Jack Black Lip Balm Ingredients – More Than You Think Site News 7/20/12July 20, 2012 Reader Lolaris asked me whether I had heard about an incident with Jack Black, concerning one of my most beloved products, their Lip Balm, in today’s Temptalia Asks You. I hadn’t, but I was extremely disappointed with what I learned. Jack Black Lip Balm was sold in tubes with shrink wrap packaging but no box. On the back of each tube, there are ingredients, both active and “other” ingredients (I suppose that since it didn’t say “Inactive” I should have known it was incomplete…). The list on the tube matches the list found on retailers like Sephora, SkinStore, etc. that have a breakdown of ingredients under “Ingredients.”There are times where brands do not give out ingredient lists online about a product, and they may call attention to the most beneficial ingredients, but this is almost always done as a marketing method and as part of the description. Jack Black, on the other hand, has a list of good-for-you ingredients that looks very much like the ingredient list. After reading through some of the comments made by Jack Black on their Facebook page (not users’ comments, the brand’s comments addressing this incident), it is a disheartening event.Jack Black indicated that they recently changed the packaging to comply with FDA regulations and apologized for causing confusion. Here is their comment:“The lip balm formula has not changed, what did change is the package labeling. We made a packaging labeling change recently, as required by FDA regulations, and that may have led to the confusion about some of the ingredients. We apologize for the confusion that was created when we made this change and are sending you a private message with more details.”Not only is it extremely “confusing” to have ingredient lists on your product that look and feel like real ingredient lists (not “and includes good for ya things like shea butter and avocado oil!”) when it’s incomplete, but worsened when the retailers that carry your product are listing that same incomplete list as the seen on the tube. How can you apologize for creating confusion when the real ingredient list is nowhere to be found–until it starts getting printed on the box? (I imagine it has something to do with the recent FDA regulations regarding SPF labeling.) There is no reference on the tube that for full ingredient list, contact the company, go online, etc. (And their website does not provide any ingredient list for the lip balm.)Sephora lists it being free of a laundry list of ingredients/types of ingredients, and SkinStore listed it as fragrance-free (but there is “Parfum” in it) — so I don’t know if both retailers are going off of the ingredients’ list that they have posted for all the world to see in order to make these determinations. The description of the product on Jack Black’s retail website does not make the claims re: ingredients that Sephora/SkinStore do. But even though the lip balm is now packaged with the full list of ingredients, I’d like to see retailers have updated ingredient lists listed online, too.Ingredient Lists Found on Retailers’ Websites & Back of the TubeLemon & Chamomile FlavorActive Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Avobenzone 3.0%.Other Ingredients: Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Persea Gratissima Avocado Oil, Prunus Amgdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E).Actual IngredientsLemon & Chamomile FlavorActive Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Avobenzone 3.0%.Inactive Ingredients: Petrolatum, Laolin Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Ehylhexl Methoxycinnamate, Cera Alba, Ozokerite, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Butyl Methoxydibenzoyl-methane, Parfum, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Perse Gratissima (Avocado Oil), Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Microcrystallina Cera, Cyclopentasiloxane, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Cyclohexasiloxane, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalol[This is another ingredient list that is printed on the back of the tubes.]Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Lanolin (13.5%), Octinoxate (7.5%), Petrolatum (40.2%).Inactive Ingredients: Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Beeswax, Ozokerite, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Persia Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Cyclopentasiloxane, Microcrystallina Wax, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Cyclohexasiloxane Update: Reader Emi took photos of her tube (you can check out the photos below), but noteworthy is that lanolin (13%) and petrolatum (40.2%) are listed as active ingredients.As a customer/consumer, I didn’t buy the lip balm for the ingredients, but I am not a consumer who does more than a casual skim over of ingredient lists as I’m not particularly sensitive to ingredients and there is only one ingredient that I look to minimize (silicone). However, there are many people who do read ingredient lists thoroughly for a variety reasons that range from being informed, curious, to more serious ones – like a lifestyle choice that might involve not using certain ingredients for philosophical or health purposes. This is why having access to an ingredient list is important and necessary.I could go on a real rant tangent right now about the general unavailability of ingredient lists online for products on a whole, which is something that I can’t believe isn’t required by law (it’s already on the packaging — why can’t you make it accessible on your website). I will try to hold that back. Consumers aren’t stupid, so don’t treat us that way. Sorry for confusion? When your ingredient list is really double the length of what you have printed and published on the product people buy and in the places that people buy said product in, I think that amounts to more than confusion.I would have bought and loved the lip balm if I had known the real ingredient list, because I don’t have a problem with what is in it. But now I’m extremely disappointed because I’ve been recommending this particular product over and over again to readers who may be more concerned with the actual ingredient list. I’m not ready to boycott, but it is a strike against them; something I will remember and keep an eye on, and I’ll be certainly be far more active about finding the next-best-lip-balm.At the very least, it was serious and meaningful enough to me for the very fact that I’ve listed it as a holy grail beauty item for sometime, and I wanted to make sure that anybody that I may have recommended this to who also tried and enjoyed it, is aware of what exactly is in it, so they can determine if it’s still the right product for them.P.S. — I think all consumers want is a little truth in advertising, more realistic claims, and an apology if a brand has done something wrong–a little acknowledgement and promise to do better would go a long way. Most aren’t going to hold a lifetime grudge, but the more you treat your customer like they’re stupid, the more likely they will.
GUSnailWow, I’m really disappointed. Mostly with the fact that they were deceitful. In referencing your earlier question about a companie’s ethics, customer service and transperancy is very important to me from a brand. More specifically, I am disappointed to find out that this product’s first ingredient is petrolatum, as this is an ingredient that I try to avoid as much as I can on skincare/makeup-and it’s a product that my husband and I have been using for the last two years. I will not be repurchasing. Thank you for making us aware.
yellowlanternI am so shocked about this company being so dishonest about their ingredients. I have a tube of their lip balm and I can’t believe it’s even legal to sell this without all the ingredients on it for consumers to see. Now I’m rather suspicious of their other products frankly. This is rather disappointing about the petrolatum in it too. I was actually really happy to find an effective lip balm without petroleum, but now that’s over.
Emi at Project SwatchI was very surprised by the ingredients list when I recently bought a new tube. It’s the shea butter & vitamin e “flavor” – the active ingredients are listed as avobenzine, 3%, lanolin, 13%, octinoxate, 7.5%, petrolatum, 40.2%. It also lists the inactive ingredients – too many to list out, but they’re slightly different than the ones you have listed. I can take a picture if you would like.
