my only vice: lip balm

since middle school i’ve not been able to go anywhere without lip balm. it is the only thing i am actually psychologically addicted to, and i will quietly freak out if i’ve somehow forgotten it in another pair of pants.

for many years i worshipped at the altar of burt’s bees beeswax lip balm. my friend meghan recommended it (i think her then-boyfriend, now-husband josh used it?) and it was the right consistency and had a peppermint tingle. then i realized it had no uv protection. since my greatest vanity-related fear is withered-old-lady lips, i had to find something with spf. i started using c.o. bigelow spf 15 mentha lip balm after hitting bath & body works with my friend maria. spf 15! no shine! minty-fresh! only downside: it’s really soft and tends to get melty. but, a little goes a long way, so it feels like a bargain.