LIP BALM
Another bumper haul of lip balms this year – because they had such tantalisingly close scores, we felt we should showcase all of them, not least because we’ve always said that it’s pretty much impossible to own too many lip balms; lips have no natural lubrication of their own, and regular slicking is the only way to keep lips moisturised.
You could honestly do worse than buy every single one of these winners – and slip one into every coat pocket, tote or handbag you possess, so as never to be without one. Also: congrats to Lanolips who got basically identical scores for their two entries, and to Made by the Beekeeper, who won for three of their all-natural balms last year, two of which put on a repeat performance for 2023.
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD ESHO COAT Ultra Hydrating Repair & Heal Lip Balm
Lips are Dr. Tijion Esho’s speciality: this multi-award-winning entrepreneur founded this first black-opened cosmeceutical brand, ESHO, with clinics in London, Newcastle and Dubai and specialising in ‘tweakments’. But not for nothing is it known as ‘The Lip Doctor’ his COAT balm wins Gold, here. We could equally have trialled this in our more intensive ‘lip treatment’ category, but the testers were asked to trial as a regular use balm; with a butter-like texture, it features high-tech ingredients alongside squalene and golden jojoba oil; it’s smoothed on with fingertips from a little pot.
£21.99 for 10ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Man, oh man, this is wonderful; my lips were smooth, plumped, no flakes and lines appeared smoothed out’ • ‘People would ask me what I was wearing on my lips, i.e. ‘Are you wearing a new lipstick? or ‘What lipstick are you wearing?’, when I wasn’t; my conclusion is that was due to the improved texture of my lips. Then whatever I then put on my lips during the day looked much better, and I lay that little win at the feet of ESHO’ • ‘Love that it is not highly fragranced, goes on and does its job without flouncing around trying to be something it is not’ • ‘It lived up to its claims of being super-saturated and an SOS product. I would certainly buy again and recommend to others. I’m used to balms that work for short while and you have to keep reapplying; this is magic in a jar – absolutely love it’ • ‘Keeping one at bedside, one in handbag and one at work I will never use another – best I’ve ever used; if your lips are sore and chapped this is the one’ • ‘I liked that it didn't have a strong flavour or taste and my lips definitely felt so much smoother and plumper’ • ‘My husband asked me where I was going all dressed up; I didn’t have any other product on at the time only this and a bit of lipstick! This product is incredible; it glides on like butter, moisturising lips and also acts as the perfect all-weather barrier. Amazing long and short-term effects.’
£21.99 for 10ml - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD, BEST NATURAL (JOINT) and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Lanolips 101 Ointment Coconutter
The first of Lanolips’ two Gold Award-winners is a coconutty version of the bestselling Lanolips 101 Ointment, their debut product and now a true beauty icon. As with all of Lanolips’ products, it’s based on – yes – lanolin, a naturally-nourishing ingredient that is a by-product of sheep’s wool. The thinking? If lanolin does such a good job of keeping sheep dry, it’s got to be good for our skin, too. Coconut oil also features here, delivering a ‘coconut-milk-creamy’ fragrance, and features the familiar slanted tip, for easy application.
£8.99 for 10g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Smells divine – like holidays – stays on FOREVER, and a little goes a long way’ • ‘My lips are fairly thin and often dry (thanks to air conditioning). I don't have too many lines yet, but this ointment is a brilliant barrier against the elements and does an excellent job of hydrating lips from the moment you put it on’ • ‘I wouldn't usually go for this type of product; in the past I've only bought lip balm in a lipstick like case, but I can now see the benefits of a product in a tube; you can apply more product as you need it and be confident that you’re putting a good protective layer on your lips’ • ‘It appears greasy at first but did not leave my lips feeling greasy at all, and for the first time in years my lips looked luscious; this product really plumped them up’ • ‘I wasn't expecting just a noticeable result from a lip balm. I Have my lips tattooed so they become quite dry around the edges of the lips. But I love this product – such an easy-to-use lip balm; you can apply it with the applicator on the end of the tube and if you use it day and night, you will have smooth soft and even fuller lips’ • ‘Lips were softer and it did feel like a proper protective barrier; lipstick was easy to apply and in fact went on better, using this as a base Only a small amount needed, and the tube lasted a long time. My lips felt truly luscious afterwards!’
£8.99 for 10g - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD, BEST NATURAL (JOINT) and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Lanolips 101 Ointment Multi-Purpose Superbalm
With over 50 different major awards to its name (including many, over the years, from Beauty Bible), this is Lano’s ‘hero’ product. In fact, this multi-tasker does much more than simply nurture dry and chapped lips, offering a 100% natural alternative to petroleum-based balms, which has the virtue of holding 400% of its weight in moisture. It’s good for dry skin anywhere, including cuticles, heels, elbows; we’re told it can even be used as a nipple cream, and on babies. Our lot were invited to put it through its paces as a normal lip balm!
