When you swipe on a fresh layer of your favorite lip balm, you think you are adding moisture to your lips, but are you actually just causing bad habits? Does chapstick work, or is it all just for the money?

Sophomore Rachel Schipper says that chapstick does work for her.

“Chapstick works for me. It at least keeps me from licking my lips, and my favorite brand is Burt’s Bees,” Schipper said.

Junior Audrey Weber, on the other hand, is not a die-hard user and thinks chapstick does no good.

“Chapstick does not work for me. It makes my lips burn and never stays on. It always just rubs off, and I never have the ‘glossy’ feeling left on my lips that it claims to give,” Weber said.

Most people live under the impression that lip balm revives your dry lips; however, some lip balms contain specific wax and petrolatum that create a watertight barrier, preventing your lips from receiving the natural moisture they need. Lip balms with these ingredients can make your lips even drier.

Despite the soothing feeling you may get, you are actually just creating a bad habit. Instead of chancing on a chapstick, the best way to keep your lips hydrated is to drink more water. This will naturally moisturize your lips without the help of a lip balm.

With all that being said, there are a few lip balms that are not bad. These top recommended brands include Aquaphor, ChapStick and Burt’s Bees, which have the top improvement rate and the healthiest mixtures.

Whether you decide to continue using chapstick or not, this debacle reminds us that we should all think before using products. Not everything on the shelves is as it seems.