For such a small investment, lip balm has a significant impact. Instantly soothing chapped skin while adding a hint of colour, the balms below share a common denominator: they make our lips feel fantastic, says editor Trudi Brewer.
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There is no lip balm as pure as Burt’s Bees. It's 100 per cent natural, and its famous beeswax formula is boosted with shea butter and soothing vitamin E. Right now, we are obsessed with the milky aroma of vanilla bean—expect it to be super-addictive and ultra-comforting. There is also a collection of tinted balms too.
Glossier Balm Dotcom, $30.
Believe the hype: This salve-like balm offers a hint of tint and is deeply hydrating. Its vegan, plant-based formula is free from nasties, and the waxy-soft texture means it doesn’t feather into fine lines while helping seal the moisture into the lips. There are nine shades, including clear; we’re hooked on Strawberry, pictured here.
This new balm is the perfect pocket size - and it’s not reserved for lips alone. Dry skin anywhere, including elbows and cuticles, can benefit from the plant oils and flower waxes in the formula. The ingredient lineup includes squalane, olive, jojoba, sunflower seed, mimosa, baobab oil, and skin-identical amino acids. Like all of The Ordinary products, they are affordable and effective - and this balm is no different.
Its iconic, nostalgic scent and uber-hard-working healing ability make this balm a beauty staple. The formula's lanolin and rice bran oils will soothe lips that look like they’ve been to the Arctic fast. This is a serious salve that has stood the test of time.
This clean beauty balm is good enough to eat, quite literally. It is stacked with the goodness of Mother Nature's sunflower seed, beeswax, and rosemary leaf extract. Part of the broader Skin Food collection of luxe creams, this brand features in our weekly beauty routine.
While this ticks every box as a lip balm, it’s dubbed a conditioning cream-oil lip mask. The soothing and moisturising plant-derived formula, which includes shea and murumuru seed butter and a healthy dose of hyaluronic acid, also gives you a good dose of colour. There are nine shades, including clear, pictured here Vanilla Beige.
Paw Paw Ointment, $7
It would be remiss not to mention our style director’s go-to balm for healing dry lips. The fermented papaya is the hero ingredient, with its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory healing properties and pharmaceutical-grade petroleum jelly. While some may say petroleum jelly is a potentially sketchy ingredient, it's widely considered safe and highly effective. Quick science lesson: It creates a protective, water-repellent barrier over the skin to seal moisture; case in point with this cheeky beauty buy.
Ideal for Christmas gifting.