A bride who was unable to kiss at her wedding after developing a cold sore says a £9.95 Amazon balm has ended her outbreaks, with no flare-ups since October 2025. Georgia Ruth described the LipQ Liquorice Lip Balm as her “literal holy grail” after years of suffering from severe and frequent cold sores.
Wedding day distress
Georgia told The Mirror that cold sores interrupted every part of her life, causing anxiety and making her avoid social events. One of the hardest moments came the night before her wedding, when she developed a cold sore. “I was absolutely devastated,” she said. “My husband was nothing but supportive and reassuring, but we couldn't seal our vows with a proper, deep kiss, and at the time, that was genuinely heartbreaking.”
She had previously seen her GP and was prescribed antiviral medication after one outbreak became infected. Despite trying “absolutely everything,” she continued to suffer multiple outbreaks every year, sometimes as often as twice a month.
How the balm works
After discovering LipQ, Georgia said she has now finished two tins and keeps one by her bedside and one in her car. “The last cold sore I had was in October 2025, and incredibly, I haven't had a single outbreak since,” she said. “My lips stay moisturised, I've had no cold sore outbreaks, the discolouration around my lips has faded, and the texture of my skin has improved.”
The balm, priced at £9.95, is a hydrating, naturally active treatment designed for cold-sore-prone lips and severe seasonal dryness. It is free from parabens and fragrances, and Skin Shop states it has been tested with the Herpes Viruses Association, with 83% of users reporting quicker healing and outbreaks cut by almost half.
Expert and customer reviews
Marian Nicholson from the Herpes Viruses Association said: “We were aware of the research on liquorice and were interested in carrying out an in vivo trial. Quite often results which look impressive in a test tube are not as effective in real life testers. However, Skin Shop's LipQ Liquorice Balm has performed well with respondents showing a marked reduction in severity and duration of their cold sore outbreaks. In light of this research, we are happy to recommend this treatment to our members.”
On Amazon, the product has a rating of 4.4 out of five stars from more than 700 reviews. One customer wrote: “Wow...it works. I put it on a tingling painful cold sore, it kept it unnoticeable and the cold sore went in 3 days.” Another said: “Miracle cure for cold sores, highly recommended.” A third added: “This cream has CHANGED MY LIFE!! Cold sores are instantly reduced and gone in 48 hours.”
One user found the formula “quite expensive for how small it is,” but another called it “my bedside essential.” Georgia concluded: “Instead of constantly living in defence mode, I've finally been able to live in repair and prevention mode. That has been incredibly healing for both my skin and my nervous system. LipQ Balm has given me my confidence back.”
