We believe that lip balm is an absolute essential.
The UK faces unpredictable weather from day to day and it has such a massive effect on our lips to the point we think it's important we highlight which will simply keep them smooth, moisturised and happy. Whether or not you're a regular lip balm slatherer, or you just need a little extra lip TLC- we have you covered.
We have managed to get a list of some of the big players on the market, with three signature products dominating Amazon's best-selling list and can be found everywhere from drugstores to supermarkets. But are they really better than a run-of-the-mill basic lip balm from, say, Boots or Superdrug?
Tilly Alexander, our reviews writer based at My London, has tested out a handful of popular brands to see which she prefers.
Burt’s Bees
First up to be tried and tested was one from Burt's Bees. Now, the American personal care company has more options than one set of lips could ever get through in its entire life, from intriguing flavour combos like matcha and honey or coconut and pear to tinted versions in every imaginable (wearable) shade.
Many of these appear on Amazon UK's list of best-selling lip balms, with one - the 100% Natural All Weather SPF 15 Moisturising Lip Balm - even nabbing the top spot. But, this option not to be found in-store at Boots, Superdrug or anywhere else I checked, I went with Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, the original formula.
Retailing for the steep price of £3.99 for 4.25g, Burt's Bees' options are in theory more expensive due to their ingredients. The stars of the show in this tube according to the front label were vitamin E and peppermint, along with beeswax. But I ended up preferring the packaging - cute, honey-coloured, with an easy to wind up mechanism at the bottom and easy to pop off lid at the top - to what was actually inside.
The first thing I didn't love about the formula was how it sat on my lips. Though reasonably light and not greasy or sticky, I didn't feel much absorbing going on - which makes sense given beeswax works to moisturise lips largely by creating a barrier to keep moisture in, though I expected more from the Vitamin E. Worse though, was the peppermint.
In the tube this had a deliciously minty smell that reminded me of an After Eight and made me crave a mint choc chip ice cream cone. On my lips it caused a rising tingling sensation that was distracting and would surely be painful had my lips been chapped.
Price: £3.99
Rating: 2.5/5
You can buy Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm from Boots, Superdrug, LookFantastic and Amazon
Vaseline
Vaseline was next up and, to be honest, I was dreading this one. As a child I was absolutely obsessed with Vaseline's Lip Therapy range and would smother it on my lips at any opportunity.
The problem? On chapped lips, it just didn't seem to work. In fact, adding a layer of what was essentially just petroleum jelly seemed to make them worse.
However, unscrewing my 20g tin of Lip Therapy Original, I felt renewed hope. Admittedly, things were off to a good start as soon as I realised that there was no smell at all (not even a vague Vaseline-y smell) and therefore likely no taste or tingle like the Burt's Bees.
It also wasn't as sticky or thick as I recalled and went onto my lips with a nicely silky feeling. Like beeswax, its main ingredient works mainly by trapping moisture in with a protective layer - but, whether or not it did, it at least felt like it was sinking in more than the Burt's Bees.
After years of swearing Vaseline off, I was pleasantly surprised. But I was also unsure why it was £1.95 when it only listed 'Petroleum' as an ingredient. Was it just normal Vaseline in a smaller, more expensive pot? I deducted a point.
Price: £1.95
Rating: 3.5/5
You can buy Vaseline Lip Therapy from Amazon, Boots, Superdrug and Sainsbury's
Boots
I had high hopes for the Boots own brand lip balm, given how well its toothpaste had performed in a prior experiment - but I was let down. Between my fingers, the plastic casing felt thin, cheap and unstable. Uncapped, the stick was a mildly alarming shade of opaque, ghostly white.
However, as it was only £1 I gave it the benefit of the doubt that most production costs had gone into the formula. And this turned out to be true, at least partially. Applying it to my lips I was pleased to find it was firm enough to be easily applied and boasted a satiny, immediately moisturising formula.
But something was wrong. There was a taste I couldn't pin down. I tried to ignore it but, despite no more being applied, it just kept getting stronger in my mouth. Then, remembering it was called Boots Original SPF 15 Lip Salve, I thought with horror, 'It tastes like sunblock!' I wiped it off.
