This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carmex®. All opinions are 100% mine.
Winter is fast approaching for us here in the Northern Hemisphere! I like winter. The evenings are very cozy, and the snow covers everything with a tranquil layer of glistening whiteness. I like the dry air which is a welcome change from the sticky humidity of summer.
The only downside to winter (besides high heating bills- I live in New York State, after all) is the horribly chapped hands I get from the dry air. I’m a mom, so my hands are ALWAYS in water- dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, washing endlessly-my hands get so severely dry that they sometimes crack. Ouch! I’ve tried various hand lotions, but I’m always on the lookout for something better.
So when the folks from Carmex asked me to try their lotion, I said, Sure!” They sent me three bottles to review- just enough to get me through the winter!
This is the Carmex® Healing Lotion and Carmex® Healing Cream. It smells HEAVENLY! Not like the other lotions that smell medicin-y or like coconuts (I dislike coconuts). It’s a light, sweet scent. I fell in love with the smell immediately. The bottles are also very attractive- they’re colorful and they have a nice feel to them. So no need to hide the lotion in the bathroom cabinet; it’s colorful enough to keep on the desk. The smaller bottle is nice for carrying in a purse or diaper bag. And Carmex is affordable, too, at about $5.99 a bottle.
The lotion is marketed as non-greasy, and it is definitely non-greasy. My skin absorbed the cream immediately, and my hands felt so soft afterward. The instant effect is remarkable. Carmex makes two healing kinds of lotion: the Aloe & Vitamin E Healing lotion for everyday use, and the 9 Healing Ingredients Healing Cream, which is for severe dryness. The Aloe & Vitamin E cream smells sooo good. I think the vanillin in the ingredients is what gives it the yummy smell.
The lotion does have some funky (and controversial) ingredients, like Diazolidinyl Urea and Dimethicone. A friend of mine who has very sensitive skin can’t use Carmex. So it would be great if Carmex could develop a hypoallergenic lotion, and an all-natural lotion for folks, with no chemicals and preservatives. Carmex® Healing Lotion and Carmex® Healing Cream is available at your local Walgreens and Drugstore.com, so you can read the ingredients for yourself.
Another thing about hand lotions- never let your pet lick your hands when you have applied lotion to them! My cat Livvy is a maniac for hand lotion, and the chemical ingredients in lotions are harmful for cats. Keep the lotion in an area away from the cats.
Life is never dull, and exciting things just seem to always happen to me... why me... when I'm not running around the house fixing things, I'm a freelance writer for national media outlets like USAToday.com, Salon.com, and others. I've even been interviewed by TIME and The Wall Street Journal about blogging. Can you believe it?! Here is where I express my zany, creative, motherly side. 
November 4, 2010 at 1:09 pm
I broke out in hives/rash all over my arms and legs after using Carmex Lotion.
November 4, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Holy cow, why didn’t you test it on a small part of your skin first!
November 21, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Same thing happened to me and my son. I have a bad rash all of my arms, chest and leg. its been a week now and I’ve been to the doctors twice and the rash wont go away
April 12, 2011 at 5:28 pm
I have a really bad itchy rash on my arms and the top of my hands, the only place I used the Carmex lotion. Its very painfull. 🙁
April 30, 2011 at 12:28 pm
How long did the rashes last? I have an itchy rash on my arms and legs too. Going on 4 days now. Carmex Healing Lotion is one of the new products in my summer skin care bag. Hmm. Wonder if it’s the culprit?
May 10, 2011 at 6:33 pm
5/10/11 No joke I still have the Rash, I used a Dr. perscribed cream, didnt work, I took Prednizone, helped, but now that Im done with that, its coming back.
May 22, 2012 at 3:47 am
Rash comes each time I use the lotion.
But the lotion smells & feels so good I keep trying to use it hoping that I will get used to it.
Been trying since Oct 2011.
May 22, 2012 at 3:53 am
The rash itches but when you scratch it hurts like CRAZY!
Put the lotion in cabinet, FORGET, and then try again after a few months once I forget about the rash again. But the next morning the rash is there again last from 3-4 days.
May 23, 2012 at 6:33 pm
I have a very bad rash from using the lotion. Ive never had a problem with anything else before. It’s been eight days now. Will not ever use again.
May 24, 2012 at 7:59 pm
I too developed a very bad case of hives all over my arms and legs exactly the places where I put Carmex lotion on. It’s been 3 days and still bad. I have never had any allergic reaction to the many lotions I have used over the years, so this is a first. Dispointed because I love Carmex and was excited that they came out with a lotion but I can’t use it.
January 8, 2013 at 9:17 pm
I also broke out into hives on the tops of my hands and legs. I didn’t suspect lotion at first because the hives showed up on my hands first. I later used on my legs and there they appeared. My legs itch like crazy; my hands are okay. I’ve only used cortizone 10 and i’ve had them on my hands for two weeks now and legs for a week. This is the first allergic reaction i’ve ever had so I was totally surprised and disappointed, because I love carmex for my lips.