Emi at Project Swatch @Christine (Temptalia) Done! Cell phone pictures, and I had to take two because of the shape of the tube; I hope you’re able to read it well enough! https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MB-LV38VwnM/UAmCN8y1_LI/AAAAAAAADMM/3PVooHfjmLc/s512/jackblack1.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ph8j1dfaDvg/UAmCP5QptJI/AAAAAAAADMU/bqA3WWuVmII/s512/jackblack2.jpg
Christine-Temptalia @Emi at Project Swatch Thank you!! I will update to reflect the %s and refer people to your comment here.
Kafka @Emi at Project Swatch @Christine (Temptalia) Wow. My tube looks NOTHING like that! I only have Octinoxate 7.5% & Avobenzone 3.0% listed in the Active Ingredients section on the tube, then a whole list of “other ingredients” that include Shea Butter, Avocado, Black Currant & Green Tea — ingredients that led me to believe Jack Black was different and worth the $8.
Christine-Temptalia @Kafka @Emi at Project Swatch It’s definitely a recent change, and I don’t know when the stock changed over. I bought several from Sephora (online) on April 5th and they were all in regular shrink-wrapped tubes.
Kafka @Christine (Temptalia) @Emi at Project Swatch I’m pretty sure I bought mine after April 5th and it too was in the regular shrink-wrapped tubes. But now I’m wondering just *when* the company changed its actual ingredients but intentionally failed to include that on the tube? And have the percentages of the ingredients changed such that, if there is still Shea, Avocado, Black Currant & Green Tea, are they in the same amount as before? Or has that shrunk to make way for 40% petroleum?
Christine-Temptalia @Kafka @Emi at Project Swatch Based on the comment I copied & pasted from their Facebook page (which came from them), the formula *didn’t* change and that it’s *always* been this way.
Kafka @Christine (Temptalia) @Emi at Project Swatch It’s hard for me to comprehend that the formula hasn’t changed. It is *such* a misleading list of ingredients that I can’t wrap my head around it. “Truth in advertising” and all that…. <snort> Well, I suppose the only positive thing is that the new SPF laws will force more companies to be honest about what they’re using in their products. Going forward, that can only be a good thing. Still never going to spend $8 on mere vaseline though. <sniff>
Ines KChristine – I was lately pretty peeved by this too! I thought they had reformulated the ingredients! My sister, who loves this balm, cannot use it anymore as she is vegetarian (lanolin comes from sheep’s wool). It’s weird that they just didn’t disclose the FULL ingredient list… Until recently. I just found this so odd that the lip balm in the shrink wrapping had a different list from the “newer” packaged balms at Sephora… I’m quite disappointed, although I will continue to use this balm as I haven’t found anything that will soothe and plump my lips quite as well as JB did.
John 3DI will (probably) still use this product, but like Christine, I am hugely disappointed. Not to mention that when a company does this, it makes me wonder how many OTHER companies do the same. I’m probably being paranoid, but there will always be that lingering doubt, which is unfortunate. I’m one of those people that really does care about the ingredients, especially for skin care… I feel greatly insulted. Now I have to change my review of this product and update it accordingly. *Sigh*
18thCenturyFox@John 3D But how often has the cosmetics industry rewarded “paranoia”? Far, far too often. You get burned, you learn.
John 3D @18thCenturyFox @John Haha that’s probably true! Yay for skepticism? Well, I’ll always be skeptical regardless.
xamyxI don’t mind paying more for a product that contains no parabens, as it is the parabens that make it so inexpensive to produce. I do mind, however, paying more for products that amount to scented Vaseline. This was actually a brand I was going to look into next, but I can basically get the same thing from Chap-Stik. I think I’ll be sticking with Korres & Burt’s Bees.
ZI knew it! I knew there was petrolatum in there!! I purchased the balm off your recommendations, and while I do enjoy it and will continue to use it, I knew that shea butter couldn’t be the main ingredient. I have shea butter, straight up, and have used other balms with shea butter as the main ingredient (and honest labeling) and they don’t feel like that. You know what feels like Jack Black balms? Petroleum jelly. It’s beyond disappointing that their full ingredients weren’t listed anywhere for the public to find. There should be some legal repercussions for this. Companies can’t go withholding actual ingredients from consumers without consequences. I will continue to use my single jack black balm, but I will not repurchase. Not because I don’t like the balm, have issues with petroleum (though I do avoid it as often as possible since it’s a cheap filler), but because I was lied to and that doesn’t sit terribly well.
yellowlanternI agree re: legal consequences for not disclosing your product’s real ingredients Yeah, being lied is leaving a real bad taste in my mouth… And now that I know the first ingredient is petrolatum this product seems vastly overpriced. Petroleum is cheap!
wwendalynneOverpriced petroleum jelly wtf? .. It’s back to Korres for me ’cause it actually feels like shea butter and I’m pissed!!!!
PhyrraWow, how disappointing. I’ve always thought it strange that the law requires full ingredients on the packaging (with the product) but not on the company’s website. I always try to include ingredients listing with my reviews because of people having sensitivity to certain ingredients. Thank you so much for pointing this out. I really like the Jack Black balm because of the SPF, but I will be looking for something else. It’s so disingenuous for them to leave the real ingredients.
queen_frostine @Phyrra I agree. Considering how common online shopping is these days, it seems crazy that the laws haven’t changed to require the same labeling standards for the web. 10 years ago, it might have been a rare occurrence for people to order cosmetics or food items they’d never used before, but now it’s an every day thing. When ingredients lists are only printed on the actual packaging, that means a good chunk of the consumers who buy it are only getting access to that information AFTER purchase.
Emi at Project SwatchAlso – I really appreciate that you are always forthcoming with this kind of information, and that you are always willing to re-evaluate products. Some bloggers would be defensive, and refuse to accept the possibility that a product/company they have publicly proclaimed their love for has flaws. You aren’t doing that all all.
Christine-Temptalia @Emi at Project Swatch I felt like it was absolutely 100% my responsibility to make a big fuss over it, because there are VERY few products I so highly recommend – it takes a lot for me to go, “OMG OMG BUY BUY BUY.” I don’t often feel that way, and it has to be REALLY phenomenal (and realistically, the price point can’t be super pricey – even if this is expensive for a balm, it’s not expensive investment-wise). I feel TERRIBLE having recommended something that I know has ingredients many actively avoid (even I don’t).
