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Whether you keep a tube in every bag or dip into a tub that’s been in your parent’s medicine cabinet since, like, birth, we’re guessing you already consider Aquaphor a desert-island product. But something maybe you didn’t know: The brand’s newer Healing Balm Stick takes the multipurpose staple up a notch. It’s petrolatum-based, just like the formula you know and love, but also enriched with avocado oil and shea butter to help moisturize and protect skin, and it’s packaged in a convenient lip balm-like stick.
TLDR: You’re going to want to pack one (or two, or three) for college. Keep reading to find out all the reasons to rely on the Healing Balm Stick this school year.
It’s easy to use and ultra-portable
Thanks to the stick applicator, the formula glides on easily and won’t leave you with a sticky-finger feeling. It’s compact enough that you can throw it in your gym duffle, shower caddy, or going-out clutch for daily use. And at less than an ounce, it’s totally carry-on-friendly (yup, we’re already dreaming of spring break). Travel hack: Keep it handy on the plane so you can prevent in-flight skin dehydration.
It’s a hero for every season
Dry skin, windburn, sweat-induced friction—whatever environment-related skin struggles you’re faced with, the hydrating and soothing (shout-out to that avocado oil and shea butter) Healing Balm Stick is here to help. If your school is in an arid climate, you can use the balm to spot-treat parched patches on your elbows, knuckles, and cheeks. More the cold, gusty tailgate kind of climate? Glide it over exposed skin before you bundle up and head out. And on hot and humid early-fall or late-spring days spent hustling between classes, apply it on friction-prone areas, like your inner thighs, to avoid chafing.
It’s a locker room essential
If you’re a collegiate athlete—or simply can’t wait to flaunt your fresh activewear at the gym—you’ve got a new workout buddy. In addition to chafe prevention (if you forget before a run or practice, use it post-sesh for soothing relief), the Healing Balm Stick is also great for dry hands and feet. Swipe the stick on cracked heels and knuckles or the backs of chafed ankles to help with the healing process and prevent further damage. And when you’ve taken a tumble that left a mark (hey, it happens), remember that you can apply the Aquaphor balm on minor surface injuries like scabs and scars—just be sure to avoid any still-open wounds.
It’s your makeup bag’s secret weapon
The Healing Balm Stick really shines in the viral beauty-trend department, both literally and figuratively. For a juicy-lip or glossy-eye look, apply matte pigment first, then use the formula as a topper. For a glass-skin effect, dab it on the high points of your cheekbones and along the bridge of your nose as the last step in your routine. Fake laminated brows by coating a spoolie with Aquaphor and brushing hairs upward. And to wake up with a dewy complexion, try slugging, a hack that provides a major moisture boost from applying Aquaphor all over your face before bed.
It’s so darn affordable
Beauty products can be expensive. And when you’re trying to keep up with trends and take care of your skin, it’s all too easy to blow your whole bookstore-shift paycheck. But not with the Healing Balm Stick, which costs less than $15 and is truly so many products in one—it’s practically made for students on a budget.
