I am a big fan of Glossier in general, but the Glossier Balm Dotcom just hits different. It’s a skin salve and lip balm that takes a generally boring product category and makes it addictive. You probably own a thousand Chapstick type products – but nothing compares to Balm Dotcom. Trust me.
Glossier Balm Dotcom hit the market quite a few years ago – just like their other cult favorite, the Cloud Paints. Balm Dotcom has since taken the world by storm, winning multiple beauty awards and becoming a favorite of celebrities and everyday guys and gals alike.
This post is not sponsored by Glossier. I wanted to give an honest, transparent review of this $12 lip balm so that you can decide if it’s worth stocking your car, vanity, and handbags with Balm Dotcom.
All the details of Glossier Balm Dotcom.
The use case.
Glossier markets the Balm Dotcom as a “universal skin salve” – meaning it can be used to hydrate everything from your lips to your cuticles to your elbows. Glossier does; however, recognize that most people use Balm Dotcom almost exclusively as a lip balm. Glossier describes their Balm Dotcom as, “A hydrating lip balm packed with antioxidants and natural emollients to nourish dry, chafed skin—in original or other fun flavors.”
And I’d say that’s a pretty damn great description. Balm Dotcom IS a hydrating balm that absolutely comes in fun flavors you’re unlikely to find elsewhere.
The ingredient list.
On the ingredients section of the product page, Glossier lists the primary ingredients of Balm Dotcom as castor seed oil, beeswax, lanolin, cupuacu fruit extract, and rice bran & rosemary leaf extracts.
The thing to really note here is that the “key ingredients” Glossier lists on their product page are essentially infused into your good ol’ everyday petrolatum (petroleum jelly). Translation: Vaseline.
Balm Dotcom is literally like, fancy Vaseline.
Obviously Glossier isn’t out and about releasing their exact formula, but based on petrolatum being listed as the first ingredient across all Balm Dotcom flavors, I think its safe to assume that petroleum jelly is making up the bulk base of this product with the “extras” infused in. The castor oil, beeswax, and lanolin all immediately follow the petroleum jelly in the ingredient lists for all flavors. Without Glossier releasing percentages, it’s impossible to know just how much of the formula is made up of petroleum jelly vs anything else (it could be 80% or it could be 50%).
All in all, it’s undeniable that Glossier’s claim of ultimate hydration is true. Petroleum jelly, among all the other ingredients listed, is very hydrating. Balm Dotcom essentially provides a hydrating, protective barrier on the lips creating a moisture locked sort of situation. Who doesn’t love a thick emollient and healthy fatty acids in their lip balm?
The flavors.
Glossier Balm Dotcom currently comes in eight flavor options. The flavors offered are:
- Original (fragrance free)
- Rose
- Birthday
- Cherry
- Mint
- Coconut
- Mango
- Berry
The entire Balm Dotcom line has grown over time, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see new and exciting flavor combos released soon.
The feel.
Glossier Balm Dotcom definitely has a smooth, hydrating feel to it. Balm Dotcom has a thick, creamy, waxy texture, rather than a sticky or gloopy kind of situation. Balm Dotcom does not leave the lips looking slick or shiny, but rather leaves just a smooth appearance.
The price.
As of 2021, Glossier Balm Dotcom is priced at $12 a tube. Glossier also sells a trio, which is priced at a little discount of $30 (rather than $36).
Pros of Glossier Balm Dotcom.
The flavors are truly iconic.
By far the thing that makes Glossier Balm Dotcom unique and special are the flavors. Balm Dotcom’s flavor profiles are something else, let me tell you.
Balm Dotcom flavors actually smell like the exact flavor they claim to be. None of that artificial nastiness. No fake cherry “essence” type deal. We’re talking real cherry smell.
If Glossier Balm Dotcom says it’s mint flavored…trust me…it’s mint flavored.
Most lip balms have a scent or flavor to them, but Balm Dotcom is different. The scent and flavors are really authentic. What this authenticity ends up doing is causing your lip balm application to sort of set a mood. When I apply my mango Balm Dotcom I inhale and am actually reminded of warm weather and summer. That intense, mango scent brings me right to a beach and instantly relaxes me.
I’m telling you, the Balm Dotcom scents basically have essential oil type properties. It’s wild.
My favorite flavors.
Mango is by far my favorite Balm Dotcom flavor (for that beachy sensory experience listed above). I’m also a huge fan of the coconut flavor. Can you tell I like a tropical vibe?
I do also own the mint and rose flavors, but find I don’t reach for those as often. No shade – they’re delicious in both smell and taste – but the mango and coconut just feel more unique to me. I do have my eye on the birthday flavor for my next purchase because I have a feeling smelling a birthday cake as I plow through my work day might make the work seem a little sweeter.
The feel on the lips is hydrating.
Let’s give credit where credit is due, this Glossier lip balm situation is very hydrating. Balm Dotcom leaves a plump, supple feeling to the lips – without the nasty sticky feeling a lot of lip balms leave behind. I’m NOT a fan of that hair getting stuck in your lip gloss sort of vibe. Balm Dotcom, thanks to its more waxy texture, doesn’t leave a shine or a stick.
Thanks to Balm Dotcom’s fairly simple and “clean” ingredient list, this balm is also great for sensitive skin. Fragrance seems to be the only “known” potentially irritating ingredient.
All around, Balm Dotcom is a great balm for lips (or really anywhere else you may need a hydrating salve).
The tube looks real cute sitting out on your desk.
We CANNOT deny Glossier dominates when it comes to packaging and marketing. Glossier is one huge lesson in branding that all other brands should take due note of. From the millennial pink everything to the clean, minimal vibe – Glossier products always look amazing sitting on a vanity (or in your Instagram feed).
