Carmex
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Carmex is a topical lip balm indicated both to reduce cold sores and dry or chapped lips. It is sold in jars, sticks, and squeezable tubes. Carmex has been manufactured by Carma Laboratories in Franklin, Wisconsin since 1937. Its active ingredients are menthol, camphor, and phenol (an anesthetic). Other ingredients include fragrance in petrolatum, lanolin, cocoa butter, bees wax, and salicylic acid.
It was created by Alfred Woelbing in the early 1930s, who sold it from the trunk of his car. Popularity increased through word-of-mouth. In 1972, Alfred discontinued making sales calls, which had mostly been in Wisconsin, Illinois and parts of Indiana. Alfred's son Don joined the business in 1973 and introduced assembly lines to Carma Labs. A new facility was built due to lack of space in 1976. Squeezable tubes were made in 1988. Also in 1998, pharmacists ranked Carmex lip balm #1 in a national survey of over-the-counter lip balms, giving Carma Laboratories an Achievement Award from Pharmacy Times magazine, beginning a nine-year consecutive winning streak. In 2002, Mint flavor Carmex lip balm with SPF 30 joined original Carmex lip balm in the product line, and Carmex lip balm became available throughout North America, Australia, Europe, Asia and Africa. During 2006, Internet voters picked strawberry and cherry as the newest Carmex lip balm sticks.
Carmex is available in a variety of forms and flavors. The jar is available in original and cherry flavors. The tube is available in original, cherry and strawberry. The stick is available in original, cherry, strawberry, and mint. All varieties (except original jar & tube) have SPF 15.
