paul's dashboard

Hi Tiffany,

Thanks for your thorough question. Other than a couple of minor changes over the past seventy two years Carmex remains the same despite what appears to be significant changes if you compare the ingredients list as it is printed on the old jar verses the new. First, the change from the all yellow cap to the new one with the red Carmex logo was a packaging decision to make all of our products' packages look similar and to emphasize the Carmex brand. This was done a little more than a year ago. The jars were starting to look different from the tubes which were slightly different from the sticks.

The two formula changes to the original jar and tubes that we have made were to remove the listing of alum and moving from a fragrance to a flavor. My grandfather’s thought when he developed Carmex in the 1930s was that by adding alum it would act a drying agent on cold sores. In actuality, alum is not soluble in Carmex’s ointment base and as such Carmex never contained any more than the barest trace amounts of this ingredient. Because of this we wanted to match the ingredients list with the actuality of the formula that consumers were using. We had the formula re-approved by the F.D.A. without any alum so as of about six years ago the ingredients list no longer contains any. Because we purchase caps by the millions it took a while for us to exhaust the supply on hand. We can assure that this “new” formula is just as effective because again, in truth there really was no more than microscopic amounts of alum in each of the one thousand gallon batches. The orignal fragrance was bitter so we worked with a local flavor house to replicate the fragrance in a less bitter flavor form.

Regarding what appears to be significant changes in the listing is the result of a few different factors. First, the FDA has changed over the years how we can classify ingredients. Salicylic acid has moved from active to inactive but remains in the exact same proportion. What previously was simplified as "wax base" has been expanded to break out individual waxes. Years ago did not specifically list the bees wax and but did list the spermaceti wax. People thought that we were using natural wax from Sperm whales (we were not). Spermaceti wax is now cetyl esther and coca butter is now listed as theobroma cacao which are the official names according to the INCI
who's names for the ingredients stand for the International Cosmetic Ingredients. The purpose for the INCI names is to have consistency and uniformity of labeling names for cosmetic ingredients all over of the world.

I hope that I have answered your question successfully. If you provide me with an address I'd be happy to send you a variety of samples of Carmex. I can even provide you with one of our original glass jars if you'd like. If you would - please send me a brief note reminding me of this exchange along with an address. My address is:

Carma Labs.
attn: Paul
5801 West Airways avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season,

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Hi Subrina,

Yes you can. The active ingredients are also in these formulas.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Sorry you don't care for my replies jamaicandro but glad to see that you are reading them. Have a happy holiday season.

Paul

Hi Michael.

This is the first time that I've encountered this specific question since I started working at Carma Laboratories, Inc. so my quick answer is "I don't know". Does it occur immediately or after some period of time? Does the white appear with one specific form of Carmex (tube, jar, stick) or a variety of forms of Carmex? Does the white stuff cause you any discomfort? Does this only happen when you use Carmex or have you had the same experience with other brands of lip balm? Is there any other relevant information that you can provide me? I'd be happy to pass this further information onto our scientific advisory committee to see if they can provide you with with any guidance.

<http://www.mycarmex.com/about-us/scie...>

I apologize for not having a better answer right now.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Thanks Wayne.

Remember to send me your address so that I can send you some stuff.

Paul

Hi dR.

While I certainly am biased I know that we make an excellent lip balm. Unfortunately we don't make a product specifically designed to help your son stop licking his lips but the one bit of advise that I can provide comes from our Scientific Advisory Committee.

http://www.mycarmex.com/about-us/scie...>

Their role is to provide us with sound scientific advice completely independent of the folks who work in our marketing and research and development areas. In talking with Dr. Denis Lynch the head of the committee he said that fruity or sweet flavored lip balms can encourage lip licking because of their appealing taste. While we do make flavors (cherry, strawberry, mint and a vanilla in the new Moisture Plus sticks) the original Carmex as my grandfather invented it has a somewhat mediciny flavor and scent that children would be much less likely to want to lick. This comes from the menthol and camphor that is a part of Carmex's active ingredients.

If you provide me with your address and a brief note reminding me of this exchange I'd be happy to put some complimentary samples our original jar, tube and stick in the mail for your son to try. My address is:

Carma Laboratories, Inc.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes,

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Hi Wayne.

I enjoyed your story so much that I shared it with our web/internet people. Would you mind if I included it in our next E-newsletter? This is what our most recent newsletter looks like:

<http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe6715...>

Thanks,

Paul Woelbing

Hi Wayne.

