The hands down best chapstick from childhood had to be from the selection of flavors by Lip Smackers. With a variety ranging from cotton candy to mango melon to Dr Pepper, there was a flavor for everyone. The bright, candy colored packaging only added to the appeal and made these delectable chapsticks look like sweets wrapped up ready for your lips.

Besides being undeniably addicting, Lip Smackers also transport me to my first experiences with beauty products.  Even at a young age I would enjoy watching my mom apply her makeup and the rare occasions when I was able to wear a little.  When every June would roll in with the first wave of the summer heat, so would my annual dance performances.  This meant that I would be able to wear a hint of color on my lips and cheeks so that my face stood out under the bright lights of the stage.  Putting on makeup always made me feel grown up, though I still was yet to reach double digits in age at this point in time.  I would always take one of my favorite scented lip balms with me in my dance bag to put on between dances in an attempt to keep the remaining bit of lip stick on my mouth.

When I was not fantasizing about wearing a hint of makeup, I was begging either my mom or my babysitter to take me to the nearest drugstore to select a new Lip Smacker.  For me, Lip Smackers were something collectible– the more flavors you had, the more options and though cotton candy could be the most treasured one, that new collection of soda flavors looked mighty appealing.  The endless options made chapstick fun and injected youthfulness into the elementary stages and phases of makeup use. To this day I still cannot hide my smile when passing the Lip Smackers section at the drugstore, as I’m still reminiscing about those delicious flavors that seemed to once be permanently on my lips.