Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm in Squeeze Tube

Carmex is a range of lip care product that has been around for as long as I can remember (the company was founded in 1937) the range has since expanded into a mini collection of lip care, lip tint and body care products. Their signature lip balm (packaged in either tub, tube or squeeze tube) are retailed for around around a dollar and thanks to a CVS promotion back in Thanksgiving, I was able to get this for free. (Reads: It's not something I would buy).

The Original Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm comes in an old-school yellow squeeze tube with a red lid (a simple design that I do like), it contains 10g of product, has a texture of jelly and is scented like medicated Playdoh. On the lips, it smooths out evenly and provided an instant cooling sensation (a medical type, not a minty tingle) and a sharp, bitter taste if it gets in the mouth. Both the scent and the taste are very unpleasant to me and take quite a while to fade.

 Carmex Moisturing Lip Balm - On the lips, it provides a subtle shine that lasts for 2-3 hours. On days when I want to play with blushes, this gives a nice polished look (and some moisture) on the lips that won't steal the show. The clear balm also works well as a smooth base for super bold lipsticks or lip products that go on chalky by itself. 

Carmex with a little bit of (since it wouldn't go on) Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Peach (should have gone for a bolder shade...) a cute color that's a little drying.

Ingredients of the original Carmex tube (screen captured from Carmex ) : While it seems rather minimalistic, I find many ingredients unnecessary for my need. For example, my lips rarely hurt or become sore (now I usually slather them with lip gloss) to need the camphor or menthol and I don't need phenol to remove old dead skin (as they can get soaked up with any wet product and easily wiped off the second day).  

Overall: For a dollar, it's a pretty handy product to add a little shine (that's not too glossy or mirror like) or as a base for lipstick (I suppose Vaseline would do the exact same thing). I am not a fan of the smell or the taste so I wouldn't repurchase this particular formula in the future.