'Tis the season for dry, chapped lips. Fortunately though, the best lip balms can get your pout primed and ready for party season.
At woman&home, we take the quest of reviewing the best lip balms very seriously. Our complete roundup has been vetted by a range of our in-house beauty experts, and we've selected options that should suit every budget and preference. Having moisturised lips is an essential step before applying the best long-lasting lipsticks, which can sometimes exacerbate the issue if you don't have the proper balms on hand.
And with dry skin at its worst during the winter months, investing in the best lip balm for you will be an essential step if you're wondering how to prevent winter skin. Keeping your lip topped up with a thicker lip mask before you go to bed can ensure your lips don't dry out while you sleep, while a more portable balm that can fit in any handbag will keep lips from feeling tight and sore throughout the day. Hand-selected and tested by the woman&home team, here is our list of the top 15 lip balms on the market.
The best lip balms, chosen by our beauty team
Why you can trust Woman & Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
RRP: £29 for 50ml
Our Beauty Director Sarah Cooper-White raves about the Eight Hour cream. "Once you get used to the smell - slightly medicated with a hint of sheep - this is an amazing lip balm. It instantly soothes chapped lips. I use it a lot on my son who is 7 and gets very sore lips. When I put this on him overnight, by morning his lips are healed. The big tube lasts for ages and you can also use it on dry areas elsewhere too"
Reasons to buy: It's such a versatile balm
Reasons to avoid: Not your traditional applicator
RRP: £10.99 for 10g
"I have one of these in every single handbag. It's a little tube but a small amount goes a long way." says our Beauty Director Sarah Cooper-White "It's a brilliant lip balm and even though the natural formula is made with Lanolin there is no hint of 'sheep' to the smell. In fact, it smells of nothing. It's great for daily hydration or for healing very dry, sore lips fast."
Reasons to buy: It's deeply hydrating, great for overnights
Reasons to avoid: No flavour or tint
RRP: £4.50 for 10ml
This Dr PawPaw formula offers phenomenal value for money. The vegan formula features papaya extract, olive oil, aloe vera, and other nourishing, soothing ingredients. The overnight mask formula is designed to keep lips hydrated and plump, and we see no reason not to use it throughout the day, too.
Reasons to buy: Great value and SPF20
Reasons to avoid: Takes a while to work
RRP: £16 for 15ml
We trust Ameliorate for seriously dry skin, and the brand's Intensive Lip Treatment is just as effective. Featuring the brand's LaH6 Skin Hydration Complex, we found that it was non-greasy and long-lasting on the lips. The cream is a slight white though - it doesn't leave a cast, but we wouldn't layer it with other lip products.
Reasons to buy: It's well-priced and effective
Reasons to avoid: Not one to wear with lipstick
RRP: £23 for 15ml
Summer Fridays has trouble keeping stock of their Lip Butter Balm, and after testing it we can really see why. We tried it in Sweet Mint, a clear, fresh but nourishing balm that you can really feel working. You can also buy it in several fun flavours and colours, from Cherry to Brown Sugar.
Reasons to buy: It tastes and looks great, but still works
Reasons to avoid: We found that we got through it very fast!
RRP: £21 for 20g
Our Beauty Writer Annie Milroy swears by the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask for seriously chapped lips. "An OG for a reason, this buttery balm is so ideal for smothering all over lips before bed. It's decadently rich and works overnight to restore lip health and happiness while you sleep. I love how much you get in the pot and it's a lovely treat for sore lips."
Reasons to buy: The tub lasts forever, and tastes great
Reasons to avoid: It's a bit too big to pop in your handbag
RRP: £13 for 15ml
Our Beauty Editor Aleesha can always be seen rocking a bold lip, and if you want the best lip balm to apply before lipstick, she recommends Glossier Balm Dotcom. Recently reformulated to be vegan, and available in a range of colours and more-ish flavours, it's a handbag essential.
Reasons to buy: Failsafe and easy to throw into any handbag
Reasons to avoid: Formula can sometimes split, making it messy
RRP: £10.99 for 10ml
The Volumising Tripeptide Lip Plumper from INKEY List was an instant sellout success, and when we (finally) got to buy it for ourselves, we could see why. Some lip plumpers leave your lips feeling tender, but this balm heals them while it boosts lip volume. We will caveat that you should use three times a day for four weeks to see the results, so it's not one for an instant boost.
Reasons to buy: Lip-healing and volumising
Reasons to avoid: Takes a while to work
RRP: £12 for 15g
Lots of the best lip balms depend on animal-derived products such as lanolin, but the Biossance Squalene and Rose Balm proves that it's possible to find a great vegan formula (that doesn't cost the earth). It's thick and long-lasting, perfect for severely dehydrated lips.
