Lip Scrubs Are Wildly Underrated for Softer, Smoother, Plumper Lips—13 of the Very Best

At the top of my list is IS Clinical's gentle and effective Lip Polish. Using a formula packed with vitamins C and E and rich botanical butters, it quickly buffs away dry skin from the surface of the lips, leaving them noticeably hydrated, smooth, glowy. It's also not heavily fragranced or flavored, so it's ideal for those with sensitive skin. I'm obsessed with the look and feel of my lips after using this lip scrub.

Customer Review: "I need lip scrub throughout the winter months. This does the trick and I trust the ingredients. Pleasant scent and flavor and not too abrasive. Highly recommend!"

Pros: uses rich botanical butters to leave the lips feeling moisturized

Cons: offered at a high price point

Product Details: 0.5-ounce jar

If you've been looking for a transformative lip scrub that will prepare your lips for easy makeup application while also leaving them more receptive to your favorite treatments, you've found the perfect product for you. What I love about this lip scrub is that it features a scrubbing head that sloughs away dead skin and uses a hydrating formula of aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, plant-based plumping agents, and more that plumps the lips. It's almost like a magic trick.

Customer Review: "I actually like this my lips are always dry and before I put my lipstick even on my way I can just scrub my lips and actually put my lipstick on and it stays really well even for my lip gloss it helps the dry lips a lot I don't care about the smell honestly but if you want to buy don't think twice it's worth it."

Pros: creates visibly fuller lips by removing dead skin cells

Cons: buffing applicator can be harsh on the lips

Product Details: 0.3-ounce tube with a buffing applicator

I'll never say no to a luxurious product that delivers exactly what it says it will and happens to look stunning in my personalized cosmetic bag. La Mer's Lip Polish is perhaps the brand's most underrated skin treatment. Not only does the sensorial balm offer exfoliating benefits with a blend of multifaceted sugar crystals and marine micro minerals, but the lip scrub also infuses the lips with a cell-renewing elixir.

Customer Review: "I really love this product. It's not cheap but feel it has made a big difference to the appearance of my lips. Also a little goes a long way! My lips are definitely smoother and look quite plump too. I wear this overnight and then use another moisturizer during the day. This will definitely be part of my skincare routine going forward."

Pros: features a dual-sided applicator for smooth, fuss-free application

Cons: offered at a luxury price point

Product Details: 0.2-ounce jar with dual-sided applicator

On the opposite end of the pricing spectrum, we have the Kiss Exfoliating Balm. The budget-friendly two-in-one lip exfoliator and moisturizer is formulated with real sugar crystals to address dryness and flakiness and uses a blend of natural fruit oils and shea butter to provide up to 24 hours of hydration. Lipstick application is much easier after treating my lips to a thin coat of this.

Customer Review: "I have tried lip moisturizer/exfoliator after another and nothing has worked....until now. My lips are constantly chapped and it irritates my soul! Ever since this arrived, my lips have been moisturized and no more dead skin. This is a staple in my must have daily beauty products."

Pros: infused with moisture-boosting natural fruit oils

Cons: none

Product Details: 0.1-ounce stick balm

I'm a new fan of French Girl's line of skincare and makeup and have fallen head over heels for its Rose Lip Polish. It's crafted from botanical waxes infused with sugar, shea butter, rose geranium, and coconut oil, which work to gently exfoliate and condition the lips to leave them kissable and soft to the the touch. I'm a fan of all things rose scented, and the Rose Lip Polish is one of my favorite ways to add a whisper of rose to my skincare.

Customer Review: "I've tried several different lip scrubs, from high end brands to homemade kitchen creations, and this one is heavenly. It has this minty rose scent and polishes my lips without making them feel like I'm using sandpaper. I received a generous sample of this scrub in exchange for my review, but regardless of how this product found its way to me, I love it!"

Pros: crafted with nourishing rose and mint essential oils

Cons: not ideal for those sensitive to botanical scents

Product Details: 1.0-ounce jar

Infused with exfoliating cherry-seed powder, antioxidant-rich sweet cherry–seed oil, and hibiscus-flower extract, the Naturopathica Sweet Cherry Polishing Lip Scrub delivers lush lips in minutes. This product will restore your lips to their healthiest state and leave them looking soft, plump, and juicy. I like to use this by sweeping it onto my lips in quick circular motions to promote circulation.

Customer Review: "Wasn't a fan of lip scrubs until I tried this! Tastes great and the crystals are made of sugar, so they dissolve if you don't wipe all of them away. Leaves my lips super smooth afterward and feels more conditioned like I've used a lip mask as well. Another great lip product from Naturopathica!"

Pros: provides gentle exfoliating action that removes dead skin cells

Cons: not ideal for those sensitive to fruit fragrances

Product Details: 0.5-ounce jar

When I'm on the hunt for a lip scrub, one of the biggest things I look for is a formula featuring ingredients that can exfoliate my lips without bringing any discomfort or zapping them of all hydration. This one checks all the boxes with a newly launched formula that gently removes dry skin before conditioning them with a nourishing cocktail of vitamin E, jojoba butter, shea butter, and avocado oil.

