photo credit: couchlearner via photopin cc
No matter where I am, I always have lip balm. My lips are always chapped so I carry a tube in all my purses, in my car and there are tubes stashed all over the house. And since I always have some on hand, I found these alternative uses pretty interesting and handy. I tried a lot of these ideas and had excellent results.
1. REMOVE PRICE-STICKER RESIDUE –
It can be a real pain trying to get price-sticker residue off glass items you buy, which a lot of time don’t peel off easily. Since I buy a lot of items on clearance, that have been marked down several times, I usually have more than one sticker to deal with. I usually use Goo Gone but that can be messy and it has a strong odor.
Lip Balm Rescue: Smear clear lip balm over the stickers and let sit for 10 minutes. The oils in the salve will disintegrate the adhesives, making removal a cinch. *I did try this trick and LOVED the results! We bought a mirror a couple of months ago (on clearance of course) and it has been sitting in my closet because I literally couldn’t get the price sticker off the glass and kept forgetting to pick up more Goo Gone. I tried the lip balm (I had tried just peeling it and I couldn’t use sprays or water because the frame is covered in material that could bleed), waited the 10 minutes, wiped it off, and every single bit of the sticker and adhesive was gone.
2. PROTECT A PET’S PAWS FROM ICE –
Walking on ice, snow and salt can cause irritation on your pet’s paws in wintry conditions.
Lip Balm Rescue: Coat your pets’ paw pads with clear lip balm before heading out the door. The balm will serve as a barrier to safeguard his sensitive tootsies. *We don’t have a dog so I couldn’t try this trick…..and our cats refused to “go for a walk”, or have their paws rubbed!
3. LIFT MASCARA SMUDGES –
Mascara smudges from crying, sweating, laughing till you cry, or allergy irritated eyes, can ruin your whole look. The fix?
Lip Balm Rescue: Rub your finger over the tip of a tube of clear lip balm and apply it to the smudges. The oils in the balm will gently dissolve and lift away the mascara without affecting the rest of your makeup. *I was very skeptical when I read this. I actually added mascara and smudged it a bit to try this out. When I wiped the smudge with the lip balm, it did take it away and didn’t remove my foundation or concealer. Seriously! Now you may get different results perhaps depending on your makeup brand. I had on Mary Kay timewise liquid foundation and Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara.
4. RUST-PROOF AN OUTDOOR LIGHTBULB –
When your porch light burns out, it can be tough to twist the lightbulb out because moisture from rain and snow caused it to rust in the socket.
Lip Balm Rescue: Next time, coat the threads of the new bulb with lip balm BEFORE twisting it into place. The film will act as a sealant to stop water from seeping in and oxidizing the metal. When it comes time to change the bulb again, you’ll be able to unscrew it with ease. *We have this problem a lot of times with our outdoor lights. As we replace the bulbs, I have been coating them with the balm but I won’t know if it works until the next time they need to be replaced.
5. HEAD OFF A HANGNAIL –
Have a cracked cuticle that needs attention but no cuticle cream? It seems like this happens to me when I’m out shopping or running errands and I don’t carry cuticle cream in my purse but I do always have lip balm….
Lip Balm Rescue: Dampen the affected area with lukewarm water, then apply a layer of clear lip balm. The beauty staple will soothe irritation while sealing in moisture-and that’s the key to warding off a painful hangnail.
6. FOR YOUR HANDS –
Even with hand lotion, your hands can still get chapped, particularly between your fingers.
Lip Balm Rescue: Rub lip balm on them at night before bed. You’ll treat the rough spots and contribute to overall moisturizing. *I tried this tip on a couple of extra-rough, extra-dry spots I have on my arm….woke up the next morning with them looking and feeling much better than when I just used my lotion on them.
7. TAME FLYAWAY EYEBROWS –
If your wayward eyebrows or mustache make you look like you belong in a zoo….Or you have that stubborn hair that just won’t cooperate….
Lip Balm Rescue: Apply a little lip balm to calm them down. It’s clear, waxy, and able to groom wild hair. *I use (an expensive) eyebrow wax every morning before putting on my eyebrow powder. I actually tried the balm on my brows several different ways. First I applied it with my finger to see how it felt and looked. Even without makeup on, my brows immediately looked well-groomed. Then I coated my eyebrow brush with the balm and applied it to my brows, with a coating of my color. This worked just as great as my brow wax! And since I bought my lip balm for a dollar, it was so much cheaper! I will never buy brow wax again.
8. UNSTICK A ZIPPER QUICKLY –
For those winter coats with a zipper that has gotten stubbornly stuck….
Lip Balm Rescue: To loosen it without damaging the coat’s fabric, rub clear lip balm over the zipper’s teeth. The slick wax will lubricate the metal so the hardware can move along without snagging. *I tried this on a velvet handbag I have that I haven’t used because of a stuck zipper….worked fabulously and now I can use it again!
9. PREVENT NAILS FROM SPLITTING WOOD –
When hammering a nail into a wood shelf, sometimes you end up splitting the lumber.
Lip Balm Rescue: In the future, rub clear lip balm over the hardware before starting any job. The slick coating will help the nails slide into the wood without incident.
10. STOP SHOELACES FROM COMING UNTIED –
New sneakers have a tendency to have their laces keep coming undone. The save?
Lip Balm Rescue: Coat the strings with clear lip balm where you knot the loop. The wax will create a bit of sticky friction between the laces, making them less likely to unravel.
11. SMOOTH STATICKY HAIR –
Wearing hats and scarves can keep you warm but once you get inside and take your gear off, your hair is a staticky mess…
Lip Balm Rescue: To quickly tame those wayward strands, rub a bit of clear lip balm on your fingertips, then “pinch” along the affected strands. The moisturizing ingredients in the balm will hydrate thirsty locks so they lay flat. *I tried this at the store after trying on a lot of clothes. By the time I took off the last sweater, my hair was standing on end. I pulled out my lip balm, and it did the trick quickly. And there was no sticky mess.
12. TAKE THE OUCH OUT OF SHAVING –
Nick yourself while shaving? (Which I do quite often in the winter because I always have goose bumps!) Lip balm is a pain-free alternative to styptic pencil.
Lip Balm Rescue: Just dab a bit on your cut and you’ll be good to go.
And of course you can always use lip balm….on your lips!