Lili Reinhart Launches Emotional Support Lip Balm For Chronic Dryness

Forbes

13-05-2025

Actress Lili Reinhart models Personal Day Emotional Support lip balm in a makeshift pool
Lili Reinhart's Personal Day just launched its first lip care product, but it isn't here to compete with the other glosses, oils and luxury balms on the market. As its name implies, the Emotional Support lip balm ($24), is anything but a vanity project.
'I've been on Accutane twice, which means my lips are chronically dry,' the former Riverdale star said in an interview for this article. 'I remember trying to find the best lip balms on the market while I was on this medication, and everything I tried still wasn't good enough. This formula actually hydrates instead of just sealing in moisture that my lips don't have in the first place.'
While TikTok content creators, for example, may be puckering up to the most colorful packaging and viral products du jour, Personal Day is seeking out a different market with its Emotional Support lip balm.
'We know there are a lot of lip products that are glossy and plumping, but we really wanted to focus on creating a truly hydrating lip treatment,' explains Shelagh Wong, the brand's CEO and co-founder. 'It needed to be everything we would want ourselves: buttery texture, non-sticky, long-lasting, and as always, acne-safe. We've been working on this formula since before we launched the brand. We've tested so many formulas that I've lost count. It must have been at least 30 versions that we looked at before we all fell in love with this creation.'
While the initial intention wasn't to go viral, Wong says she wouldn't be surprised if the Emotional Support lip balm takes off naturally.
'The funny thing is that I have a feeling this lip balm will speak for itself,' she says. 'I feel like everyone we know is always looking for exactly these characteristics in a lip balm, and oddly it's been so hard to find. We really just want people to try for themselves. One of the things we've heard from our community is that a lot of folks get breakouts around their lips from their lip balms. No one really talks about it and accepts that this would happen. We really wanted to make sure we made a product that even people who are prone to breaking out around their lips could use.'
Formulated with squalane, hyaluronic acid, aloe and seed oils, the brand 'took great pains' to remove coconut butter, coconut oil and shea butter—which are known to be comedogenic yet also commonly found ingredients in lip products.
'I can apply this lip balm and it keeps my lips hydrated and soft for hours,' Reinhart says. 'It's the first time I've ever been able to go so long without having to apply a balm over and over. I've been using the product for months. I have about five of these lip balms scattered throughout my house whenever I need it because it's my favorite product.'
Model reveals hydrating formula of Personal Day Emotional Support lip balm
Acne-prone consumers have much more at stake when they use any lip product at all—which is something the brand took into consideration from the formula to the packaging.
'If you're acne-prone, it's so important to be picky about your lip balm because anything you put around your mouth can easily migrate onto the skin and clog pores,' says Dr. Mamina Turegano, a triple-board certified dermatologist and Personal Day advisory board member. 'The border of lip skin itself can get clogged pores and pimples.'
Many balms sneak in ingredients like coconut oil, lanolin or heavy waxes 'that might feel nourishing, but can actually trigger breakouts around the lips and chin,' the expert shares. 'Some common culprits are coconut oil (which is super comedogenic), lanolin, beeswax and certain types of fragrance or flavor oils. Even some plant oils, like cocoa butter, can be too heavy for acne-prone skin. I always tell my patients: Your lip products matter just as much as your skincare when you're trying to keep acne under control.'
When in doubt, 'I always recommend scanning the ingredient list if you're breakout-prone, because what you put on your lips can definitely end up clogging the nearby pores,' Dr. Turegano explains. 'Our clean, minimalist formula is free from common irritants like fragrance, menthol and heavy oils that can trigger breakouts or dryness.'
In December, shortly following the brand's launch, Reinhart said she rolls her eyes whenever another celebrity-driven beauty brand launches. But the years-long sufferer of acne promised her line would serve a purpose and set itself apart from other seemingly similar skincare brands. And six months later, as the Personal Day Emotional Support lip balm finally comes to fruition, the brand has released a total of nine innovative acne-care products, and swooped up awards and nominations from a variety of platforms, including Cosmopolitan and Allure.