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Lip-balm preference is extremely subjective. Do you like your balm in the form of a stick, pot, or tube? Do you prefer it gooey? Waxy? Cooling to the touch? Or is a wet blanket of gleaming gloss more to your liking? That said, what most good lip balms have in common are the ingredients. Shea butter is huge, of course, as is cocoa butter; then there’s a long list of oils (coconut, olive, chamomile, argan, and so on). But what else should you take into consideration when searching for the best lip balm? We’ve got you covered.
Below, we’ve rounded up 26 of our favorites made with high-quality ingredients and having enough variety in texture, form, and shape to satisfy just about everybody.
SO, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT lip balms?
➼ FAQs
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true options
➼ Our experts
Updated on October 10, 2025: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
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Our Top Picks:
The Absolute Best Lip Balm
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Size: 0.05 fl oz | Shades: 1 | Key ingredients: | Hyaluronic acid, shea butter, coconut oil
This Cut-editor favorite — our beauty editor, Asia Milia Ware, swears by it — from Topicals is vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated with nourishing shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax. It’s infused with peptides and ceramides to protect the skin barrier and smooth lip lines. Despite containing potent and effective ingredients, the Slick Salve absorbs quickly and never feels sticky.
If You Want to Buy in Bulk
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Size: 0.35 fl oz | Shades:1 | Key ingredients: Petrolatum|
Like Vaseline, this is a classic, no-frills, fragrance-free, flavorless formula that will work on even the most chapped lips. Ingredients include shea butter, beeswax, and petrolatum to seal in moisture and soothe very dry skin. Senior shopping editor Bianca Nieves keeps one in each of her bags.
The Vitamin C–Infused Lip Balm
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Size: 0.34 oz | Shades: 4 | Key ingredients: Peptides and vitamin C |
Combat dry and dull lips with this vitamin-C and peptide-packed formula that Ware also loves. It comes in four mouthwatering flavors (apple, mango, pear kiwi, and honey vanilla) and has a clear, high-gloss finish that leaves lips feeling pillowy soft for up to eight hours.
The TikTok Favorite
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Size: 0.70 oz | Shades: 6 | Key ingredients: Coconut oil and shea butter |
While this is technically an overnight mask, many people have repurposed it as a lip balm. The sweetly scented mask has a thick layer of ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter that help nourish and smooth lips overnight.
If You Hate Digging Your Fingers in Lip Masks
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Size: 0.5 oz | Shades: 3 | Key ingredients: Coconut and castor oils |
This intense coconut-and-castor-oil mask sits on the lips to improve the barrier while retaining moisture. It works overnight so you wake up with softer lips, but it can also be worn during the day. Ware loves this mask because Rihanna specifically made the application long-nail-friendly so you don’t have to dig your fingers in it like a lot of other masks.
The One That Helps With Lip Lines
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Size:0.14 fl oz | Shades: 2 | Key ingredients: Tri-Peptides, african butter tree extract |
It probably takes at least a few weeks for the hyaluronic acid in this stick to actually diminish lip lines, but it certainly makes lips feel plumper the minute you swipe it on. Maybe it’s the tri-peptides working over time at boosting collagen production or the violet leaf extract’s antiseptic properties providing that slight tingle. Comes in an untinted version, too.
Another Cut Shop Favorite
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Size: 0.3 fl oz | Shades: 4 | Key ingredients: Shea butter |
If you’ve been on the fence about Hailey Bieber’s buzzy lip treatment, let this be the push you need. Eight Cut staffers put this peptide-and-shea-butter-rich lip glaze to the test. The general consensus: Yes, it’s a must-buy.
The Editor Favorite
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Size: 0.3fl oz | Shades: 1 | Key ingredients: Cocoa-seed butter, glycerin, jojoba, and mint
The Cut’s Chinea Rodriguez is careful about what she puts on her lips, but she does love heavier ointments and balms. “When I don’t have Aquaphor at hand, this is a balm I keep nearby. It’s flavorless but still a little minty and tingly as it goes on without any irritation. It soothes and smoothes my lips almost instantly, and I barely notice I’m wearing it,” she shares.