LeticiaI agree – Christine is very straightforward and honest and did not think twice to let us know immediately her position on this issue.
cclarebearI own the jack black lip balm, but it’s not my holy grail. I only rarely scan ingredient lists when there’s something in particular I’m looking to avoid, but what I don’t appreciate is being lied to. For me that usually means advertising claims (so sick of seeing models wearing lash inserts in mascara ads!) but it absolutely extends to companies not fully disclosing what’s in their ingredients. Luckily for me I have my holy grail lip balm (Malin + Goetz lip moisturizer) so I won’t be repurchasing the Jack Black one when I run out anyway. Especially after this. It’s just really disappointing.
KafkaHuh. I thought it seemed just like Vaseline!!! But I bought it a few months ago because everyone here raved about it and because Christine listed it as a HG product. I thought I simply wasn’t knowledgeable enough about lip balms to know better. And since it did moisturize my lips, I was even more convinced I was mistaken and just ignorant. So I spent almost $8 on glorified Vaseline?????!!! That irritates my cheapskate soul to no end. No way I’m spending that money again. My dentist offers endless free tubes of lip balm with Shea, Aloe, Vitamin E and some other good things, so I’ll continue using that when my Jack Black runs out.
MultiOrpington @Kafka Just because it’s got some of the ingredients doesn’t make it ‘glorified vaseline.’ It’s still stupid of them, but.
queen_frostine @MultiOrpington @Kafka It *feels* like glorified Vaseline though. I bought a tube about a year ago because of all of the buzz and was surprised by how vaseline-like the product seemed. I remember re-checking the ingredients list to look for petrolatum, after I had already bought it and tried it on, because the texture and feel of it reminded me a lot of Vaseline and other petroleum based lip products (like Rosebud Salve). I was surprised not to see the ingredient listed. Just from my own experience with Jack Black lip balm, I agree with the “glorified Vaseline” charge. I don’t avoid petrolatum on principle, but I do tend to avoid it in lip products as I don’t really like the way it feels on my lips. The only difference I could tell between JB lip balm and Vaseline was the fragrance and some added thickeners as it feels a little waxier and is less glossy looking. It also has listed SPF obviously, but since at least 1 of the 2 active sunscreen ingredients isn’t sunlight stable it’s unclear how much more protection Jack Black lip balm offers you than Vaseline.
JoyceI always wondered how they could make shea butter so “runny” and easily squeezable. Ah, this makes me sad 🙁
nicheSo I don’t see any ” Prunus Amgdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil” in the actual ingredients. Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool are extracts from plants and flowers but not actual oils. Christine, Cyclohexasiloxane is a silicone if you weren’t already aware of it.
Christine-TemptaliaOnly concerned about a few silicone ingredients (like dimethicone), if they’re on my skin (face) and high up in the ingredient list, but thank you for making sure I was aware 🙂
sunshinesSHOCKING!!! They list almond oil in the “good list” although it actually does not contain any almond oil. Is this for real? This is major deception!!
yellowlanternI don’t know if this is just a quirk of this flavor (Vanilla and Lavender) and not all the balms have this, but the back of my tube claims to have sunflower oil in it and I don’t see this in the actual ingredients list either. 🙁
AelitaWhen I bought mine, it was in a box packaging, it had all the ingredients listed on the box, I saw petrolatum and bought it anyway, nice balm. However when I wanted to post a review on it on some other blog, and was looking for a list of ingredients online, I couldn’t find one! The real one was nowhere to be found! Only the list of the “good” ingredients even on Sephora website, its a very nice balm and I don’t understand why they are hiding info, I’d buy it anyway, just ‘cos it works, as simple as that, but why to lie to customers-I dunno:( Just to make an impression of being “organic and natural”?
Christine-TemptaliaI agree – there are many people who would still purchase it with the actual ingredients listed!
ChloeI bought the lip balm in the original natural mint, on a whim in Sephora almost 2 years ago. I loved it right away. It wasn’t until I bought my second tube that I took a closer look at the ingredients. I stopped using it right away when I learned that there are parabens in it.
NicholeHOh no, that is very dissappointing. Mineral Oil / Petrolatum are the first ingredients I look for in products (makeup/skin care) and if it’s there I don’t buy it. I picked up a four-pack during a Sephora F&F and will give the unused ones away. Jack Black has lost a customer.
NicholeHOh no, that is very disappointing. Mineral Oil / Petrolatum are the first ingredients I look for in products (makeup/skin care) and if it’s there I don’t buy it. I picked up a four-pack during a Sephora F&F and will give the unused ones away. I didn’t bother looking at the ingredients on the box because I saw it online before I purchased it and it’s on the back of the tube. Big scam. Jack Black has lost a customer.
EmmeWow, this really, really makes me angry! I have been avoiding petrolatum for years and am always on the lookout for the most natural ingredients, especially when it comes to something I’ll be partially ingesting! This is bordering on fraud by Jack Black and considering how much these cost, I want my money back! I would NEVER, EVER have bought this product, had I known the complete ingredient list!!! I bought the mint one for a friend and she had a bad reaction to it. We both thought it must be the mint but now I know it’s all those chemicals and parabens. Shame one you Jack Black! I’ll be tossing my tubes in the bin. Thank you for posting this info Christine.
MultiOrpington @Emme See if you can take them back. Most stores that take cosmetic returns take a statement of why to send back to the company.
Michelle @Emme Just so you’re aware, every substance on Earth is a chemical. All matter and everything that makes up the universe besides light and electricity, are chemicals. Water is a chemical. And also- there is no proven scientific research published in any medical journal anywhere that states that parabens are “bad for you”. It is complete fear-mongering.
CaitlinRobertsonWillardvery deceiving…i have found http://www.ewg.org to always be helpful when it comes to products full ingredients and rating them without a huge bias. i love jack black but i do agree that at this point it’s essentially an overpriced vaseline.
Christine-Temptalia @CaitlinRobertsonWillard That site isn’t a great resource – it is full of fear-mongering! 🙁
CaitlinRobertsonWillard @Christine (Temptalia) i completely agree! it is great for the actual ingredient lists but beyond that the ratings kill me! as an esthetician it drives me INSANE when people go off on ingredients like hydroquinone or chemical sunscreens. everyone can have their own preference on which ingredients they feel safe with but i can’t stand the fear mongering as you say 😉
AbbyuI’ve always been a little suspicious of the JB “ingredients” list– how in the world could they make something that stays on the lips reasonably well with only shea butter and a bunch of plant oils? A concoction like that would slip off without any heavier binders or emulsifiers. That said, the full list makes more sense, but I still feel deceived. Times like these, I have to wonder what they were thinking when they decided not only not disclose the entire ingredients list, but spin it as if their product was made-up of ONLY all natural-sounding ingredients.