£10.99 for 15g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘This is the best lip balm that I have ever used on my lips. I did come out in a cold sore, but I used the balm around it, and it healed quickly and didn't leave any dry patches, which my lips usually develop’ • ‘Lovely lip treatment, lasts for ages and can be purchased from my nearest supermarket (so I can add it to the weekly shop). Lips appear smoother and more nourished, if that makes sense’ • ‘As someone who needs to have moisturised lips at all times, I love this product. It stays on for ages, feels really moisturising and lips look fabulous’ • ‘Great for your lips, will keep them nourished and help when you are out and about, as it acts as a barrier’ • ‘This tube is still going strong as you only need a tiny amount, and I've pretty much used it every day since I've had it. I will 100% be replacing this product as soon as it starts to get low; I love that I can also use it on dry skin and around my nails’ • ‘Really beautiful lip balm that gets the job done, no bells and whistles but a great staple that I can't be without’ • ‘I feel when I wear lipstick, it apples better and lasts longer’ • ‘Someone said my lips look nice, smooth and plump; have I used anything different? I said yes, it's the Lanolips 101 superbalm! My lips feel less dry, and I can go for longer periods without the need for moisturising.’
£10.99 for 15g - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Made by the Beekeeper Lip Balm (Berry)
For the second year in a row, Made by the Beekeeper have put on a splendid show in this category; they entered two lip balms and the Citrus version of this has won Bronze (scroll down for this). From a small-batch, hand-crafted balm brand, this organic lip balm comes in a recyclable screw-top aluminium tins. The basic formulation for both winners is the same (cocoa butter, rosehip, sunflower, camellia tea oils), along with beeswax harvested by founder Rebecca Beveridge from her own hives.
£5 for 7g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Like that it's natural and organic, so I don't worry about applying it like 400 times a day. The fresh berry scent of this has really grown on me as I've used this balm. It has proved to provide an excellent barrier for my lips against the winter elements we have been experiencing’ • ‘Such a lovely lip balm. Cute little tin, smells amazing, does the job. I had really dry lips over the cold spell and this product was a lifesaver’ • ‘Super easy to carry everywhere and easy to apply; it really sank into my dry skin and provided instant comfort, rather than sitting on top of the skin and feeling sticky, as others do’ • ‘A wonderful soft texture and a little goes a long way. Definitely a winter staple for the winter months, loved it! No chapped lips, no cold sores, and still plenty left to use’ • ‘I loved the scent of this, and the small metal tin – it smelled as delicious after a month as on day one. I enjoy the natural origin of it, and it does a really nice job in hydrating the lips’ • ‘Useful to keep in handbag; I really like the formula, which is lightweight and not sticky at all. You just need a little bit of balm to help protect your lips so the little goes long way; soothes and protects chapped and dry lips and gives good moisturisation’ • ‘My lips felt super moisturised and hydrated, it lasted long and makes my lips smooth; soothes dryness and tightness’ • ‘Smells ‘berry’ natural and super-moisturising for dry lips.’
£5 for 7g - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) L'OCCITANE Shea Ultra Rich Lip Balm Certified Organic
Once again, L’OCCITANE’s shea collection has done incredibly well with our testers, who love the richness of the formulations and the signature, almond-y, powdery fragrance of the range. This won Gold in 2022 and is applied via an angled tip atop the tube of shea-powered nourishment, which features a generous 10% fair trade shea butter from their longstanding project in sub-Saharan Africa, working with the women of Burkina Faso. It’s one of the organically certified products in L’OCCITANE’s range.
£9.50 for 4.5g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Feels much more luxurious and thicker than my usual products, so I would definitely switch to this’ • ‘I like that you are able to apply directly to lips without using your fingers; it’s a lovely balm, easy to put in your handbag, a great smell and feels amazing to wear’ • ‘This is one of the nicest lip balm I’ve used. I found it best to apply at night, so it had lots of time to soak into my lips. My lips are very soft, nourished and healthy-looking’ • ‘Formula is smooth but not sticky; my hair didn’t stick to it either which can be an isuue’ • ‘One slick of this balm lasts a while; I didn’t feel I had to keep reapplying – once was enough for a few hours. ,so, a tube lasts a long time. handy to keep in your pocket or a handbag. ideal to keep in my pocket at work as were still wearing masks (hospital), and your lips can feel dry if you don’t have anything on them, so I normally tend to wear lipstick, so they don’t feel dry, so I’ve been using this as an alternative, and I have to say I like it’ • ‘Lips have remained nice and soft; didn’t get dry at all. No chapping or redness’ • ‘Really liked this, and I must admit there is a RAFT of lip balms to choose from these days. Straight away there is softness, smoothness and it would be a good product on a windy day’ • ‘Great to have in your bag or by your bedside table. The tube is easy to apply, and it keeps the lips moisturised all night.’
