy, nuts and synthetic fragrances, and packaged in a biodegradable tube. Alpine Provisions also donates 5 percent of sales to support the Colorado Outward Bound School Scholarship.
Climb On Lip Balm
Made from raw beeswax, organic oils and organic shea butter, Climb On’s lip balm was created with the outdoor athlete in mind. This chapped lip fighter is available in three different flavors: peppermint, vanilla and orange and is packaged in a compostable paper tube.
Blue Heron Botanicals Lip Balm
Blue Heron’s Zero Waste Lip Balms are packaged in 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled paperboard that is compostable. Their lip balms come in six different flavors made with natural ingredients with organic, vegan, and healing options. Every time a lip balm is purchased, Blue Heron Botanicals donates to @see_turtles Billion Baby Turtles initiative.
Meow Meow Tweet Lip Balm
Meow Meow Tweet’s Vegan Lip Balm is made in small batches with organic and vegan ingredients and comes in three delectable flavors: coconut cacao, sweet orange tangerine, and rosemary eucalyptus. Meow Meow Tweet Lip Balm is a climate neutral and compostable product.
Buju Bare
Buju’s Bare Lip Balm is made from organic oils, beeswax and peppermint oil that make this a refreshing lip balm for all of your excursions. This lip balm is vegan (though beeswax is questionably vegan), plastic-free and will keep your lips hydrated all day.
If you do end up with a plastic chapstick tube, or have some old ones to dispose of, here are a few options for more eco-conscious end-of-life:
Use them to house your DIY chapstick blends
Recycle them (but know that this is likely to be ineffective)
Send your old tubes to TerraCycle for recycling
The more consumers demand plastic-free products, the more manufacturers will be pressed to move towards a future where biodegradable packaging is the norm.
