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Writer's pictureSara F. Hathaway

Chapstick as a Survival Tool


If you haven't checked out Pinterest yet there is a HUGE survival community on Pinterest and the information available there is endless! Here is a link to my board https://www.pinterest.com/sarafhathaway/survival-information/ I highly encourage you to check it out so you can start digesting all the great information available to you on Pinterest.

This is a little goodie that I found. Who knew chap-stick was so versatile but it make perfect sense given the amount of petroleum jelly composing it.

Survival Pin of the Month #1 

This Pin was brought to us by from Wikihow.com. They suggest 11 survival uses for chap-stick some of which I already do but some are new ideas and worth repeating:

Treat minor cuts, bug bites and rashes - I wouldn't use it on too big of a wound and I would test a small area of the rash before a complete application is applied.

  • Use on blisters and foot rot -  Anything that helps the feet survive abuse is a good thing.


  • Protect your face from intense sun - A coating of chap-stick will help protect from wind whether it's a hot wind or a cold wind.

  • Protect your face from frostbite for a short time - Again anything that slows the time it takes for frostbite to set in is going to be worth it's weight in gold.


  • Waterproof shoes or gear - It's going to take a lot of chap-stick to waterproof large items but for minor applications like zippers or stitch marks in gear it's a great idea.


  • Fix rips in gear - I'm not to confident in this idea.


  • Use as fire starter - *take special note of this one * - When applied to cotton or tinder it will hold a flame longer than the cotton or tinder will on it's own, giving you more time to start your fire.


  • Use as candle - Stick a match in it and light it up. I thought this was a great idea!

  • Get zipper unstuck - It helps to lubricate the zipper but I would caution over use on the zipper because it could get gloopy.


  • Apply under eyes to reduce glare - Just like football players wear painted lines under their eyes, Chap-stick will work in a pinch.


Dip in ashes to make a face camo - It becomes an easy applicator. Apply the camo in a pixelated pattern to deter video surveillance. Be aware that ashes have a lot of lye in them and your skin may be sensitive to too much.


Use empty case to store other thick products - Other waterproofing or thick salves can be stored in the case. Why waste it?

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