EmmeAm I not looking right, or is petrolatum STILL not listed on the “Active Ingredients” list on the new label?!? Only on the small box above it? Now I know why this lip balm always felt so incredibly slick!
t_zwiggyThis is part of the reason why I said I hate Jack Black Lip Balm in the Underrated/Overrated Lip Balm post. I avoid most of the ingredients that’s in this product, and I knew something was up when my lips reacted as badly as they did to this balm. The fact that they tried to sell this as a product with only good ingredients really pissed me off when I found out. Companies that try to fool their customers this way don’t get any respect from me, and I certainly won’t buy anything from them again!
linaflygerfeldtI’m really disappointed! I have bought and loved this lip balm, it works like a charm on my lips and I will use up what I have but I not sure I will buy it again. I try to avoid Petroleum in products and wouldn’t have bought it if I saw the really ingredients list.
Kate MacDonaldI’m trying to figure out who would have thought it was a good idea to have something that looked like an ingredients list, but that wasn’t actually an ingredients list. It seriously would have been better to just put a note on directing curious consumers to the company web site and to have the full ingredients there. This is actually worse than either a proper ingredients list or nothing. Like I said, can’t imagine how they chose to go with this plan. Thanks for passing on the information, though. Always good to know!
ChristinaI am so disappointed in reading this. I’ve avoided products with lanolin for a while now because I’m a vegetarian and I’ve been trying to avoid cosmetics with petroleum and similar “chemicals” to do my part for the world. Jack Black’s lip balms are one of my favourites… Thanks for informing us, Christine.
clarawow. I can’t believe this. I remember buying this product for my dad as a father’s day gift specifically because it “didn’t have parabens”. i carefully read the back of the tube to double check. can’t believe that parabens are indeed in this product after all, and that the company would mislead consumers in this way. shame on them.
TiffanyI just wanted to say that i’ve read how people use this for the SPF and i want to let everyone know that the “SPF” in this IS NOT STABLE and it isn’t protecting your lips from the sun at all.
queen_frostineGood point. I’m not sure about the Octinoxate, but I know Avobenzone breaks down after about 30 minutes from sunlight exposure. Which is a real head scratcher for me. What’s the point of having SPF at all if the sun protection is so short lived?
ToyaThank you so much for this post Christine, especially as this is a product I know you love and may be loathe to have to call them out on their bad behavior! I first checked out this product due to your high praise, and was so pleased to see the list of ingredients was simple and not containing any ‘baddies’ like parabens, or lanolin – which I happen to be allergic to. I use this infrequently as I had many other balms on the go, so I hadn’t noticed any strong reaction, but my lips are often rough even though I moisturize and wear lip products frequently (those which I have scanned the ingredient list to be sure to avoid lanolin), and now I wonder if this has been the culprit in my ongoing issue. I just thought it was likely some other product I was using that had a mystery ingredient in it. This is kind of a serious deal, because some people may have severe allergies to parabens, lanolin and the like, and thought they were safe in using this product – and perhaps were also wondering what the heck was causing them to STILL have problems. A full apology, not their half-assed one, is definitely necessary. I’m so disappointed – and it makes me feel even more cautious about other brands who make (and probably do) follow the same lead 🙁
NeenaJI love this product. The Black Tea & Blackberry JB lip balm is a holy grail product for me and I want to say thanks to Christine for recommending it because my lips have never been in better shape in my life. I’m not sensitive to a lot of ingredients nor am I vegetarian/vegan so, I will likely continue to purchase so long as the formula has not changed. However, some serious oversight has taken place here. Who at the company was responsible for this packaging? This is very clearly an ethical violation and very nearly a legal one. I expect more from them than “Oops! Sorry for the confusion!” The proper thing for them to do is to offer up a voluntary recall. Any consumer who purchased this product under false pretenses should be offered a refund. My younger (and more naive) self would say that I’d like to see someone’s head roll over this – like lose their job. But, I know now that most likely the person to feel the brunt will be some poor scapegoat and not the big-wig who is trying to cover their own own behind right about now. Retail outlets need to take their lumps too. I dare say that if you return your used portion of lip balm to Sephora or Ulta and speak to the manager, (with back up documentation in your hand – such as the new ingredients list), they will at least give you a store credit. That, effectively, will slap the crap out of Jack Black as most retailers hold the manufacturers accountable for “defective” products and make them take such products back.
QuinctiaThis is just stupid. There are so many bad things the company went about here. The worst part is I would’ve bought it anyway, and I’m sure there are others that feel the same way, because it’s pleasant and it works. I also understand the tubes are small, and it would’ve been reasonable to put only the active (sunscreen) ingredients on the tube and direct consumers to the website, but there wasn’t a full ingredient list anywhere. So they were being deliberately deceptive.
Christine-Temptalia @Quinctia Yeah, well, the tube size could have been excuse… except that the new tubes DO have all the right information on them! Beautybar (never shopped through them) actually has a high res image shot of the right ingredient list, and then @Emi at Project Swatch posted photos of her tube as well 🙁
Quinctia @Christine (Temptalia) Right, I’ve seen the shots. I just don’t think it would be altogether unreasonable to truncate the list on the packaging, IF the ingredients are readily available on the website or something. Honestly, even if the list ended up being all natural, this is something people apply to their mouths! You need to make sure the ingredients are readily available, while lip balm is not meant for ingestion, someone could accidentally be ingesting an allergen. Ironically, knowing the stuff’s petroleum based explains why none of the more natural products out there have worked as well. Apparently, my lips LIKE petroleum. 😉
Becca @The Beauty SampleI noticed this a few months ago but didn’t make a bigger deal because I thought maybe I was the only one who had been mistaken? I didn’t see anyone else complaining so I just left it alone. Well, it seems like no one said anything because NO ONE KNEW?!? I thought it was totally shady of them to do that. I guess if I had really inspected the ingredients list, i would have realized that it needed a bit more to get that thick consistency…but at the time, I did kind of just skim over it and was like “cool, it get’s awesome reviews AND it contains only awesome ingredients?!”. Was definitely surprised/horrified when i realized the truth–and I’m not even sensitive/allergic to any of the ingredients. I definitely don’t mind using something containing petrolatum or lanolin (I use Aquaphor all the time on my lips), but the fact that I thought it was one thing only to realize it wasn’t…well, I didn’t like that too much
Christine-Temptalia @Becca @The Beauty Sample I didn’t know until a reader asked me how I felt about it this morning! The ingredient list wasn’t important to me, and though I last bought several tubes in early April, they’re all in the older packaging. There were a few comments on their Facebook as well.
t_zwiggy @Becca @The Beauty Sample I discovered it a couple of months ago after having a bad reaction to the product, but I just assumed that most people knew, but didn’t care. I’m under the impression that a lot of people are completely ignorant when it comes to ingredients in beauty products. With all the people who raves about lip products with large amounts of bad ingredients I thought I was just the odd one out.
