5 Best Organic Lip Balms

I have had chapped lips my entire life. I've never known any specific reason why, but I assume that it's because I have naturally dry skin and that I tend to lick my lips when I'm anxious. In any case, I would barely be able to survive winter if it weren't for a steady supply of lip balm And, as someone who cares deeply about the environment, it's important for me to choose healthy, organic lip balms that are made from sustainable materials.

Here are my five personal favorite organic lip balms.

1. Dagoba Chocolate Lavender Organic Lip Balm

Chocolate, lavender, organic, and lip balm-- I'm sold. As a huge fan of Dagoba organic chocolates and of lavender aromatherapy, this product appealed to me the instant I saw it. Made by Ecolips, it contains a combination of sunflower seed oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, jojoba, chocolate, vitamin E and natural flower extracts. It has a delicious but not-too-sweet flavor with a subtle calming effect, and its cocoa-butter content is both soothing and smooth.

2. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm with Honey

I like all Burt's Bees lip balms, but the product containing organic honey is, by far, the best match for me. The honey gives the product a smoother texture and more pleasant taste, whereas some of the other versions are a little to firm to glide on comfortably. Burt's Beeswax lip balm with honey is intensely moisturizing and stays on longer than many alternatives.

3. EcoTints Sugar Plum Lip Balm

I've never been a lipstick kind of woman, but I do enjoy and appreciate the subtle blush of a lightly tinted lip balm or lip gloss. Sugar Plum EcoTints organic lip balm has a rich copper-violet hue with mica for a shimmering effect. Although the amount of pigment is noticeable on the lips, it is not overwhelming-- you can put it on without a mirror without it looking noticeably askew. It has a delicious but subtle coconut-vanilla flavor.

4. EcoLips Gold

If you're like me, and sometimes get severely chapped lips that don't respond to any other treatment, EcoLips Gold may be the right choice for you. This completely organic lip balm is unflavored but contains a complete array of natural moisturizers, including jojoba seed oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, vitamin E and calendula. The fact that oils, rather than waxes, form the bulk of the product makes it much more effective for severe chapped lips.

5. EcoLips Medicinal

Yet another brilliant product from EcoLips, this lip balm strikes that perfect balance between "natural" and "medicinal." EcoLips Medicated contains all the same organic ingredients found in Ecolips gold, plus tea tree oil, lysine, lemon balm and calendula. I get cold sores and canker sores easily and don't want to face another one without this silver bullet on hand. Organic lip balm can be a life-saver during the toughest, coldest, driest months of the year. I recommend keeping these natural products on hand at all times, especially if you are prone to chapped lips.