Price: £1.00
Rating: 2/5
You can buy Boots Original SPF 15 Lip Salve from Boots
Superdrug
In appearance, the Superdrug Moisturising Lip Balm was a definite close cousin, or perhaps even sister, of the Boots Original Lip Salve. Both were the same size and height, sported similar blue and white packaging and contained 4.8g of product. Luckily, this turned out not to be reason enough to fear - as I did - that events may repeat themselves.
The Superdrug version was leagues ahead of the Boots one. Despite being slightly cheaper (okay, yes, only by 1p but still), it instantly felt better crafted when uncapped and wound up, with a sturdier mechanism and firmer plastic.
The product itself, too, was a joy. Thicker than Boots' formula but not so thick as Burt's Bees or Vaseline, it was wonderfully silky and smooth, delivering an instant dose of hydration. There was a very faint floral smell and taste. I sniffed, guessing rose.
My lips felt wonderfully soft and pillowy. I'd found my new go-to lip balm.
Price: £0.99
Rating: 5/5
You can buy Superdrug Original Moisturising Lip Balm from Superdrug
The verdict
My expectations were almost entirely flipped on their head by this experiment. I'd come into it nervous of trying Vaseline again but excited for Burt's Bees. But I hated the peppermint-induced tingle of the latter and liked the inoffensive and silkier formula of the former. (Though the jury is still out on how, exactly, Lip Therapy Original differs from regular old Vaseline.)
As for the own-brand drugstore versions, given how Boots' toothpaste previously performed, I thought I might be onto something with its lip balm - but no. Though a nice formula in feeling and the only one of my four to contain SPF, it had a horrible sunblock taste to it that I couldn't get past.
Thankfully, though, Superdrug's Moisturising Lip Balm was here to save the show. The cheapest of the bunch at 99p, it was supremely easy and convenient to use, with a nourishing formula and - keyly - a smell and taste that didn't make me gag.
Stacey Dutton, our Reviews Editor, has tested out the Palmers Coconut Oil lip balm- which you can purchase at Amazon in a pack of 2 for £5.88.
I have been trialling the whole Palmers coconut oil range now available in stores and online- and i'm a huge, huge fan.
The new Palmers Coconut oil lip balm is a huge winner for me- because as Tilly mentions above, some lip balms really are just unpleasant to taste.
The coconut scented range is not the worst thing in the world to taste once it graces your lips.
I put it on morning and evening- and even when I'm wearing a matte lipstick, ill apply a little over the top to keep my lips supple throughout the day.
I'm not just saying it, but I genuinely think this is my favourite lip balm ive ever used. Not only because I'm obsessed with anything coconut, but it actually does the trick for my very sensitive lips throughout the summer months.
Because I do wear a lot of lipsticks, my lips can get very dry so I almost use it as a lip mask in the evenings once I have brushed my teeth- it just sits and soaks in perfectly when I'm getting ready for bed.
Price: £5.88 for two
rating: 5/5
Jada Jones, our Central Reviews Writer, has used this Aldi PawPaw dupe to see if it gives us dreamy lips this summer, and it seemed to do the trick for just about everything including dry eyes, lips and insect bites
Aldi is back with a dupe of another popular brand, and this time its multipurpose.
The supermarket has released a range of PawPaw ointments for £1.49 that people are comparing to the wildly popular Dr PawPaw.
The ointments are multipurpose and although I find them a little too thick for use on hands they make an excellent lip balm for when your pout needs a little attention.
Coming in classic, aloe vera and a macadamia nut option you have options, my personal favourite has to be the aloe vera.
The balm has a nice scent that reminds me of shea butter with a touch of vanilla.
It helps soothe dry and chapped skin which I've mainly used for my lips and the occasional dry patch near my eyes.
You can also use it to relieve the itch of insect bites which makes this ideal as the weather heats up and if you're planning on heading abroad.
Not only that but it can add finishing touches to your hair and eyebrows. As someone with quite thick eyebrows I don't tend to do much to them when getting ready for the day, but I did pop some on and found that it held them in place quite nicely.
I think if you're travelling and need to take full advantage of your limited space then this 25g ointment is a great option as it really does do a lot.
While it does suggest that you can use it on your hands, I would recommend only in very small amounts as it initially feels greasy before soaking into your skin.
If you're looking for a bargain then Aldi has you covered and you can pick up the balm in store or online here.
Dr PawPaw's multipurpose balm is just £4.50 at time of writing over on Amazon if you want to see for yourself which one is better.
Emily Sleight, our Liverpool Echo Reviews Writer, has also found the best way to apply Vaseline with a little help from a viral Tiktok video
Over the winter months you've probably found yourself needing to moisturise your lips to stop them from getting dry and chapped. And while spring is officially upon us, we still have a few more cold days to go and still need that tub of Vaseline within reach.
But what if we told you that you're probably applying your lip balm wrong? That's the claim made by a skincare expert on TikTok, who says most of us have been missing a vital step in our lip routine that could be stopping us from properly tackling the problem of chapped lips.
Olivera, who posts under the username @skincarebyolivera, posted a video explaining exactly how to apply Vaseline - and the clip has since gone viral with more than 232,000 views, reports the Mirror. The woman said that while we might be tempted to just slather on the petroleum jelly, we should actually be getting our lips wet using tap water before applying the lip balm on top.
Read more: Holly Willoughby's £17 beauty product she swears by to help tired eyes
She said: "Do you suffer from dry and chapped winter lips? Always moisten your lips before applying your lip balm. Never apply to a dry lip. The balm will then seal in the moisture."
The trick works because Vaseline and other lip balm products help to create a seal around the lips and prevent moisture loss, but often don't add that much moisture to already dry lips. By moistening your lips first, you stand the best chance of keeping that extra moisture locked away and therefore reducing the likelihood of your lips getting chapped.
The expert says you should moisten your lips first (Image: @skinbyolivera/TIKTOK))
The extra step will help boost the moisture in your lips (Image: @skinbyolivera/TIKTOK))
After sharing her tip, Olivera then took to the comments to answer questions from those who were unsure or sceptical about the science behind the method. One person claimed: "Not sure how this works. I guess dry hands should just soak. Good theory but based on nothing."
To which Olivera explained: "It would similarly be good to apply a moisturiser right after soaking to lock in some of the moisture." And when someone else said it would be "more efficient to just drink water", the skincare expert said: "It’s not, unfortunately.
Rebecca Astill, our Birmingham Live Reviews Writer, has found her holy grail after struggling with dry lips for years
I have problem skin, both dry and sensitive, something which extends to my lips. Every lip balm I have used fixes the solution temporarily, but nothing could permanently fix the chapping and redness around my mouth, until this one product.
I bought the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask for £19 from Cult Beauty and I have not looked back. It is the only thing I found to clear the dryness which had seeped into the skin around my mouth forming a permanent red shadow below my lips.
The best part about it was that I only needed to apply it once a day, at night, before going to bed. A lip sleeping mask is quite a novel idea and works absolute wonders, I could not rave about this product enough.
The lip mask also comes with a teeny-tiny spatula so you can apply the thick balm without dipping your fingers in, which feels quite luxurious. It also smells like berries without being overpowering, and you can buy the balm in a number of other flavours too, including grape fruit, vanilla and lemon sorbet.
It may be on the more expensive side of things, but for the power that little tub holds it is 100 per cent worth it. Plus, I have had my Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask for six months now, and barely scratched the surface.
Price: £19 from Cult Beauty
Rating: 5/5
Bethan Shufflebotham from the Manchester Evening News loves the new Carmex Naturally lip balm in pear
Carmex has long been one of my go-to brands for lip balm because I can’t get enough of their cherry balm. But, there’s a new lip salve in town and it’s just as dreamy.
The Carmex Naturally range comes in watermelon, strawberry, and my newest favourite, pear , using 93 per cent naturally derived ingredients.
The balm is packed full of antioxidants including sustainably sourced pure cupacaçu and murumuru, plus a generous dose of colloidal oatmeal to smooth and soothe dry, chapped lips as the warm weather creeps in.
Lips do not have sweat or oil glands, a benefit of which means no sweat or blemishes, however it does mean you need to give your lips that extra protective barrier that your body doesn’t naturally offer it, and this is the perfect way to keep lips hydrated and free from irritation and dryness.
Priced at £3.95, the pear-scented Carmex Naturally is available at ASOS .
