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K-Tipp finds sensitive substances in lip balms - especially in natural cosmetics!

13.11.2024

Translation: machine translated

Lip care is in high season in winter. It moisturises chapped lips - and frighteningly often also contains harmful substances. This is what the K-Tipp found out. Nine out of ten sticks tested contained unhealthy substances.

We swallow up to seven lip balms per year with daily use. This is what the K-Tipp writes in its comparison test. Anything that enters the body so easily needs to be free of harmful substances. The Swiss consumer magazine therefore scrutinised ten lip balms. The result is shocking: only one product was found to contain no harmful substances. Natural cosmetics brought up the rear.

How it was tested

A test laboratory tested the pencils for:

allergenic fragrances
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which according to K-Tipp can cause cancer and are toxic to water
Simmondsin, a substance that comes from the seeds of the jojoba plant and, according to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, has an "unfavourable effect on blood formation" in animal tests
the amount of unusable product that remains in the pen when you twist the pomade all the way out

The results

Only the "Caring Lip Balm Classic Care" from Lidl's own brand Cien performed very well (score 5.5). The balm was also the cheapest product in the test series. Deductions were only made for the unusable portion.

Six pencils received a sufficient. In second place was the lip balm from Migros' own brand I Am (score 4.4). Third place went to the lip balm from M-Classic, also from Migros, "Luxury Lips" from Well Beauté and the "Protect Lipbalm" from Coop Naturaline (all rated 4.2). They all contained the substance naphthalene. According to the K-Tipp, this is "probably carcinogenic".

Also in third place, but without naphthalene, is the "Everon Lip Care" from Weleda (grade 4.2). Alongside the test winner, it is the only product that did not contain PAHs, but did contain highly allergenic fragrances and simmondsin.

Lip balms

CHF5.20 CHF1040.–/1l

Weleda Everon

Lip balm, 5 ml

The test laboratory detected naphthalene in Labello's "Original" (score 4.1). It also contains allergenic fragrances.

Lip balms

Quantity discount

CHF2.05 per piece for 4 units CHF427.08/1l

LABELLO Original

Inadequate was the "Classic Moisturiser" from the natural cosmetics brand Alviana (score 3.9). It also contained naphthalene and simmondsin. It was followed by the "Basis Sensitiv Lip Balm" from Lavera (score 2.7), also certified for natural cosmetics. It contained "five proven carcinogenic compounds".

Lip balms

Quantity discount

CHF3.90 per piece for 4 units

Lavera Basis sensitiv

Lip balm

The "Lippengold" from the natural cosmetics brand Dr Hauschka was rated bad (score 2). It is the most expensive product tested. In addition to highly allergenic and environmentally harmful fragrances and simmondsin, the laboratory also found estragole here. "According to the EU, the fragrance is cancer-causing and mutagenic", says K-Tipp. Alongside the test winner, this pomade is the only other one to receive a deduction for its non-removable contents.

Dr. Hauschka Lipengold (Lip Care Stick, 4.90 ml)

Lip balms

Quantity discount

CHF9.70 per piece for 4 units CHF1979.59/1l

Dr. Hauschka Lipengold

Lip Care Stick, 4.90 ml

Header image: Shutterstock / Gioia Photo

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Natalie Hemengül

Senior Editor

Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.ch

As a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.

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K-Tipp finds sensitive substances in lip balms - especially in natural cosmetics!

How it was tested

The results

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67 comments

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