There’s a question beauty writers and editors love to ask each other: If you were stranded on a desert island, what products would you bring?
I’ve pondered this question over and over again over the years, but for someone whose bathroom is cluttered with blush and leave-in conditioner, it’s nearly impossible to answer. Keyword: almost. After five years of using Summer Fridays lip balm, I can officially declare it my lip life raft.
I got my first lip balm in the summer of 2020—a time when face masks were a must-have, but they were prone to drying out skin and lips. The solution? This lip balm. Five years later, the world is a different place, but my lips are still as hydrated and healthy as if no time had passed.
While my relationship with lip balm dates back five years, I’ve witnessed its allure on others: I lent my tube of lip balm to a friend before my sister’s big wedding rehearsal dinner, and every few hours, she’d come back to restock.
Another time, I couldn’t find my Pink Sugar lip balm anywhere, and hours later, I found my mom pulling it out of her makeup bag!
For me, its charm lies in its consistency. It’s a bit thicker than a runny lip gloss, but it doesn’t feel sticky and syrupy on my lips. So, I compare it to liquid gold.
Meanwhile, shea butter and mulumu mulumu oil keep my lips soft and plump, without the flaky dryness. Bonus: These delightful flavors are like a cup of afternoon tea refreshment without the need to consume them, and the shiny gloss is even more addictive.
What started out with just one flavor, at least that’s what I remember, has now expanded to ten flavors, five of which I own and use.
I’ve been lucky enough to receive a few of the brand’s fragrances, but I’ve also bought at least five with my hard-earned money – and that’s the most true “saying” for a shopping writer who has tried dozens of products.
Vanilla and Birthday Cake are the two flavors I would keep buying if I could, but sadly the latter is a limited edition. (If you saw me freak out when I thought I had lost it, you didn’t!) But vanilla makes me so happy that you’ll never hear me complain.