I’m going to be really bummed when this makeup washes off…                                …oh yeah and I’m stranded here

Somebody asked me today what one beauty product I’d pick if I was marooned on a desert island.

The smart answer would be sunscreen.

The fun answer would be lipstick or mascara.

The silly answer would be shimmer.

Honestly, my pick would be chapstick/lipbalm. There is nothing more frustrating skincare wise than having chapped lips. When they crack it takes forever to heal. And only with lots of vaseline, aquaphor, neosporin, or constant reapplication of Burt’s Bees. I’d like to think I’ll be marooned with other people (Lost style – minus the crazy others and smoke monster), and yes it would be nice to look great for them, but I think after a while nobody would be worrying about lipstick anyways. Do we even have access to mirrors?

Sunscreen would be a good choice to prevent burns and skin cancer, but I have alternate thoughts on that. While I would burn initially, after a while my skin would get used to the sun and darken, much like natives of any island. Humans spent many years (albeit under a less destroyed ozone layer…) in the sun without protection. Our bodies find ways to protect us. I could get skin cancer, but really what is my life expectancy on a deserted island anyways?

My skin would at least be pretty smooth since sand is a natural exfoliant. I’m going to assume there are coconuts on this island, which would create many great meal ideas and of course… coconut oil! I would make my own natural moisturizers and so on. In this castaway universe I suddenly develop scientific skills. Maybe it’s my time hanging with the Professor.

So, readers, what are your deserted island beauty products?

Listed below are my favorite lip balms in no particular order:

the popular one

Burt’s Bees – I probably own more of these than I can count. I try to keep one in every pocketbook and jacket. It’s smooth, it tingles a little, and makes my lips nice and soft. Whenever I see the $10 four packs I grab a box. The lip shimmers not only have the same great feeling and rich lip color, but work as a great blush on the run (in my go-to color rhubarb).

the classic

Chapstick brand – an oldie, but a goodie. Chapstick still has the old faithful formulas I’ve been using since childhood (my favorites cherry and mint), but they’re constantly coming out with great new products. My newest favorite is the hydration lock double-sided day and night balm. The daytime side has SPF 10 in it. The nighttime side also makes for a fantastic lipstick primer. These are usually what I take skiing with me. Fun fact: there’s probably an old ski jacket buried deep in my dad’s basement with one of these sticks hidden in a pocket.

the retro throwback

Vaseline lip therapy in rosy balm – while I’m not a fan of the goopy finger I get from using this, I love love love the way this feels on my lips. It heals my winter chapped lips in an instant and gives me a nice natural gloss. I could wear this on it’s own and still feel like I’ve got pretty lips. Sometimes I’ll layer it on top of lipstick for a slight glossy look. It’s priced the same as Chapstick and Burt’s Bees ($2 range) and comes in an adorable little .25 oz tub (can you call something that tiny a tub?). It also reminds me of the giant vats of vaseline we used to have slathered over our lips as children.

the splurge

Fresh sugar tinted lip treatment – I love all the colors. Like the Burt’s Bees color balms, these come in great hues that can also be used for a little cheek color in a pinch. The Sugar treatment feels really moisturizing for such a rich color product (builds up from semi-sheer to bright) and also protects with SPF 15. They last for an incredibly long amount of time, and feel great. The only negative is the steep price ($22.50 vs. $5 Burt’s Bees lip shimmer). When I accidentally put my brand new Sugar petal treatment in the washing machine I was pretty devastated. Your best bet is to get these in gift sets. You’ll get multiple colors at a more reasonable price. And if you’re feeling generous you can even give them as gifts!

Supergoop! mint fusion lip balm – this comes in a squeezable tube, which separates it from the rest of the gang in design. I spent most of the summer taking this to camp with me. It soothes my lips post campfire and keeps them protected while I spend time in the sun. This has an SPF 30 and a tingly cooling feeling that also freshens your breath. At $8.50 I wouldn’t call it cheap, but I think it’s fairly priced enough that I will regularly stock buy it.

Question: am I allowed to take ALL of these lip balms on the deserted island with me? Because I’m not sure I’m ready to make that big of a decision.

Undecidely,