Beauty has always been a means for connection, but there's one universal icebreaker that ties us all: What lip balm are you using? It's no secret that the lip market is capital-N noisy. The categories are increasingly blurred, but still, every time I see a chic individual glide a glossy situation across their pout, I want to know what tint they deem worthy—and why. After all, lip balms easily reflect the personality (and oftentimes the aesthetic) of the wearer given the fact that many don't leave home without one or two stalwart formulas. These days, it can feel like you're only as cool as the mysterious, sparkling tube poking out of your jacket pocket or wedged inside a branded phone case. (Yep, you know the one.)
Will I ever stop complimenting strangers on their lip combos? Certainly not, but I did ask stylish experts about the It-girl balms they hold dear and what exactly makes them tick. After cross-referencing my conversations (beauty journalism, folks!), I landed on this criteria—plus 15 viral balms truly worth their salt—below.
What makes a cult-favorite lip balm?
Let's face it: Gourmand fragrances are having a moment (hell, a year), and while we've seen more elevated iterations as of late (grown-up marshmallow over vanilla, for instance), edible notes have never been buzzier. It only makes sense that we'd see that carry over to the lip category, as lip balm is also a sensory experience. No, you don't actually ingest your lip product, but you do experience traces of flavor the same way you might catch a whiff of perfume on your sleeve.
Be it birthday cake, hot cocoa, berry crumble, or rich espresso, a sweet flavor can feel quite comforting, evoking positive memories associated with indulgent moments. So you reach for it again and again… and again. As Marianna Hewitt, co-founder of Summer Fridays declares, "when something becomes a part of your daily routine, that's when it starts to feel like a favorite."
Lauren Gores Ireland, co-founder of Summer Fridays, says that a cult lip balm must have the "perfect mix of form and function." It needs a stellar formula as well as a smooth application, a nonsticky finish, and thoughtful, elevated packaging, and bonus points if said packaging includes some sort of accessory component, such as a phone case (hi, Rhode) or kitschy keychain. These extra elements help a lip balm stand out in an oversaturated market and, quite literally, inside an overcrowded tote.
Take Cocokind, which recently made its first foray into color cosmetics. "We added a built-in ring for charms (coming soon!) so you can attach it to your keys, lanyard, or bag because no one wants to dig through their bag for a lost lip balm," founder Priscilla Tsai previously told WWW about the brand's new tinted balms. It also does help that many of these accessories are limited edition, like the Summer Fridays Birthday Cake Keychain, or have amassed wait lists in the thousands, like Rhode's Lip Case. Scarcity sells—much to the horror of my monthly credit card bill.
"To me, a culty lip tint is one that turns heads, whether someone sees it in person or on your Instagram story and immediately thinks, 'What does she know that I don't?'" poses beauty editor Iman Balagam. A chic aesthetic—be it sophisticated packaging, a sleek metal applicator, or a curated social presence—is a huge part of constructing that je ne sais quoi. After all, "[lip balms] are a great way to treat yourself to a little piece of luxury," Sephora Beauty Director Helen Phillips Dagdag shares. Brands that lean into a "treat yourself" aesthetic (sometimes with a sweet flavor to match) do tend to prove their shelf appeal.
That's not to say a wallet-friendly formula can't attain viral status. However, lip balms have long been gateway products into the premium beauty market, and as time has shown, consumers will drop extra coin for an elevated experience.
Of course, the lip balm must, well, work. A lippie can have all the bells and whistles, but if it doesn't actually enhance the delicate skin, all those pretty elements are for naught. "The consumer is so educated in this day and age," adds Aly Korchemniy, founder and creative director of Anfisa Skin. "You can't just have these flashing lights and colors anymore. … It's [more about] gorgeous packaging in addition to an amazing formula."
What constitutes an amazing formula goes beyond run-of-the-mill hydration—think collagen-stimulating players like peptides, gentle skin smoothers (AHAs, enzymes) to prevent flakes, and clinically backed plumping complexes that rival the results of filler with, of course, a gorgeous tint to boot. "I think that's why we're seeing so many lip 'treatments' versus just lip glosses," shares Daise Bedolla, beauty editor at Into the Gloss and creator of the I Just Want to Talk newsletter. "In order to stand out, brands need to offer something different."
