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We put our lips through a lot. Eating, drinking, kissing, licking, and exposure to the elements (unless you’re wearing a mask outdoors, that is) are just some of the factors our lips are up against, so it’s no surprise that they’re often dry, cracked, and just angry in general.
During winter months in particular, the cold wind and lack of humidity can cause extra dryness and discomfort.
“More water evaporates from the skin with hot showers and heaters,” said Dr. Caren Campbell, a board-certified dermatologist with boutique clinics in Napa and San Francisco. “Then we lick our lips, which causes even more water evaporation.”
While these external conditions lead to parched skin everywhere, our lips are far more susceptible to drying out than most other parts of the body.
“It's pretty thin skin compared to other places on your face and it’s also much, much, much more vascular,” said Dr. Morgan Rabach, a dermatologist at LM Medical NYC. “There are so many more blood vessels in your lips than there are in your cheek skin, for example. You’re losing a lot more water through your lips, so that’s why they’re the only thing that really takes the brunt of the weather and the dryness.”
Essentially, most lips have no shot at staying supple all winter long without some intervention, so having an effective lip balm on hand is imperative.
As is the case for any hydrating product, you want the ingredients in your lip balm to include humectants, emollients, and occlusives, according to Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. She says that having all three is particularly important for good lip products because some have humectants without the emollients and occlusives, which will actually dehydrate the lips in dry environments.
“Lips can definitely take a lot more oil and what we would characterize as emollients than other places on the skin,” Rabach said. “Even for people that have acne problems who generally want to stay away from more oily or thick kinds of emollients, lips can definitely take it all.”
Emollients are those saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons that help protect the skin and improve skin texture and appearance. They include things like squalane, mineral oil, vitamin E, petrolatum, and ceramides and work very well to help you feel that moisture on your lips.
Rabach suggests slathering on a thick layer of your most emollient-heavy lip products before bed since you don’t have to worry about talking, eating, or mask-wearing while you sleep. That’ll allow more healing and prevent the usual dehydration that tends to happen overnight.
As far as the many varieties of emollients go, Campbell specifically suggests looking for ceramides, which are fats or lipids in our skin that keep the water in and the environment out on a microscopic level.
“With lip balm, it's more about creating a barrier because it [chapped lips] is usually related to lip licking,” she said. She also explained why products that have allergens or disguised drying agents can create a vicious cycle.
“You get licker’s dermatitis from frequent licking of your lips, and then the water evaporates and it's dry,” Campbell said. “And then you start using something that potentially has an allergen in it, and you're more likely to develop allergies on skin that's already kind of angry.”
The overwhelming PSA from all of these experts is simple: Avoid potential allergens in lip balms. And if you’re unsure about what could potentially irritate you, conduct a patch test before use.
“Generally in lip products I recommend avoiding ingredients like menthol, camphor, phenol,” said King. “They're initially cooling when you put them on but they evaporate quickly and you need to reapply, so it can dry out the skin. Any alcohol ingredients can also dry out the lips.”
Many of the basic lip balms on the market contain those drying alcohols, according to Rabach, which is really for their own benefit. The combination of ingredients in those products gives you that feeling of moisturization but then ultimately dries your lips out, which then makes people addicted to using the balm.
One ingredient that can sometimes trigger allergies is propolis, a resin-like material made by bees, Campbell said. Propolis can be found in some Burt’s Bee’s products or other bee-derived balms.
Lip exfoliators that contain salicylic acid can also be irritating, as well as things like cinnamon oil and peppermint oil, which are sometimes in lip balms that are designed for plumping, said King. They’re supposed to irritate the lips a little to create that plumped effect, but if used more regularly they can cause more serious irritation.
One more thing that the experts advised is to see your dermatologist if you’re having a hard time even after using one of the highly recommended lip balms on this list, particularly if the issue has to do with lip licking. They can create certain compounded formulations that are safe to apply but have a bad taste, which can help you stop licking your lips repeatedly.
