They were available with both single and double flavors, and all came with the tagline, “For soft, smooth, scented lips!”
Single flavors we rediscovered included peach, tropical punch, strawberry, wild cherry, grape, watermelon, vanilla, orange juice, green apple, bubble gum, butterscotch, spearmint.
Double flavors (two separate stripes of gloss per tin) included watermelon & ice, strawberry & cream, lemonade & lime, banana & strawberry, pineapple & coconut, cherry & cola.
Made by Village Bath Products of Minnetonka, Minnesota, “Lip Lickers” was a trademark the company had from 1977 to 2002.
Fun fact: The original name for these products was apparently going to be “Original Lip Lickers Licketty Lip Balm,” per the trademark the company filed in 1976.
Bubble gum lip gloss flavor
Tropical Punch Village Lip Lickers
Root beer lip balm in a metal tin
Watermelon & Ice double Lip Lickers tin
Two separate flavors in one tin: Double up lip balm
Moisturizing watermelon lip gloss tin
Raspberry & cream Lip Lickers in separate flavors
Lip lickers stocking stuffers… a train or a candy cane! (1982)
Five .2-ounce tins of moisturizing lip balm in fragrant flavors. Delightful locomotive or candy cane packages, ready for stockings. Fun flavors include orange juice, peach, green apple, bubble gum and more.
Color portion shown: Lip balm locomotive with strawberry, green apple & spearmint varieties
Pineapple & Coconut double Lip Lickers
MORE: Can you recall these shampoos & conditioners from the ’80s?
Village Lip Lickers Watermelon still in the package
For soft, smooth, scented lips! Lip balm by Village — great gloss and sensational flavor
Each package noted that their lip balm “Protects and moisturizes your lips from the drying effects of the weather.”
Want to get some? They’re making them again! Check out the Tinte Cosmetics site to see what flavors they have available.
Whatever happened to Village Bath? Update from 2020
The company’s business profile notes that in 1987, Village Bath and Softsoap brands were acquired by Colgate-Palmolive.
Later, a new company, Minnetonka Brands, was founded in 1993 by former Softsoap execs who re-acquired the rights to Village Bath. (Minnetonka Brands then changed its name to The Village Company in 2005.)
ALSO SEE: Lip Smackers from Bonne Bell: The super trendy vintage lip balm from the ’70s & ’80s
7 Responses
Is there anyway to get one??
I am trying to buy village lip smackers. Where can i buy them from???
https://www.tintecosmetics.com/shop/best-sellers/
Laurie, I found this site called Tinte that apparently sells the Village Lip Lickers lip balm in tins.
Loved these as a kid. Green Apple!
TINte Cosmetics brought back the original slider LIP LICKING lip balms and they are AVAILABLE for purchase NOW for $5.50! We offer bubble gum, watermelon, vanilla, grape and strawberry! They are better than you remember and formulated with natural & organic ingredients! Purchase them at https://www.tintecosmetics.com/shop/lip-licking-lip-balm/
As for the “how to get a man”…I hear some of those today! You have never heard of getting a dog and taking it for a walk and attracting the opposite sex??? Come on! These aren’t that bad. Plus, as cringy as you think the 50’s were, it can’t be worse than what women do today to attract ment. GROSS! I think I’d rather go back to that time. At least MOST people still had morals and values.
I designed all of the variations of Lip Lickers amongst many other products, when I was their lead graphic designer. Fun times!!
You – you did an amazing job! Those graphics are beautifully iconic and evocative, while still being fun and functional. Thank you for the memories!