In the same vein, expert approval is also priceless, especially when it comes to the balm's longevity as a cult favorite. As someone who tests no less than three new lip balms every single week (I really wish I was exaggerating), I can say that the formulas with staple status are the ones I've seen on the desks of my favorite estheticians, derms, and fellow editors. Oftentimes, that expert seal of approval has stronger legs than a super-buzzy collab or giveaway—no matter how chic the merch may be.
"Anfisa is a good example," Bedolla agrees. "They definitely seed to other people but were careful about sending it to, yes, editors but also facialists, who are regularly seeing clients and also have the knowledge to understand ingredients. They partnered with Elizabeth [Grace Hand] and Ställe, for example, for the launch of [Ân-Gloss in] Berry Crumble. Elizabeth is someone who I innately trust because of her studio's careful brand selection, so an endorsement in the way of hosting a launch is a big deal to me and signals a product that's worth having a cult following." Even derm-led brand Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty prioritized getting its new lip treatment into the hands of other experts (celebrity facialist Ian Michael Crumm, triple-board-certified dermatologist Mamina Turegano, MD, FAAD, and celebrity makeup artist Theo Turner, to name a few) for the highly anticipated launch, which, lo and behold, garnered a 2000-person wait list.
The 15 Cult-Favorite Lip Products Worth Their Salt
Shades: 2
Best flavor: Berry Crumble
Key ingredients: Ceramides, peptides, mango-seed butter, murumuru-seed butter, squalane
Standout feature: Cool-tip applicator
I was hooked at first swipe. The luxurious packaging! The cooling metal applicator! The berry flavor and pigment! This lip tint has it all, plus an impressive ingredient list of five skin-identical ceramides, two plumping peptides, and plenty of smoothing butters and oils. "When I want something a little brighter, it's Berry Crumble," says Bedolla. "You can really sheer it out with one swipe or build it up. … [It] can be a lot or a little depending on my mood."
Shades: 10
Best flavor: Espresso
Key ingredients: Castor-seed oil, beeswax, lanolin
Standout feature: Super-rich pigment payoff
I adore every flavor I try from Glossier, but Espresso (the newest addition to the lineup) especially has my heart. Again, I'm not saying you should ever ingest your lip balm, but this one is delicious. The notes of espresso, steamed milk, and vanilla cold foam make it smell like the frothy, overpriced artisanal lattes I somehow justify purchasing way too often. In terms of ingredients, the formula is quite simple, but sometimes, that's just what I need—a burst of moisture and an occlusive layer to prevent any sort of flaking.
Shades: 9
Best flavor: Pink Sugar
Key ingredients: Shea butter, murumuru-seed butter, vegan waxes
Standout features: Smooth application, never-sticky texture
There are so many irresistible flavors of Lip Butter Balm that it's near impossible to choose just one favorite. I have to give Pink Sugar its flowers, however, as I adore the sheer pink tint and sweet flavor. You really can't go wrong with any of the shades and flavors, though. Model, content creator, and Heaven Mayhem founder Pia Mance is partial to Sweet Mint, which she prefers for its subtlety. "With some of the others, I get starving because I'm like, 'This literally tastes like a sugar cupcake,'" she once joked.
Shades: 6
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredients: Hibiscus enzymes, lactic acid, Brazilian açai butter, African mongongo butter, peptides
Standout features: Gently exfoliating, cooling applicator tip
Everything about Eadem's Le Chouchou is perfect, from the stunning payoff to the sleek packaging to the cheeky shades named after French street snacks! "The colors are beautiful, but then the formula is slightly exfoliating," Bedolla adds, calling it one of her go-to picks. The pigment is a bit thicker than your average lip tint, but I find that the consistency only adds to its pillowy-plump effect. WWW branded content editor Aniyah Morinia agrees. "Some of the lip oils and glosses that I own feel a bit too thin, but I don't have to mix this balm with any other product to get extreme moisture or my desired shade," she wrote in a review.
Shades: 5
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredients: Algae plumping complex, vegan waxes, shea butter, mango-seed butter
Standout feature: Intense pigment payoff
"I always keep Mara's Sea Silk Balm in Toasty Rouge nearby," says Balagam. "On rushed mornings when I don't have time for makeup, a red lip throws everyone off just enough to think I do." It has the lightweight consistency of a glossy balm with the rich payoff of a creamy lipstick—the best combination there is, IMO.