Reasons to buy: Fantastic long-lasting formula
Reasons to avoid: On the stickier side
RRP: £39 for 14g
You can KOBA's Feeling Myself Lip Balm healing your stressed lips while you wear it. It's very gently exfoliating, removing dead skin while you apply it to allow it to penetrate deeper and heal faster. The formula is 99% natural, too.
Reasons to buy: Removes dead skin while you apply
Reasons to avoid: It's a more expensive option
RRP: £16 for 10ml
rhode skincare has amassed a bit of a cult following in recent months. The peptide lip treatment is sized perfectly to throw in a handbag or coat pocket. You can buy it both scented and unscented, and we found that the formula is consistent across the line. The peptide serves to produce more collagen in the lips, keeping them looking full for longer.
Reasons to buy: Easy to take on the go
Reasons to avoid: You'll get through it fast
RRP: £27 for 9g
Tatcha is one of those bucket-list brands that can add some luxury to your daily routine, and from the luxe packaging down to the metal spatula included with The Kissu Lip Mask, this is certainly the premium pick we'd opt for. Unlike a lot of premium brands, it's not heavily fragranced either.
Reasons to buy: Luxe feel, with quality ingredients
Reasons to avoid: There's only 9g
RRP: £18 for 2g
Our Beauty Editor Aleesha swears by the Huda Beauty GloWish Super Jelly Lip Balm to give her lips a long-lasting tint while keeping them hydrated during long office days. She loves the shade Matcha which, despite the green shade, gives her lips a natural bright rosiness, as it adapts to each person's lips for a flattering look on every skin tone.
Reasons to buy: Adapts to each person's pH balance
Reasons to avoid: Tint lasts longer than the balm
RRP: £19 for 10g
The Athletia Lip Oil Essence has the thickness you look for in a lip oil, but with the nourishing properties we want in the very best lip balms. It's got a lovely fragrance, featuring eucalyptus and juniper berry, that created a spa-like experience as you apply. Luxurious from start to finish.
Reasons to buy: Rich and nourishing
Reasons to avoid: Could be sticky for some
RRP: £18 for 4.5g
When it comes to relaxed, easy application, a lip balm stick is always your best bet. We were wowed by how much we loves the Jones Road Lippie Stick. It's unassumingly packaged, but crammed full of calming ingredients that can keep lips free of flare-ups while still being a low-maintenance option.
Reasons to buy: Low-maintenance
Reasons to avoid: It doesn't have a smooth texture
How we chose the best lip balms
Here at woman&home, we've got collective experience of hundreds of lip products, and know that a good lip balm can be one of the most important beauty purchases out there. To make sure we picked the best of the best, we've selected the top lip balms for different requirements, whether it's a vegan formula or something with a long-lasting tint. Every single product featured in this guide has been carefully vetted by our expert team.
Group Beauty Director Sarah Cooper-White has almost 20 years experience as a beauty journalist. She has written for many well-known national magazines, newspapers and brands including Woman & Home, Woman, Woman's Own, Woman's Weekly, Boots, Tesco, ELLE, InStyle, The Mirror, The Sun, Prima and Top Sante.
Aleesha is Digital Beauty Editor at woman&home, where she gets to share her expertise into all the best techniques, sharpest tools and newest products—with a particular savvy in skincare and fragrance.
Previously, she was Deputy Editor and Beauty & Fashion Editor for My Imperfect Life, where she headed up the beauty, fashion and eCommerce pages. Her specialisms are down to her carefully-curated wardrobe, shopaholic tendencies and her constant hunt for any new lipsticks to add to her color-coordinated collection.
How to choose the best lip balm for you
When it comes to selecting the right lip balm, take a close look at the following:
- Ingredients: More often than not, the most hydrating lip balms feature waxed-based ingredients, like beeswax, lanolin, mineral oil, mango butter, and castor seed oil. We also love shea butter, coconut oil, and vitamins C and E among others—they're packed with skin-softening properties.
- Packaging: Do you hate fussy caps on tubes or dipping your fingers into tins, pots, or jars? It's worth considering before you fork out for a balm that doesn't work for you. Backed by pencil-like tips, tubes ensure precise application, while jars, pots, and roll-ons offer more coverage.
- Flavoring and fragrance: Lip balms with high concentrations of synthetic fragrances and flavoring can be irritating for some. That being said, many users love scented balms that are reminiscent of fruity cocktails. But, if you're sensitive to chemicals and smells, look elsewhere.
- Versatility: Today's lip balms go beyond lip care and maintenance. One of the hottest trends in skincare, slugging, uses Vaseline (intrigued? Find out what is slugging with our guide) In fact, the latest formulas double as blush, eyeshadow, and even primer with subtle color. As makeup, they deliver a glow-from-within look, rather than a cakey shimmer.
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