Aesop
Protective Lip Balm SPF30
lips balm
Aesop
lips balm
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Fit by skin type
General, ingredient-based — not your personalized match.
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Take the skin testOne that's protected from sunshine too, and thanks to Aesop's Protective Lip Balm SPF30 (5.5g), it's effortless. A smooth and buttery texture, this silky balm glides over the lips to deliver a plethora of moisturising ingredients including jojoba and sunflower seed oil. It's also infused with antioxidant-rich vitamin E to protect against harmful external aggressors (AKA blue light and pollution). But, saving the best til last, this nourishing lip balm has SPF 30 to defends against UVA and UVB rays. This convenient stick is bound to be your next everyday sidekick.
Protective Lip Balm SPF30 is a rich balm from Aesop. It is rated SPF 30. Its job is UV protection, with the rest of the formula working on hydration. The ingredient list runs to 25 ingredients, each broken down in full below.
By its ingredient list the formula reads as rich: occlusives and butters sit high enough in the order to give it real weight on skin. The oils in it point to a dewy, emollient finish rather than a matte one. Hydration is handled by Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Glyceryl Behenate, humectants that pull water into the upper layers of skin rather than sealing it there.
It uses a hybrid filter system — Zinc Oxide, Uvinul A Plus and Tinosorb S — combining mineral and organic filters. Between them those filters cover UVB, UVA II and UVA I, so the formula is broad-spectrum in the meaningful sense: it reaches past 340 nm, where the ageing wavelengths sit. Every filter in the formula is photostable, so its protection does not fall away over the first hour in the sun — reapplication is still about sweat, water and rubbing rather than degradation.
Hydration: High. Ingredients that pull and hold water in the upper layers of skin, and here that comes from Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Behenate and Hydrogenated Castor Oil.
Soothing: Moderate. Ingredients aimed at visible redness and reactivity, and here that comes from Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide and Tocopherol.
On richness alone it suits Dry and Combination (dry) skin best, and is the least natural fit for Combination (oily) and Oily skin. Several ingredients carry irritation flags. If your skin is reactive, this is one to patch test carefully or approach slowly.
The formula contributes little or nothing on barrier support, cell renewal and firmness signalling. That is not a fault — most products are not meant to do everything — but if one of those is your priority, this is not the product that will address it.
Reading the full list, the formula is no drying alcohol, paraben-free, silicone-free, microplastic-free, sulfate-free and dye-free. Those claims come from the ingredient list itself, not from the packaging. It does contain fragrance and essential oils, worth knowing if your skin reacts to any of them.
Use it in the morning. In a routine it goes taken with food. Follow the dose on the pack and check interactions with anything you already take. It carries UV filters, so it belongs in your morning routine.
This summary is generated from the product's ingredient list. It is not a review, it is not the brand's own marketing claims, and it does not replace advice from a dermatologist.
Drawn purely from the ingredient list
Scored on how rich or light the formula reads from its INCI order.
Several ingredients here carry irritation flags. If your skin is reactive or you have rosacea, introduce this slowly, or ask a dermatologist first.
Based on the curated benefits documented for this product's ingredients.
Boosts collagen and cell turnover to reduce fine lines and wrinkles
Attracts and locks in moisture to keep skin plump and dewy
Calms redness, irritation, and inflammation for sensitive skin
Brightens and balances complexion for a more uniform appearance
Regulates sebum production to reduce shine and greasiness
None of the ingredients in this formula are associated with these benefits. This is not unusual, as most products are designed to target a limited number of concerns.
Hybrid mineral and organic filter system · broad-spectrum through UVA I
The only single filter that covers the whole UVB–UVA1 range on its own. Scatters and absorbs rather than purely absorbing, and can leave a white cast at high loads.
A photostable replacement for avobenzone: it peaks at 354 nm, deep in UVA I, and does not need a stabiliser to survive the day.
One of the most photostable filters in use, and it stabilises avobenzone and octinoxate alongside it. Oil-soluble, cosmetically light, no white cast.
