Certain smells will transport you to another time and place. For me, a quick sniff of Ribbon Candy Lip Balm is like breathing in a tiny capsule of Christmas past. Citrus, spice, and mint meld together for refreshing the memory and senses.

One of the many delights at Christmas in our house was a box of Sevigny’s Thin Ribbon Candy – a beautiful tray of super-thin, shiny, delicate ribbons of hard candy in old-fashioned flavors like cinnamon, wintergreen, and lemon. To be honest, I rarely ate any because they were just too pretty, though I was rather partial to the clove.

We still sometimes buy a box of ribbon candy at Christmas, though they never seem to be as thin and perfect as they once were. One problem with ribbon candy is that, because of the open nature of the candy in the box, it must be eaten within a couple of days before it turns all sticky and unpleasant (at least in our humid climate, that is). However, I have created a lip balm inspired by my beloved ribbon candy that can be enjoyed whenever, wherever!

Ribbon Candy Lip Balm is a blend of orange, lemon, cinnamon, clove, and peppermint essential oils in my classic Molly Rose lip balm. You may think that these five flavors don’t really go together… but wait until you try it! To me, it’s like stepping into another time: Christmases at my grandmother’s house, splitting a piece of ribbon candy with her, and admiring all the lights reflecting off of the shining sugar.

I should also mention that Ribbon Candy Lip Balm is the only lip balm my mom ever uses. She always has at least one tube in her purse, and can often be seen applying or simply sniffing the good stuff!

Next week, we’ll celebrate Halloween with Pumpkin Pie Lip Balm, and next Monday I’ll be posting my recipe for Tofu Pumpkin Pie (don’t be scared – it’s AMAZING!).