3 Editors Put a Nipple Stick to the Test, and Had Some Thoughts To Share

Any dermatologist or facialist will tell you that all of the skin on your body—not just your face—should be taken care of with nourishing ingredients. While the décolletage is one relatively common area that skin-care products target, outside of breastfeeding moms, many people don’t often hear that their nipples need TLC too. But Bawdy Beauty believes that the area needs love on a daily basis, and has launched the Nipple and Areola Stick ($19) for the job.

The nipple balm (a stick that actually looks quite like a nipple itself) is formulated to moisturize and nourish the area much like a lip balm does for your lips. Bawdy Beauty founder Sylwia Weisenberg, the woman behind the butt sheet mask, wanted to bring attention to nipple care, noting that it’s a body part that truly needs care. “There are many women and men that exercise, and their nipples get dry and chafed,” she says. “And as we age, our skin gets drier, and the areola gets very dry.” The stick is meant to help combat that, soothing the area for athletes who experience chafing and breastfeeding moms who are dealing with irritation.

According to board-certified dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, MD, many people can find relief with a nipple-care product like this. “Although not everyone needs a nipple balm, many people do,” she says. “The nipples are an area that is often involved when people suffer from eczema or atomic dermatitis.” Those who wear bras regularly also tend to experience chafing, she adds, which can exacerbate the skin condition and make it uncomfortable.

There are three key ingredients in the nipple stick: marula oil for moisture, chamomile to combat inflammation, and honey to soothe and hydrate. “Marula oil is very high in saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, the kind that very closely mimics those found naturally in our own skin,” says Dr. Nazarian, who notes that it can improve hydration and help with moisture retention by creating a barrier over the area. “It’s also very unlikely to irritate such delicate skin,” she says.

Weisenberg says that she created the product to help de-stigmatize nipples for better overall health of the area. “The whole goal is to make women embrace parts of their body. I want them to feel comfortable and to love their nipples,” she says. As someone who took the Nipple Stick for a test drive—though, I’ve never really noticed nipple or areola dryness—I enjoy how the balm feels on my skin. It’s cool to the touch, and goes on smooth. I don’t notice much of a difference, but I’m now applying it twice a day.

“It feels super good to put on—surprisingly good,” says Well+Good lifestyle writer Mary Grace Garis. “That’s a weird reaction considering that, to my understanding, nipple sticks are supposed to be an unsexy breastfeeding balm that keeps you from chafing.” Associate video producer Saanya Ali says that she has experienced nipple dryness lately because of all of the time she’s spent wearing a non-sports bra while protesting. “I’ve only used it a few times, but [the Nipple Stick] definitely helped with that because I don’t usually moisturize that area,” she says. “It felt cool during the day and made me more aware of my nipples. Then, I tried it at night when I was doing a self-care evening after a bath, and it was relaxing.” The verdict: Nipple skin care is a welcome category in the beauty world.