This balm has a definite tingly and cooling effect that can be easily attributed to all products containing menthol. Said to have immediate regenerative qualities, also said to protect lips in freezing temperatures.
Which is where I am a bit confused, because I cannot imagine wearing this balm in the dead of winter. The cooling properties of menthol and -16C? Minus any C, really? I think you’ll agree with me that they’re not a good match at all.
My lips were dry and a bit chapped when I tried this balm, and indeed in about 10 minutes that felt soft and smooth. I had two 1ml samples of this balm, which amounts to about 1/3 of the product size. And while I did find this balm cooling and softening, I’m not exactly sure that really cracked lips would fare well with it — once again, due to the presence of menthol. If anyone ever had anything menthol-containing interact with an even lightly scratched skin (for example, a nearly healed cat scratch that’s not too deep), they will know that the motherfucker burns. Now, imagine this on your deeply chapped lips.
This is my second (conscious) interaction with products containing panthenol – the alcohol analog of vitamin B5 – and this is the second time I’m not as impressed as I ought to be, supposedly. My first one was the use of a body lotion for very dry skin, which I didn’t find moisturising at all. Now here I am with this balm sample, and while I can’t say it’s bad, I’m not impressed enough to buy a full-size tube.