This is one of the best Carmex memories that I've read in my 19 years of being here. You have a flair for writing a brief succinct story. Thanks for sharing it. Wow... I haven't thought about Charlie in years! We must be of similar ages. I'm 53 and graduated high school in 1974. Cool car you describe, too. My brother is the car guy in my family. I'm the motorcycle guy.

If you would please, send me your address along with a note reminding me about this exchange. I'd like to send you a supply of Carmex (including one of our original glass jars). My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Laboratories, Inc.

Hi Darlene.

We don't make Carmex in a blue jar. By any chance do you mean the large jar? We have 4 ounce and 8 ounce jars that we make specifically as a customer service for folks with special needs who have found that Carmex works for their situation. Because the large jars are strictly a customer service we make very little profit on them. An 8 ounce jar which equals 32 of the small jars is only is $16.00 plus $5.00 shipping. If this is what you are looking for you can call here during the day and we'd be happy to take care of your request. We are open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Friday central time. Our number is 414-421-7707 and ask for Wendy or Chuck.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Hi Ava.

Wow... thanks for the kind words. I am happy to hear that you like the new strawberry tubes. Have you tried the strawberry sticks? It's pictured on the bottom right of our products page:

<http://www.mycarmex.com/our-products/...>

We used to make a mint stick with SPF 30 but it didn't sell very well. We are trying to figure out why. One thing we wondered about was the possibility that for some people can feel a bit of a burning sensation with higher amounts of the two sun screen agents that are commonly used. That said, I
agree with you that we need to develop a version of Carmex with the higher SPF level (30 or more). Our R&D chemists have this as one of their projects. When we do come out with it we want it to be an exceptional product, long lasting, not burning and decent flavor.

If you would, please send me a brief note reminding me of this exchange along with your address. I'd like to send you a variety of current Carmex products with SPF to try. My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Hi Mark.

I apologize for the problem of your sample requests not being filled. This is a bit of a mystery to me because if any correspondence comes to me - I try to take care of it right away. Were your requests sent to our general mailbox? If that was the case, during this our busiest time of the year
unfortunately it might take a bit of time to get a response because my assistant Wendy (who is exceptional) can get a bit overloaded. She works through her replies as time permits.

If you would, please send me a brief note reminding me of this email exchange along with your address and I'd be happy to send you a few samples. I do ask for a note via the post office because I don't encourage people to post personal information in a public web forum. My address
is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Laboratories, Inc.

Hi Emma.

Thanks for writing. Unfortunately our mint sticks don't sell as well as what we would have liked them to. It's a bit of a mystery because it seems as though whenever people try it they like it. Because of this, few retailers carry it right now. We are trying to figure out what the problem is. Is the green we used on the cap suggesting lime? Do people not like the SPF? We're just not sure. In the mean time you can either purchase it directly from us - but our minimum order is one dozen. To do this call here during the day and ask for Wendy. 414-421-7707. A more convenient option for you might be to order through Drugstore.com.

<http://www.drugstore.com/qxp217831_33...>

If you would send me your address and remind me of this email I'd like to send you a complimentary mint stick along with one of our new Moisture Plus sticks to try. My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Laboratories, Inc.

I'm not a physician (actually I was an art teacher before I joined the family business eighteen years ago) so my answer is not based on a medical background. I can tell you that three generations of Woelbings have used it for a wide variety of skin situations including lips from the age of a few weeks to 100. Carmex is a monographed product by the FDA which means that it is safe for all ages but the children's warning on the labels is a regulation on all products in our category. So... if you're concerned you might want to check with your doctor but I would say from the age of a six months on it should be perfectly fine to use Carmex.

Paul

Hi Rachel.

I'm working from home today.... a big snowstorm hit Wisconsin last night. To sign up for the newsletter go to this section of our website:

<http://mycarmex.com/contact-us/defaul...>

Not every issue includes coupons but a few per year do. For now - if you'd like to try some Carmex please send me a brief note reminding me of this email along with your address and I'll put a few things in the mail for you. My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Hi.