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Photo-Illustration: Getty Images
We all have an item that we always seem to lose or just constantly need more of no matter how much of it we buy. For many people — including myself— that’s lip balm. I have multiples of my favorites (there’s a teeny tub of Vaseline and a Rhode peptide lip treatment in my every bag) and somehow still find myself picking up another just in case. Most of us can attest to having a few rolling around in the bottom of our bags, and who doesn’t have at least two hanging out in their desk drawers? So unless you magically keep track of your teeny-tiny tube of lip balm wherever you go, chances are you’re looking to buy more. And right now, we’re entering peak-lip balm season, as the weather gets cooler and drier, so you’re probably even more in-need than usual.
To help you navigate which lip balms to buy, I put together a list of some very hydrating (and mostly very cheap) options, a few of which have been recommended by lip experts, including makeup artists, a dermatologist, and Strategist staffers.
What
we’re
looking
for
Active ingredients
All lip balms hydrate, but not all lip balms use the same ingredients to do this. We’ve noted the standout ingredients in each formula, whether it’s powered by an old-fashioned emollient like petroleum or packed with extra skin benefits like shea butter or vitamin E.
Price
As mentioned above, most of our lip balms skew to the affordable side, but in case price is a consideration, we’ve noted how much you’re getting in a tube and the cost per ounce.
Vaseline Lip Therapy Original
$26 for 12
$26 for 12
Ingredients: Petroleum | Price: 0.25 ounces (Approx. $8/ounce)
I hate to do this — to tease you with the possibility of a fancy lip balm — when the truth is that Vaseline, the classic, the staple, is the best overall pick. It outperformed our previous go-to, Burt’s Bees, which is nicely scented and works well enough but doesn’t coat your lips in the same way. That one is more similar to a classic Chapstick, which, while effective, feels like a thin but nourishing layer of moisture as opposed to Vaseline, which is more buildable and can be as thick as you’d like. Then there’s the matter of ingredients. Although beeswax is generally well tolerated by most, serious allergies to Vaseline are pretty rare, making it a good option for sensitive skin types too. It contains a single ingredient — petroleum jelly — an incredibly effective occlusive that locks in moisture and provides near-instant relief to ultradry chapped lips and skin.
Recently, when my lips had a freak allergic reaction to another lip product, Vaseline was the only thing that would soothe my cracking, raw lips. In five days it was cleared up, but I continued to keep Vaseline close, and it quickly turned to my go-to for everyday use. It layers nicely under other lip products (namely Ami Colé’s lip gloss, which can feel thick atop dry lips) and melts down over time. Strategist kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman is also a regular user, as is Strategist writer Amber Pardilla, who says, “This is what you use when your lips are bone dry, chapped, and ready to bleed.”
$26 for 12
at AmazonTembe wearing the Vaseline lip balm.
Photo: Tembe Denton-Hurst
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
$24
Ingredients: Vitamin C | Price: 0.7 ounces (Approx. $31/ounce)
The Laneige lip mask has reached cult status thanks to its thick, gloopy texture and sweet berry scent. It sort of wraps your lips in a deeply moisturizing film that sinks in and seemingly repairs them overnight. It contains vitamin C and other antioxidants along with hyaluronic acid, which gives lips that hydrated, plump look. Even though it’s meant to be used as a reparative nighttime treatment, many people (myself included) have ignored the instructions and worn it all day long. Storm Reid is a fan, using it as both a balm and a lip gloss. “It keeps my lips super-moisturized but also has a high-shine gloss and adds a little plumpness to my lips,” she says. Strategist writer Erin Schwartz applies it nightly, and though they aren’t thrilled with the mask’s stickiness, they wear it anyway because “the formula is just that good.”
$24
at Amazon$24
at Sephora
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
$10
now 29% off
$10
Ingredients: Petroleum, mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin, glycerin, bisabolol | Price: 0.25 ounces (Approx. $1.40/ounce)
Aquaphor is an occlusive and contains petroleum jelly alongside a bunch of other ingredients such as mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin, glycerin, and bisabolol, an antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory properties. I am a longtime fan — it’s been my go-to since 2015, and despite trying a whole host of other lip balms, it’s the only one I come back to time and time again. I have it in just about every size from the tiny half-ounce tube to the larger squeeze bottle. I keep a few around the house at all times and apply it to my lips regularly. It’s softening without being greasy and provides immediate relief.
