If your lips are dry or chapped, you’re not the only one. In winter, the cold weather can take a toll on our lips and skin – and the dry indoor heating doesn’t help either.
If you already use lip balm but feel it’s not working effectively, it can help to remember that not all lip balms are made equal. The best lip balms contain nourishing and hydrating ingredients to keep your lips soft and supple – and luckily, many of them are also reasonably priced.
So, from tinted, high-shine balms to nourishing and natural remedies, here are 10 of the best lip balms for chapped lips.
Note: Prices can change often, so you may notice some variations on the providers’ websites. Prices and availability are accurate as of the 26th of January 2024.
1. Vaseline
£2.45, Boots
Let’s start with a classic – Vaseline. When it comes to lip balm formulas, less is usually more, and Vaseline contains only one ingredient: petroleum jelly. For those with sensitive skin, allergies to Vaseline are also rare.
Vaseline provides an instant barrier to prevent moisture loss, sealing in any existing moisture, and bringing all the healing and protective benefits that dry lips need. The petroleum jelly provides long-lasting moisturisation to the top layer of your lips, softening and soothing them and providing near-instant relief.
Vaseline can be used on other areas of your skin, too, and it’s buildable, so can be applied as thickly or as thinly as you like. Plus, aside from the classic formula, there are cocoa butter, aloe vera, and rose variations.
2. MAC Glow Play Lip Balm
£22, MAC
If you’re looking for a high-quality, tinted lip balm and you’re happy to go for a higher price tag, then MAC’s Glow Play Lip Balms are arguably some of the best around. The formula contains shea butter, mango, and jojoba seed oils that work to smooth and hydrate lips, locking in moisture and helping lips become softer, plumper, suppler, and more nourished over time.
There’s a wide range of colours available too, so there’s something for every complexion: choose from soft corals, bold grapes, classic rouges, subtle peaches, and deep nudes. There’s even a clear one if you want the hydrating benefits without the tint. The balms are easy to apply and top up, and they add a lovely shine without looking too obvious.
3. Avène Cicalfate Restorative Lip Cream
£9.99, Amazon
People who suffer from chronically dry or chapped lips may need a more intense formula. Avène Cicalfate Restorative Lip Cream nourishes, hydrates, and protects cracked lips while still being gently soothing – and though the water-resistant formula is long-lasting, it’s also made with sensitive skin in mind, and can be used on dry patches of skin around the mouth and nose.
The fragrance-free formula contains Avène thermal spring water and zinc sulphate – two ingredients that have replenishing, soothing, and purifying properties. The formula is quite thick and does look quite white initially until it’s massaged in, but it begins hydrating and soothing from the first application.
4. The Body Shop Hemp Lip Rescue Kit
£6, The Body Shop
If it’s important to you that beauty products aren’t tested on animals, then The Body Shop is usually always a good bet. Luckily, their Hemp Lip Rescue Stick isn’t only affordable and effective, but it’s also vegan and uses 98% natural ingredients. After one single swipe of this balm, lips will be left feeling softer, and more hydrated and protected.
The formula contains Fair Trade hemp seed oil – which is known for its effective moisturising properties – as well as Fair Trade shea butter and coconut oil, which are packed with essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, and vitamins A and E. These key ingredients provide heavy-duty hydration while leaving a light, natural-looking sheen, and protecting against drying elements.
5. NUXE Nourishing Honey Lip Balm
£13, Boots
Fans of honey-based beauty products will definitely want to check out this next lip balm. French brand NUXE has developed an intensely hydrating and soothing balm that feels incredibly luxurious but is more affordable than you may think. As well as being used as a balm, it can also be used as a mask – just apply a thick layer on your lips before bed.
The formula uses the nourishing properties of Provence lavender honey to soothe dry, chapped lips, and beeswax acts as a barrier against cold, windy weather. Then, sweet almond and musk rose oils help to replenish lost moisture and prevent dryness, and their rich melting texture is a big selling point. The fresh, zesty fragrance of grapefruit and lemon is a bonus too!
6. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
£23, Cult Beauty
Another vegan, cruelty-free lip balm that’s beloved by beauty editors across the country is Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm. This high-end product contains shea butter, murumuru seed butter, and a variety of plant-based waxes, and leaves a lovely buttery-yet-not-greasy sheen on your lips. The formula hydrates parched lips, provides instant moisture and shine, and soothes and heals.
The sweet natural flavour is another benefit, as is the recyclable packaging. There are also a range of colours available, from tinted tones like poppy, cherry, or brown sugar, to more natural shades like vanilla, pink sugar, and vanilla beige. You can also use the balm as a nourishing overnight lip mask. It isn’t particularly cheap, but it’s a cult favourite for a reason!
7. Ultrasun SPF30 Ultra Lip Balm
£6, Amazon
We all know that SPF is important for protecting our skin, but it’s also important for protecting the lips – particularly if they’re dry and chapped. This Ultrasun Ultra Lip Balm contains SPF 30 to protect your lips from damaging UVA and UVB rays – but it also shields against wind and cold, so it’s ideal for winter as well as summer.
The formula contains highly moisturising blackcurrant seed oil as well as white meadowfoam, both of which provide intensive care and hydration. It’s super easy to apply, is small enough to be popped in your pocket for convenience, and absorbs nicely, without leaving any sticky or greasy residue behind.
8. Glossier Balm Dotcom
£14, Glossier
Glossier is another brand that’s a favourite with beauty editors and makeup artists – and Balm Dotcom lip balm is one of their most iconic products. The vegan, cruelty-free formula contains antioxidants and natural emollients like castor jelly and synthetic beeswax, which draw moisture in and seal it there, while vitamin-rich shea butter soothes and heals dry lips.
Fans of this product especially love the range of colours and flavours – and there’s something to suit every person and mood. There are barely-there tones like rose and wild fig, more vibrant shades like berry and lavender, and untinted flavours like coconut and mint. The waxy texture does have a tendency to harden in cold weather, but it easily softens between your fingers and lasts for hours.
9. Carmex
£3.49, Boots
If you’re looking for a medicated lip balm at a more affordable price, there’s CARMEX. Recommended by multiple dermatologists, the formula contains camphor, a mild pain reliever that soothes dry, chapped lips. It also contains menthol, which gives CARMEX its trademark minty, medical scent, and creates a pleasant cooling sensation.
CARMEX also contains petrolatum and beeswax, which help protect and moisturise lips, and it’s incredibly long-lasting. If you’re not a fan of the classic scent and prefer sweeter, fruitier lip balms, there are many other flavours to choose from, such as vanilla, strawberry, cherry, watermelon, and peach and mango.
CARMEX is available at carmex.co.uk and stockists including Superdrug, Boots. and Amazon.
10. Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter
£7.75, Cult Beauty
Another deeply nourishing formula that transforms dry, chapped lips is Weleda’s Skin Food Lip Butter. Weleda is known for its highly regarded beauty range that uses plant ingredients to care for skin and hair, and this super-gentle, soothing balm is another organic, natural product that does just what it promises to do.
Containing sunflower seed oil, rosemary, calendula, and chamomile extracts as well as lanolin, beeswax, and glycerine, this balm gives a plush, supple finish – coating your lips with a protective barrier that wards against cold weather or dry indoor air, and soothes and replenishes. While it’s a lightweight formula, it’s also conditioning and is designed to instantly relieve dry, chapped skin.
Final thoughts…
So there you have it…10 lip balms that will soothe dry, chapped lips, protect against cold weather and dry air, and provide instant nourishment and relief.
From high-end products to cheap-yet-cheerful balms that do the job, hopefully there’s something for every budget and taste preference here.
For more content on how to protect your skin this winter, check out our article; 8 home remedies for dry skin on the fashion and beauty section of our website.
Are you interested in trying any of the lip balms above? Or perhaps you’ve got a favourite already? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.