I’m Obsessed with Tinted Lip Balms, and These Are the Ones Worth Buying (2024)

At any given moment, there is a 95.9% chance that I have a Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in my purse or backpack. Why? Because it's as good of a lip tint as it is a lip balm. It's got a super moisturizing formula that's thick but not overwhelming, and the bio-resin applicator tip gives off the perfect amount of product and makes it super easy to reapply. Plus, it comes in a nice variety of shades.

Cosmopolitan Social Media and Growth Editor Joanna Marquina loves the shade Cherry. "It's the perfect amount of color and looks amazing with a brown lip liner. I reach for it every time I want a little pizazz on my lips!"

• Key ingredients: Shea butter
• Shades: 8
• Finish: Glossy
• Coverage: Sheer
• Scented? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "This is my favorite lip balm formula and packaging/applicator. I was scared about the pigment on Cherry, but I'm happy to say it looks beautiful. It's the bitten, juicy look I was looking for on my bare face, and it smells amazing to me."

The Phyto-Glow Lip Balms from Naturium are a fave of Cosmo Beauty Editor Beth Gillette, who says they "feel luxe on my lips and are super moisturizing." The balm comes in a small variety of pink and nude shades, which show up thanks to the formula's thicker consistency. And did I mention they're less than $10?

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, synthetic wax, castor seed oil
• Shades: 5
• Finish: Glossy
• Coverage: Sheer-light
• Scented? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "This is my absolute favorite lip balm. It is thick, but not goopy or stringy. I like the very subtle color and the applicator is life changing."

Burt's Bees was the very first tinted lip balm I ever used when I was a kid, and yes, it's still a banger. The classic Burt's Bees lip balm formula, with shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax, paired with neutral-pink tones—what could be better? This balm is affordable, long-lasting, and easy to stick in your pocket or clutch for on-the-go touch-ups.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax
• Shades: 6
• Finish: Satin
• Coverage: Sheer-light
• Scented? Yes
  

Glowing Customer Review: "In the summer my lips get chapped and I really like Burt's Bees lip balm. With this lovely hint of color, it adds a nice touch and isn't overdone."

Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm might be my favorite lip product ever. Not only is the formula super moisturizing, it also contains lactic acid to help exfoliate the lips and keep them feeling smooth. The colors are gorgeous and pretty pigmented, so you won't need any other lip products to complete your look. The only downside is that the formula is so thick it can be tough to get it out of the tube. Just trust me, the effort will be worth it!

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, tocopherol (Vitamin E), amino acids, lactic acid
• Shades: 5
• Finish: Glossy
• Coverage: Light-medium
• Scented? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "So nice and nourishing. The balm isn't sticky and leaves a lovely glossy shine and fills in my perma chapped lips to make them smooth and shiny. It really reduces that chapped feeling and plumps out my dehydrated lips."

I recently fell in love with these Tower28 lippies. The colors are gorgeous and super wearable—with or without makeup. One swipe and you'll have moisturized lips all day long! The LipSoftie is definitely a more straightforward lip balm product. It's not super glossy or pigmented, nor is the formula particularly thick. And I never have to worry about the color bleeding or looking uneven because it glides so easily on the lips, which makes it incredibly easy to throw into your bag and use throughout the day.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, castor seed oil, jojoba seed oil
• Shades: 5
• Finish: Balmy-glossy
• Coverage: Sheer
• Scented? Yes (the clear shade is unscented)

Glowing Customer Review: "Finally talked myself into getting this and, gosh, I'm glad! First off, the light scent is perfect. Second, it's so nourishing and soft. Love the color selections on this!"

Entertainment Editor Tamara Fuentes swears by the CoverGirl Clean Fresh Tinted Lip Balm, saying, "It actually stays on for a good amount of time while still being hydrating." Not only is it affordable, but it also comes in 6 different shades and, unlike most other balms on this list, has no added fragrance—which is perfect for those with sensitivities.

The packaging is a little chunky—as is the bullet, so if you have thinner lips, you might need to be more careful about application.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, vitamin C
• Shades: 6
• Finish: Satin
• Coverage: Light
• Scented? No
  
  Glowing Customer Review: "I repurchase this every few months. I love the color and weight of the lip balm. It's between a balm and a lipstick. It has more color payoff than a regular lip balm, but isn't quite as glossy as a lip gloss. If I want a lip stain look without feeling dry, I use this alone. If I want something a little glossier, I use this and then top it off with a gloss and it looks really pretty!"

A true matte tinted lip balm is almost impossible to find, which is why this one from NARS stands out. No lie, the first time I tried it, I was shocked by how moisturizing it was while still giving my lips a matte, your-lips-but-better look. The formula glides on thin, so you're never at risk of overdoing it, which can be the kiss of death (pun intended) when it comes to using any tinted lip balm. I only wish it came in more shades!