But it’s also great for those with unbearably dry lips, especially those on Accutane — because the acne-eliminating medication works by decreasing the size of oil glands in the skin. “It’s simple and stands the test of time to hydrate and soothe lips,” says makeup artist Kasey Spickard, who has been on the medication multiple times.
$10
at Amazon
Nudestix Hydra-Peptide Lip Butter
$18
$18
Ingredients: Shea butter, avocado butter, peptides | Price: 0.3 ounces (Approx. $53/ounce)
I love a glossy lip balm — it’s the ideal two-in-one, offering shine without sacrificing hydration. My current favorite is this one from Nudestix, which has peptides (all the rage in newish lip balm launches) along with avocado and shea butters, moisturizing ingredients that contain vitamins A and E to soften and soothe dry lips. Beyond the hydrating properties, it’s very glossy, and thanks to the peptides, a bit plumping too. And though I’m typically sensitive to fragrance, after weeks of using it, this one —which smells of vanilla-mint— hasn’t broken me out at all.
$18
at Sephora$18
at Ulta Beauty
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm
$18
$18
Ingredients: Shea butter | Price: 0.35 ounces (Approx. $49/ounce)
Laneige also makes lip balm, and it is very good. It’s a go-to for me and lives up to its “glowy” claim. It’s very shiny — almost lip-gloss-level shine — and very moisturizing. It’s less sticky than the lip mask and feels like a true daytime alternative. Rather than using the brand’s proprietary moisture-wrap formula, it moisturizes using shea and murumuru butter, which contributes to the slick, less sticky feel. Spickard is a fan, noting that the packaging makes it easy to take on the go and to apply to clients. It’s available in five sweet-smelling flavors, some of which are tinted to give lips a little extra color.
$18
at Sephora
Dior Lip Sugar Scrub
$40
$40
Ingredients: Sugar, mango butter | Price: 0.12 ounces (Approx. $133/ounce)
If you’re looking for another two-in-one, celebrity esthetician Sarah Akram recommends this exfoliating lip balm from Dior, which she says is a triple threat. “It’s a nourishing balm, lip exfoliator, and has a touch of pink for a naturally rosy finish,” she says. It exfoliates using fine grains of sugar that melt away, leaving a moisturizing balm behind. Akram recommends it especially during the colder months as lips start to get dry and chapped.
$40
at Sephora$40
at Ulta Beauty
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm - Vanilla
$24
$24
Ingredients: Shea butter, murumuru butter | Price: 0.5 ounces (Approx. $44/ounce)
Some lip balms incorporate beeswax, which may not be an option for someone who doesn’t use animal by-products. I’m a longtime fan of this option from Summer Fridays, which uses thick butters like shea and murumuru to moisturize lips along with vegan waxes that give it a lip gloss–like shine. It comes in an easy-to-use squeezy tube (though OGs will recall the aluminum tube reminiscent of Aēsop hand cream) and has a curved applicator that hugs your lips. It has become ubiquitous of late thanks to TikTok hype and celebrity endorsements (Sofia Richie Grainge famously wore it throughout her wedding weekend), but it’s a longtime favorite of Viera-Newton, who first sang its praises in 2020. “It works wonders when it comes to moisturizing, nourishing, and repairing cracked lips,” she says. Makeup artist and Humphreys Witch Hazel committee member Jaleesa Jaikaran is also a fan: “It has become one of my favorites this year — so much so that I’ve gifted it to clients. It helps with dullness and dryness that lasts throughout the day.” And though this isn’t table stakes for a lip balm, it also tastes good.
