There is absolutely nothing comfortable about flaky, dry, and chapped lips, which is why we keep our pockets, purses, and nightstands stocked with a collection of some of the best lip balms and treatments out there. And you can trust we’ve tried every product under the sun: medicated balms, do-it-all salves, the original Chapstick, Aquaphor, and Vaseline, SPF-spiked formulas, all-natural scrubs — we’ve even slapped on sleeping masks made just for the mouth.
If your current lip balm isn’t doing it for you anymore, it’s definitely time to make a switch — most likely to something a bit simpler. Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, has previously compared lip balms to quenching your thirst with a can of soda. “You drink something that appeals to the senses with no nutritional value, and shortly thereafter, you are still thirsty,” she explains. “The same thing goes for balms loaded with flavor, fragrance, and menthol.” That doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid tasty or tingly balms; in fact, there are a few we really love on this list. Just be sure to pay attention to what is and isn’t working for you.
Below, we’re sharing the best lip balms that our lips can’t live without, including a $40 luxury pick that beauty editors simply can’t get enough of and a bevy of drugstore scores. We’re willing to bet your new go-to lip product (you know — that ride-or-die you carry around in your pocket) is sitting pretty somewhere in this list.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.