Formulation and Ingredients

Are the ingredients in Carmex® products safe?

Carma Laboratories uses only purified, high-grade ingredients. The ingredients used in Carmex® products are always purified refined grades that are safe for use and meet specifications appropriate for their inclusion in pharmaceuticals, foods, cosmetics and a variety of personal care products.

You may have read that petrolatum, mineral oil and paraffin wax are sometimes considered impure ingredients. However, the petrolatum used in Carmex® products is comprised of Snow-White Pet USP and the mineral oil is White Mineral Oil USP/NF, both of which have been highly refined and tested to be appropriate for use in a wide variety of cosmetics and personal care products in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan and other countries. The paraffin wax used in our products is manufactured to meet US FDA food additive regulations (21CFR172.886), the international Food Chemical Codex (FCC) monograph for purity and EU Cosmetics Regulation (1223/2009).

The safety of refined mineral oil or petrolatum has been confirmed by long-term use in various cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and proven through multiple competent studies, which show no toxic or carcinogenic response. We take the safety of our customer seriously and continuously monitor and stay apprised of studies, information and regulations to ensure the highest quality product.

Carmex® stained my clothes in the wash. What do I do?

We recommend spot-treating with Era® Plus laundry detergent or Dawn® dish soap, allowing it to soak for about 30 minutes. Launder as usual, and repeat if necessary. You can also take your clothes to a dry cleaner. Be sure to tell them that the grease-based stains are petrolatum, lanolin, cocoa butter, beeswax and paraffin.

Does Carmex dry out my lips?

We’re happy to report that Carmex lip balms do not dry out lips. In fact, when used according to directions, lips feel more hydrated and comfortable alleviating the need for constant reapplication. Carmex lip balm products contain only the highest quality ingredients. Pure ingredients such as cocoa seed butter, lanolin and beeswax provide deep emolliency and help keep lips feeling hydrated and looking healthy and smooth throughout the year. Camphor and white petrolatum also found in Carmex Classic lip balm products cool, soothe and protect dry-chapped lips and conform to the United States Food and Drug Administration monographs as safe and effective for use in medicated lip care products.

Does the formula change for the different forms of Carmex®?

All Carmex® products provide the same level of trusted performance that have been optimized for the various package forms.

Has Carmex® changed formula recently?

The formula for Carmex® Classic Lip Balm remains faithful to Alfred Woelbing’s original 1937 formula. Carmex® Classic Lip Balm is made in batches and some ingredients are natural, so the scent and color of each batch may vary slightly; the effectiveness of our medicated lip balms will not.

We always work to include the highest quality ingredients in our formulas. The purity and consistency of our ingredients are, in some instances, better and more pure than they were years ago. This increase in quality can change some of the original characteristics of the ingredient. For instance, the lanolin of years ago was darker and sometimes smelled musty; today’s light-yellow lanolin is almost odorless.

If you purchase a Carmex® product that you are not 100% satisfied with, we want to hear about it. We are also happy to replace any product that does not meet your expectations, or send you a refund if you provide us with proof of purchase. Learn more about our money-back guarantee.

Is Carmex® addictive?

No, there’s nothing in Carmex® Lip Balm that’s addictive. Take a look at the ingredient list on the label, per the FDA’s guidelines.

What does SPF mean?

The SPF (sun protection factor) of a sunscreen is a measure of how well it protects the skin from sunburn.

Why does Carmex® tingle when you put it on?

Two natural ingredients in Carmex® Classic Lip Balmcamphor and menthol—give it a cooling effect and help relieve the irritation of dry, chapped lips.

Manufacturing and Packaging

Has the packaging changed recently?

Yes, you may notice that Carmex® Lip Balm products have a new look. In 2016, we took an iconic classic and gave it a modern twist. It’s fresh, sleek and represents the beginning of our next chapter in lip balm innovation.

Has the shape of the jar changed recently?

We are constantly on the lookout for ways we can bring Carmex to you while being environmentally friendly. In 2010 we developed a “greener” Carmex jar, which uses 20% less plastic in every jar. But don’t worry! We would never compromise our lip balm, so we didn’t change the product or the amount. Now, there is simply less jar. This small reduction adds up quickly: we reduced our plastic by 70,000 pounds each year, and that annual reduction of 35 tons of plastic equates to less plastic to ship, which means less fuel will be used. Our favorite yellow jar is making the world a little greener!

Is Carmex® tested on animals?

We never test on animals. Carmex® founder Alfred Woelbing believed animal testing to be uselessly and needlessly cruel, and that stance against animal testing has remained a part of our culture. All Carmex® products undergo a thorough chemical analysis before they leave our facility. Many Carma Labs Inc. products are available over the counter (OTC), and as such, we run specific analyses to ensure that all testing regulations and requirements by government jurisdictions, such as the FDA, are met and that our products are safe and effective for our consumers.

Discontinued Products

What happened to Carmex® skin care products?

The lip care experts at Carma Labs Inc. decided to focus on what we know best—innovating the next lip care breakthrough. To allow for this, production of Carmex® skin care products has been discontinued.

Where did Carmex® Moisture Plus Lip Balm go?

After careful consideration, Carmex® decided to discontinue production of Moisture Plus® in the United States. This allowed us to focus on two innovative lip balm lines: Carmex Comfort Care™ lip balm, made with natural ingredients, and Carmex Daily Care™ lip balm, made in a variety of deliciously different flavors.

Where did some of the lip balm flavors go?

Classic Lip Balm flavors have been discontinued to allow for the introduction of new flavors in our Daily Care line! Think of it as a rotating line up, and discover what’s available now.

Carmex Scientific Advisory Committee carmex img

Caring for Your Lips is Very Important to Us

Carma Labs Inc. commissioned its Scientific Advisory Board—made up of experts in dentistry, pathology, oral medicine, pharmacology and dermatology—to write a book about lip care. Download The Little Lip Book, or you can ask for a free copy by writing to:

ATTN: The Little Lip Book
Carma Laboratories, Inc.
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Learn more about the Scientific Advisory Board

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