Lulubelle107I bought my first Jack Black lip balm recently and was surprised to the see the petrolatum content, as obviously that was not listed on Sephora. However, it then made sense to me why so may people raved about how well it worked. It’s similar to Rosebud Salve and Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream in it’s petrolatum content, and all do a pretty good job of keeping my lips moist. I’ve been trying to find lip products that were not petrolatum based and that still worked well, and so far J.R. Watkins lip balm and Korres lip butters are top runners.
eyeheartitThanks for this, Christine. I have a paraben-allergy, and with the original packaging of these tubes, I thought they were okay for me to try. I did, however, experience an unpleasant reaction with this balm, chalked it up to something mysterious and simply returned it and left it at that. Now I know!
ErickaCulbertson @eyeheartit I had the same problem I was thinking maybe I got a bad batch or something now I know it was the lanolin that made my lips extra dry and awful.
SandyI am allergic to lanolin and other ingredients and I went to purchase this thinking it didn’t have my allergy in it based on the wrong ingredient list. But luckily I double checked. It is so ridiculous how much trouble I have to go through with some companies to get the full ingredient list. Chanel was the worst asking me to submit to get a product list via snail mail. Bobbi Brown was also bad taking weeks to respond to my email request for a certain product. Makes you appreciate sites like Laura Mercier who list all ingredients for every product.
18thCenturyFox@Sandy Info like this on Chanel (are you kidding me?? It’s my body AND my money!!) and BB makes it that much easier to consider a no buy.
LulleWow, the printed list of ingredients looked SOO much better than what’s actually inside…. Petrolatum and lanolin as the first to ingredients? Great…. I can’t even believe it’s legal to do that. It’s very misleading, if not cheating to the consumer.
MayaI’m very angry and I wish I could get a refund for all my Jack Black lip balm purchases. I was always suspicious but just figured “they’d have to write all the ingredients,” yet here we are! They just want to fool their customers and it makes me sick, especially for those people who do have allergies or try to avoid certain ingredients. Giving a full ingredient list should be required by law!
cariexxI’m infuriated! I avoid lanolin, and I just can’t believe they’ve managed to get away with lying all this time. This lipbalm was my HG and I recommended it to everyone. Does anyone have any recommendations for a great lipbalm? Korres, maybe?
AnaCarolinaRibeiro @cariexx Korres is wonderful. EOS is nice and cheap (I prefer the tube version). My HG lipbalm is Weleda’s!
+RYOU+0013+ @cariexx Epically Epic on Etsy makes my HG lip balm. They have no SPF stated but that’s mainly because smaller companies can’t afford the costly test to determine the SPF rating, even if they may have sunscreen ingredients in their formula (i.e titanium dioxide)http://www.etsy.com/shop/EpicallyEpicSoap
AmyLeonardUgh the ingredients make me cringe. Of course, I just bought my 1st tube of this a couple weeks ago. It made my lips tingle in a weird way so not sure I will be using it anyway, but I really don’t want to after seeing the real list of ingredients. My tube doesn’t list all these so it must be one of the ones before they updated the list. I even double checked the ingredients before I bought it. It’s really sad they didn’t list them all from the beginning. Petrolatum, and all it’s derivatives, and parabens are something I always stay away from. How disappointing! Thanks for informing up about this!
manicuredslayerThis makes me CRAZY, and for good reason–my young son has anaphylactic food allergies. And while the FDA (finally) mandated that the top allergens be stated, in plain English (ie Milk, not just casein) on food labels, I have to scrutinize every single product my son might use on his body as well–soap, shampoo, body washes, lotions, sunscreen, and lip balm. Fortunately, the shea butter (it’s a nut) would have tipped me off to not use this for him–but the sweet almond oil is not clearly stated in the 3rd labeling. I used to be one of those people that “didn’t get it” about how serious allergies are–until my son had anaphylaxis at age 3. He’s had one other episode that required an ER trip. So I think it should be mandatory that any product have full ingredient disclosure including allergens (usually the top 7). Thanks for bringing this to light. You are such a prominent voice in the community and I, for one, appreciate it.
xamyx@manicuredslayer I’m actually beginning to wonder if they actually had a lawsuit against them that actually prompted (read: forced) them to change the ingredients list. Allergies are serious business, and I encourage *everyone* who has a severe food allergy to really be careful in restaurants, as well. Although prepared in a “sanitary” manner, there are times when cross-contamination of food items occurs.
Miss J@xamyx As for restaurants, aside from cross-contamination, some just don’t listen when customers tell them of their allergy. I had a teacher back in college tell us about an experience at a restaurant where she made sure to explain she had a severe allergy to green peppers, and the waiter brushed it off, and she ended up with tons of green peppers in her meal.
manicuredslayer @xamyx We rarely eat out with our son, and when we do, we make them write down stuff to ask the chef. Most places have been AWESOME, even going off menu for him, managers will come out to speak to us, etc. And yes, we inquire about cross-contamination. It’s just NOT worth the risk. We do have our “safe” restaurants but do check often because things change. For instance–years ago, McDonalds quietly put a dairy derivative in their french fries (it’s still there as a “flavoring agent”). A friend with a dairy-allergic child told me–and I freaked. We’d been allowing him to eat them on long car trips. The only evidence was the quiet addition to their website ingredients. What if he’d had a reaction? *shudder* You’d think after the lawsuit regarding vegans & their fries they would have learned a lesson but I guess not. Also–ALWAYS HAVE AN EPI-PEN! *sorry for the soapbox*
xamyxKSA @Miss J I worked in a restaurant many years ago (well, I’ve worked in *many*), and a customer ordered a salad for his wife, and spent a good 5 minutes reiterating to me, as if I were an idiot (but I didn’t mind), that his wife was deathly allergic to onions, and to please make sure the salad didn’t come into contact with anything that even touched onions. I thoroughly wiped down (with cleanser) the cutting board, got clean utensils, and proceeded to make the salad. My manager asked me to do something else, and I explained the order to him (he was also the owner), and he said he’d take care of it. Just before the order was ready for pick-up, I noticed the onions on the salad, and I made mention of it. He just told me to pick them off. I explained again about the allergy, and he told me that it was “too costly” to make another salad. I then asked him how costly he thought a lawsuit would be…
Christine-Temptalia @manicuredslayer I’m a huge proponent of ingredient lists being available. I think it’s absolutely ludicrous that I have to email (and sometimes told to CALL) to get an ingredient list from a brand (this is as a regular consumer)… and it might take 4-6 weeks to get a list back. Why isn’t it on record? What happens if I have allergies? Forget about what may or may not be good for you, or natural, or whatever – but there are legitimate ingredients people are allergic to that can be included in products. The most frustrating aspect is probably with skin care, and I find it so frustrating that it’s not mandated to have ingredient lists on your website.