The actives, UV filters and benefit-carrying ingredients in this formula, in the order they are listed.
2nd on the list, which puts it at an estimated 5–20% of the formula.
Jojoba Esters is a complex mixture of esters produced by the transesterification/interesterification of Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil (q.v.), Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil (q.v.), or a mixture of the two
5th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.
Zinc oxide (CI 77947)
6th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds of the Sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., Compositae
7th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
3,4-Dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)-2H-benzopyran-6-ol; .alpha.-tocopherol; Vitamin E
9th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Docosanoic acid, monoester with glycerol
11th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Benzoic Acid, 2-[4-(Diethylamino)-2-Hydroxybenzoyl]-, Hexyl Ester
12th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
2,2'-[6-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl]bis[5-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]-phenol]
14th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Castor oil, hydrogenated
15th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Isooctadecanoic acid, monoester with glycerol
Each axis is scored from the ingredients present and how high up the list they sit.
Ingredients that pull and hold water in the upper layers of skin
Lipids and repair signals that support skin barrier integrity
Ingredients that mop up free radicals from UV and pollution
Ingredients that moderate sebum or absorb shine
Ingredients that act on uneven tone and post-inflammatory marks
Ingredients aimed at visible redness and reactivity
Retinoids, acids and enzymes that speed surface turnover
Peptides and growth factors that signal for collagen support
Every filter in this formula is photostable
"Active" here means an ingredient carrying a recorded active type or a recognised UV filter.
Solvents, emollients, texture agents and preservatives — the formula that carries the actives.
Read from the full ingredient list. A brand's own claim may differ.
Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Judged by the same curated rules our routine checker uses. It reads the ingredients, not the label.
Nothing in this formula belongs to a group our rules can put in conflict, so it layers freely. Order still matters — thinnest texture first.
Flags to check, not verdicts. None of this is medical advice — if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or treating a skin condition, ask a doctor.
Most ingredients do more than one job, so these counts add up to more than the 25 ingredients on the label.
Changes how the product smells or looks
Softens and smooths by filling gaps between skin cells
Lifts oil and dirt, or holds oil and water together
Absorbs or scatters ultraviolet light
Sets the thickness, spread and stability of the formula
Forms a film that slows water loss
Keeps the product free of microbial growth
Dissolves and carries everything else
Neutralises free radicals from UV and pollution
Calms visible redness and irritation
Draws water into the upper layers of skin
Botanical material, usually for antioxidants or scent
Every ingredient on the label, in order, with what it does and roughly how much of it is likely to be there.
1st on the list, which puts it at an estimated 10–40% of the formula.
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil is the fixed oil obtained from the seeds of Castor, Ricinus communis, Euphorbiaceae
2nd on the list, which puts it at an estimated 5–20% of the formula.
Jojoba Esters is a complex mixture of esters produced by the transesterification/interesterification of Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil (q.v.), Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil (q.v.), or a mixture of the two
3rd on the list, which puts it at an estimated 5–20% of the formula.
2,2-bis[[(1-Oxoisooctadecyl)oxy]methyl]-1,3-propanediyl bis(isooctadecanoate)
4th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera Extract is an extract of the Candelilla, Euphorbia Cerifera, Euphorbiaceae
5th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.
Zinc oxide (CI 77947)
6th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds of the Sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., Compositae
7th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
3,4-Dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)-2H-benzopyran-6-ol; .alpha.-tocopherol; Vitamin E
8th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil is the fixed oil expressed or extracted from seeds of the desert shrub, Jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis, Buxaceae
9th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Docosanoic acid, monoester with glycerol
10th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax is a wax obtained from the leaves and leaf buds of Copernicia cerifera, Palmaceae.
