Lips, our vulva balm, costs $36 CAD for a 1 oz jar, or $27 USD if you're ordering from the US. That's more than a tub of petroleum jelly or a bottle of plant oil from the grocery store, so it's fair to ask what the extra money buys. If you're not sure you need a balm at all, start with what a vulva balm is and who can skip one.
This article does the math in the open. It works out the price per gram and what goes into the jar, then says plainly when a cheaper product on the shelf will do the job for you.
In this article
- What Lips costs, worked out per gram
- What the price pays for
- Cheaper options, and when they're fine
- A balm, a plain oil or petroleum jelly, side by side
- Ways to pay less for Lips
- When not to spend money on a balm
- Frequently asked questions
What Lips costs, worked out per gram
| Canada | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Price for one jar | $36 CAD | $27 USD |
| Jar size | 1 oz | 1 oz |
| Price per gram (on the page's 30 g) | $1.20 CAD | $0.90 USD |
| Shipping on its own | Free | Free |
The per-gram figure is simple division: the price over the 30 grams listed on the product page. We don't give a number of uses or weeks per jar, because that depends on how often you reach for it, and we'd rather not promise a number we haven't measured.
You use a pea-sized amount each time, on the vulva and the skin around it. Some buyers use it every night, and others only when they need it. One buyer put it this way: "I do not use it as an everyday product, but when I need it" (M.N., verified buyer, January 2025).
What the price pays for
Here is what goes into a jar of Lips, taken from the product page and the label.
The ingredient list
The base is sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, candelilla wax (a plant wax), cocoa butter, calendula macerate (calendula flowers soaked in oil), castor oil and vitamin E. Candelilla wax forms a light, breathable layer that holds moisture in.
The essential oils are ho wood, geranium bourbon, peppermint, palmarosa and blue tansy. Together they make up about 1% of the formula. There's no fragrance, no hormones and no petroleum.
In Canada, the law says cosmetic labels must list all ingredients, so you can compare any balm's list against this one before you pay for it.
Where and how it's made
Lips is made in Montréal and formulated by women. It comes in an amber glass jar with a black cap, and it has a 24-month shelf life, which was stability tested. A balm that keeps for two years matters if you're someone who uses it only now and then.
What happens after you buy
The jar ships free on its own in Canada and the US, in discreet packaging with discreet billing. It also comes with a guarantee, written on the page in these words: "30-day satisfaction guarantee. if lips doesn't work for you, reach out within 30 days of your first order and we'll make it right." We answer customer emails within 24 to 48 hours.
That last part is the one we'd weigh most. A cheaper product that doesn't suit you costs you its full price. If Lips doesn't work for you in the first 30 days, you write to us and we sort it out.
Cheaper options, and when they're fine
Cheaper products work for a lot of people, and we'd be doing you a disservice if we pretended otherwise.
Petroleum jelly is the classic. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests people consider applying petroleum jelly to dry skin, and notes that ointments are more effective and less irritating than lotions. It's a single ingredient, so there's very little in it to react to. We wrote a full article on using Vaseline on the vulva, with its upsides and its trade-offs.
Plain plant oils like almond, jojoba or olive oil are cheap and easy to find. A single oil is also easy to test, because there's only one thing in it. Coconut oil is the one people ask about most, and it has a couple of catches worth knowing.
The trade-offs are about feel and fit. DermNet, the dermatology reference, notes that some people find ointments too greasy, especially on visible areas, and that heavy occlusive products can aggravate folliculitis, the small bumps around hair follicles. Under underwear, on skin that's warm and covered all day, that heaviness bothers some people more than it would elsewhere. The CDC also warns against using oil-based products like petroleum jelly with condoms, because they can make the condom break.
A cheaper product is a perfectly good choice if your skin is comfortable most of the time and only gets a little dry now and then, if you don't use latex condoms, if you've tested it on your arm first, and if you don't mind the feel. In that case, save your money.