18thCenturyFoxWell, really didn’t like the stuff anyways, but regardless this is no way to treat the people who fund your success. Shameful.
nekosanTotally not surprised about the high petroleum content; i bought some, and i thought that it did seem very much like petroleum jelly. Not bad per se, but it isn’t what my lips are happiest with. I gave it to my boyfriend.
MIRIANV @nekosan this. i bought a tube and it just feel like vaseline on my lips so it doesn’t sink in. just like a film.
xamyxKorres has a (newish) line of Lip Butters that actually come in a stick form, *and* contain SPF, if anyone is interested. Yes, they’re fairly expensive, but they are actually made of shea butter. I have only tried the “potted” ones, and they are amazing, although they don’t contain SPF (I use Burt’s Bees or Chap-Stik for the short periods of time I spend outdoors).
jeneygThis doesn’t mean much to me honestly – I don’t usually buy into the unfounded claims about many of these ingredients.
Christine-Temptalia @jeneyg I don’t avoid the ingredients in the product myself, and I haven’t been convinced by what I have read to start any time soon – but I know a lot of others do, not out of fear but out of allergies, sensitivities, or avoiding animal by-products. The problem is appearing like they had one set of ingredients when the real ingredient list was very different!
LeticiaExactly! It’s unexplainable that they deliberately displayed only some ingredients (apparently the more “convincing” for consumers and to make the product seem more “natural”). The actual ingredients of a product should never be a secret; as consumers we deserve to know what´s in the products we use, for the sake of health or beliefs.
Miss JThank you for posting this update/info, Christine. While I have no problems with the ingredients, ingredients should always be disclosed (an easily accessed, FULL list) for those who have allergies (serious fucking business), sensitivities, or want to avoid ingredients for their own personal beliefs/reasons.
P_riyaSigh. Thanks for the post! I bought my first tube late last year on your recommendation and loved it although it was a huge mental leap in buying a lip balm that costs $8 for one tube. But I had no problem in paying for premium ingredients which I thought I was getting. I even converted my husband in to using this against his “how can you pay so much for a lip balm?” view with my “but it’s SO good for you!” counter arguments. I am eating my words. I don’t think either of us have an issue with the ingredients. It’s just that at this price and given the first ingredients list, it’s not what we expected.
queen_frostineThe “real” ingredients list clarifies what had always confused me about Jack Black lipbalm. Despite its highlighting Shea butter and avocado oil as major ingredients, the feel and texture of the product isn’t at all what I’m used to with oil and butter based lip formulas. Instead, it feels like thickened vaseline . I remember checking the ingredients after I tried it for the first time to see where petroleum fell on the list (as ingredients are often listed in order of the amount that exists in the formula) and was surprised when I didn’t see it there at all.I’m not particular about the ingredients in my products as I’m not vegan , allergic to anything, or have sensitive skin, but it really annoys me when a company actively hides ingredients that make up a significant portion of their formula. The omission of lanolin from the previously posted ingredients is particularly inflammatory to my eyes, as there are lots of people out there who avoid that ingredient either because they’re allergic or because they avoid animal derived ingredients in cosmetics. The original advertised ingredient list makes the product look vegan friendly, but the full list makes it clear that it’s not. That sort of information should be clear and obvious.
AnGeLwInGzI’m not too much of a stickler about what’s in a product (doesn’t need to be free of parabens) but I do like to know it’s there. I wonder how many other brands are doing this?
Horace Bergmanugh! I wouldn’t have bought 3 tubes of this if i’d known! I avoid several of the “secret” ingredients. Thanks– very grateful for this.
Dia GriffinThank you for posting about this! I totally agree with you. I will not be buying any more of these and I will give away the one balm I haven’t yet tried.
Stacy LamountainI have never used this product. Lemon and mint are irritants for the skin in general anyway. Bad for the lips in the long run, duh.
KateandZenaHad I bought that lip product, it would have been disaster. I’m allergic to anything with fragrances (parfum, perfume, fragrance, you name it, I will get a migraine, an allergic reaction OR both.) Citronellol is something I’m very sensitive too as well. That’s the stuff in citronella candles and it gives me the WORST headaches and burns my eyes! How can he not disclose that? If a company can’t bother to list their ingredients, then they aren’t worth buying from. That’s it, especially to people like me. This would have been a trip to the hospital for me and I wouldn’t have known why because the whole ingredient list wasn’t disclosed.
KateandZena @Christine (Temptalia) I’m glad I didn’t. The packaging just never appealed to me! Fragrance is just so iffy for me that I try to avoid it at all costs. I keep willing all household cleaning companies to come out with fragrance free cleaning products. I hate scents!
MIRIANVi bought a few of these for my mom and now i feel bad. she’s allergic to most of the ingredients 🙁 i wonder now if she was just telling me she “loved” them to make me feel better for buying her a crappy gift 🙁 so like her.
Kafka @MIRIANV The thought behind it was lovely, Mirian. You sound like a very thoughtful, caring daughter and I’m sure she was very touched. BTW, if she said nothing despite being allergic to most of the ingredients, she too sounds incredibly sweet and sensitive. Mothers like that are the best!
blueraccoonI bought a lot of these over the last year but was never thrilled with them–I *wanted* to be, so I kept buying them, but I had issues, and now that I see the full ingredients I’m not surprised. I never liked Vaseline, and that’s basically what this is. The Fresh lip balms I love have a full ingredient list on Sephora (I *think* it’s a full list) and the top ingredients are beeswax, castor seed oil, jojoba seed oil, olive oil, and grape seed oil. Much nicer, IMO.
Sharlie GugelI am a customer who definetly reads cosmetic labels, especially lip products. I am severely allergic to Mango, and lots of lip products contain mango seed butter. For me, this is life threatening. I now carry an Epi -Pen just in case. Thank you for posting the complete list. I’m so glad I can use my newly purchased lip balm. I do think by not being forthcoming, someone could use a product that they shouldn’t, until it’s too late.
Ruthie08Arrrrghhhh thanks Christine for letting us know about. I still have 3 more tubes left. I’m gonna finish it but not gonna be buying it anymore. As much as possible I want to avoid parabeans. After that I’ll stick with my korres.