The Affordable Duo
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DHC Lip Cream
Size: 0.05 fl oz | Shades:1 | Key ingredients: Squalane, ginseng root |
Nieves also loves these top-rated lip creams. The formula features a combination of aloe, lanolin, and olive fruit oil to soothe, moisturize, and protect your lips. At just under $20, you get two so you can keep one in your bag and one at your desk.
The Designer One
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Size: 0.13 fl oz | Shades: 5 | Key ingredients: Jojoba oil and bifidus extract |
Ware is pleasantly surprised by how much she likes Prada’s latest venture in beauty and its lip balm. She loves how moisturizing it is and how sleek the packaging is too.
Another Designer Option
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Size: 0.11 fl oz | Shades:17 | Key ingredients: Cherry oil, shea butter, sunflower and rice waxes
If you love Dior’s lip gloss, you’ll love its lip balm too. Ware does! According to her, the new formula “is incredibly moisturizing and complements darker skin tones.”
The One That Exfoliates
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Size: 0.49 fl oz | Shades: 5 | Key ingredients: Hibiscus enzymes and lactic acid:|
Beloved by the whole Cut style team, this lip balm doubles as an exfoliator thanks to it being formulated with AHA+ peptides that reduce lip wrinkles. Our favorite shade? Bissap Glaze.
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More Tried-and-True Options
The Acne-Friendly Balm
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Size: 0.35 fl oz | Shades: 1 | Key ingredients: Squalane, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid
This brand skips anything that could possibly cause breakouts, which makes it ideal for sensitive skin. It’s unscented and unflavored, but still adds a little shine. It’s a thick, but not too thick, formula that keeps lips moisturized all day and doesn’t irritate chapped lips even further.
The Pigmented One
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Size: 0.49 fl oz | Shades: 5 | Key ingredients: Hibiscus enzymes and lactic acid:|
This could be considered a lip gloss because of its dewy finish, but the second you apply the creamy formula, it’s clear why it’s a balm. It has a conditioning complex made up of oils that deeply nourish and hydrate the lips to create an all-in-one product. Ware loves keeping this in her bag.
If You Want Something Glossy
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Size: 0.5 fl oz | Shades:9 | Key ingredients: Shea and murumuru seed butters
The name really isn’t an exaggeration — this glossy balm glides on and feels pretty buttery and smooth. It smells really good too. Shea butter keeps your lips nourished, while certain shades add just a hint of color and lots of shine.
If You Want Plumper Lips
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Size: 0.5 fl oz | Shades:1 | Key ingredients: Tridecapeptide-1
Paula’s Choice is no stranger to peptides. This lip treatment uses three types to support natural collagen levels in the lips and boost their volume. It also lasts all day long, according to Ware.
The One That’s Incredibly Rich
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Size: 0.35 fl oz | Shades:1 | Key ingredients: Coconut oil, beeswax, avocado oil |
This balm — made mostly of coconut oil, avocado oil, beeswax, and shea butter — might be curiously grainy to the touch, but once it’s on your lips, they will feel as though a gentle cashmere blanket has just been draped over them.
Another Splurge Option
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Size: 0.5 fl oz | Shades:13 | Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid (BHA), and glycolic acid (AHA) |
Okay, I know what you’re thinking: $68 for a lip balm sounds absurd. But this one might actually be worth the splurge. After just a few weeks of applying the Plasma Lip Compound two times a day, you can expect to see noticeably plumper lips and a decrease in the appearance of fine lines and texture.
If You Want to Splurge
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Size: 0.14 fl oz | Shades:1 | Key ingredients: Castor seed oil, vitamin E |
David Kim, a board-certified dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology loves this splurge-worthy balm for its “rich and supple texture that’s not too heavy.” Just like the brand’s cult-favorite moisturizer, this balm features Augustinus Bader’s signature blend of repairing and plumping ingredients — including candelilla wax, which is just as good as beeswax at helping skin stay moisturized, but it’s vegan.
