After 30 Years Of Chronically Dry Lips, This Balm Made Them ‘Chap-Free, Smooth, Pink And Pretty’

When it comes to skin care, sometimes you really do get what you pay for. This seems to be the case for Elizabeth Arden’s lip protectant, a lip balm version of the brand’s celebrated Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, only in stick form and with SPF 15. While it’s closer in price to a luxury lipstick than your traditional balm, reviewers say it’s worth every penny, smoothing even chronically chapped lips after just a couple of swipes. Even better? It’s currently on a rare sale of 31% off at Amazon, making it well under $30 — a far more agreeable price, heading into the sunniest season of all.

What makes this balm so special? Its formula dates back to 1930, featuring a blend of lanolin and natural oils that heal skin quickly.

Created by American businesswoman (and beauty pioneer) Elizabeth Arden in 1930, the Eight Hour Cream has some serious roots. While you may think the name comes from the moisture lasting eight hours, brand lore says the name came after a fan of the brand used it to treat her kid’s skinned knee and found it completely healed in just eight hours. (The cream been recommended to HuffPost readers specifically by Tara McDonald, the makeup artist behind Netflix’s “Wednesday” for getting skin supple and glowy.)

The lip balm is backed with lots of the nourishment of the OG cream, including powerhouse lanolin, a super moisturizing oil from sheep’s wool, and Vitamin E, which has been studied to help wounds heal, aka, ideal things for chapped lips.

Because your lips have thinner skin than the rest of your body and are often drier than your skin (because they don’t have sweat or oil glands, per the Cleveland Clinic), the balm has some added anti-chap, lip-centered ingredients like beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil, for restoration, moisture retention and protection from the elements. The balm has a slight herbal fragrance and no color deposit, making it sheer when applied.

Shopper Sadie who gets “very dry chapped lips in summer and winter,” says the tube is easy to apply and not messy. “Without this stuff my lips look scabby and horrible,” they wrote. “It ensures my lips look normal!”

“Has beeswax instead of petro jelly like many others,” another said. “Excellent under lipstick and even better just as a lip moisturizer. I never have a cracked lip when I use this, day or nite.”

You also get SPF 15, which is good because your lips are extra susceptible to sunburns, according to Healthline. BTW, reviewers say there’s “no sunscreen taste.”

Reviewers call the balm a “life/lip saver,” which brings an extra healing oomph when other products aren’t cutting it.

Because they’re usually small and cheap, lip balms are easy to collect. Yet, fans agree Elizabeth Arden blows all others out of the water, with shopper Debra saying the stuff worked better than a prescription from her doctor for “extreme chapping.”

“Had 2 scripts that did not heal my lips,” they wrote. “Friend told me about this product, bought it, and it’s a miracle worker.”

Another reviewer, who has been dealing with chapped lips for over 30 years, says they were initially skeptical to drop so much dough on a lip balm, though after trying deem it “SO WORTH IT.”

“Within a few days of using it, my lips were chap-free, smooth, pink and pretty,” they said. ”...I’ve now been using this product for about 3 months and it’s amazing how much of a difference this has made. I had tried almost every other lip balm at the drug store, health food store, etc., and this is the only one that has done the trick for me. The search is over!”

They also compliment how long the balm lasts.

Shoppers who report lips being “dry and peely again” less than an hour after applying drug store options like Aquaphor and Vaseline say Elizabeth Arden doesn’t just smooth lips, it keeps them soft. “Within 2 days my lips were beautifully soft and moist and lasted hours,” one wrote.

“I get chapped lips all the time and used other popular products out there, but I had to reapply constantly. This wonderful product makes my lips feel so soft and caressed,” another said. I will never be without it - EVER!”

Whether wearing it alone or styling it under lipsticks, fans say the balm lasts all day, layers well, and even makes them feel more confident, kissing cracks, chaps and flakes goodbye.

Reviewers swear by Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream balm for smoothing and protecting even the dryest of lips. Read more 5-star reviews and grab some for yourself on sale.

“I was a little apprehensive to pay this price for a lip balm, but it is so worth it. I have perpetually dry lips and have tried it all over the years. Everything else hydrates for a while but ends up causing rebound dryness and irritation. It was a vicious cycle! This is the first product I use that feels so nourishing and hydrating, and that doesn’t cause any dryness or irritation after. My lips feel smoother and more hydrated than ever thanks to this! I will continue to purchase it because it is worth the price!” — Christina

“I’d had chapped lips for my entire life, 30+ years. Some balms worked better than others, but seemed to only help for a few days and then stop working. I read about this product and although it seemed expensive for ‘just a lip balm’ (vs. a lipstick) I decided to give it a try. Well, it is SO WORTH IT. Within a few days of using it, my lips were chap-free, smooth, pink, and pretty. My boyfriend even noticed the difference in how they look! I’ve now been using this product for about 3 months and it’s amazing how much of a difference this has made. I had tried almost every other lip balm at the drug store, health food store, etc., and this is the only one that has done the trick for me. The search is over! I have bought numerous tubes of this now and keep it stashed all over the place.” — Amazon customer

“This is by far my most favorite lip balm solution. I always come back to this and I have tried everything, yes I mean everything confessions of a product junkie here. The lip protectant provides the perfect amount of moisture, sheen and hydration for hours on end. I rarely have to reapply and when I do my lips scream ‘thank you!’. It has a faint herbal smell and does not melt down even in extreme temperatures. I live in New England so my skin is permanently dry from 6 months of winter and the remainder trying to stay cool and moisturized. If they ever stop making this I will be in trouble. I love it so much I buy one for my purse, one for the bedroom and one I keep in the living room so I know its there when I need it. I’ll be back to restock soon.” — Amazon customer

“Happy to find this was a genuine product - I can’t seem to find it locally, so had to buy online. I’ve been using this lip balm for years and have gone through several tubes - it’s the only product that actually hydrates my lips and doesn’t cause irritation. The price is much higher than I’d like to pay for lip balm, but I’ve tried so many of the cheaper alternatives and nothing works as well (plus I seem to get a reaction from the scents/flavors used in balms from other brands). It feels smooth to apply and not greasy or waxy at all. I live in a dry climate so lip balm is an essential - I use morning and night and never have overly dry or cracked lips anymore. Love that it also has SPF so I can easily apply before going out in the sun and not worry. Will always repurchase.” — Ms C

Looking for more quality lip care with SPF? Check out these three favs, courtesy of HuffPost shopping.

The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)