Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Lip Balm 7g

Nothing has beaten petrolatum at its one job. It is the most effective occlusive known: it sits on the surface and physically stops water escaping from the skin underneath, which is exactly what cracked lips need in order to heal. Every newer lip product is trying to do this while feeling nicer.

This is the plain version, without the cocoa butter or the flavoured variants. No scent, no taste, nothing added. That makes it the one to buy for a child, for anyone who dislikes scented products, or for the split in the middle of a lower lip that simply will not close.

It also does more than lips, which is why the tin has stayed in handbags for a century. Dry cuticles, a cracked heel, a patch of eczema, chafing, or over a small cut to keep it from drying out.

Suits: everyone, and especially winter, air-conditioned offices, and anyone who finds scented balms make them lick their lips more.

Worth knowing: 7g tin, pocket-sized. Use a clean fingertip rather than digging in with a nail and it stays hygienic for months. A thick layer before bed does more for badly cracked lips than five applications during the day.