Nothing will divide a group of beauty lovers like asking them what their favourite lip balm is. It's the first thing many of us reach for in the morning, and the last step in our nighttime routines.
I, for one, can't commit to a single formula. From old-school waxy sticks to jars to squeeze tubes to lipstick-worthy bullets, I'll happily swipe on any new lip balm that lands on my desk. While you're bound to find handfuls of half-used tubes in every single one of my bags, there are some products I go back to again and again. Here are my MVPs—the best lip balms for every occasion.
This unassuming little squeeze tube may look like a run-of-the-mill drugstore lip balm, but it packs a seriously impressive amount of hydration. Made with the brand’s signature beeswax to condition and protect, as well ultra-hydrating shea butter, jojoba oil and echinacea, it deeply hydrates without leaving a hint of stickiness behind.
Over the last couple of years, it has kept my lips hydrated for hours through long travel days and even an attempt at winter surfing in the Pacific ocean. I keep it in my handbag for on-the-go application.
No lip balm round-up would be complete without Laneige’s beloved (and ultra-viral) sleeping mask—and it's absolutely worth the hype. It contains coconut oil, shea butter and murumuru seed butter, as well as vitamin C and a patented antioxidant-rich complex. Though it’s touted as an overnight lip treatment, I use it in the morning to prep my pout before I apply product, whether that’s red lipstick or a tinted lip oil.
It comes in the OG Berry scent as well as Vanilla, Gummy Bear and—my favourite—Sweet Candy, with a few additional limited-edition drops throughout the year.
Hands-down one of the most moisturizing balms on the market, Tatcha's cruelty-free lip mask lives on my nightstand. (I've gone through several jars of the stuff over the years, and it never fails to deliver smooth lips by morning.) It contains Japanese peach extract to calm irritation, three rose extracts to smooth and camellia oil to nourish.
The thick, jelly-like texture forms a protective layer on lips and it's the only overnight treatment I've found that actually stays put throughout the night without absorbing too quickly or smearing on my pillowcase.
When lipstick feels like a chore but I still want to look put-together, I turn to this balm. It contains lip-loving ingredients like cherry oil, shea butter and waxes, but it also provides a hint of a tint that lasts a surprisingly long time.
It comes in an array of shades—including Rosewood, a perfect barely-there pink hue—and it gives lips a glowy, plumped-up look. The luxe packaging doesn't hurt either; I feel incredibly bougie pulling this out of my bag.
This Rihanna-approved formula is a conditioning and plumping blend of coconut, castor and jojoba oils, pomegranate, vitamin E and Barbados cherry extract. It’s thick and well-suited to overnight application, but it's also totally wearable during the day thanks to a clear, glossy finish.
I love that it immediately makes unsightly dry patches disappear and that it stays put through chatty meetings and coffee breaks. I’ve even used it on my extra-dry cuticles in a pinch. The mess-free, twist-up dispenser means I don't have to stick my finger into a jar—genius!
Give this gentle balm a try if you want to avoid the sting of a traditional plumping product—it makes lips appear more voluminous via intense hydration. Formulated with pro-peptides, hyaluronic acid and squalane, this serum is supercharged for a plusher pout.
Ever since Glossier brought back the original (a.k.a. non-vegan) formula of its bestselling Balm Dotcom, it's been back in my day-to-day rotation. (In 2023, they briefly attempted to make it vegan and the reviews were... mixed to say the least.)
One thing they kept from the ill-fated 2023 reformulation is the slanted tip, which makes it easier to apply straight from the tube. I’ve been loving Wild Fig, a tinted balm that imparts lips with a poppy wash of colour.
Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand Rhode is best known for its ultra-viral Peptide Lip Treatment, and for good reason. Available in core and limited-edition scents and shades, it's the perfect balance between fun and effective. I've collected many of them over the years, but nothing beats the OG unscented balm. It's formulated with shea butter and peptides to repair and soothe, and leaves a glaze-like finish that gives my pout an instant glow-up.
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