Shades: 8
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredients: Tabebuia impetiginosa–bark extract, rapeseed oil
Standout feature: Blurring effect with a rich pigment payoff
On the topic of cool-girl lip balms, I, of course, have to include Bisou Balm. French makeup artist and brand founder Violette Serrat is the definition of a chic individual, and her Bisou Balm delivers a sheer kiss of color that appears instantly lived-in. "It has that effortless French-girl thing going for it," Balagam notes, deeming it her latest infatuation. I'm a fan of the shade Mon Cheri, a warm brown-red that really livens up my skin tone.
Shades: 5
Best flavor: Pbj
Key ingredients: Shea butter, peptides, cupuaçu butter, babassu
Standout feature: Matching phone case
Thought I'd forget about Rhode? Think again! I likely don't have to convince you of the Hailey Bieber mainstay, but for those who haven't yet copped a tube, consider this your sign to buy. Yes, they're really worth it (so are the Lip Shape liners, BTW), and you can't go wrong with any of the tints and flavors. I will say, though, that Pbj is quickly becoming my all-time favorite.
Shades: 16
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredients: Peptides, ceramides, AHAs, PHAs, salicylic acid, shea butter, beeswax, Siren Capsule Technology
Standout features: Cooling metal tip, gently exfoliating formula
Bedolla swears U Beauty's formula is so good (namely the shade Rom Com, which was a limited-edition collab with Tinx) that she thinks she dreamt it up. How's that for an endorsement? Rose is a similar petal pink to Rom Com, just without the subtle shimmer. It's one of my own go-to staples!
Shades: 8
Best flavor: Crème Brûlée
Key ingredients: Peptides, mango-seed butter, kokum butter, cloudberry oil
Standout features: Shimmer options of the same shades, thick yet nonsticky texture
It's TikTok viral for a reason! Pout Preserve has a glorious, "glides like butter" texture and a glossy, subtly tinted finish that lasts impressively long. It doesn't hurt that Crème Brûlée tastes just like dessert.
Shades: N/A
Best flavor: Juicy Secret Berry
Key ingredients: Chicory-root extract, moringa oil, acacia-flower wax
Standout feature: Attached keychain with customizable charms
Okay, this is one of the cutest lip balms I've laid eyes on. There aren't any shade options, but if you're looking for a no-frills product for hydration, this is your guy. With its $9 price tag, you don't have to worry about being too precious with it—attach it to your keys, toss it in your bag, and bring it with you everywhere.
Shades: 10
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredient: Hyaluronic acid
Standout features: Cooling metal tip, high-shine yet nonsticky finish
I can't even count the number of times I've recommended Refy's lip gloss, but I won't stop until everyone I know has it in their makeup bag. The shine is incredible (practically mirror-like) without ever feeling sticky.
Shades: 5
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredients: Ceramides, peptides, castor-seed oil, cranberry-seed oil, sunflower-seed oil
Standout feature: Attached key ring
Who says those with sensitive skin can't join in on the nostalgic fun? You won't find any dessert-inspired fragrance or flavor here, but that was very much intentional from Tsai. The formula cushions the lips with hydration, smoothing lines instantly and over time, and the playful packaging makes for an elevated user experience.
Shades: N/A
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredients: Niacinamide, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica extract, shea butter, mint oil
Standout feature: Cooling metal tip
This is a lip treatment in every sense of the word. Honestly, it reads more like a highly potent, skin-plumping serum than a lip balm with a bouquet of actives known for strengthening and soothing the skin barrier. Not for nothing, the mint oil combined with the metal tip applicator leave behind a cooling, refreshing tingle.
Shades: N/A
Best flavor: N/A
Key ingredients: Palmitoyl tripeptide-1, hyaluronic acid, squalane, ceramides, shea butter, orchid extract
Standout feature: Derm formulated, rivals filler
Need I remind you that this lip treatment amassed a 2000-person wait list? It really lives up to the hype: It features palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and hyaluronic acid, an ingredient combo that has been shown to enhance fullness and smoothness. The brand even conducted clinical studies and found that the product boosts lip volume up to 21% and defines the Cupid's bow up to 28%. Whitney Bowe, MD, FAAD is a Yale-trained board-certified dermatologist, so you can trust that she didn't cut any corners with this launch.
Having trouble selecting just one? Luckily, Sephora offers a five-piece kit with some of the buzziest formulas in the game. This one includes Phillips Dagdag's personal favorites, such as the YSL Loveshine Lip Oil Stick. "[It's] a great way to introduce a little luxury into your life," she shares. Considering many viral lip products are tagged at $25 and above, a pack of five for $42 is a major bang for your buck.
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