A balm, a plain oil or petroleum jelly, side by side
The table compares the three by what you actually get for the price. We haven't listed prices for the other two, because they vary so much by size and store, but both usually cost less than a balm.
| What you pay for | A vulva balm (Lips) | A plain plant oil | Petroleum jelly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $36 CAD / $27 USD for 1 oz | Usually less | Usually less |
| What's in it | Plant oils, candelilla wax, cocoa butter, calendula, vitamin E, about 1% essential oils | One oil | Petroleum jelly |
| Fragrance | None | Depends on the oil | Usually none |
| How it feels | Melts in, a light layer | Thin, can run | Thick and greasy |
| Made for the vulva | Yes, external use | No, general use | No, general use |
| With latex condoms | Not right before sex; keep it as daily care | Keep it away | Keep it away |
| If it doesn't suit you | 30-day satisfaction guarantee | You're out the cost | You're out the cost |
| Best for | Regular use under clothes, reactive skin that wants a short named list | Occasional dryness, a budget, a simple test | Occasional dryness, a strong seal |
Whichever you pick, the label advice is the same. External use only, a small amount, and a patch test on your forearm before it goes anywhere sensitive. On condoms, the Lips page puts it this way: "it absorbs quickly, but if you use latex condoms, avoid applying right before sex. if you use condoms regularly, keep lips as a daily care product, not a pre-sex product."
Ways to pay less for Lips
If you've decided a balm is worth it, a few things bring the price down.
Free shipping on its own. Lips ships free by itself in Canada and the US, so the $36 CAD ($27 USD) is the price you pay. It also counts toward free shipping on bigger orders: $90 CAD in Canada, and $125 CAD (about $90 USD) to the US.
Bundles. The vulva ritual pairs Lips with Essence for $62 CAD ($46 USD). The essentials kit puts Lips with Honey, our personal lubricant, and Clean, our toy cleaner, from $72 CAD.
Store credit. Purchases on our store earn 10% back in store credit, which you can put toward your next order.
When not to spend money on a balm
The cheapest option of all is not buying anything. Here's when that's the right call.
If your skin is comfortable. A balm moisturizes and softens dry skin. If nothing feels dry or rubbed, there's nothing for it to do.
If you're still using soap on the area. Ordinary soap strips this skin, and swapping it out costs nothing. Our article on why soap is wrong for vulvar skin explains what to use instead.
If something has changed and you don't know why. Itch that wakes you up, skin that turns white or shiny, new discharge, a strong change in smell or pain when you pee are all reasons to see a doctor first. A balm is a moisturizer, and it won't sort out a problem that needs a diagnosis.
If you're allergic to nuts. Sweet almond oil is the first ingredient in Lips. Ask your doctor before trying it.
If you've reacted to any of the essential oils on the list. Pick a product without them.
If none of those apply and you'd like to try it, Lips is on the product page with the full ingredient list and the guarantee. If it doesn't seem to be helping after a while, this checklist goes through the usual reasons.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a vulva balm cost?
Lips costs $36 CAD or $27 USD for a 1 oz jar, which works out to $1.20 CAD per gram on the 30 grams listed on the product page. It ships free on its own in Canada and the US. Plain plant oils and petroleum jelly usually cost less, and they suit some people well.
Is a vulva balm worth the money?
It depends on your skin. If your skin gets dry only now and then and you don't mind a greasy feel, a cheaper oil or petroleum jelly may be enough. A balm makes more sense if you use it often under clothes, or if you want a short named ingredient list. Lips also has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
Can I use Vaseline or coconut oil instead of a vulva balm?
Many people do, on the outside only. Petroleum jelly is a simple seal that dermatologists suggest for dry skin, and plant oils are easy to test. Both are heavy or greasy for some people, and both weaken latex condoms. Test either one on your forearm before using it on the vulva.
Why does a vulva balm cost more than a plain oil?
You're paying for several ingredients in one formula instead of one oil, for a product made for external vulvar use, and for the jar and testing. Lips is made in Montréal, comes in amber glass, has a 24-month stability-tested shelf life and carries a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
How long does a jar of vulva balm last?
That depends on how often you use it, so we don't give a number. You use a pea-sized amount each time, and some buyers use it nightly while others reach for it only when they need it. The jar has a 24-month shelf life, so occasional use is fine.
Is there a way to save on Lips?
Yes. Lips ships free on its own in Canada and the US, and bundles pair it with Essence or with Honey and Clean. Purchases on our store also earn 10% back in store credit toward your next order.
Sources
- Cosmetic labels must list all ingredients: Health Canada, Cosmetic advertising, labelling and ingredients
- Petroleum jelly for dry skin, ointments compared with lotions: American Academy of Dermatology, 5 ways to use petroleum jelly for skin care
- Ointments, greasiness and folliculitis: DermNet, Emollients and moisturisers
- Oil-based products and condoms: CDC, How to use an external condom
About this article
Written by the Peach & Cream team, based in Montréal. Published October 15, 2026. Last updated October 15, 2026. Prices, ingredients and the guarantee wording come from the Lips product page and our price lists; the buyer quote is copied exactly from a verified review on our store. This article is general information, not medical advice. Lips does not treat or prevent any condition.