Is Baume De Rose by Terry Worth The Splurge?

Last Updated on April 20, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

Did you know that By Terry Baume de Rose is almost 20 years old?! That’s a huge milestone in a beauty world where most skincare products barely last one year. Seriously, how many products from 2005 are still being raved about, let alone still on the shelves?

Baume de Rose has managed to stay relevant in an industry that moves at lightning speed, where trends come and go overnight and new miracle ingredients are launched every five minutes.

But what about the formula inside? What makes it so special to last the test of time: amazing performance or cult hype? Let’s find out:

What’s In By Terry Baume De Rose?

CASTOR OIL

Castor oil tops the ingredient list of By Terry Baume De Rose. Thank its moisturising properties for that. When dry, castor oil forms a protective layer on the skin that binds water in. All this moisture keeps your lips soft and hydrated for hours. The catch? Castor oil feels slightly sticky on the lips.

SHEA BUTTER

Shea Butter is another moisturising goodie. Like castor oil, it creates a protective barrier on the skin that slows down water loss. But its moisturising effects may last longer. Up to 8 hours, according to science. Longer, according to my personal experience. The best part? Rumour has it, Shea butter may have antioxidant properties that help you reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Related: Dry Skin? Why You Need To Add Shea Butter To Your Skincare Routine

The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients

• Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2: An emollient that creates a protective film on the skin to lock moisture in. It also makes the texture easier to spread.
• Synthetic Wax: It thickens texture and gives the lip balm its form.
• Diisostearyl Malate: Another emollient that makes lips softer and smoother.
• Tridecyl Trimellitate: Another emollient that moisturises lips.
• Methyl Hydrogenated Rosinate: It helps thicken the texture of cosmetics.
• Hydrogenated Polyisobutene: A synthetic oil that acts as a preservative to make the product last longer.
• Polyethylene: The most common type of plastic, it thickens water-free formulas. It gets a yellow rating only because I personally believe such an expensive product shouldn’t contain plastic.
• Stearalkonium Hectorite: A suspending agent that prevents particles from settling in lip balms.
• C20-40 Acid: It makes skin softer and helps control the viscosity of the lip balm.
• Parfum / Fragrance: The most irritating ingredient in skincare products, it makes the lip balm smell good.
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Derived from coconut oil, it makes lips feel softer.
• Titanium Dioxide [Nano]: A common UV filter, it gets a yellow rating because it can’t do much in small amounts.
• Rosa Centifolia Flower Cera / Rosa Centifolia Flower Wax: An emollient that makes skin soft and smooth.
• Rosa Damascena Flower Cera / Rosa Damascena Flower Wax: It moisturises skin.
• Tocopherol: A form of Vitamin E with powerful antioxidant properties.
• Ethylhexyl Palmitate: A skin softening ingredient.
• Propylene Carbonate: It make the lip balm easier to spread onto your lips.
• Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil: Rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, it makes skin softer and smoother.
• Geraniol: Derived from geranium, it makes the lip balm smell good. But it’s irritating.
• Trihydroxypalmitamidohydroxypropyl Myristyl Ether: A synthetic emollient that hydrates skin.
• Citronellol: It gives a rosy scent to the lip balm, but can be irritating.
• Alumina: It helps thicken the texture of skincare products.
• Aluminum Stearate: A stabiliser and thickening agent.
• Polyhydroxystearic Acid: A wax made from castor oil, it helps thicken the texture of skincare products and softens lips.
• Mica: It gives a little shimmer to the lip balm.
• Ci 77891 / Titanium Dioxide: A whitening agent that helps give the lip balm its colour.
• Linalool: A fragrant component of lavender and coriander, it’s part of the perfume. It must be listed separately on the label because it’s a common allergen.
• Silica Dimethyl Silylate: It thickens the formula.
• Benzyl Benzoate: A preservative that extends the shelf life of skincare products.
• Butylene Glycol: A humectant and texture enhancer.
• Caprylyl Glycol: A skin conditioning agent with mild preservative properties.
• Ci 75470 / Carmine: A red dye, it helps to give the lip balm its pinkish hue. It’s derived from animals.
• Citral: Derived from citrus fruits, it’s another component of the scent that must be listed separately because it’s irritating.
• Eugenol: Another ingredient in the fragrance composition that’s a common allergen.
• Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that makes skincare products last longer.
• Sodium Hyaluronate: An emollient that attracts extra water from the air to the skin to keep lips moisturised.
• Hexylene Glycol: It makes textures easier to spread and use.
• Citric Acid: It helps to adjust the pH of a product.

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Texture

The lip balm has a lovely texture that makes it a pleasure to use. It’s smooth without being sticky and glides on the like silk.

Fragrance

Subtle and feminine rose scent. It’s very pretty and if you like this sort of thing, you’d like it. I do like it AND I’m also aware that any kind of fragrance can irritate sensitive skin. Be careful!

How To Use It

You can use it By Terry Baume De Rose in lots of different ways:

• Lip balm: Using your fingertips, gently apply a generous amount over the lips.
• Lipgloss: Apply it over lipstick for that glossy look.
• Lip mask: Apply a generous amount over the lips before going to bed and leave it on overnight.
• Cuticle balm: Apply it on nails and cuticles to make them softer and smoother.

Need help creating the best skincare routine for you dry skin? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Dry Skincare Routine Cheatsheet” (it includes product recommendations, too!).

Performance & Personal Opinion

Personally, I preferred the old version of By Terry Baume De Rose. I know, it had petrolatum, but that made is soooo moisturising. With the exception of castor oil and shea butter, this new version relies more on synthetic emollients to make lips softer and smoother.

Nothing wrong with that, they still moisturise lips for a few hours. But if yours are seriously dry or even chapped, this isn’t a match for them. I mean, why do you think By Terry recommends you apply it generously? I don’t know about you, but at $60 a pop, I want to make it last as long as possible!

To make it last longer, I prefer to use it once a week as a lip mask rather than as an everyday lip bam. When I wake up in the morning, my lips are so soft and kissable. But my heart still digs this lip balm. From the smooth texture to the beautiful packaging and feminine rose scent, everything screams luxury.

Packaging

By Terry Baume De Rose comes in a sleek pink jar. Personally, I’m not a fan of applying lip balms with my fingers, but I have to admit, it looks beautiful.

What I Like About By Terry Baume De Rose

• Luxurious, non-sticky texture that glides smoothly on the lips
• Moisturising, makes lips softer and smoother
• Beautiful packaging

What I DON’T Like About By Terry Baume De Rose

• Not very longlasting
• Won’t heal dry/chapped lips
• Packaging isn’t hygienic (unless you use a brush)
• Fragrance can be irritating

Who Should Use This?

If your lips are in good condition, and you can afford the splurge, this is a delightful treat for lips.

Does By Terry Baume De Rose Live Up To Its Claims?

Price & Availability

$60.00/£39.00 at Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Look Fantastic, and SpaceNK

Do You Need It?

There’s nothing revolutionary in By Terry Baume De Rose to justify such a high price tag. It’s more a treat for luxury lovers than anything else. If that’s what you’re after, this won’t disappoint.