Carmex

The original Carmex formulation was invented in 1937 by Alfred Woelbing on his kitchen stove in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, when he decided to create a remedy to treat the cold sores from which he often suffered. Apart from a wartime hiatus on Carmex production due to the rationing of key ingredient lanolin, the following twenty years saw popularity of the product grow hugely through word of mouth recommendations, as Alfred went door to door to pharmacies to persuade them to stock it. For 20 years Carmex was made in the family home, and in the late 1950s the company moved operations to dedicated premises, allowing food to once again be prepared in the Woelbing’s kitchen.

 

We love that after 70 years, the Carmex company is still owned and run by the Woelbing family, who are sticking to the three-fold philosophy to achieve success established by Alfred back in the thirties; maintaining product quality, customer satisfaction and employee happiness. The last two decades have seen a focus on development resulting in new products based on the original Carmex formula, including lip balm with SPF, tinted lip care products, and various new flavours.

 

Carmex has long been something of a cult favourite, and I can distinctly remember that every now and again at school someone would return from a Stateside holiday clutching the iconic little yellow tub. It has also been a firm favourite within the beauty industry, keeping models’ lips plumped and soft under their makeup.

 

We knew that although the range is not as broad as some of our other brands, we would love for our customers to be able to experience the tingle of Carmex, and see why this is one of the bestselling and most recognisable lip balms in the world.

 

Alfred Woelbing developed Carmex to help protect his lips from chapping and cold sores, and experimented with his ingredients until he had found the perfect blend. The company has not tampered with the original formulation and the products contain a range of ingredients that help care for your lips.

 

Menthol and camphor help soothe and relieve the discomfort associated with chapped lips, and work to produce the cool tingling sensation Carmex is famous for. Lips are hydrated by lanolin and cocoa butter, and salicylic acid gently exfoliates.

 

There are a few flavours that may take your fancy, but nothing beats the Original Carmex Lip Balm Pot as a bathroom/makeup bag staple. It works quickly on dry and chapped lips, and can help treat cold sores. It plumps and soothes lips and can be applied under or over lip colour.