Meet SoftServe — The Skincare-First Lip Treatment That Does It All

Three Ships co-founders Laura Thompson and Connie Lo are back with SoftServe, a pomegranate + shea butter barrier-building lip treatment that treats lips like skincare—not an afterthought. Clinically tested, hypoallergenic, and packaged in a squeezable tube with a cushy silicone applicator, SoftServe promises lasting hydration, natural plumping, and real barrier repair. Read on for our quick Q&A with Laura and Connie about the feedback-led creation, why pomegranate is the hero ingredient, and what they hope you feel the first time you swipe. —Noa Nichol

Congratulations on the launch of SoftServe! What inspired the creation of this new Pomegranate + Shea Butter Barrier-Building Lip Treatment? 

Laura: Thank you! We created this product as a new and improved format of our Buttercream Lip Mask. As part of our product development process, we are constantly asking our customers what they like and don’t like about our current formulas. Something that we kept hearing from our customers was that they didn’t like that our Buttercream lip mask was in a pot and had to be applied with their fingers. Customers told us that they also wanted to see more skincare benefits behind the formula to really nourish and plump their lips from within. Taking this feedback back to the lab is what led us to the amazing formula that is now SoftServe!

You’ve described SoftServe as “skincare for lips.” How does this set it apart from the average lip balm on the market?

Connie: We formulated SoftServe to be true skincare for your lips – not just a basic balm. It deeply hydrates, naturally plumps, and strengthens the skin barrier without any gimmicks or irritation. I especially love that SoftServe plumps lips through hydration, rather than relying on the harsh, tingly ingredients (like chili extract) that so many plumping balms use. And because we see SoftServe as more than just a lip product, we went the extra mile: it’s clinically tested, dermatologist tested, and hypoallergenic – just like all of our other products.

The new sleek, squeezable tube feels like such a practical detail. Can you tell us more about the thought process behind its design? 

Laura: It came down to the feedback that our customers gave us. We wanted to have the product be in a format that made it super easy to apply (and re-apply!) SoftServe throughout the day! The cushy silicone applicator is curved so that the tip of the tube really hugs your lips when you apply and allows you to get the perfect amount of product each time! 

Ingredient sourcing has always been core to your brand’s ethos. What role do pomegranate and shea butter play in this formula, and why were they chosen?

Laura: Pomegranate are the heroes of this formula and have amazing skin benefits for the lip area! The Pomegranate is a bio-active complex that is clinically proven to naturally smooth and plump your lips (without irritation). The Shea Butter is what gives this formula it’s buttery-rich texture and soothes dry, cracked lips while also strengthening the lip’s naturally moisture barrier to prevent future dryness. 

With colder months approaching, many of us struggle with dryness and chapping. How does SoftServe address those seasonal skincare concerns?

Connie: SoftServe is a total game-changer for dry, chapped lips – especially in the winter. It supports and strengthens the lip barrier with a pomegranate bio-active complex that locks in long-lasting hydration. Plus, the shea butter works to soothe dryness and smooth out uneven texture, two of the biggest struggles we all deal with when the temperatures drop.

Three Ships has built a reputation for honesty and transparency in beauty. How does this product continue that commitment to clean, effective formulations?

Connie: One of our core values is reminding people that aging is a gift – not a flaw, but a story worth supporting, and being transparent about being anti- “anti-aging.” In a world where beauty often pressures us to overdo it (overfill, overline, overcompensate), SoftServe offers a refreshing alternative. It naturally plumps and deeply hydrates, creating space for a new kind of ritual that celebrates your lips as they are: lips that move, speak, stretch, and age beautifully.

Beyond hydration, SoftServe is said to naturally plump and strengthen the barrier. Why was it important for you to take a multi-benefit approach to lip care?

Laura: When we were developing SoftServe, we knew hydration alone wasn’t enough. Lips are incredibly delicate—they don’t have oil glands like the rest of your skin, so they’re more prone to dryness and irritation. That’s why it was important for us to create a formula that did more than just coat the surface. By focusing on barrier support and natural plumping benefits, we’re helping lips stay healthy, resilient, and comfortable in the long term. To us, lip care should be treated with the same thoughtfulness as facial skincare—multi-benefit, effective, and made with ingredients you can trust.

Looking back, what has the evolution of your lip treatments taught you about innovation and responding to customer needs?

Laura: Our lip category has been such a great teacher in listening to our community. Buttercream, our first lip treatment, quickly became a fan favourite, but customers told us they wanted more—better applicators, added benefits, and a formula that did more than hydrate. That feedback pushed us to innovate and create SoftServe, which not only delivers deep hydration but also naturally plumps and strengthens the lip barrier. It reinforced for us that the best innovations come from truly listening and evolving alongside our customers’ needs.

Personally, what is your favourite Three Ships product to reach for day-to-day, and why does it hold a special place in your routines?

Connie: Our Superfruit Mask is definitely my favourite product from our line. It’s like a five-minute-facial in a jar and leaves my skin bright, soft, and smooth. I especially love to use it after traveling to clear congested skin. For daily use, I always reach for our Jelly Drops Hyaluronic Acid Serum – it leaves your skin feeling so dewy and hydrated, like that “no-makeup makeup look!”

Laura: The Purify Gel Cleanser has been my favourite cleanser since we first launched it 5 years ago. I struggle with hormonal acne and this is the only product that actually helps to prevent breakouts for me. It’s also really gentle and leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed without being overly stripped or dry. Anytime that I’m not using this cleanser, my skin definitely misses it! 

As you launch SoftServe this fall, what do you hope beauty lovers feel when they apply it for the first time?

Connie: I hope they feel like they’ve finally found the one – the lip treatment that actually works. No more endless searching for something that’s hydrating, long-lasting, and not sticky. That’s exactly why we spent two years perfecting this formula – so it could be that holy-grail lip product people can rely on every single day!

Win! A $124 Three Ships Prize Pack!

Congrats Tina L. of Pitt Meadows, BC, who will receive a Three Ships Prize Pack including Jelly Drops Serum, Radiance Hydrating Cream, and SoftServe Lip Treatment for a total value of $124 CAD! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.