Just In Time For Winter: The Absolute Best Lip Balms Of All Time
With countless lip products on the market, it can be hard to narrow down the best lip balms to use on a regular basis. Generally though, the best lip balms for daily use are full of hydrating ingredients, emollients, and humectants; aren't sticky or clumpy; and provide long-lasting protection without requiring constant reapplication, or, even worse, drying your lips out even further.
Beyond that, there are plenty of other variables to consider — which depend on you — so ahead, you'll find 10 lip balms to suit every single pair of lips out there. Do you want something that will protect your lips from the sun? A tinted balm for color and moisture? A formula that smells yummy, or is totally scentless? Then, there's the packaging to consider — some people prefer sticks and tubes, while others may favor pots and jars.
Whatever it is you're looking for, you're bound to find your perfect match ahead. Scroll on to shop the 10 best lip balms out there, all conveniently available on Amazon.
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01The Overall Best
O'Keeffe's, known for their ultra effective, hard-working hand and foot creams, does it again with their lip repair balm. Using several moisturizing ingredients like beeswax, sweet almond oil, and shea butter, this unscented stick provides quick comfort and hours of protection from outdoor elements and dry air. Each order comes with a set of two for just under $6, so it's a great value, too. What more could you want?
02The Cult Favorite
People are obsessed with Weleda's multitasking Skin Food moisturizer — which inspired the brand's Skin Food lip balm, which has just as devoted of a fan following. It's full of natural botanical oils derived from plants like calendula, lavender, rosemary, and chamomile, which give it a very slight, barely noticeable herbal scent. This is a rich, hydrating balm that provides a bit of a glossy effect, making it better worn on its own, rather than underneath lipstick.
03The French One
A simple and elegant formula from French pharmacy favorite Bioderma, their Atoderm Lip Stick is an incredibly gentle, hydrating lip balm that soothes and protects dry skin using ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and laminaria extract. It's neither rich nor gloopy, so it wears particularly nicely underneath lipstick.
04The One With SPF
It's important to keep your lips protected from sun damage, but Aquaphor's lip protectant and sunscreen also makes your lips feel soft, hydrated, and cared for (just like the brand's beloved Healing Ointment does for the rest of your body). Ingredients in the fragrance-free formula include petrolatum, castor seed oil, shea butter, and beeswax, while an SPF of 30 offers ample sun protection for your lips.
05The Tinted One
Offered in six shades, Burt's Bees tinted lip balm takes the classic Burt's Bees formula and adds a hint of tint to give you color and hydration. The all-natural formula includes coconut, olive, soy, canola, and sunflower oils, as well as lanolin, shea butter, beeswax, and jasmine. The brand says it delivers a whopping eight hours of hydration, and it feels nice and lightweight, too.
06The Tinted One With SPF
Get softer lips, a generous wash of color, and sun protection with COOLA's line of tinted balms. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offer sun protection with an SPF of 30, while cupuaçu butter, shea butter, and coconut oil deliver much-needed moisture to dry lips. It provides up to 40 minutes of water-resistant coverage, too — a nice bonus for beach days.
07The Retro One
Packaged in a gift-worthy retro tin, C.O. Bigelow's lip salve is another fan favorite worth adding to your rotation of balms. The classic rose scent is perhaps the most popular, but the sakura rose edition sounds pretty lovely, too (it also comes in lavender, which would be ideal for bedtime). It's so soft and gentle on lips that even if they're really chapped and irritated, this will feel soothing straight away, with no stinging or burning. You can also use it on your elbows, cuticles, or anywhere else that needs some dry skin relief. Another fun idea: Dab some on your cheekbones for a dewy, shimmer-free highlight. For $20, you'll get three tins, so you'll be set for a while.
08The Plumping One
Love the look of a slightly plumper pout? Then Buxom's Power Plump Lip Balm is the balm for you. Not only does it plump your lips and deliver moisture, but it also gives your lips a custom tint by reacting to your body's pH level. It comes in three shades, which again, will vary slightly based on you: Big O, a pinkish hue; Dolly Fever, which leans more mauve; and Inner Glow, a self-described "nude." You can even apply Power Plump to your cheeks for a bit of a flush there, too.
09The Splurge
If you love all things luxe, make the splurge on this chic-looking balm from Sara Happ's cult-favorite Lip Slip line. It delivers a bit of a silky, shimmery effect, but provides ample moisture using ingredients like jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, beeswax, and vitamins A and E. Packaged in a gift-worthy box with a pretty, rose gold top, it'd make the perfect gift for the beauty lover in your life who has everything.
10Honorable Mention
The adorable, chunky little container is reason enough to pick up an eos lip balm, but the lightweight formula — which is infused with shea butter, coconut oil, and jojoba oil — is pretty solid, too. Hypoallergenic and gluten-free, the balms are sold in three delicious scents: Coconut Milk, Honey Apple, and Vanilla Mint.
