Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature |  Numbrrrz | Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 |
|---|---|---|
| Base ingredients | Organic coconut oil + jojoba | Petrolatum + lanolin |
| Contains lanolin | No | Yes (common allergen) |
| Contains petroleum | No | Yes — primary ingredient |
| Price | $36 for 3-pack | ~$12 for 1 tube |
| Organic certified | Yes | No |
| Ingredient simplicity | 4 ingredients | 10+ ingredients |
| Allergen risk profile | Very low — no common lip allergens | Moderate — lanolin is a top-5 lip product allergen |
| Preservative approach | Vitamin E (natural antioxidant) | BHT, tocopheryl acetate (synthetic vitamin E) |
| Brand heritage vs. formula quality | Modern formula — optimized for today's ingredient standards | Classic formula — unchanged since the 1960s |
Base ingredients
Organic coconut oil + jojoba
Petrolatum + lanolin
Contains lanolin
No
Yes (common allergen)
Contains petroleum
No
Yes — primary ingredient
Price
$36 for 3-pack
~$12 for 1 tube
Organic certified
Yes
No
Ingredient simplicity
4 ingredients
10+ ingredients
Allergen risk profile
Very low — no common lip allergens
Moderate — lanolin is a top-5 lip product allergen
Preservative approach
Vitamin E (natural antioxidant)
BHT, tocopheryl acetate (synthetic vitamin E)
Brand heritage vs. formula quality
Modern formula — optimized for today's ingredient standards
Classic formula — unchanged since the 1960s
Why Numbrrrz Wins
Organic ingredients vs. Kiehl's petroleum and lanolin base
No petrolatum or mineral oil
No lanolin (common allergen derived from sheep wool)
No squalane or other processed derivatives
Dramatically simpler formula — 4 ingredients vs. 10+
3 tubes for roughly the same price as 1 Kiehl's tube
Deep Dive
Learn more about Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 and the ingredients mentioned in this comparison.
Why Switch to Numbrrrz?
Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 is a classic product with a loyal following, but its formula is showing its age. The primary ingredients are petrolatum and lanolin — a petroleum derivative and a sheep wool derivative that is one of the most common lip product allergens. At a similar price point to an entire Numbrrrz 3-pack for a single tube, Kiehl's is charging a premium for brand heritage rather than ingredient quality. The full ingredient list of Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 includes petrolatum, isopropyl myristate, lanolin, sweet almond oil, squalane, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, tocopheryl acetate (synthetic vitamin E), lemon fruit extract, BHT, fragrance, and sometimes additional compounds depending on the variety. Petrolatum is the primary ingredient — the same petroleum jelly you can buy from Vaseline for a fraction of the price. Lanolin, derived from sheep wool sebaceous secretions, is a top-5 contact allergen in lip care products, causing dermatitis, swelling, and peeling in sensitive individuals. BHT, present as a preservative, has been flagged as a potential endocrine disruptor. And tocopheryl acetate is a synthetic form of vitamin E that requires enzymatic conversion in the skin to become active, unlike the natural vitamin E in Numbrrrz which is immediately bioavailable. Kiehl's is a genuinely historic brand — their apothecary heritage dates to 1851, and Lip Balm #1 has been a bestseller for decades. That history earns respect. But heritage is not the same as quality, and the lip care science has advanced considerably since this formula was created. If you fell in love with Kiehl's for their apothecary ethos — simple, effective formulations from quality ingredients — Numbrrrz actually delivers on that promise better than Kiehl's current formula does. Four organic ingredients, no petroleum, no allergens, no synthetics, at three tubes for the price of one.
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