I want to make something clear: my lips aren't just dry, they are disgustingly dry. And, as a beauty editor, it's for this reason I consider myself au fait with the best lip balms. I couldn't dream of applying liquid lipstick without a hearty hit of hydration, am constantly dealing with cracking and flaking and generally live my life in a state of lip discomfort. And while the winter is bad, UV damage in the summer can be worse (which is when I leave on lip balms with SPF).
When it's your job to report on the best products for some of beauty's most pressing problems (dry lips included), it doesn't look great on me professionally to have dry, cracking and peeling lips, does it? So, over the years I have dedicated a huge amount of time to finding the best lip balms in existence. And it wasn't until I started my job at Marie Claire that I realised I wasn't alone in my dry-lipped-beauty-editor woes. Senior Beauty Editor, Katie Thomas, also battles chronically dry lips—and when we discovered our shared dilemma, we spent a great deal of time talking about the best lip balms for the job. We agreed on most, noted grievances with others and, ultimately, decided that if any two beauty editors could pull together a definitive list of the best lip treatments for dry lips on planet Earth, it was us. So, here goes...
1. Blistex Relief Cream
"Although it's not technically a balm, there's no doubt that this classic lip treatment from Blistex is the best product out there for treating painfully dry and cracked lips. It had been a little while since I had lent on it for its healing properties, but a few weeks ago someone commented on one of my TikToks suggesting it. I bought it immediately and it has basically healed my cracked winter lips in one week. Its greatness is unparalleled." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
2. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm
"I've loved the iconic Elizabeth Arden 8-hour Cream for years and would often use it on my lips. But since the brand launched this Intensive Lip Repair Balm, I haven't looked back. It's got the familiar scent of 8 Hour, and of course the peach hue, but it's heavier yet less oily than the original and my lips are thankful every time I use it." — Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor
3. Laneige Lip Sleep Mask
"Look, I get that this product is very divisive, but I want to make it clear that it is a very good lip balm. Is it the cure-all for cracking and peeling in the way TikTokers suggest it is? No. However, it is the ultimate overnight treatment for keeping on top of dryness. It's thick, it's buttery and it smells so good." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
4. La Mer The Lip Balm
"Yes, it's bougie. Yes, it's expensive. But I love it, goddammit. It's minty, it's nourishing and I feel pretty fabulous applying it on public transport." — Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor
5. E45 Lips & Dry Skin Balm
"When I first received this new launch from E45 a few months ago, I tossed it to the side. But then one day my lips were burning from dryness, and I needed some relief stat. This tube was sat in a heap of products on my desk and the first thing I had to hand. It soothed my lips immediately and took down the dryness completely within a couple of days. It's not fancy, but it's cheap and incredibly good at what it does. It can be used on dry skin patches too, meaning it's the ultimate does-it-all to throw in your handbag." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
6. Carmex Lip Pot Original
"I'm sorry, but you really cannot go wrong with classic Carmex. Because of how affordable it is, at one point I had one in every handbag, just in case. It's the perfect lip balm for every day application on the go. Love love love." — Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor
7. Wildsmith Skin Ceramide Lipid Repair Balm
"I keep a pot of this stuff on my desk at all times. I absolutely adore every product Wildsmith offers, and this balm is no different. It is marketed as a multi-use product, but I use it exclusively on my lips and cuticles. (It has a slight oiliness to it that makes it exceptional for nails and lips, but the pot isn't big enough to use it on skin, in my opinion). It has a natural botanical scent that soothes skin and mind while it gets to work. I've tried loads of lip balms like this one, but none of them match its results." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
8. Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Mask
"Okay, it's technically a mask, but same thing in the grand scheme of things. I use this before bed—it's richer than my other lip balms and means I wake up to plump and soft lips. Essential in winter." — Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor
9. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume Lips
"If you have ever used anything from La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast range before you'll know that it is probably one of the best dry skin treatments out there. This lip balm is, hands down, one of the best basic lip balms in the game. It's no fuss and truly gets the job done. If you have lips that are prone to sensitivity to certain ingredients or fragrances, this is the one for you. Plus, it makes for a great lipstick base." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
10. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
"I have already written a love letter to the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balms. I adore them. If, like me, you don't like to wear lipstick because it's drying or clings to dry patches, this is the product you want. The tinted balms deploy just the right amount of pigment for a natural look, while nourishing dry lips thanks to hardworking moisturisers." — Shannon Lawlor, Executive Beauty Editor
11. Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss
"Hyaluronic Happikiss comes with me everywhere. This is a seriously elevated lip balm (that might be a stretch - it's probably actually a really hydrating lipstick, but stay with me). It's rich in hyaluronic acid and peptides so excellent at soothing dry and chapped lips. But it's tinted, in your favourite CT shades. Mine is Pillow Talk and no matter what make-up look I'm sporting this brings it all together." — Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor
12. fresh Caramel Hydrating Lip Balm
"None of my bags are ever without a trusty lip balm, and I have been using this one for years, ever since I got a free sample in a magazine. It leaves my lips gloriously hydrated with a slight glossy sheen that isn't tacky. Not to mention, it comes in an array of sweetly scented flavours, which contain a blend of nutrient-rich oils, like apricot kernel, blackcurrant seed and grapeseed. I'm obsessed." — Lollie King, Senior Beauty Writer.