Customer Review: "E.l.f. seems to always come through with amazing quality for the price. My lips were super flaky and wearing lipstick made it super obvious. From the first time I used this, the flaky look was gone and my lipstick looked way smoother."

Pros: comes in seven different scents

Cons: none

Product Details: 0.1-ounce stick balm

Designed to be paired with Lanolips' 101 Fruities range, this lip scrub makes the lips feel soft and supple using a rich, hydrating lanolin base (a natural waxy substance derived from sheep wool) with fruit extracts and sugar to dissolve dead skin cells and hydrate the lips. Right now, I'm using the Lip Scrub in Coconutter, but I'll 100% be stocking up on Strawberry come summer.

Customer Review: "I usually make my own lip scrub but I've been feeling extra lazy lately so I ordered this and oh my goodness it's so similar to my own but better and it works really well and it's so moisturizing! And my lips are always chapped and angry but if I use this like once or twice a week it helps so much!"

Pros: leaves the lips feeling silky smooth with a hydration-boosting formula

Cons: none

Product Details: 0.4-ounce tube

My lips tend to get flaky if I'm not slathering them with several layers of lip balm. To put a stop to the cycle, I've been using the Kissu Lip Scrub. Its formula of skin-refining peach-seed scrub, smoothing konjac scrub, and moisture-sealing Japanese camellia oil allows for gentle exfoliation while delivering a smooth, supple look to the lips. In true Tatcha form, it's inspired by the brand's three-step daily ritual to polish, plump, and protect lips.

Customer Review: "I've used several lip scrubs across different price points and Tatcha is by far the best. The scrub is very micro, making the lips super soft and smooth. Its thick consistency grips the lips so the scrub stays put to do the work. A very small amount is all that's needed. Tastes great. Highly recommend."

Pros: uses the brand's signature Japanese camellia oil to seal in shine

Cons: offered at a moderate price point

Product Details: 0.4-ounce tube

Similar to Refy's lip scrub, this lip scrub is one of the more untraditional products featured on this list for one reason: It combines the moisture of a balm with the exfoliating powers of a scrub. Buxom's Power-Full Lip Scrub is one of my favorite ways to create a flawless surface for lipstick or lip-stain application since it gently buffs away patches of dry skin and leaves my lips looking plump and smooth. I also noticed how much more receptive they were to receiving hydration from balm and gloss.

Customer Review: "I struggle with lip scrubs. They are messy and usually leave my lips feeling more dried out. I love this scrub in dragon fruit scent. It exfoliates gently and leaves my lips feeling nourished. I leave it on while I put my makeup on then wipe away before applying lipsticks."

Pros: infused with sugar to gently remove dry skin

Cons: not ideal for those who want a traditional lip scrub

Product Details: 0.2-ounce stick balm

As someone with sensitive skin, I spend a lot of time doing deep dives into products to understand which ingredients should be added and removed from my lineup. This lip scrub by Fresh stands out to me because it's very gentle on the skin (I haven't noticed any redness or irritation after use), and it leaves my lips looking and feeling incredible thanks to the formula's all-natural brown sugar crystals, shea butter, and jojoba oil. It's a dream come true for sensitive skin.

Customer Review: "This stuff has helped me so much with my chapped lips! Every winter or season change my lips tend to chap. I have sensitive skin and get irritated with some lip products, but this scrub has always been a solution to my problem."

Pros: effectively removes flakes with real brown sugar crystals and natural humectants

Cons: has a slightly medicinal fragrance and taste

Product Details: 0.4-ounce jar

So you want to apply your favorite lipstick but can't get it to look smooth and even? This is the step you're missing. Makeup by Mario's Perfecting Lip Scrub does just what it promises. It swiftly removes dry skin with the help of microfine sugar crystals, coconut oil, vitamin E, and a dash of sodium hyaluronate to instantly reveal smooth, supple-looking lips. Plus, it stimulates collagen production and cellular turnover while locking in moisture.

Customer Review: "I have very dry lips and am constantly looking for a good lip scrub to help slough off the dead skin to be able to absorb lip balm better. I don't need to look any further as this lip scrub works great! It does exactly what it’s supposed to do and hydrates at the same time. It left my lips feeling soft and prepped for my other lip products."

Pros: uses vitamin E to protect skin against environmental aggressors

Cons: has a noticeable medicinal taste that fades with wear

Product Details: 0.4-ounce tube

Of all the lip scrubs I've incorporated into my beauty routine over my time as a beauty editor, very few have remained in my beauty cabinet. This lip scrub by Burt's Bees has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember since it's gentle on my wallet and has worked wonders for the health and appearance of my lips with a combination of honey crystals, castor oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax.

Customer Review: "I was struggling with severely cracked and chapped lips for over a month. They would bleed in the morning from the cracks. I started using this several days ago and my lips are almost normal. I have though, been using it round the clock, not just at night. Put it on several times a day. Loving it!"

Pros: uses honey crystals to buff away rough, dry skin

Cons: not much product is provided

Product Details: 0.3-ounce jar