If You Like Having Options
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Size: 0.5 fl oz | Shades:9 | Key ingredients: Castor seed oil, beeswax, and lanolin |
Consider this the grown-up version of the Lip Smackers balms you loved as a tween. The multipurpose balm comes in a few different scents worth getting your hands on — like birthday cake, rose, mango, and coconut. The formula includes shea butter and synthetic beeswax to keep lips nourished. These aren’t really glossy, but a few scents are slightly tinted.
When Chic Matters Almost As Much As Clean
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Size: 0.35 fl oz | Shades:15 | Key ingredients: Shea nut oil, olive oil, and beeswax|
Sofia Coppola is a fan of this shea nut oil, olive oil, and beeswax concoction — and Cap Beauty and Goop have both given it high marks. Its variety of shades — from French Melon to Persimmon to the pale-gold Fete — offers something for every skin tone, but it’s also available sans color.
Another Glossy Option
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Size: 0.34 fl oz | Shades:6 | Key ingredients: Shea butter, cupuaçu butter and, plant squalane|
This gives lips the glossy shine and moisture of formulas like Rhode’s without fragrance or flavor thanks to its hero ingredients: shea butter and squalane.
If You Want to Save Money
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Vaseline Lip Therapy Original
Size: 0.25 fl oz | Shades:1 | Key ingredients: Petrolatum|
A tiny tub of this tried-and-true favorite recommended by Kim will set you back less than $5. This is a thicker balm, so it helps lock in moisture, but if you aren’t a fan of the texture, you can just use it at night — like Kim does.
If You Want to Baste Your Lips
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Size: 0.34 fl oz | Shades:1 | Key ingredients: Squalane and ceramides |
Dr. Shereene Idriss created this viral “lip basting” hack: You peel your lips to make them smoother before placing a rich ointment or balm on top. The natural next step? Creating her own product to restore your lips’ suppleness overnight. It’s been a Cut staff favorite all winter long.
If You Have Hyperpigmentation
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Size: 0.5 fl oz | Shades: 3 | Key ingredients: Squalane and cherry coffee seed oil |
Maed’s balm has a packed formula that treats lip concerns. Ware loves using it at night along with the brand’s fine sugar lip polish that exfoliates lips, leaving them soft the morning after.
If You Have Severely Dry Lips
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Size: 0.38 fl oz | Shades: 8 | Key ingredients: Shea butter and jojoba oil
We’re big fans of Tower 28’s SOS line at The Cut. This shea-butter balm softens lips and prevents dryness with lysine, an ingredient typically used for cold sores.
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FAQs
Why do you need a lip balm?
There’s a reason you have to keep a lip balm on hand — lips are some of the driest parts of our faces. Board-certified dermatologist David Kim explains, “Our lips have a very thin layer of stratum corneum (a dead layer of the skin that protects it), so it’s very susceptible to free radicals from UV rays and other environmental damage.”
What ingredients should I look for in a lip balm?
For very dry lips, regular balm just won’t do. Kim likes balms with thicker petroleum-based formulas, like Vaseline and Aquaphor, that moisturize and protect. Other ingredients to look for are shea butter and beeswax — emollients that soften and moisturize lips no matter how dry they are. Some ingredients Kim recommends avoiding are artificial fragrances and colors that might put you at risk for contact dermatitis. Don’t worry, we have recs without either of those.
Does lip balm expire?
Since we know you want to know, we asked about expiration dates. Is that lip balm in your bag still good? There’s a good chance it is, Kim explains, “It depends on the product and their expiration dates, but most balm and ointment-based products are good for more than a year.” If you’re not entirely sure how old it is, we have lots of new balms for you to try.
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Our Experts:
- Jane Larkworthy, former beauty director
- David Kim, board-certified dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology