Lip balms have come a long way from being those colourless formulas in boring twist-up tubes. As a millennial, the max I saw a lip balm break out of the clutter back in the day was when it made an appearance in those Coca-Cola, Fanta & Sprite flavoured ones that relatives would bring back from the US! Remember those?! Cut to today, where lip balms go above and beyond the realm of only flavour & fun and dealing with chapped lips. Lip balms today are serious business and address a variety of lip concerns.
No longer is it also a winter staple only. Lip balms, tinted and non-tinted, scented and unscented, are now part of daily beauty arsenals, with many of them going viral even. Cases in point are Dior’s Addict Lip Glow balm, e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Hydrating Core Lip Shine, and Maybelline’s Baby Lips among others.
We round up some of our favourites that do more than just hydrate. Take a look…
Minimalist L-Ascorbic Acid 08% Lip Treatment Balm
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Concern tackled: Pigmentation and darkened lips
Vitamin C has been hailed as a hero active ingredient that works to brighten and lighten dark patches on the skin, so why shouldn’t one use it for the lips? This fragrance-free lip balm is infused with the biologically active form of vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid, that helps in preventing and reducing hyperpigmentation. It also has vitamin E and glycerin to hydrate and soften lips.
iS Clinical LIPROTECT SPF 35
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Concern tackled: SPF Protection
This SPF-infused lip balm provides strong, all-around protection and has been designed specifically for the sensitive skin of the lips. This antioxidant-rich lip therapy comes with gentle all-physical transparent sunscreen actives, vitamin E, and coconut oil to help condition lips and elderberry extract and linoleic acid to help protect from environmental stressors.
Dermalogica Age Smart Renewal Lip Complex Lip Balm
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Concern tackled: Aging
As we age, it’s not only the skin on the face that has to deal with signs of aging, but the tender skin on the lips as well. This moisturising blend of avocado oil along with shea and cocoa seed butters helps smooth rough lips. While a polypeptide minimises contour lines and helps prevent the signs of aging caused by free radical damage.
Dr. Paw Paw Balms
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Concern tackled: Multipurpose
This UK-based brand has gone viral for its salve-style balms that are perfect allies for lips and even cuticles, dry elbows and feet, flyaway hair and more. They come in attractive, colourful packaging in an original, non-tinted variant, as well as tinted ones and even a shimmer one! So go ahead and take your pick.
Huda Beauty Silk Balm Hydra-Plumping Lip Balm
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Concern tackled: Excessive dryness
This formula is infused with a blend of hyaluronic filling spheres, soybean, and liquorice extract that fill into fine lines where they swell and give a plumping effect, without the tingling sensation that lip plumpers usually give. It provides a boost of lasting hydration for silky smooth, fuller-looking lips, while the subtle blushed-pink shade looks gorgeous on everyone.
Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Color Replenish Lip Balm
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Concern tackled: Pale lips
This hydrating balm may look pale pink in the tube, but it glides over lips to deliver a burst of moisture and a hint of personalised tint bringing out the natural shade of your lips. How it does this it responds to your lip’s unique chemistry to reveal a shade that’s perfectly you.
The Lip Balm Co. Blue Stopper
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Concern tackled: Exposure to blue light
Did you know malachite gemstones are known for their ability to not become dull or lose their brightness even after long hours of exposure to light? This lip balm is made from real copper salts from powdered malachite gemstones, and it works to reduce the impact of blue light – from computers, TV and mobile screens – on the lips.
Laneige Lip Treatment Balm
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Concern tackled: Wrinkled lips
This pearlescent piñacolada-scented hydrating lip balm contains coconut oil to smoothen and nourish lips, while peptides and adenosine present in it reduce the appearance of lip wrinkles, smooths them out, and leave your lips feeling soft and hydrated. It also leaves a cooling sensation when applied. The best part? It comes with an applicator that can be stored in the lid, allowing for clean, hygienic use where you don’t have to dip your fingers into the tiny tub every time you use it.
Nivea Lip Balm
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Concern tackled: Everything!
While there are gazillion tinted lip balms out there today, but this OG tinted lip balm does the job well by imparting a beautiful tint, is light on the pocket, and comes in so many fruity shine varieties! What’s not to love?
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick Sunscreen SPF 15
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Concern tackled: Chapped and flaky lips
Apparently, the Late Queen was a fan of the hand cream from this Elizabeth Arden range. We wouldn’t be surprised if she regularly used this lip balm too! This moisturising lip balm stick provides up to eight hours of intense nourishment and hydration to dry and chapped lips, helps moisturise, soften and smooth lips and also guards against the damaging effects of UV exposure with SPF 15. This also comes in tinted variants.
