Dry lips, we meet again. It's no secret that cold weather, sun exposure, and dehydration can really do a number on your lips, causing them to be chapped, dried out, and sometimes painfully cracked. When this happens, you'll do anything to get them back in smooth shape. You'll try not to lick your lips, because you know it won't help at all, but heck, why does it feel so much better to do that?
There are a couple of remedies for chapped lips. One, you'll want to make sure you're hydrated, which has benefits not just for your lips but also for your whole body. Two, avoid messing with your lips, like licking or picking at them. Three, you'll want to slather on the lip balms and lip products.
A lip balm is a genius little product that's always good to have on hand. I myself have a collection of at least eight at home, one in my car, two in my purse, and a couple at the office. To put it simply, I think a lot of people out there have a similar treasure trove of balms lying around. Having one nearby helps me remember to apply it throughout the day and before I go to bed to really lock in that moisture.
Fortunately, lip balms are pretty accessible cost-wise. In fact, so many of our favorites can be found at the drugstore. So if your lips are sending out an SOS in the chapped lips department, take a look at our editor picks below.
You've got to have a Burt's Bees lip balm in your stash. The 100% all-natural formula is made with beeswax and vitamin E to really hydrate chapped lips. It also has a dash of peppermint oil, which gives a calming, refreshing feel.
This lip balm from Nivea has an added bonus of SPF 15 protection because your lips need it too. It contains shea butter, jojoba oil, and avocado oil for extra moisturizing benefits. For variety, you can choose from different flavors like Strawberry, Peach, Cherry, and Milk Honey.
Weleda's Skin Food cream is already a must-have for super-dry skin, and its lip balm version is ultra soothing, too. It has ingredients like sunflower oil and chamomile and calendula extracts. It leaves a glossy finish.
You'll get extra-long hydration with Maybelline's Baby Lips—up to eight hours to be exact. It also leaves a subtle tinted, glossy finish, so it's a good option if you want to skip the lipstick.
If you love Aquaphor's original ointment for severely dry skin, chances are you're going to love the Lip Repair. The fragrance- and paraben-free formula locks in moisture.
This Medicated Lip Balm really seals in moisture and prevents future chapped lips. It's got sun protection, too.
Chances are you'll find someone with one of these cult-favorite tins in their bag, car, or desk. It's just a total classic. You can even use it on your elbows, knees, or any other dry spots.
I love a tinted lip balm for everyday wear when I don't feel like wearing lipstick but don't want to be completely barefaced. This one from Honest Beauty keeps lips moisturized for six hours and has buildable color.
For quick relief, Vaseline's Lip Therapy will moisturize and protect. Use this regularly, and you'll be able to heal dried, cracked lips in no time.
We couldn't leave the classic ChapStick off this list. It just works so well. Everyone's loyal to their specific flavor—I'm partial to the Cherry, but whenever I see a Strawberry tube, I instantly think of my best friend growing up who always had it in her pocket.
This old-school, classic lip balm is one of my favorites. Just applying it transports me back to high school days, and I love the nostalgia. It contains petrolatum, lanolin, and white beeswax.
For top-notch sun protection, you'll want to go with Sun Bum's lip balm since it has broad-spectrum SPF 30. The ultra-healing formula contains vitamin E and aloe vera to keep lips moisturized all day long. It's vegan, gluten-free, hypoallergenic, and paraben-free.
I learned about Lucas' Papaw Ointment a few years ago from a makeup artist, and my only thought was, "Why didn't I know about this sooner?" It works wonders on chapped lips, but you can also use it on dry patches, minor burns, and sunburns.
Another highly rated tinted lip balm option, Neutrogena's has SPF 20 protection and leaves your lips feeling super soft. The color is a light, natural tint for an effortless "makeup" look.
Carmex is another lip balm that has been beloved for decades. The Medicated Lip Balm not only relieves super-dry lips, but it also can be used to heal the symptoms of cold sores. It leaves a protective barrier to lock the moisture in.
What Should You Look for in a Lip Balm?
When looking for a lip balm, the American Academy of Dermatology lists the following ingredients as healing for chapped lips: castor-seed oil, ceramides, dimethicone, hempseed oil, mineral oil, petrolatum, shea butter, sun-protective ingredients like titanium oxide or zinc oxide, and white petroleum jelly. If you want to avoid chapped lips, apply regularly when it's dry outdoors or inside.
What Is the Best Drugstore Lip Balm With SPF?
People often forget that lip skin is, well, skin, and deserves some proper sun protection. You can't go wrong with Nivea's Smoothness Lip Care SPF 15, Sun Bum's Lip Balm SPF 30, Neutrogena's Revitalizing Lip Balm with SPF 20, or the Blistex Medicated Lip Balm with SPF 15, all of which we included in the above list. We also have a full list of SPF lip balms here, if you'd like to browse even more options.
This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated.
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