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The 19 Best Lip Balms of All Time

These lip-saving formulas have stood the test of time.

By Katie Intner
best lip balms dry lips
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Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

No matter how pared down your beauty routine may be, you’ll always have a spot for lip balm in your lineup. While you may have a stockpile of them scattered throughout your home and in various bags, the right lip treatment can make all the difference when it comes to healing chapped, dry skin. Here, find the 19 hero lip balms that our editors purchase time after time.

1

LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask

Lip Sleeping Mask
$24 at Sephora

Apply a thick layer of this hyaluronic acid and vitamin C-rich mask at night to rid flakes and reveal bouncy, supple lips by morning. It comes in luscious scents like berry, vanilla, and grapefruit, and with a tiny spatula for a sanitary and mess-free application.

2

Blistex Lip Medex External Analgesic/Lip Protectant

Lip Medex External Analgesic/Lip Protectant

We’d be hard pressed to list A+ lip balms without mentioning Blistex. This medicated treatment alleviates dry, cracked lips and seals in moisture all for less than your daily latte.

3

Lanolips Lano The Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm

Lano The Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm

No wonder the Lanolips Superbalm is a top pick for beauty editors: it’s made with pure lanolin (hello, it’s in the name), which is a natural wax derived from sheep's wool that mimics your skin’s  natural oils and holds twice its weight in water. Use the balm everywhere, from your lips to your dry cuticles.

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4

Hermès Rouge Hermes Lip Care Balm

Rouge Hermes Lip Care Balm

If there is any time to treat yourself, it’s when your lips are on the brink of cracking. Hermès’s coveted lip balm (and a winner of our 2020 Anti-Aging Awards) is equal parts luxe and effective. It even lives in a chic, refillable gold tube.

5

Bite Beauty Agave+ Daytime Vegan Lip Balm

Agave+ Daytime Vegan Lip Balm

This vegan agave-based balm melts right into lips, and the creamy, soft texture stays on for hours without leaving a waxy residue.

6

Dior Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm

Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm

Bella Hadid is a devotee of this Dior cult-classic, which is proof enough that this balm is that worthy.

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7

Sara Happ The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm

The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm

Sara Happ is known for creating the most effective lip scrubs and treatments, and her balm is no different. This product literally “slips” onto your lips to instantly plump and soften.

8

Maybelline New York Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm

Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm

An iconic name and an even more iconic formula, baby lips is the drugstore lip balm you can find in an overwhelming majority of our handbags. 

9

La Mer The Lip Balm

The Lip Balm

This is the crème de la crème of balms. With eucalyptus and aloe leaf extract, the cool mint treatment strengthens your lip’s natural moisture barrier to restore them overnight. It delivers infinite shine without any stickiness.

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10

Lancôme L'Absolu Mademoiselle Lip Balm

L'Absolu Mademoiselle Lip Balm
Credit: Lancôme

Like a glass of water for your lips, Lancôme's high-shine balm uses a mint cooling effect to quench and plump your pout in seconds.

11

Lip Butter Balm

Lip Butter Balm

From the brains behind the cult-favorite Jet Lag Mask, Summer Friday’s new clean lip balm is packed with nourishing butters, including shea and murumuru, and vegan wax to seal in moisture. The dreamy vanilla scent will have you reapplying this butter all day long.

12

Fresh Sugar Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 15

Sugar Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 15

Arguably the best tinted lip balm of all time, the Fresh Sugar Lip Balms instantly heal all signs of chapped skin and protect lips with SPF 15. 

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13

UZ 38°C/99°F Lip Treatment

38°C/99°F Lip Treatment

One coat of this balm-meets-gloss—which comes in six sheer shades—keeps lips plump and protected for hours, courtesy of Multiflora (a lactic acid-derived prebiotic).  

14

Rosebud Perfume Co. Smith's Rosebud Salve

Smith's Rosebud Salve

The iconic Smith’s Rosebud Salve is super lightweight, boasts a delightful rose scent, and provides a dose of nostalgia. We've been known to smear it on our lips and cuticles.

15

Algenist GENIUS Liquid Collagen Lip

GENIUS Liquid Collagen Lip

Filled with vegan collagen and algae-based ingredients, this treatment delivers plump, defined lips while diminishing fine lines and wrinkles for long-term results.

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16

Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Soother Cooling Hydragel

MoistureShine Lip Soother Cooling Hydragel

You use sunscreen on your face, so why shouldn’t you lips get an SPF-treatment as well? Neutrogena’s tinted glaze provides a cooling sensation upon application, thanks to cucumber, chamomile, and glycerin, while protecting your delicate lips from the sun.

17

Clarins Lip Comfort Oil

Lip Comfort Oil

Yes, this is technically an oil. But its ultra-lightweight feel and plant oil-infused formula earn it a spot on the list. Wear the treatment alone or atop lipstick for a conditioning blast of shine.

18

Chapstick Classic Cherry Flavor Skin Protectant

Classic Cherry Flavor Skin Protectant
Now 34% Off

This classic formula tastes and feels so good you'll wonder why you ever stopped using it in the first place (it's probably because you lost the tube).  Stock up and buy three at a time. 

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19

Burt's Bees Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm, Multipack

Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm, Multipack

Burt's Bees lip balm are a classic because they work, but we particularly love them for all the fun and inventive flavors like pumpkin spice and coconut & pear. 

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