The Best Tinted Lip Balms For Your Poor, Chapped Lips

Moisture with the tiniest bit of tint? Yes, please.

From the makeup-phobic to natural-look types to those who prefer a fully made-up face, anyone who has ever swiped color on their lips can appreciate the power of tinted lip balm. It’s an easy way to moisturize chapped lips that can also help you look a tad more pulled together when you’re in a rush — or simply not in the mood to commit to an all-day lipstick shade.

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But alas, not all tinted lip balms are created equal. Hydration capability runs the gamut, some are stickier than others, and when we’re talking tinted balm, “tint” is the key word here: Ideally we want a color subtle enough that when applied without a mirror won’t make us look like a toddler who’s been rummaging through their parent’s makeup drawer. And let’s not forget the ever-polarizing aspect of tube versus tin application. (For the record: We’re firmly on #TeamTube, because why would you stick your grubby fingers in a pot of balm when there are other, more sanitary options?)

So to find out which ones provide the longest-lasting moisture and color, we enlisted the help of a diverse group of testers with various skin tones, each of whom picked their preferred shades and applied coat after coat of some top-rated tinted lip balms for nearly a month. Here, we present to you the ones they raved about — the products that will give you the softest, subtly hued lips, no matter how much you’re willing to shell out for a new go-to tinted lip balm.

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Tinted Lip Balm

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You might know Burt’s Bees best as the brand you reached for when you decided it was time to retire that tube of Dr. Pepper Lip Smacker in favor of something a little more sophisticated. It’s a classic favorite that leaves lips feeling tingly and minty-fresh (thanks to the peppermint oil in its original formula). And no matter how old you are, you — and your wallet — can surely appreciate the leveled-up version, Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Tinted Lip Balm.

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What made this balm soar above the others we tested in the budget price tier is just how well it moisturizes. The classic version’s peppermint oil has been swapped out for shea butter, a natural fat that helps to lock in moisture for hours — in some cases, even eight (yes, eight!) hours after applying, our testers reported their lips were still soft from the balm.

Botanical wax and coconut oil round out the ingredient list, helping it glide on smoothly without any sticky texture: You can rub your lips together without feeling like you’ve been eating honey out of a jar, plus it doesn’t leave a ton of residue on utensils or drinking vessels. Other brands, including Neutrogena, Revlon, and Chapstick, had testers complaining that their lips felt sticky and that frequent reapplication was necessary to maintain moisture. (As one tester put it for one of the competitors, “I had to reapply every hour, and who has time for that?”)

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This tinted balm is no-frills, no fuss — and that’s one of the reasons it’s so reliable. It comes in an unremarkable brown tube with a colored cap to indicate its shade; one swift swipe, and you’re good to go, no mirror required. We’d be remiss to not give a shoutout to our runner-up, Vaseline’s Tinted Lip Balm, but the application process was where it lost points. Although it gave our testers’ lips significant moisture and color, the by-finger application from a tin is challenging when you’re on the go, as you’ll have to be okay with rubbing the excess on whatever you’re wearing if you don’t have a paper towel or sink handy. Or you could try one tester’s method of simply “kissing” the tin to get it on your lips — but just don’t share the balm with a friend after that.

Application aside, our testers agreed that Burt’s Bees lent just the right amount of color. As one noted, it was “noticeable, but not too intense.” Available in six different shades, from coral to light pink to purple, the color is faint — don’t be fooled by the cap, which might make it seem like the color will render a bit darker on your lips. While scent didn’t play a significant role in its winning status, testers agreed it was pretty light; one said it smelled like oil. Eco-conscious shoppers, take note: Not only is the product made from natural ingredients, the packaging is made from recycled materials.

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Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Tinted Lip Balm finds itself nestled in the middle ground between a super-hydrating lip balm and lipstick. At $10 for a pack of two, you can leave one in your purse and one in your car or desk (or anywhere else) so you’ll have one at hand at all times — though you probably won’t need to apply it more than once or twice a day.

Get a pair from Amazon for $9 (available in 4 colors).

Glossier Balm Dotcom

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If you haven’t heard of Glossier, perhaps you don’t spend as much time mindlessly scrolling through Instagram as the rest of us. (And good for you!) Or maybe you simply have no interest in abandoning your tried-and-true lip balm for something with more cult-fave appeal.

But this “It girl” brand has grown quite the following: People flock to the brand’s flagship store in New York, rife with Instagram ops, in droves. Glossier founder Emily Weiss (who you might remember from her stint on a little show called The Hills) has built a B-R-A-N-D that people love — albeit one that a select few find a bit overhyped. The Balm Dotcom, though, proves that Glossier knows exactly what it’s doing.

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Let’s get this out of the way first: Balm Dotcom is technically a universal salve, not a lip balm per se, so it can be put to use on your skin anywhere you see fit. Goodbye, dry hands and elbows; hello to your favorite new do-it-all beauty product. It comes in a simple, sleek, lip-gloss-esque tube that’ll make you feel chic just pulling it out of your bag. You can either apply it directly to your lips or use your finger to get a more even coat — and unlike most other lip glosses, you can rub any excess on knuckles or cuticles that might need some hydration.

