Dry, scaly lips rank right up there with hairy backs and unibrows in the sex-appeal department. And I should know: As a sufferer of chronic chapped lips, I'm constantly being advised by family, friends, clergy, and strangers to use Blistex, Vaseline, or Carmex. Of course, what they don't realize is that those jellies and balms provide only temporary relief; the moment they're absorbed, my pout reverts to its naturally parched state. I'd given up on finding a longer-lasting solution, until I stumbled on Tarte's fRxtion ($11; sephora.com)--a miraculous little dual-action tube that combines an exfoliating sugar scrub with a soothing lip balm.

On my very first use, the caramel-colored scrub gently sloughed off dead skin, leaving my lips smooth and moisturized. Then, the balm, packed with do-good ingredients like vitamin E, aloe, jojoba, and sunflower-seed oil, drove the suppleness home. Even more impressive were the long-term results: Gone was the need to compulsively whip out lip smackers every 15 minutes for relief; fRxtion kept my pout soft and ready for spontaneous pecks from my sweetie for hours without a single reapplication. As an added bonus, the product comes in a nifty little mirrored case and smells as sweet as an ice-cream sandwich, which can't help but add to the allure of my new, improved pucker. --Janelle Harris