Unlike the rest of your skin, lips have no oil glands to keep themselves hydrated, and their skin is thinner too. That combination makes them the first casualty of cold weather, central heating, wind and dehydration. We've compiled a list of the 7 best lip balms to keep chapped lips at bay, plus a quick primer on what to look for and the habits that quietly make chapping worse.
What to look for in a lip balm
- Occlusives like petroleum jelly, beeswax, shea butter and lanolin, which seal moisture in. These do the heavy lifting.
- Humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which draw moisture into the lip skin.
- SPF if you're outdoors: lips burn easily and are a common site for sun damage, yet almost nobody protects them.
- Avoid if your lips are already cracked: menthol, camphor, high fragrance and cinnamon flavours. That tingle is mild irritation, and on damaged lips it prolongs the problem.
One habit to break: licking your lips. Saliva evaporates quickly and takes moisture with it, and its enzymes irritate lip skin, so licking creates the exact dryness you're trying to relieve. Balm on, tongue off.
1/7 Paula's Choice Lip Balm with SPF 50, £12.00
An excellent lip balm that restores moisture to dry, chapped lips. Also includes SPF 50 to protect against sun damage, ideal for the summer.
2/7 Kiehl's Lip Balm #1, £10.00
I personally love Kiehl's, and this #1 lip balm is no different. This lip balm contains Squalane as well as Vitamins A and E to help keep your lips hydrated and protect them from the drying effects of the wind, and cold weather.
3/7 Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, £3.00
A 100% natural lip conditioner that soothes dry, chapped lips. Also contains vitamin E and peppermint oil to soothe and hydrate your lips and provide a cheeky tingle.
4/7 Clarins Lip Comfort Oil, £19.00
A lip oil infused with plant oils to hydrate and protect the lips. Also leaves a pleasant shine without any stickiness. Application is easy with a sponge-tip that is pleasant to use.
5/7 Vaseline Lip Therapy Original, £1.95
Perhaps one of the best known lip therapies, and for a reason. This is a clinically proven formula that helps soothe and heal dry and chapped lips. The formula sinks right in and is non-sticky.
6/7 EOS Certified Organic Strawberry Sorbet Lip Balm, £3.90
A lip balm with 100% natural ingredients that is also certified organic. The lip balm has been enriched with organic oils and shea butter to moisturise your lips and keep them soft and smooth. Oh, and it smells and tastes great.
7/7 Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment, £14.00
A deeply hydrating lip treatment by Clinique. This formula helps to repair dry, chapped lips and replenish moisture. Leaves a satin smooth look and feel.
Still chapped no matter what you use?
If your lips stay cracked despite regular balm, run through this checklist: drink more water (dehydration shows on lips first), run a humidifier if your bedroom air is dry, check whether a new toothpaste or lipstick coincided with the flare-up (both are common irritant sources), and stop picking at flakes, which reopens the healing skin. Persistent cracking at the corners of the mouth, or chapping that never resolves, is worth showing to a pharmacist or GP, as it can signal a fungal infection or vitamin deficiency rather than simple dryness.
For overnight repair, apply a generous layer of a plain occlusive balm like the Vaseline pick above right before bed. It's the lip version of slugging, and it works.