If you're shopping for your upcoming summer vacation, don't forget to pack one of the best SPF lip balms alongside your usual sunscreen.
Yes, your lips need sunblock too. So while you're applying the best sunscreen for your face, don't forget to swipe a few passes of SPF balm on your lips because they're not exempt from sun exposure. In fact, because your lips don't have any melanin, they're even more susceptible to sun damage.
Sure you can grab any SPF product for protection, but how do you distinguish the very best? Don't worry. That's where we step in. We spent weeks testing a whole range of different SPF lip balms at different price points - from cult bestsellers to brand new launches. When testing for the best SPF lip balms, we considered their SPF count, ingredients, texture, and how it wears throughout the day. We also kept note of unique skin-benefiting ingredients and if the brand offered any tinted lip balms that would set it apart from others.
We're no strangers to putting SPF products through their paces either. Our Beauty Editors take suncare seriously and have tested everything from the best tinted moisturizer with SPF to the the best SPF foundation and have even found their favorite sunscreens for sensitive skin.
So discover our pick of the best SPF lip balms below, including tinted and clear options for everyday wear.
A selection of the SPF lip balms that we tested for this guide.
The best SPF lip balms, chosen by our beauty team
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While testing the best SPF lip balms for this guide, Neutrogena's Moisture Shine Lip Soother quickly became one of my absolute favorite beauty products and it's now one that I'll be topping up to keep in my beauty bag at all times. I loved this product because it leaves a glossy sheen on lips with a subtle pink shade that is easy to wear with any makeup look and it's also nourishing, leaving my lips feeling hydrated. Plus, with an SPF of 20, I know the fact it's protecting my pout from UV rays at the same time is a bonus.
Packed inside this pocket-size squeeze tube is a moisturizing formula of glycerin, chamomile, and cucumber. My lips were left soft and moisturized - even after the gloss wore off.
Neutrogena describes this lip soother as a cooling hydrogel, which explains the tingling sensation you get seconds after applying it. I didn't mind the tingling sensation, but I know this might be off-putting for some. So, if you're not the biggest fan of cooling products (or want to skip the tingling sensation) I would recommend snagging the Supergoop! Play SPF 30 Lip Balm later in the list, as that gives you the same hydrating lipgloss look. Keep scrolling to read our thoughts on it.
O'Keeffe's Lip Repair SPF 35 will keep your lips hydrated and protected even while lying poolside. With an 80-minute water-resistance formula, this lip balm earned its spot as our favorite water-resistant SPF lip balm. And yes, it actually works.
I applied this lip balm before washing my face and was so surprised that my lips had the same buttery moisture feel as before. And there wasn't any sticky product residue left on my chin either. It had an impressive staying power throughout the day - which would be great if you were packing this product for a beach vacation.
Along with its water-repellent nourishing formula, we love how slim the tube is, making it super portable and easy to store in your pocket or a small bag. And once you pop open the cap, you're met with a thick, buttery balm with a delicious fruity scent, perfect for summer! But, if you prefer scent-free products, this lip balm is also available in an unscented version too. Add this lip balm with your favorite waterproof foundation for a budge-proof makeup look.
For those who enjoy a nice gloss, the Supergoop! Play Lip Balm is the perfect SPF lip "balm" for you. With a medium-thick texture that quickly absorbs into your skin while adding a glossy shine to your lips, this SPF gloss is both pretty and moisturizing - a win win for us. But with a Shea butter ingredient, we're not surprised.
This lip balm comes in a traditional gloss squeeze tube with a slanted applicator, making it super easy and quick to apply and reapply after a few hours. It has a subtle but enjoyable scent - but don't lick your lips too much because it has a sunscreen taste! This isn't ideal for an SPF product designed to wear on your lips and was a real downside for this otherwise great product - which is why it lost a star from us. But if you're looking for a moisturizing SPF gloss that will leave your lips soft and protected while you're not eating or drinking, we would still recommend adding this SPF lip balm to your cosmetic bag.
