Our lips get lots of love on the color front, but when it comes to lip care — not so much. Truth be told, the delicate skin on our lips is one of the most susceptible areas to the elements — and anyone who’s experienced the painful throbbing of a lip sunburn knows that reality far too well. Thankfully, there’s a special category of SPF-spiked lip balms that inject a healthy dose of SPF 30-plus sun protection into our favorite lip-conditioning formulas.
While lip balms are hardly the flashiest products in your beauty lineup, these protective and pampering sunscreen-enhanced lip products give the otherwise basic balm a little boost for summer (and all year round). With options that include hints of tint, glossy shine, and satin finishes, these SPF balms make lip protection look — and feel — good.
According to Robert Finney, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Entière Dermatology in New York City, the lips are often forgotten about when it comes to sun protection. “This is concerning because it has been shown that if you get skin cancer on the lip, it can behave more aggressively than other areas of the body,” he explains.
With so many options, with so many ingredients like different levels of sunscreen, moisturizing shea butter, vitamin E, cooling aloe, and more — we guarantee we found one that will satisfy all of your hydration and protection needs. Below, we gathered up a batch of dermatologists’ favorites, drugstore staples, and must-try newness. Keep scrolling for a curated edit of the best lip balms with SPF 30 or higher we’re stocking in every tote, cupholder, and backpack this summer.
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