Ask Ugly: I’m addicted to lip balm – but it doesn’t work. What’s a better alternative?

‘It’s fine to use lip balm for temporary relief as long as you’re aware that it’s temporary.’ Illustration: Lola Beltran/The Guardian

Hi Ugly,

I’m struggling with a decades-long addiction to ChapStick. My relationship with lip balm started when I was a teen, using my mother’s ChapStick for my chapped lips. I’ve tried almost every balm out there: EOS, ChapStick, Burt’s Bees, Palmer’s Coco Butter Balm. I even dabbled in the menthol balms, much to my current self’s chagrin.