$24
at Sephora
Lucas Papaw Ointment
$10
$10
Ingredients: Petroleum jelly, fermented papaya | Price: 0.9 ounces (Approx. $10/ounce)
Although it’s a do-it-all salve, Lucas Papaw is great for dry lips. It has a waxy texture that’s a bit softer than Vaseline and contains fermented papaya, which has antimicrobial properties. It’s good for lips that are in need of a little TLC because it can be used to treat minor wounds and heal inflamed skin. It’s a favorite of Strategist writer Kat Gillespie, who has been using it since high school and attests to its ability to quickly and effectively moisturize. “It’s essentially Vaseline mixed with fermented papaw (papaya). It has a slightly chunky texture and goes on pretty thick. It’s perfect for when things get dry or cracked,” she says. It also is a bit glossy, if you’re into that.
$10
at Amazon$12
at Beautylish
Carmex Lip Balm
now 40% off
$3
Ingredients: Camphor, menthol, cocoa butter | Price: 0.35 ounces (Approx. $5/ounce)
Carmex is an OG in the lip-balm space. When I was in middle school, it was either this, EOS, or ChapStick. The medicated balm contains camphor, a mild pain reliever that’s good for soothing lips that are already chapped. It also contains menthol, which creates a cooling sensation and gives Carmex its signature minty scent. As far as consistency, it reminds me of a slightly silkier Neosporin and offers lips a thin, nourishing layer of moisture. We first wrote about Carmex back in 2017, when Tyler Oakley named it as something he can’t live without. In the time since, it has been recommended by podcast host Clara Amfo and Ellie Kemper, who said that nothing else compares.
$3
at Amazon
Sun Bum Lip Balm, SPF 30
$10 for 3
$10 for 3
Ingredients: Aloe, vitamin E, SPF 30 | Price: 0.15 ounces (Approx. $20/ounce)
The skin on your lips is very thin and thus susceptible to being sunburned just like anywhere else on your body. That’s where lip balm with SPF comes in, and this one comes recommended by a dermatologist. Dr. Lal likes that it has an SPF of 30 and comes in a range of flavor options. Its main ingredients are vitamin E and aloe, which work together to soothe and moisturize.
$10 for 3
at Amazon
COOLA Mineral Liplux Organic Tinted Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 30
$13
now 28% off
$13
Ingredients: Cupuaçu butter, mongongo oil | Price: 0.15 ounces (Approx. $120/ounce)
If you prefer a mineral sunblock to a chemical one, there’s Coola’s lip balm. As a brand, Coola is known for elegant formulations and high-performance ingredients, and the lip balm is no different. It’s a favorite of Strategist senior editor Crystal Martin. “The colors are really cute,” she says. “You can throw it on and look a little zhuzhed up but not trying too hard.” It moisturizes using a blend of cupuaçu butter and mongongo oil, which gives it a creamy, spreadable texture.
$13
at Amazon$18
at Dermstore
Glossier Balm Dotcom in Birthday
$14
$14
Ingredients: Lanolin, beeswax | Price: 0.5 ounces (Approx. $24/ounce)
Glossier Balm Dotcom has made fans of everyone from Rio to celebrities to teen girls. It likely has something to do with its photographable Pantone-colored packaging and thick but not greasy formula, which works as well on lips as it does on the apples of your cheeks (Rio often uses the berry shade as both balm and blush). It contains beeswax and lanolin, which Lal describes as “super-moisturizing.” The original clear shade is great if you’re looking for the basics, but the scents are what really sets the balm apart. Recommendations vary. Rio is partial to coconut, while Pardilla is a Birthday fan. “It’s a hill I’ll die on,” she says. The vanilla buttercream scent has a subtle, superfine shimmer, which Pardilla says is “barely noticeable on its own but looks especially pretty on top of a matte lip.”
$14
at Glossier
Our
experts
• Sarah Akram, celebrity esthetician
• Kat Gillespie, Strategist writer
• Jaleesa Jaikran, makeup artist
• Dr. Karan Lal, dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology
• Crystal Martin, Strategist senior editor
• Ambar Pardilla, Strategist writer
• Karol Rodriguez, makeup artist
• Erin Schwartz, Strategist writer
• Kasey Spickard, makeup artist
• Emma Wartzman, Strategist writer
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