DaisyI’m really surprised at how shocked everyone is by these being tubes of fancy Vaseline. My friend bought one a few months ago and it is the exact same texture as Vaseline both out of the tube and on the lips. Then again, you could probably recommend anything and people would buy it, Christine 🙂
jennyhI know right. I’ve never understood the love people have for the these things. I get the exact same results from Aquaphor, which looks and feels exactly like JB balms.
LOLARISAt first I felt bad for bringing bad news to the light, knowing how many people love the product. But after reading all the comments, I’m pretty glad I did. People have preference, people have got allergies, and lying to their face doesn’t really put JB or any other brand that makes an attempt to this kind of behavior, in a good position at all. I love the product, but really, truly disappointed on the incident. They were clearly attempting to cover it up, until the law said otherwise. Even if it’s not regulated, that’s still not how a brand should behave. For due credit, what brought this issue to my attention was when I wanted to leave a glowing review for the product in MUA, and then I saw the comment from “lemonz4us”. I opened the ingredients tab, and ta-dah….the sad, sad event. Not only just the incident, but if I want to refer my boyf to another product, I don’t know how long it will take me, really. *sigh* When you’ve found an honest brand with the amazing lip balm, Christine, be sure to let us know! 🙂
CarissaI am not surprised by this in the least. Most companies will put out an ingredients list that is more ‘consumer friendly’. It is indeed deceitful but it is not illegal. It’s all marketing, and every ‘natural ingredient’ has a ‘chemical’ name. For those interested, I have typed out a list of the complete ingredients list with what they are (except the ones that are obvious). Laolin Oil- form of lanolin. Ehylhexl Methoxycinnamate- Octinoxate. Reflects uv rays. Cera Alba- Beeswax. Ozokerite- naturally occuring mineral/paraffin wax. Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax- natural hydrophilic derivative of beeswax. Butyl Methoxydibenzoyl-methane- AKA Avobenzone. Absorbs UV rays. C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate- Emulsion stabilizer. Tocopheryl Acetate- Vitamin E. Isopropylparaben- antimicrobial. Has not been proven to cause cancer. Isobutylparaben- ester of isobutyl alcohol. antimicrobial/fungicidal preservative used in cosmetics and foods. Has not been proven to cause breast cancer. Butylparaben- antimicrobial/fungicidal preservative used in cosmetics and foods ranging from .01-.03%. Has not been proven to cause breast cancer. Microcrystallina Cera- petrolatum wax by-product. Cyclopentasiloxane- type of silicone. hair and skin conditioner. Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract- green tea extract. Cyclohexasiloxane- emollient, derivative of silicone. hair and skin conditioner. Benzyl Alcohol- solvent and preservative. Benzyl Benzoate- solvent and preservative. Citral- present in the oils of several plants, used in perfumery. lemon, lime, orange, lemon myrtle, etc. Citronellol- fragrant chemical compound derived from plants ie- rose, geranium and lemongrass. Coumarin- fragrant chemical compound. can be synthetically produced yet naturally occurs in tonka beans. used as a vanilla substitute in various foods. Geraniol- natural antioxidant. sweet rose like scent. found in small quantities of lemon and many other essential oils. Limonene- found in the essential oils of citrus fruits and other plant species. also used as a solvent. Linalol- naturally occuring terpene alcohol.
arianamar youtubeThis happened to me recently with Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. Ingredients not on the bottle, don`t remember if it cam in a box that had them and not on their website. I wanted to see if it would break me out, but decided to take a chance and so far so good. I always check the ingredients when it comes to face products because of my acne prone skin and I can`t recall the last time I had this issue.
TerriMcMillanMansfieldThis is weird because I just bought two tubes of this yesterday at Sephora after repeatedly reading how much you love it and……I gotta say, I agree!!! I gave one to my husband and thought it was great too. I agree that companies should be listing all the ingredients but I will be honest and say this will not stop me from buying this again. It’s too good not to…..
cariexxCan anyone explain why petroleum is bad? I know a lot of people avoid it but I don’t know anything about why.
NicholeH @cariexx This issue has been wildly debated on beauty forums, but I will give you my personal experience/opinion. Essentially, mineral oil/petrolatum doesn’t penetrate the skin, it sits on top. As it just sits on top, it doesn’t really moisturize my lips. When I was young and living at home, there was always Vaseline in the house that I would use on my lips. I would pile it on and pile it one but my lips felt constantly dry. The same thing happened with any consistent use of any lip balm where mineral oil is the main ingredient. Eventually, my lips will start cracking and peeling. Thankfully I didn’t consistently use Jack Black and used other (better) balms during the day. Mineral oil/petrolatum was the main ingredient in most of the hair products I used to use. Again, this ingredient just lays on top of the hair strand and doesn’t penetrate. It blocks much needed moisture from reaching my hair, which dried it out causing breakage. I even tried using baby oil to remove waterproof mascara and it created a stye.
nacacijin @cariexx Petroleum is a crude oil, the same stuff we use to derive gasoline (that’s a major red flag right there, at least for me). There have been some studies linking petroleum to cancers, including increasing the risk of skin cancer, and also endocrine and hormonal problems. This is because petroleum contains known carcinogens and, as you know, everything we put onto our skin is absorbed in some way. Nothing seems to be 100% conclusive (like many of the other taboo ingredients nowadays) but still a moderate cause for concern. Another thing is that petroleum is not actually a moisturizer (as it is often marketed). If you ever read the bad of a jar of Vaseline, the recommendations are to use, for example, as protection against chapping or burns. The reason is because petroleum forms a rather heavy, filmy barrier on top of the skin, which will seal in the moisture that’s already in your skin and prevent it from evaporating, while also preventing things from getting into the skin (like cold winter air). The problem is that the barrier created by petroleum clogs the skin, specifically oily, sensitive or acne prone skin, because it seals *everything* in, not just the moisture. There is also some talk that petroleum actually dries out the skin, specifically with prolonged use, but I’ve not read anything 100% conclusive on that, either. But conclusive or not, petroleum is not something we generally want to have on (and consequently IN) our bodies.
bigblackcockThis is taken from Wikipedia: “He held that from a chemist’s point of view, coumarin is an “immediate precursor” to coumadin – which is a rat poison. Dr. Wigand later stated that coumarin itself is dangerous, having been banned by the FDA for addition to human food in 1954[2], under his later testimony he would repeatedly classify Coumarin as a ‘lung specific carcinogen’.” Ouch.
maryIt’s one of my favorite products, I give tubes away as gifts! I am a little disappointed at the deliberate misinformation.
queen_frostine @JayBay Because you may end up paying more for something than it’s worth if you don’t have the right information.