Whether it's sweat or rain, Banana Boat's Sport Ultra SPF 50 lip balm nourishes, protects, and stays put. Like O'Keeffe's, this lip balm has an 80-minute buttery soft water resistance formula. So what makes this lip balm different? It's super affordable, has an impressive SPF count of 50 and...smells like bananas!
It is worth noting the lip balm's banana scent can be overbearing, and so if a banana scented balm is likely to put you off, we recommend grabbing O'Keeffe's Lip Repair SPF 35 instead for something more subtle but with similar results.
However, if strong UVA and UVB protection is what you're after you can't do much better than this bestseller. Plus, you can snag a pack of two for just $5.79/£12.99, making this the most affordable SPF lip balm on this list and our favorite budget lip balm of the bunch.
Keep your lips protected and chapped-free year-round with Aquaphor's ultra-healing lip balm. I love wearing this at the peak of the day when it's bright and sunny, and I look forward to adding it to my winter beauty regimen when my skin is at its driest.
Like any good moisturizer with spf, this SPF lip balm keeps your skin hydrated and soft. But in contrast to your traditional thick lip balms, Aquaphor's SPF lip repair has a silky, gloss-like texture, which is great for those who enjoy a subtle shine.
I found the Shea butter and petrolatum formula did keep my lips hydrated and soft, but like any thin, gloss-like texture, you do have to reapply after an hour or so. This isn't as tricky as reapplying sunscreen over makeup, but it's still not ideal if you're on the go and might forget to top up your balm for all-day protection.
Burt's Bees SPF tinted lip balm is so pigmented that it rivals some of the best pink lipsticks in my beauty bag. When I first applied the Sienna Rose shade (my favorite), it caught me off guard with its vibrant tint. I followed up with the more subtle light pink shade, White Peony, and was still amazed by the pigment.
Not only is this the best tinted SPF lip balm that I tested, but it also doubles as the best reef-safe sunscreen for your lips, so if you're into sustainable beauty, this is the lip balm for you. With a nourishing formula of almond oil, vitamin E, and Shea butter, my lips felt buttery smooth and moisturized after applying, and the color lasted for a good few hours before I needed to reapply.
Take your favorite pink lipgloss and add SPF 35 to it; you'll have Colorescience's SPF lip shine. This gorgeous lip shine comes in four rosy and nude pink shades that are not too overbearing in color but subtle enough to where you know it's there.
When you first open the gloss and pull the wand apart from the bottle, you're met with a peppermint-like scent which you can later feel its tingling sensation on your lips for about 15 seconds. This feeling makes me wonder if it's the gloss's peptide ingredient that plumps and soothes your lips.
Along with peptides, this SPF lip shine is full of skin-benefiting ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and zinc oxide, that work together to keep your lips hydrated and UVA/UVB protected. I will say this lip gloss doesn't keep your lips shined and glossy for long, but your pout is still left protected and feeling soft.
If your makeup bag consists of clean beauty items, you'll love wearing this 100% vegan SPF lip balm all summer. For starters, if summer had a scent, it would smell like Attitude's lip balm. With a tropical coconut scent, I couldn't help but keep smelling this SPF lip balm!
Now onto the formula. Inside this unique cardboard push tube is a thick, white, buttery balm made with plant and mineral-based ingredients such as shea butter, argan oil, coconut oil, and castor oil, making your lips feel super soft and conditioned. After applying the balm, I noticed I had a white cast, but after massaging the product more into my lips, it was clear and still moisturized.
If you also just so happen to be shopping for the best cream blush and the best cream eyeshadow, you're in luck. This multi-purpose SPF lip balm works great on the lips, eyes, and cheeks. And the best part is it has a high SPF count of 50.
The balm comes in a cylinder-shaped bottle with a lipstick-like twisted bottom. Along with its impressive SPF count, this color lip balm is formulated with jojoba esters, iron oxides, and plant-based squalane that keeps your lips moisturized and protects your skin from damage from not only the sun but also photoaging caused by our digital screen's blue light.
This lip balm has a buttery, creamy texture that glides smoothly on the skin. And if you're not big on color, I recommend using your finger to lightly add your desired amount.
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