It’s just part of the Glossier aesthetic.
Glossier Balm Dotcom is no different from any other Glossier product – the packaging is cute AF. The tube is minimal and design, yet more substantial than your average lip balm tube. Each flavor also has a unique colored tube, making collecting Balm Dotcom’s similar to building a rainbow. Laying all these bad boys out across your desk is nothing less than utterly satisfying.
Cons of Glossier Balm Dotcom.
The tube makes for “messy” application.
Although the tube packaging is designed to aesthetic perfection, I’d argue it’s not as functional as a classic Chapstick tube. The tube packaging of Balm Dotcom means application involves gently squeezing a bit of the product onto your finger first and then utilizing your finger to apply. Personally, I don’t love an application of a balm or salve that involves my fingers. I’d prefer not to have to wipe a, for lack of a better term, greasy balm off my fingers after applying. But that’s exactly what I have to do with Balm Dotcom.
Chapstick may not have the same aesthetic appeal as Balm Dotcom, but man is their classic packaging much more functional. Pop the cap off, twist up the product, apply, twist back down, put the cap back on. No finger application involved.
The price is steep for a lip balm.
Glossier currently charges $12 for a 0.5 fl oz tube of Balm Dotcom. Alternatively, you could spend less than $3 for a 1.75 tub of Vaseline. You could also spend less than $4 for not one, but three tubes of classic Chapstick. Glossier Balm Dotcom isn’t just expensive – it’s basically luxury pricing in this category.
$12 as a general price point for any beauty item feels inherently approachable which is exactly why this product is a bestseller. It’s pretty easy to justify a $12 beauty purchase when an average coffee these days can cost upwards of $5. If you actually take a look competitively, though, at other lip balms on the market – $12 seems pretty absurd.
The ingredients aren’t anything to write home about.
Most lip balms on the market are made of a petroleum jelly base. Glossier Balm Dotcom is really no different. Given that petroleum jelly is such a common (and inexpensive) base, I just don’t personally feel like the ingredients of Balm Dotcom make it very *special*. I definitely appreciate that Glossier infused additional natural emollients to add hydration, but nothing strikes me as proprietary or all that astounding.
Is Glossier Balm Dotcom worth it?
The age old question: is this $12 lip balm worth the price? It depends.
Glossier Balm Dotcom is a luxury lip balm product. Like many other luxuries in life, it’s a fun indulgence that yes gets the job done. But it’s pretty overpriced given the simplicity of the ingredients. What you’re buying into here are the luxurious scents and the brand.
I do not regret any of my Balm Dotcom purchases – and I have quite a few tubes! My lips are perpetually dry and finding a lip balm that I actually enjoy wearing has been tough. Most leave my lips sticky and gross, whereas Balm Dotcom feels great and smells AMAZING.
Did I mention Balm Dotcom smells amazing???
The flavor profiles of Balm Dotcom alone make this luxury purchase worth it for me. I really can’t get enough of applying these juicy scents to my lips and basking in whatever memories or mood they evoke.
Other Glossier products I love.
Boy Brow.
Another Glossier cult favorite, Boy Brow is one of my makeup bag staples. Boy Brow gives perfect fluffy brows every time. A big, bold, bushy brow is kind of “in” right now, no? If you’re after that natural fluffy brow look, Boy Brow will achieve.
Once again, Glossier also nails it on the packaging. The minimally designed white tube with black font is classic, chic, and timeless. Boy Brow is $16, making it not the cheapest brow product on the market – but also not the most expensive. Boy Brow is a staple for me and will always have a place in my makeup vanity.
Stretch Concealer.
I’m actually typically not a concealer wearer. I’m really into a natural skin kind of vibe (I usually opt for mineral makeup) so I don’t mind some “flaws” peeking through. Imperfections are what make us perfect, no? Sure I’m not a big fan of my zits, but they happen. And they’re normal.
Stretch Concealer, though, has turned me on to the world of concealers. Stretch Concealer is one of only two concealers I own in my makeup collection. Stretch Concealer has a thin, hydrating consistency – never cakey. This concealer also blends like a dream and is incredibly buildable. Stretch Concealer is priced at $18, so again we’re not talking drugstore prices, but also not designer.
Glossier You fragrance.
EVERY compliment I get about fragrance is from wearing Glossier You. Period. End of story. No one ever comments on my perfume unless I’m wearing You – and every time I wear You I get at least one comment. Every. Time.
I’m not particularly great at describing fragrance notes, but this perfume has a beautiful mix of masculine and feminine energy. Glossier You isn’t particularly musky nor is it floral – it’s just approachable. At $60 for a 1.7 fl oz bottle, Glossier You is a bit of a splurge but cheaper than the standard perfume sold at say Sephora.
Is there a solid Glossier Balm Dotcom dupe?
Yes – literally every lip balm alternative on the market, including good ol’ fashioned Vaseline, is a dupe for Balm Dotcom. Most lip balms have some sort of petroleum jelly or wax base, so they all exist from the same family. To me, all lip balms will accomplish the exact same thing with similar efficacy, regardless of branding, scent, or price.
Glossier Balm Dotcom is easy to dupe because, at the end of the day…it’s just a lip balm. A damn good one at that.
I’ll continue to buy the OG Balm Dotcom despite how easy it is to dupe this product because it’s just so lovable. From the cute packaging to the undeniably addictive flavors – Balm Dotcom is a fun product to own and use.
Do you own Glossier Balm Dotcom? Tell me your thoughts and opinions on this cult favorite in the comments down below? Also hit me with your favorite flavor. I’m curious.