January 30, 2013 at 3:01 am
I’m so glad I found this, I thought I was going crazy. I didn’t think there was any way it could have been the Carmex that caused the rash on my hands, but that’s the only new thing I have introduced to my skin and it’s only on my hands. I’m so disappointed because I had purchased a small travel size hand lotion which worked great. Then I picked up the 9 Ingredient Healing Cream because my hands have been extra dry and after the second time I applied it my my hands broke out in a rash. I didn’t have any problem at all with the regular hand lotion and I used the whole tube, so I guess I’ll go back to that.
February 6, 2013 at 6:39 pm
I first bought the trial size hand lotion and loved how it made my hands feel. Then, I noticed a rash on my hands, face and neck. It was red, inflamed and extremely painful. I got a prescription for prednisone and it finally cleared up. I slowly started using the things that I thought could have caused the rash, starting with the Carmex hand lotion and within minutes began to burn everywhere I had touched after using it,my face and neck. Within hours, the inflammation and pain was back. I’ve since thrown the Carmex hand lotion in the trash and will never use their products again!!!
February 8, 2013 at 11:45 am
Why is everyone ragging on Carmex? My husband and I have been using it for a few years now, and the stuff is terrific. It’s the only lotion that has solved my husband’s severe dermatitis that he gets from his jobs at work. He’s tried everything and the stuff from the doctor’s didn’t even work. Only Carmex worked.
You guys must have very sensitive skin or are allergic to an ingredient. In that case, simply STOP using it! Just because the product doesn’t work FOR YOU doesn’t mean the product doesn’t work for everyone.
We love Carmex!
March 24, 2013 at 5:52 pm
I dont see whats wrong with people posting what happened to them after using a product. I was tring to figure out how I got the rash on my face, and this website popped up. I have been using the carmex healing lotion on my legs, arms, and feet with no problems. However I used it on my face for a first time yesterday, and today I have a rash on my face. Now I know not to put in on my face. Dont see anything wrong with people letting other people know that this is not an uncommon side effect.
February 14, 2013 at 6:02 am
I ended up getting hives/ rashes too. I stopped using it after 2-3 days when i figured what caused it, but my skin still itches after 2 weeks. Any suggetions before I see doctor. I scratced my legs so much that it is bleeding from scratces. I can’t stop my self cus it hurts & itches a lot.
March 1, 2013 at 8:35 am
I have tried lots of hand/body lotions. Nothing helped but it did make my wallet lighter. So, one day at Walmart, I spent time scouring the lotions. On the bottom shelf was brands I never heard of and Carmax being one of them. That was the best $4 I spent in a long time. Thank goodness no rashes or itching - I’m a tough ol’ bird! Now I am looking to see if area stores carry Carmax. I intend to stick with this cream. Can’t wait to try on dry feet. Thanks.
March 23, 2013 at 5:53 pm
I’m so glad I found this review! Not to sound like a broken record, but I too have a horrible rash on tops of both hands and forearms that started after using Carmex lotion. I discontinued at least a week ago and the rash is still just as bad… painful and itchy. It’s crazy how many people have reactions to this product! I do agree that it smells wonderful. Just don’t rub it all over until you test it on one small part of your skin!!
May 31, 2013 at 6:12 pm
I used Carmex Lotion for the first time in January,my arms broke out with a rash that lasted for a month! I didnt realize it was Carmex lotion. I moved and found the tube again two weeks ago. Low and behold the rash is back. It is all over my arms only where I used the Carmex lotion. I wonder what is in the lotion that causes this reaction
June 26, 2013 at 7:48 am
I’m so relieved to see I wasn’t the only one that broke out into hives. This is my second time and I just realized it was the carmex. Last time I went to see the dr and she had me take a combo of benedryl and an OTC medicine (it was like generic tums or something like that which had certain allergy blockers) and this worked. It stopped the itching and eventually the rash went away. I had it for like 2 weeks though but a lot less wear and tear from Pednisone…avoid this if u can.
July 3, 2013 at 11:55 am
Just to say I am sorry so many have a problem with carmex. I am still using since March 1st and still just as happy. And, yes, I do like the clean smell.
Paulette
July 20, 2013 at 11:50 pm
I’ve never had a problem with any lotions, and my skin has never had sensitivities. I spent 4 weeks in Colorado and went thru two tubes of the new carmex lotion to manage the single digit humidity. LOVED the feel of it and the fact a thin layer stayed on my skin thru showers. I did not notice any problem thru the first tube of lotion, but I now have a rash on my ams and legs. At first I thought I had been bitten by bugs, but its now all over the surfaces (and only those surfaces)to which I applied the carmex lotion.
Found this page to see if anyone else was having a problem..