11th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Benzoic Acid, 2-[4-(Diethylamino)-2-Hydroxybenzoyl]-, Hexyl Ester
12th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
2,2'-[6-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl]bis[5-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]-phenol]
13th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil is the volatile oil expressed from the peel of the ripe fruit the Tangerina, Citrus Tangerina, Rutaceae
14th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Castor oil, hydrogenated
15th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Isooctadecanoic acid, monoester with glycerol
16th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
12-Hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, homopolymer
17th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil is the volatile oil obtained from the flowers of the Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, Labiatae. ISO 8902:2009
18th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil is the oil obtained from the flower, Cananga odorata, Anonaceae. Definitions in ISO 3063
19th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
1-Methyl-4-Isopropenylcyclohexene; dipentene
20th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
3,7-Dimethyl octa-1,6-diene-3-ol
21st on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Benzyl benzoate; Phenylmethyl benzoate
22nd on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
23rd on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
Benzyl salicylate
24th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
2,6-Octadienal, 3,7-dimethyl-; 3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-octadienal
25th on the list, below the 1% line — present at under 1%, which for most ingredients is the level they work at.
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octen-1-ol
Products in the same category that share this formula's distinguishing ingredients.
Bioderma
Shares 2 key ingredients with Protective Lip Balm SPF30: Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol
MIXSOON
Shares 2 key ingredients with Protective Lip Balm SPF30: Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol
innisfree
Shares 2 key ingredients with Protective Lip Balm SPF30: Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol
innisfree
Shares 2 key ingredients with Protective Lip Balm SPF30: Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol
MIXSOON
Shares 2 key ingredients with Protective Lip Balm SPF30: Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol
Avène
Shares 2 key ingredients with Protective Lip Balm SPF30: Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol
RICINUS COMMUNIS SEED OIL, JOJOBA ESTERS, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAISOSTEARATE, EUPHORBIA CERIFERA CERA EXTRACT, ZINC OXIDE, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL, TOCOPHEROL, SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL, GLYCERYL BEHENATE, COPERNICIA CERIFERA WAX, DIETHYLAMINO HYDROXYBENZOYL HEXYL BENZOATE, BIS-ETHYLHEXYLOXYPHENOL METHOXYPHENYL TRIAZINE, CITRUS TANGERINA PEEL OIL, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, GLYCERYL ISOSTEARATE, POLYHYDROXYSTEARIC ACID, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA OIL, CANANGA ODORATA FLOWER OIL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, BENZYL BENZOATE, GERANIOL, BENZYL SALICYLATE, CITRAL, CITRONELLOL.
Apply generously and reapply throughout the day to maintain protection.
Judged on how rich the formula reads from its ingredient list, it suits Dry, Combination (dry) skin best. It is the least natural fit for Combination (oily), Oily skin.
Some ingredients here carry irritation flags, so sensitive skin should patch test on the jawline for a few days before applying it to the whole face.
7 ingredients could feed malassezia: Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil. That describes the yeast's food supply, not a prediction that they will cause a breakout.
Nothing in this formula is on the standard pregnancy-caution list. That is not medical clearance — check anything you use daily with your doctor or midwife.
No — it contains Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate.
No. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is no drying alcohol.
Yes. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is silicone-free.
Yes — it contains Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate.
Yes. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is paraben-free.
It layers well with Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), Retinoids (retinol, retinal), AHAs (glycolic, lactic), BHA (salicylic acid), PHAs (gluconolactone), Benzoyl peroxide.
Use it in the morning, taken with food.
It lists 25 ingredients, of which 3 are recorded as actives.
Aesop.
It filters UV with Zinc Oxide (zinc oxide), Uvinul A Plus (diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate), Tinosorb S (bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine).
Yes. Its filters cover UVB, UVA II and UVA I, so protection reaches past 340 nm into the deep-UVA range associated with ageing and pigmentation.
It may leave a slight cast. The formula mixes mineral and organic filters, so any cast is usually lighter than a fully mineral sunscreen's.
It contains none of the filters named in the Hawaii and Key West reef legislation (oxybenzone and octinoxate). "Reef safe" is not a regulated term, so treat that as a fact about the filter list rather than a certification.
Yes. Let it set for a couple of minutes before foundation so it does not pill, and reapply over makeup with a stick or powder rather than rubbing more in.
Every two hours of sun exposure, and immediately after swimming, sweating heavily or towelling off.
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