What are the common misunderstandings about lip balm?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
The idea that "lip balm is addictive" has circulated on overseas forums for years. In Japan, lip balm (リップクリーム, rippu kurīmu) comes in three legal categories — cosmetic, quasi-drug and medicine — and the label tells you what each is for. This article explains how to read them and what the "addiction" story gets wrong.
The three categories
| Category | Label | Purpose | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic | No category shown | Moisturises, prevents dryness, protects the lips | Everyday protection |
| Quasi-drug (医薬部外品, a Japanese category between cosmetics and medicines) | "Quasi-drug" (医薬部外品) | An active ingredient helps prevent chapping | Seasons when your lips chap easily |
| Medicine (Class 3 OTC, etc.) | "Class 3 OTC drug" (第3類医薬品) etc. | For cracked, peeling lips | When you have symptoms. Follow the dosage and directions |
In Japan, an SPF figure on lip balm is permitted for a cosmetic. Lips have no sebaceous glands and are easily affected by ultraviolet light.
[Verify] Check the scope of claims for each category against the MHLW's 56 cosmetic items and the scope of efficacy claims for quasi-drugs.
Misunderstanding 1｜The more you apply, the drier your lips get
Lips have no sebaceous glands and a thin outer layer, so they dry out easily. If they feel dry after applying balm, the cause is usually irritating ingredients such as menthol, a licking habit, or friction while applying.
Misunderstanding 2｜Press hard and go side to side for better coverage
Applying lightly, up and down, along the vertical lines of the lips causes less friction; this is widely shared among people in Japan.
Misunderstanding 3｜Medicine-class lip balm is best used all the time
A medicine is for when you have symptoms, within the stated dosage and directions. The usual approach is to switch back to the cosmetic category once the symptoms have settled.
Misunderstanding 4｜Lips don't need sunscreen
Lips are prone to drying and peeling from UV exposure. Using a lip balm with an SPF figure in the daytime is sensible.
Misunderstanding 5｜Once opened, it keeps for years
Lip balm touches the lips directly and picks up the bacteria that live in the mouth. Many people use it up within one season to a year of opening, and stop using it if there is discolouration, a change in smell, or separation.
---
Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), "Revision of the scope of cosmetic efficacy claims" (Yakushoku-hatsu 0721 No. 1) [化粧品の効能の範囲の改正について]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11120000-Iyakushokuhinkyoku/kesyouhin_hanni_20111.pdf
- MHLW, "Scope of efficacy claims for quasi-drugs" [医薬部外品の効能効果の範囲]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/iyakuhin/keshouhin/index.html
- Japanese Dermatological Association, "Dermatology Q&A: Chapped lips" [皮膚科Q&A 口唇の荒れ]
https://www.dermatol.or.jp/qa/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Cosmetics are not medicines and are not meant to diagnose, heal or prevent any condition. If your skin reacts, stop using the product and see a dermatologist.
Sources
Tell us if this has changed
Approved contributions keep the contributor's name, shown in five languages.
Related questions
Other languages：日本語 ／ 简体中文 ／ 繁體中文 ／ 한국어
Value Village is not a government body. Always confirm procedures on the official site.
Written by Value Village from public sources. Nothing here is reproduced from another site.