From the moment I was introduced to lip balm as a little girl, I don't think I've ever been without it.
My lips dry out easily, which means I use it multiple times a day, so I keep one in my purse, on my desk at work, on the nightstand, and even in the car.
However, as the story often goes, I have rarely made it through an entire tube of lip balm before losing it. I do find most of them eventually, but by then I have already opened up a new one.
I used to just put them in a box somewhere in my bedroom, then throw them out after a while. But, I've recently discovered that there's a lot that can be done with lip balm, and trashing them is such a big waste.
Aside from fixing chapped lips, there are so many brilliant uses for lip balm that you probably never knew about.
1. Soothe paper cuts
Paper cuts, shaving nicks and hangnails are all small injuries that sometimes hurt way more than you'd expect.
These tiny cuts hurt so much because they don't draw out enough blood to form a clot that can protect the wound and help it heal.
Next time you get one of these painful nicks, just dab some lip balm on it and you'll get some relief almost instantly.
The wax in the balm will seal the wound and prevent air from entering it so you'll feel less pain and irritation.
Just remember to use unscented and unflavored lip balm.
2. Tame flyaway hair
We all have our bad hair days. It's even worse when your hair is layered and the shorter pieces refuse to blend in with the rest.
You can control flyaway hair by gently swiping your fingers over your lip balm, then rubbing it on your hair.
You can also put some of the balm on a toothbrush and use it to smooth down your edges.
If you have unruly eyebrow hair, the same trick also works almost as well as expensive brow gels.
3. Repair a scratched CD
Thanks to streaming services like Netflix many of us are foregoing the use CDs, but there are still lots of people who depend on CD players in the their cars to listen to music and DVD players for movies.
The one downside to using CDs is that they get easily scratched, which we all know can ruin the listening or viewing experience.
The easiest solution is to apply lip balm over the scratched area. It was conceal the affected area and prevent the CD from skipping.
4. Relieve an irritated nose
The skin around the nose is really sensitive, so it gets easily irritated when you blow or wipe it frequently when you have a cold, the flu, or allergies.
You can get some relief from the soreness by applying unscented lip balm on the area.
Makes sure to wash your hands then use your fingers to put the product on your skin.
Avoid using the lip balm directly on your skin because you run the risk of spreading germs on the rest of the product.
5. Moisturize your cuticles
If you cuticles, or even your fingertips, are starting to dry out, and you don't have cuticle cream on hand, just reach for lip balm.
Thanks to its moisturizing qualities, your skin will soften up and get back to normal.
Rub a generous amount on the dry and cracked areas before you go to bed and you'll notice some improvement the next day.
6. Prevent nails from splitting wood
Putting together furniture is quite a hassle. Not only do you have to worry about deciphering the instructions, you also have to do a lot of drilling and hammering.
There's nothing worse than going through all that effort only to have a nail or screw ruin the furniture.
Next time you're assembling a piece of furniture, rub a little lip balm on the nails and screws so that when you hammer them in, they will go in easier and won't split the wood.
7. Protect tools from rust
Tools that we don't use everyday or those that get exposed to moisture often rust easily which renders them useless.
To keep knives, clippers, and scissors rust-free, coat the blades with lip balm. This will prevent them from oxidizing.
Lip balm can also help in keeping outdoor light bulbs waterproof. Apply the product on the threads of the bulbs before installing them.
Not only will the seal provided by the balm prevent rust, it will make it easier for you to unscrew the bulb when it needs replacing.
8. Lubricate hinges and tracks
There's always that one window, sliding door or drawer in the house that just won't budge.
This probably because the hinges and the tracks are not lubricated well enough.
Just rub some lip balm on the metal parts and you're good to go. You can do this as often as you like so they don't get sticky again.
9. Remove sticker residue
Don't you just hate it when you remove a price tag and it leaves that annoying gunk behind? It happens all the time, and rubbing your finger on it doesn't help at all.
There are a few ways to get rid of this residue, but using lip balm is one of the more efficient ones.
Just apply a layer of the balm on the gunk, wait at least 10 minutes, then wipe it away with a dry cloth or paper towel.
10. Stop bug bite itch
Itching a bug bite only makes it worse, so anything that can help bring you relief is appreciated.
Lip balm works in the same way that it does when you have a small cut.
Putting the balm on an itchy bug bite will bring you relief because it stops the air from irritating the affected area.
11. Defog eyeglasses
My fellow eyeglass wearers know just how annoying it can be to have your lenses fog up every time you're exposed to extreme warmth or cold.
Sometimes I have to take off my glasses when I'm standing over the stove or eating soup.
If you're in the same boat, you can put a stop to it by applying lip balm all over the lenses then polish it with a soft cloth.
Just repeat the process when you notice that your glasses have started fogging up again.
12. Seal your fragrance
A good perfume shouldn't evaporate easily, but we all have that one perfume or body mist that doesn't last.
A trick to making the scent last longer is by rubbing a little bit of lip balm on your pulse points, like your wrists and behind your ears, then spray the perfume over it.
The balm acts as a occlusive, which means that it will absorb the fragrance and holds on to it longer than your skin naturally would.
13. Shine your shoes
If you don't want to spend money on expensive shoe shine, then don't. Lip balm does an excellent job at keeping your shoes looking shiny and new.
Seriously, it's really easy. Just rub some of the product on your shoes, then buff them with a dry cloth.
For even better results, wipe your shoes clean with a damp cloth to get rid of any dirt or debris before you start shining them.
14. Keep laces tied
While many of us were taught the bunny method for tying shoe laces, not all of us turned out to be good at it.
Tripping on your laces is embarrassing, so if your laces keep coming undone, you can make sure they stay tied by rubbing lip balm on them.
The wax in the balm will create enough friction to stop them from getting untied.
15. Prevent blisters
What can I say? Lip balm really comes in handy when it comes to shoe problems, including preventing blisters from forming.
Blisters don't only happen because your shoe is tight, they can also form when there's friction between your skin after long periods of standing or walking.
To minimize this friction, apply a layer of lip balm to the area that might get irritated.
16. Clean up mascara smudge
Even if have very steady hands, you can still make mistakes while applying mascara or eyeliner.
If you happen to have a smudge on your already made up face, you can just put some lip balm on a Q-tip and wipe the ink off.
The best part is you won't have to worry about it removing the concealer or foundation that you already worked so hard to apply.
Have you tried using lip balm for anything else? Let us know in the comments!