Lips need sun protection too! The Bondi Sands lip balms have been tested
9.7.2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Natalie Hemengül
Whilst I religiously apply sun cream to my face every day, my lips often get neglected. Perhaps out of laziness. Perhaps because I haven’t yet found a suitable UV product. Can Bondi Sands change that?
I love Bondi Sands. When it comes to self-tanners, this Australian brand has been my undisputed number one for years. To be honest, the fact that they stock a whole range of suncare products alongside their tanning range had previously gone over my head. Now I’ve set my sights on their promising lip balms with SPF. They’re not new, mind you, but they’re new to me.
There are five versions of the product in total. I received three of them from Bondi Sands to test. They all contain SPF 50+, vitamin E and shea butter, and are vegan and cruelty-free.
Lip balms
Quantity discount
CHF8.80 per piece for 4 units CHF880.–/1l
Bondi Sands Spf50+ Lip Balm Juice Watermelon 10g
Lip Care Stick, 10 ml
Lip balms
Quantity discount
CHF7.10 per piece for 4 units CHF710.–/1l
Bondi Sands Lip Balm
Lip Care Stick, 10 ml
CHF8.20 CHF820.–/1l
Bondi Sands LIP BALM with SPF50+ 10 gr
Lip balm, 10 ml
Quantity discount
CHF8.80 per piece for 4 units CHF880.–/1l
Bondi Sands Spf50+ Lip Balm Juice Watermelon 10g
Lip Care Stick, 10 ml
Quantity discount
CHF7.10 per piece for 4 units CHF710.–/1l
Bondi Sands Lip Balm
Lip Care Stick, 10 ml
Packaging
The advantage of a squeeze tube? It’s practical. You squeeze it, the product comes out, and with the angled applicator you can get straight to the heart of the matter. Once the cap is off, you can usually apply it with one hand.
Not here.
The balm is so thick in consistency that it can only be squeezed out of the small hole in the plastic applicator using both hands and a lot of force. And that goes for all three varieties. Applying lip balm becomes a real struggle. What a shame.
Scent
The scents smell very generic. And whilst ‘ «’ (Toasted Coconut)» (nothing was definitely toasted here) and ‘ «’ (Juicy Watermelon)» (more like strawberry on first sniff) are fairly subtle, ‘ «’ (Tropical Mango)» goes all out. The balm in the orange tube smells more like a body spray or perfume. In other words, something I wouldn’t necessarily want near my lips. An unscented version? I’d be all for it, but it isn’t currently available.
Effect
I could have bet that «Juicy Watermelon» would reveal a hot pink and that «Tropical Mango» would shine in a pretty orange. But all three shades are transparent. That’s not a bad thing, just unexpected.
Generally speaking, I really like how it feels on my lips – apart from the fragrance. The protective balm gives the lips a silky, colourless sheen that looks very natural. It also wears off very slowly and provides long-lasting moisture. So it’s perfect for hot days outdoors.
If the product gets on your tongue, it leaves a sweet taste. Throughout the day, I keep catching myself running the tip of my tongue over my lips. I pull up the Yuka app, which I don’t do very often, because whilst the app helps consumers get a rough overview of the ingredients, it isn’t without its blind spots (e.g. the fact that it’s the dose that makes the poison). In this case, the product goes straight into my mouth, which is why, in line with the precautionary principle, I’m happy to take the app’s assessment on board: with a score of 7/100, the balms are rated poorly. That dampens my mood even further.
In a nutshell
Not perfect, but they serve their purpose
There's still room for improvement. In my opinion, the packaging and scent could be rethought. Do you not care about the frills and just want to protect and nourish your lips? Then Bondi Sands lip balms are an option. Will I continue to use them? Probably not. For me to use something daily, it has to convince me across the board. Unfortunately, Bondi Sands didn't manage that with its lip balms.
Pro
- Sun Protection Factor 50+
- moisturizes
- natural shine
- Price
Contra
- Product is difficult to squeeze out of the tube
- generic scent
Header image: Natalie Hemengül
Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs 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.
Beauty
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