• Key ingredients: Olive oil, synthetic wax
• Shades: 6
• Finish: Matte
• Coverage: Sheer-light
• Scented? No

Glowing Customer Review: "One day I went through dozens and dozens of lip products at Ulta. I was looking for something that was flattering, easy to apply (and forget about) for everyday use, and unscented. This Nars nude lipstick checked off all of these boxes. It's become one of my favorite lip products!"

The fresh Sugar Lip Balm is a classic for a reason: It'll soothe the most chapped lips while adding a little color. "As someone with perpetually chapped lips, a hydrating tinted balm is a must for me," says Cosmo Editor Corinne Sullivan. "This one leaves me with such a nice, buttery texture."

• Key ingredients: Jojoba seed oil, grape seed oil, beeswax
• Shades: 14
• Finish: Satin
• Coverage: Light
• Scented? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I used to have these balms when I first got into makeup and loved them! I heard they changed the formula and released limited edition shades for summer, so I bought one to try out. I love how smooth and buttery they feel on the lips! They definitely feel more hydrating than I remember, too. So many tinted balms are glossy, and I love that these have a natural finish."

If $65 sounds a little steep for a lip balm, I hear you. But according to Associate Shopping Editor Daisy Maldonado, this one is worth every penny. Calling it "one of the most instantly hydrating products I've ever used," she raves about its ability to blend into the lips while giving her a good boost of color. "You know how some lipsticks and glosses feel good at the moment, but then as the day goes on, you notice it bunches up with dead skin, and you realize your lips are actually very chapped? Yeah, that's not the case with this balm."

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, jojoba seed oil
• Shades: 3
• Finish: Satin/glossy
• Coverage: Sheer-light
• Scented? Yes

Looking for a super glossy lip balm? Assistant Editor Samantha Olson recently discovered Revolution Beauty London's new Juicy Peptide Lip Balm, and says that it is "super hydrating" and "super glossy," adding, "I typically opt for this when I'm not wearing much makeup (if at all) and it looks so natural and so pretty."

• Key ingredients: Vitamin E, sweet cherry seed oil, avocado oil
• Shades: 4
• Finish: Glossy
• Coverage: Sheer
• Scented? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I don't like lip gloss usually, because it's so sticky and I sip on water all day and I don't like the residue it leaves behind. This is more like a lip balm and not sticky like a gloss. The color is sheer and very subtle. Highly recommend!"

Glossier's holy grail lip product is a godsend for those with chapped, dry lips. I consider this a balm-first product, meaning that it's less about the tint and more about keeping the lips moisturized. Its main ingredient is petrolatum, an occlusive that is used to prevent transepidermal water loss, so you keep all that good moisture where it's supposed to be. Because of the balmy texture, this one can also be used on your cuticles, hands, and other rough areas you want to give a little extra TLC.

• Key ingredients: Petrolatum, lanolin
• Shades: 8
• Finish: Balmy
• Coverage: Super sheer
• Scented? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I have literally all the colors and it is so good! Sometimes I will put this on at night and my lips will still be super hydrated the next morning! The shades are so cute and they show up really well. Plus they all smell so amazing!"

The Make Beauty Serum Balm is one of my favorite tinted lip balms. It's incredibly moisturizing, never sticky, and delivers high shine in one swipe. It also feels super luxurious thanks to the big, fluffy doe foot applicator. Bonus: If you like the formula but want a bit more color, Make Beauty also sells Serum Balm Intense, which has the same delicious formula, but way more pigment.

• Key ingredients: Jojoba seed oil, sodium hyaluronate, avocado oil
• Shades: 5
• Finish: Glossy
• Coverage: Sheer
• Scented? No

Glowing Customer Review: "These are the best lip products I've ever used. They are as nourishing as Aquaphor or Vaseline with the perfect pop of color and very long wearing. I appreciate the sheer color and lack of scent. Please never stop making these, I love them!!!"

There are a few things to consider when selecting the best tinted lip balm for you:

Find your perfect finish

Tinted lip balms tend to be, well, balmy, but they also come in a variety of other finishes. Tinted lip balms can be super glossy and high-shine, matte, or satiny. Consider how often you'll wear it and in what conditions (windy? while wearing a mask? etc.) before choosing the right finish.

Determine your preferred pigment level

Some tinted lip balms give off just a hint of color, while others are as opaque as a lipstick. Think about how you want to wear your tinted lip balm and whether or not you want to use it with other lip products.

Reminder: Be conscious of your budget, but IMHO, you can never have too many tinted lip balms. As brands continue to release new tinted lip balms, there will be more colors, finishes, and applicator styles available. And, as Loiz says, "If you're on the hunt for the perfect color or texture, you have to keep trying all the different varieties, right?!" Sounds right to me!

• Renée Loiz is a professional makeup artist who has worked with Quinta Brunson, Uzo Aduba, Leah Jeffries, and many more. She is also the founder of Color May Vary, a Black-owned beauty guide.