Buying a new lip product may be the single hardest thing in the world. Maybe not harder than picking out shoes, but still difficult. Other products perform one function, a powder reduces shine, a foundation reduces blotching etc, but lip products plump, shine, moisturize, prevent chapping, add color and on and on. When I buy a specific lipgloss, I can find a hundred different other products to do the other things I need a single lip product to do. For instance I want shine, but I want long lasting color too, not very possible with lip gloss as it has an oil base.
A balm usually has no gloss effect, and is usually a great moisturizer. Balms usually have sunscreen and vitamins. Often times they are referred to as a chapstick.
Whichever you choose, make sure you specify your exact needs for that product ie: gloss, moisturizing, color etc.
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