Here’s the thing about picking a lip balm: It’s not just momentary satisfaction that matters. Like with traditional skin care products, you want something that feels good at the moment and improves your skin over time. Sodium hyaluronate—a salt form of the famous hyaluronic acid—does just that. First, we’ll explain how this ingredient checks the box of instantaneous benefit.
“The short term is you create an occlusive [layer], which is great. You want to protect from the elements [and] any dry chapping from the winter environment,” Justin Steinke, cosmetic chemist and head of research and development at Evergreen Innovations, told mbg. This means sodium hyaluronate essentially acts as a barrier to your lips—guarding against drying environmental factors such as cold wind or forced air conditioning.
What’s more, this same ingredient works wonders for the lip skin over time. “Sodium hyaluronate that’s been added to this formulation is a specialty version of it that is oil soluble, and with that, you’re delivering this hyaluronic molecule, which attracts a great deal of moisture to your lips; it will help plump them from within instead of just protecting them from drying out from the environment,” Steinke explained. So you’re essentially hydrating the lips from within while simultaneously protecting them from the damage the outside environment may cause.
If you’re wondering what lip balm Steinke is referencing, it’s the mbg lip balm of course. As harsh critics of lip balms, we wanted to create a lip product that did it all, both short- and long-term satisfaction included. The superstar ingredient, sodium hyaluronate, is blended together with moringa seed oil, shea butter, vitamin E, and other powerful hydrating ingredients to be sure you’re tending to the health of your lips—and not having to reapply every two minutes.