Thanks for telling us about the positive experience that you've had with
Carmex. We really appreciate hearing from our customers.I am not a physician so - to be absolutely clear - I want you to know that my reply is not based on solid medical information. That said, it sounds as though you were previously using a well known brand-name product that is basically pure petroleum jelly. This is generally not a bad thing as petroleum jelly is a natural product that people have used for over 100 years for moisturizing and a variety of skin conditions. While we certainly want as many satisfied Carmex users as possible, occasionally we hear from other folks have a reaction to a specific ingredient in Carmex. It's uncommon but that's the nature of allergies; different people react to different things. In these instances I often recommend simple petroleum jelly. In your case it sounds as though the pure petroleum jelly (Carmex does contain a bit) might have been a bit too heavy. My grandfather invented Carmex in the 1930s to treat his own dry chapped lips and cold sores.

Have you had a chance to try our new Moisture Plus product? It includes aloe vera, shea butter, avocado butter, vitamin E and SPF 15.

http://www.mycarmex.com/our-products/...>

If you'd like to try a sample please send me a brief note reminding me of this exchange along with an address and I'd be happy to send you one. My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Greetings.

Thanks very much for the praise. We are still a modest sized, family owned business and we really appreciate hearing from our customers. I'd like to send you a couple complementary samples of Carmex. If you would, please send me a brief note reminding me of this along with an address so I can get them to you. My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Laboratories, Inc.

Hi Anthony.

Regarding your question about a beeswax-free version of Carmex, no. All of our Carmex lip care products include some beeswax. My best suggestion for your roommate might be to try something like simple petroleum jelly. I believe that one of the leading lip care brands is 100%
petroleum jelly (which is a natural product). Carmex also includes petroleum jelly but in combination with beeswax, cocoa butter, paraffin, petrolatum, etc.

While I can't help your roommate, if you'd like to try some Carmex I'd be happy to put some samples in the mail for you. If you would, please send me a brief note reminding me of this exchange along with your address. My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Laboratories, Inc.

Hi. DawnyBe.

Thanks for your nice recommendation. We are very happy to hear about the positive results that you had in using Carmex on your cold sores. Although now nearly 94% of our customers use Carmex for it’s moisturizing properties, my grandfather originally invented it specifically to treat his own cold sores. The ingredients that make up the base ointment: cocoa butter, beeswax, petrolatum, lanolin and other wax have therapeutic qualities in and of themselves while having the added benefit of helping to seal in the body’s own moisture. Pharmacy Times magazine has eleven years in a row named Carmex as pharmacists #1 recommended lip balm.

Cold sores are the outward manifestation of a virus. Most of the time this virus lies dormant within one’s system but stress, prolonged exposure to the sun or illness can trigger a reaction allowing this unpleasant symptom of the virus to erupt. Because cold sores are caused by a virus in truth nothing can ‘treat them’ in the sense that they can be eliminated from one’s system by the use of any medication. Rather, Carmex’s ingredients work in concert to alleviate the symptoms associated with cold sores. The phenol is antiseptic, the salicylic acid helps to relive itching as well as dry the runniness, menthol cools while the ointment base of petrolatum,
beeswax, cocoa butter, paraffin and lanolin help to seal in the body’s own moisture while having therapeutic qualities of their own.

Just as a note of possible interest and for your information, in reading all of the mail that comes to Carma Laboratories over the years I have noticed that people have found a variety of other uses for Carmex beyond which it was ever intended. These situations include for a cuticle cream, as a general antiseptic ointment, burn ointment, for a variety of skin conditions, as a hand cream and for insect bites.

If you would like a couple of complimentary samples of Carmex (including our new Moisture Plus) please send me a brief note reminding me of this email along with your address and I'd be happy to send them to you. My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season..

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Hi Norma.

I sincerely apologize for the probelm. It sounds as though the capping device torqued the cap on too tight. If you would - please send me a brief note reminding me of this email along with your address. I'll send you a replacement along with a few other things to compensate you for your inconvience.

My address is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes,

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Labs.

Hi Alexis.

Thanks very much for the kind words about Carmex sticks. Have you had a chance to try one of our new Moisture Plus sticks?

http://www.mycarmex.com/our-products/...>

This is a new product that includes SPF 15 along with the additional moisturizers of vitamin E, shea butter and aloe vera. I'd be happy to send you a complimentary one to try if you'd like to. Because I don't think that it's a good idea to post your address publicly - please send me a brief note reminding me of this email along with an address and I'll put one in the mail for you. My direct address at work is:

Carma Labs.
Attn: Paul
5801 West Airways Avenue
Franklin, WI 53132

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Paul Woelbing, President
Carma Laboratories, Inc.