The 10 Best Lip Balms That’ll Actually Get the Job Done in 2024

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There are very few universal truths, but one of them has to be that everybody hates chapped lips. That’s why there are seemingly endless lip balms to choose from, all claiming they can get rid of the dry, flaky, cracked skin that plagues so many of us. To help narrow down your options to the best lip balms out there—ones that are truly hydrating and healing—we spoke with dermatologists to learn more about what ingredients to look for, chatted with SELF staffers to find out which lippies they love and swear by, and combed through our past Healthy Beauty Award winners, all of which were extensively tested.

The best lip balms:

  1. Best Overall: Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
  2. Best Multi-Purpose Balm: Rosebud Salve
  3. Best for Sensitive, Cracked Skin: CeraVe Healing Ointment
  4. Best Budget: Eos Watermelon Frosé & Lychee Martini 2-Pack Lip Balm
  5. Best Lip Balm With SPF: Sunnie The Protector SPF 36
  6. Best Tinted Lip Balm: Tower 28 JuiceBalm Tinted Lip Balm
  7. Best Lip Oil: Ami Colé Lip Treatment Oil
  8. Best Plumping Lip Balm: Lawless Beauty Forget The Filler Lip Plumping Line Smoothing Lip Tinted Balm Stick
  9. Best Lip Mask: Fenty Skin Plush Puddin’ Intensive Recovery Lip Mask
  10. Best Glossy Lip Balm: Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm

What ingredients should you look for in a lip balm?

“Lip balms can deliver a variety of moisturizing agents, ranging from shea butter and squalane to hyaluronic acid,” Audrey Kunin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of DERMAdoctor, tells SELF. “Ideally, in addition to hydrating [the skin], a lip balm will also help repair dry lips. This can involve the inclusion of mild exfoliating ingredients—think AHAs or PHAs—that help lift away dead or dry skin, or ceramides that rebuild the natural skin barrier.”

A great balm should also have an occlusive ingredient, like petrolatum, which will protect the lips and help them retain moisture, Nicole Hayre, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of the Cosmetic Dermatology Center in McLean, Virginia, tells SELF. She also recommends using a balm with SPF during the day to protect your lips from the sun’s harmful UV rays. An antioxidant like vitamin E is also a nice bonus since it’s not only nourishing but wards off sun damage, too.

All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.





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