One passionate tester described Balm Dotcom as a “can’t-live-without” product, and we can’t argue. It’s a solid option for anyone who has dry lips not only in the wintertime but all year round. A little certainly goes a long way with this stuff, and its dense, waxy texture lends itself to lips that’ll feel soft for hours. Two of its main ingredients are castor seed oil, a natural plant extract that locks in moisture, and beeswax, which protects the lips. The thick formula is especially useful during the winter — or for anyone who lives in particularly chilly, windy, or dry climes. And for chapped lips that need a little extra love, you can even use one reviewer’s advice and apply a thicker coat overnight to create a “lip mask.”

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As for color, this stuff adds just enough subtle sheen to let people know you’re wearing something without screaming, “My lip gloss is poppin’!” Of the current seven flavors offered, four have a tint: Rose adds a translucent pink, Cherry a red one, Mango a coral tint, and Birthday a subtle shimmer. (It’s also available in three clear options: Original, Mint, and Coconut.)

Each flavor has a subtle corresponding scent; the product description suggests sniffing the balm for an “instant mood lift.” While there’s no scientific proof of this, we’ll acquiesce to a whiff of the Rose flavor being akin to walking through a rose garden (and not sticking your nose directly in the middle of a flower) and Birthday being reminiscent of sticky, sweet frosting — which, sure, didn’t not lift our moods.

Our testers were very willing to replace their current everyday balm with this one. The one caveat is that it’s only available on the Glossier site or IRL at the New York-based brick-and-mortar — meaning you can’t just run to the local store (or depend on Amazon Prime) when you’re out. With a $12 price tag but free shipping on orders over $30, you may even want to consider the Balm Dotcom Trio, which saves you $6 and gives you the option to customize which three you want, even if that means three of the same one. Bonus: Every order is delivered in Glossier’s chic-as-heck signature pink pouch, which you can use as a clutch or makeup holder.

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From the dark, windy days of winter to the scorching days of summer, this tinted lip balm has you covered — and just might make you feel one step closer to influencer territory to boot (if that’s your thing). We wouldn’t be surprised if you find yourself back on the Glossier website sooner than you expected to stock up on more.

Get it from Glossier for $12 (available in 8 colors).

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

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Chances are, you’ve stepped into a Sephora only to feel more than a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of beauty products surrounding you. Perhaps you’ve found yourself drawn to the pink rainbow of Fresh Sugar lip balms, hesitant as to whether they were actually worth their hefty price tag.

Well, friends, we’re here to tell you that they are indeed: The Fresh brand has been a standout in the high-end beauty scene for years (hello, our $$ pick for face toners) — and since 2005, Sugar Lip Treatment has won Allure’s Best of Beauty award three times, for good reason.

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All of our testers (and, we should note, the large majority of this balm’s 9,000 Sephora customer reviews) rave about its quality, attesting to the product truly being worth shelling out the big bucks for. For starters, the texture of this stuff is so satisfyingly smooth, and it’s super hydrating without feeling overly oily. It’s not as thick as some of the other balms we tried in the highest price range, but it still did an excellent job moisturizing long after it was applied. Many only had to reapply once or twice after eating, and said they felt the moisture last for hours, even on bitter-cold winter days. Its texture and soft hue makes it among one of the easiest tinted balms to apply — you really don’t need a mirror, so you can swipe it on in a rush, wherever you are.

With SPF 15, this balm is ideal for year-round use, especially in warmer climates or during the summer when you’re likely to find yourself outdoors more often. Many of our testers agreed that this balm was a solid choice for everyday wear. It did have one of the strongest scents of all the products we tested in this price tier, however, and while it’s certainly not an unpleasant smell, it is a factor you’ll want to consider if you’re averse to a lingering sugary fragrance. (Though we assure you it’s nothing as powerful as, say, the whiff of walking past a Bath & Body Works.)

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The balm comes in a sleek, lipstick-type tube with just enough heft to make it feel luxe. Plus, it has a twist cap, so when you throw it into your black hole of a bag, you won’t have to worry about the balm leaving its mark Jackson Pollock–style; considering its price tag, that extra security is a nice touch. But PSA: Be careful where you store it, since it’s pretty soft and can melt or get deformed if you keep it in a warm place (like your pants pocket) for too long.

When our testers were asked to rate how satisfied they were with the color on a scale from 1 to 5, Fresh got an average of 4.3, the highest of all the brands we tested. The shade is subtle without being overpowering, but it’s also layerable; add a few extra swipes to punch up the color for nighttime if you don’t want to commit to a lipstick. Another perk: It’s available in a whopping 15 shades, the largest array out of any we tested in the $$$ category, so you won’t be hard-pressed to find the perfect hue (or two or three!).

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If you’ve ever scoffed at the idea of spending more than $20 on lip balm, this is the product that might finally make you reconsider. It looks, feels, and applies like the best tinted lip balm money can buy — because it is.

Get it from Sephora for $24 (available in 15 colors).