Marghe @JayBayBecause I want to be aware of what I am putting on my skin, instead of being fooled by insane marketing! This product seemed to be 100% natural and instead it is full of polluting petrochemicals. If I wanted to use plain petrolatum I would buy Vaseline for a fraction of the price. Think of it from the economic point of view: some very “hyped” and pricey products have for the most part the SAME main ingredients of crappy “drugstore” ones.. I pretend to know what i am paying for, especially in skincare!
Carissa @Marghe What do you mean by ‘filled with polluting petrochemicals’? If the chemist in me read the list correctly, there are only 2 petroleum derived products in here. As it stands, there is no such thing as 100% natural skincare. Anything that has been processed through a laboratory cannot be deemed natural.
HannahI would still buy this product because I like it quite a bit as a lip balm to use during the day and I don’t have an issue with any of the ingredients (although I am still not sure if the sunscreens are stable). The product at the end of the day is what is important to me. However, I have a big issue with the fact that they did not list the full ingredient list. The “tube is too small” line is total BS. Other brands use those labels that peel back to reveal the full ingredient list beneath the label. They may not be the most elegant, and I don’t think Jack Black would even need to use the peel-back labels to fit all of the ingredients, but it would go a long way. Listing an “ingredient list” that excludes any ingredients (especially the top ones) is misleading. I can only wonder how many other “ingredient” lists on sites such as Sephora are incomplete (when the sites even list the ingredients to begin with). Sephora et al seem to rely on the information the company provides, and who knows how many other companies are leaving things out of their ingredient list! And I agree with you Christine – I don’t understand how it isn’t required by law that cosmetics are sold with the full ingredient list. It is a real disservice to consumers, and honestly, a real hazard for consumers since cosmetics are used on important organs such as the eyes. You have the law degree, not I, but I wonder if a consumer who suffers injury (perhaps from an allergy to an ingredient that was not listed anywhere the product or on the information that the company provides on their website) has any legal recourse. If not, that is very concerning. I wonder if it is a standard practice in the industry for a brand to leave ingredients off a product’s “ingredient list.” Sorry for the long ramble…
ocelot1ew! the REAL ingredients on this product are disgusting…i was wondering why when i accidentally licked my lips, this stuff tasted so nasty (chemicals!) and why was breaking out around my mouth and chin and its because of the effing lanolin. that stuff is the worst for me! im never buying it again- its just trumped up expensive scented vaseline. and i agree with the other person who posted the spf in this junk isnt stable! this stuff is whack! EW!
CarissaEvery ingredient on Earth is a chemical. Water is a chemical. All that is matter, except light and electricity, are chemicals. So no, that is not why the lip balm tastes bad. It’s probably because of the petroleum.
NopersI think it seemed clear that it was not a full ingredient list and if consumers don’t want to be confused, they should pay more attention. The onus is on YOU the CONSUMER to do your research about the things you care about/want to spend your money on. Concerned about the ingredients? Check the label. If you check it closely, I think it’s pretty clear that it’s not the full list. Want to know what’s in it? Contact the company! It’s our money, it’s our responsibility to spend it wisely. This whole thing seems like a great big non-issue to be honest.
VeronicaHer point is not that consumers shouldn’t carry a certain amount of responsibility for what they buy – it’s that Jack Black *didn’t provide the information.* It wasn’t on the tube, it wasn’t online, and the lists that could be found on retailers websites were also incomplete. It didn’t appear until new SPF regulations pushed them to release the full ingredient list on the box. It’s irresponsible of a corporation not to be up front about what’s in a product for customers who have personal or medical reasons to research the product. A lot of people aren’t aware of just how much the FDA allows companies to slide on this issue, though with allergies on the rise, they may be facing increasing heat on the subject.
Christine-TemptaliaMy biggest problem is that the real ingredient list was nowhere to be found, so I don’t know why anyone would then think it wasn’t what was on the tube. I doubt retailers are typing up what they saw on the back of the tube had the brand provided the legitimate ingredient list. I know Sephora doesn’t always list ingredients, so it doesn’t seem mandatory for a brand to provide them, yet something was provided and specifically listed as “ingredients.” Given they only had it happen on this product and not the rest of their line (I still need to cross-check that), they get their second chance. I think it is odd to only do it to one product, which makes me less comfortable believing they were this big, nasty evil corporation and there was major oversight and poor decision-making. It also wasn’t as if they had the original list, got popular, and changed it over time. But what happened is a big deal, and it should be, and they needed to know it is a big deal. I definitely understand anyone who does choose to cut ties. I respect each of our abilities to make our own choices for what makes sense for ourselves 🙂
Catherine bcf @Christine (Temptalia) I totally agree with you on this, Christine. I almost always check ingredients before buying a product, and I know I personally had no clue what I read wasn’t the actual ingredient list. Like you said, how could we? It definitely could make the difference between buying or not buying for some people, particularly those who don’t use products with animal-derived ingredients or petroleum. I’m sure packaging space was an issue, but I don’t think it makes sense to believe they didn’t choose to leave those particular ingredients out while listing ones that are generally considered more “appealing” (even if the formula contains far less of them). Still, I think they handled the mistake well, so I personally won’t write them off. I really appreciate you and the other bloggers/readers for bringing this to our attention!
18thCenturyFox@Nopers I’m not sure how much time you think people should be spending on investigating the ingredients in a lip balm? There *is* a list on the balm. Many would not know that it was incomplete, and therefore would not realize it required further investigation? How can essentially lying about the ingredients in yor product be a non issue? How much time in the day should your average student, worker, parent spend on this? I believe the onus is OFF the consumer once they have read the printed ingredient list. I’m not talking about people with life threatening allergies, but again unless you are working for EWG what are you expecting people to do? The decision is a relatively minute one made amongst a thousand other decisions. I can promise you many consumers would not realize that truncated and manipulated ingredient list was false. It is the companies responsibility.
PPPThis is seriously misleading, there is a world of difference between a product that is primarily based on pertoleum derivatives (as this actually is), and one that is based on Shea Butter (as the shortened list effectively claims). Not only that, but as there are individuals who are allergic to lanolin, it could actually also be dangerous. A disgrace!
EmilyI bought two tubes of these. They work fine but some stick balms would do well as a replacement because this incident is enough to make me boycott the brand. Some people are vegans and this balm has lanolin (sheep secreted wax)! There’s NO excuse on Jack Black’s part!
YungI am angry and sad at the same time. For a while now, I thought it was vegan and completely recommended this to my friends……..
