Carmex Classic Lip Balm: a Guru Score of 52% from 5 experts

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Mad About Skin

734k subs

✕Nay

"Carmex is being called out for the ingredients they use and their formulations that ultimately damage our lips and then sell us further products to correct them. The more lip balm you use, the more you have to use. Once you stop, your lips become more dried and chapped than ever before. You then reach for the lip balm again and start applying it."

Caroline Hirons

250k subs

✕Yay

"Back on the Carmex, hard to go wrong with the Carmex. The only thing I don't like about Carmex is the round applicator because it still got the round one. I would like a triangular shape. [...] I've tried like the expensive ones, I've tried the very expensive lava ones and all of those really expensive ones for this, but like a cheap Carmex does the job. Yeah, it's pretty much the same. I don't want to put my finger in an expensive pot. I just want to put it on and it's done."

Doctorly

3.59M subs

✕Nay

"If you're in a situation where you went skiing or you got a sunburn, that Carmex numbing sensation is going to give you some relief for some time, but in the background you're going to be dealing with a low level of inflammation from the common allergens, flavors, fragrances in this product. This will give you temporary relief, which is addicting to get temporary relief just like painkillers can become addicting. I would avoid this product. I would never use this again."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

✕Nay

"CarX has ingredients that are soothing like camper phenol but also irritating. The CarX, uh, you put it on, it feels soothing, it feels like your lips are soft because it is moisturizing, but then you get that irritation that develops, uh, and several hours later you're like, oh, my lips are chapped again. So you reach for more CarX. Say vicious cycle."

All 4 takes from Dr Dray

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"Carmex has camphor in it that may feel soothing on application but ultimately can be pretty irritating to the skin of the lips."

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"CarX has ingredients that are soothing like camper phenol but also irritating. The CarX, uh, you put it on, it feels soothing, it feels like your lips are soft because it is moisturizing, but then you get that irritation that develops, uh, and several hours later you're like, oh, my lips are chapped again. So you reach for more CarX. Say vicious cycle."

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"Carmex Classic Lip Balm is a notorious product for causing irritant dermatitis because while it's got the good white petrolatum, it also has camphor, menthol, salicylic acid, and phenol which feel really soothing going on but then are super irritating to the delicate lip skin. And so then an irritation develops, so what do you do? You reach for more and the cycle repeats itself."

Sunscreen Empties

"Carmex is a lip balm that people love and adore, but it has ingredients that commonly irritate the lips, and they commonly do so in a somewhat delayed fashion, leading to a disconnect. The user applies Carmex and it feels good, Carmex has a very soothing property to it by virtue of ingredients like camphor, but then those ingredients cause irritation that shows up later, so the user thinks they need more Carmex to help their irritated lips, and the cycle repeats itself."

Hyram

4.33M subs

✕Mixed

"I remember always hating how glossy this lip balm [...] made my lips look, but nowadays give me the gloss baby, I could definitely use more glossy lips. [...] The texture, the smell, oh the nostalgia. [...] It definitely feels glossy, but the shine isn't too intense. It has menthol in it, which leaves that cooling sensation that a lot of people like, but it can be irritating to the skin. Overall, am I totally opposed to it on the lips? No, but it's not my favorite thing in the world."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Carmex Classic Lip Balm?

A classic medicated lip balm in a round pot, made to moisturise and soothe dry, chapped lips with a cooling, tingling feel.

Is Carmex Classic Lip Balm worth it?

Mostly no. Only 1 of the 5 gurus who reviewed it approve, which leaves it a Guru Score of 52%.

What is Carmex Classic Lip Balm's Guru Score?

Carmex Classic Lip Balm holds a Guru Score of 52%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected.