A roundup of the Fashion Journal team’s holy grail lip balms

Lip smackers.

Finding the right lip balm can be an arduous task – at this point, I’ve tried hundreds of them. I’m not alone in this quest, and pretty much everyone I know has their firm favourites (and their intense dislikes). To me, they’re as essential as your keys, phone and wallet – and I know my day isn’t going to plan when I find myself frantically searching my bag only to realise I left my Dr. Lipp at home.

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Parched lips can really bring you down, and asking to borrow your workmate’s lip balm is probably (definitely) no longer a thing in these COVID-y times. But thankfully, recommendations most definitely are. If you’re on the hunt for a new lip balm, our team has shared their tried and tested favourites below.

Giulia Brugliera, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor

Shiseido’s ColorGel LipBalm

At $37, Shiseido’s ColorGel LipBalm is probably going to be the most expensive balm on this list but as a ‘going out’ lip balm, it’s well worth the investment. I discovered it at a Mecca Maxima store last summer, when the attendant suggested it in a nude colour for my wedding day. We used it in conjunction with a lip pencil for the Big Event, but it’s since become the only lip product I wear. It gives my lips the moisture they need, with just enough oomph to look ‘put together’ thanks to its sheer coverage.

Get it here.

Lanolips Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm

I’d somehow never tried Lanolips until last year, when I received the Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm as a gift. It’s easily the best day-to-day balm I’ve used and I’m not alone in this sentiment – it’s received thousands of five-star reviews. It’s also an Aussie brand, meaning it’s doing the A Beauty category proud. At $18.95 it’s well worth trialling if you haven’t already.

Get it here.

Izzy Wight, Fashion Journal’s Editorial Assistant

Carmex Original Flavour Moisturising Lip Balm Tube

I love a bargain. I’m the cheapest material gworl I know! While it’s not always a great quality to have (sale sections will be the death of my bank account), it does mean I have a selection of fabulous inexpensive beauty products. At $5.99, the Carmex Original Flavour Moisturising Lip Tube is one of my holy grails. I love the tingling sensation, it’s never greasy and the vanilla-y scent is very comforting. I’m a tube gal because I find it easier to apply, but the tub is good too!

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Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry

The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is one of those rare products I’m willing to splurge on. It’s award-winning and beloved by the beauty community (we’re talking over 12,000 reviews) for a reason! I apply the silky, deeply moisturising formula before bed for pillow-soft morning lips. It also smells good enough to eat (berry is my fave, but would also smother mint choco all over my body).

Get it here.

Cait Emma Burke, Fashion Journal’s Digital Editor

Kosas Wet Lip Oil Plumping Treatment Gloss

I bought Kosas’ Lip Oil on a whim – I had a Mecca voucher that was burning a hole in my back pocket, and I’m a big fan of everything the brand does. My expectations were high (I rate Kosas’ brow products and concealer highly), but this lip oil exceeded them. While not technically a lip gloss, it treats your lips to a concoction of peptides, hyaluronic acid and evening primrose oil and leaves them feeling remarkably smooth and hydrated. I have it in the shade Fruit Juice and use my fingers to sheer it out, so it acts more like a lip treatment with a tint that adds some much-needed colour to my very pale lips. The packaging is very cute too, which never hurts.

Get it here.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips

I’ve raved about Dr Lipp’s lip balm on FJ before, and with good reason. I have chronically dry lips (a leftover effect of years spent on Roaccutane to treat my cystic acne) and this is the only lip product on the market that keeps them chap free without me having to reapply it every 20 minutes. It’s 100 per cent medical grade lanolin and is multipurpose – I sometimes use it to add a sheen to my cheeks and eyelids, or on any other part of my body that’s feeling particularly dry. It’s a must have.

Get it here.

Ella Taverner, Fashion Journal’s Account Manager

Burt’s Bees Lip Balm in Vanilla Bean

The Burt’s Bees Lip Balm in Vanilla Bean is my tried and tested favourite for soft, hydrated lips. The formula is super light and non-greasy and keeps my lips feeling fresh for hours. I slap this on morning and night and keep a tube in my car for when I’m busy running errands. The vanilla bean scent is a great balance of sweet but subtle, and at $6.95 at my local pharmacy, it’s a no brainer.

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Ultra Violette Peach Sheen Screen™ SPF 50 Hydrating Lip Balm

As someone with sensitive and often irritable skin, I’ve definitely put myself through the wringer when it comes to tinted lip balms. So it’s no surprise that the expert skin fairies over at Ultra Violette have nailed the your-lips-but-better tinted formula, free of parabens and full of SPF 50. The Sheen Screen in Peach keeps me fresh-faced on those no-makeup days and is the perfect base under lipstick for nights out.

Get it here.

For more on how to keep your lips in tip-top shape, try these tips.