Global Success for Lip Balm Created in a Wisconsin Kitchen

The journey to global success for a lip balm created in a Wisconsin kitchen started as an experiment of sorts. Alfred Woelbing needed a solution for his chapped lips. He couldn’t find anything that worked, but with his background in cosmetics, decided to craft his own balm in 1937. Woelbing’s secret to the success of what we know today as Carmex has always been thanks to his craftsmanship. He hand-filled every opal glass jar, sealed it with a lid, and then applied the paper label. Woelbing charged just 29 cents for each jar.

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Listen to the “Slice of Wisconsin” feature and take a quiz about Carmex here:

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The production of Carmex continued in Woelbing’s Milwaukee area home but stopped briefly during World War II. One of the main ingredients, lanolin, was needed to protect U.S. military equipment. Woelbing eventually resumed mixing batches of his lip balm but as demand grew, he moved the production to a space in Wauwatosa.

Woelbing also started visiting pharmacies. He handed out samples with the goal of selling 20 dozen jars a day. By the early 1970s, his son Don joined the family business and brought some fresh ideas, including using a coffee maker to pour the lip balm. This replaced the long-standing tradition of hand-pouring every jar. The update in production also led to a rebranding of the product – and the bold yellow metal lid with the iconic Carmex logo was born. 

Woelbing remained committed to a family-like culture, even as employees were added to the company by the mid-1970s. He expanded sales of his lip balm into a few international markets. The company also moved to a new facility in Franklin which is southwest of Milwaukee. 

By the 1990s, the reputation of Carmex grew worldwide and earned the title as the #1 pharmacist-recommended brand. The company introduced the squeeze tube and later the lip balm stick. 

Fast-forward to today, and with more than 250 employees, the company has been named a “Great Place to Work.” The next generation of Woelbings is in charge, and the culture remains as important as the success of a lip care product that continues to help people around the world.