Gimme some lip balm

Lip balm sales are up significantly in the past year. Sales in mass outlets rose an impressive 14.18% to $715.9 million for the 52 weeks ended Jan. 26, 2014, with units up 8.10%, according to data from IRI.

Lip Leader with Likes

Pfizer, thanks to its Chapstick brand, remains the leader in the category, generating sales of $172.2 million, up 4.28%, according to IRI. And while it’s been around for quite some time (its history dates back to the 1880s), Chapstick is hip to new media—its Facebook page has more than 4 million likes.

Young Gun

EOS is the fastest growing brand in the mass-market category, with sales up 125% to $85.4 million—placing it second behind Pfizer. Company executives contend that its unique round shape is more hygienic than pot lip balms. EOS’s newest launch is Blueberry Acai Smooth Sphere Lip Balm, which has an organic formula that is USDA-certified.

Fashion Forward

Carmex, made by Carma Labs (No. 5 in the mass category), traces its start back to 1937 when Alfred Woelbing began hand pouring the balm into yellow-capped jars in his kitchen. Carmex remained a home-kitchen produced brand for many years, before moving into a full production facility in the 1950s. Today, Carma continues to produce the original formula in trademarked jars but it has also gone fashion-forward with its limited Carmex Moisture Plus line.

Tools of the Trade

Bliss has created a new tool called the Fabulips ‘pout’o-matic. The pro-powered lip-perfecting device uses gentle rotation and a custom-designed head with massaging nubs to stimulate and exfoliate. When teamed up the Fabulips sugar lip scrub, ‘pout’-o-matic is said to instantly revitalize, rejuvenate and smooth lips.