£9.50 for 4.5g - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Blistex Lip Infusions Soothing
Blistex had two Lip Infusions winners in last year’s Awards; this time around they entered the Soothing option and it also impressed testers. (We love it when stuff like that happens! But you know, when something’s good, it’s good – and our testers recognise that.) Blistex is of course renowned as a powerhouse brand for lips, with a long heritage; in this case, the winner offers quite a few botanical lip-soothing and lip-smoothing ingredients alongside the synthetics in its formula: cucumber seed, calendula, natural beeswax and coconut oil.
£2.99 for 3.7g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘My lips were extremely dry and cracked, sore and flaky, due to the weather and being outside a lot. After four weeks of the trial, there was no need for this product as my lips were back to normal. Honestly, a miracle cure’ • ‘From day one this product was amazing; I would use it instead of Vaseline, as it isn't waxy like my normal product. The smell and taste are fresh and fruity – I would like to eat it if I could’ • ‘My lips feel smooth and soft after only using it for a few days and were back to normal having been ultra-dry; they have remained like that. There is a nice, very fruity flavour and fragrance’ • ‘I have so many lip balms in pockets of coats/rucksacks and dog walking bags; I can't live without at least five on the go somewhere. I really loved the scent and taste of this; it is easy, non-sticky, not gloopy – my hair didn’t stick to it, either! It is soothing and gentle – a really good all-rounder, and price-point is really good. Bonus: it didn't become messy in its applicator, like some’ • ‘The most surprising thing was its longevity. I had a curry, and it was still on afterwards, which is the ultimate test for me’ • ‘Go and buy this stick! It’s a great moisturising lip balm and it smells lovely! A super easy-to-use tube of lip balm that is a joy to use for dry lips. Its gorgeous taste, combined with the longevity of the product, make this a must have for everyone.’
£2.99 for 3.7g - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Tropic Lip Love
Tropic, who’ve done so well across every category of these Awards, have another winner here: a twist-and-go, stick-style balm that is infused with a citrus scent. (They comment that it smells so fresh, ‘You’ll get a mini mood boost every time you apply it.) Hero ingredients in the all-botanical formulation include shea butter, cocoa butter and rosehip oil, ‘which gives the balm its happy orange hue’.
£4 for 4.5g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I could talk about this product all day. I have a fair few lip products in my stash that I just use out of habit. This product has totally changed the game for me. I have thrown my old lip balm/lip oil stash out as this is the only product I want to use, which I know sounds a little OTT for a lip balm but honestly, you have to try it! It goes on so easy; it stays on your lips; it smells so fresh, and I have to stop myself from using too much. I love it!’ • ‘What a little hero this product is. Despite the weather (we get it very windy) and being out dog walking, and the central heating, and having come down with COVID so feeling pretty under the weather, I wasn't reapplying multiple times a day and yet the product seemed to last and had a lasting effect’ • ‘Lemon smell but not like fresh lemons, it is more like a waxed lemon skin – beautiful’ • ‘A perfect all-round lip balm. It comes in a handy tube, so no wasted product, and lasts a long time. It is extremely moisturising and made my lips incredibly soft and smooth. I will always have this in my handbag, and I am sure it will be my saviour in the cold months. Would definitely recommend this to all. My husband has commented that my lips feel softer, too’ • ‘A very important factor here is how handy this lip balm is; it fits into your bag, you can take it with you, it is very easy to apply – you don't have to dip your fingers into the balm; I prefer that.’
£4 for 4.5g - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Made by the Beekeeper (Citrus)
This is the citrusy version of the Silver Award-winning balm from this small, indie cosmetics brand, who offer ‘award-winning honey, mead, fudge and lots more!’ Among the ‘lots more’ are the raved-about lip balms that have done so well this year and last, in the Beauty Bible Awards; all hand-made and small batch. We suggest you pick the flavour/scent which most appeals to you, as the formulations are the same.
£5 for 7g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I was surprised. This had a wonderful lemony scent and is DIVINE – and this, from someone who never used a balm because they always felt greasy. I have to say this product was excellent; my lips constantly felt moisturised, it enhanced the lip blush and I felt it was protecting my lips against the elements’ • ‘Lips were super soft; it lasted on lips a long time. I did top it up but not sure I needed to do that’ • ‘I genuinely thought that overall, my lips seemed well moisturised seemed plumper and – dare I say? – lines were less prominent and smelt fantastic, without being overpowering’ • ‘This will remain with me at all times – such an easy quick fix for my lips!! My husband enjoys kissing me!!!!’ • ‘I love this product; the tin is nice and small to carry around, as well as being attractive. My lips are very dry and often chapped due to a lot of outside walking, but this is very effective at making the lips soft and less chapped. Has a mild but pleasant flavour; lips felt instantly less sore, and I didn't feel the need to constantly reapply the product’ • ‘Very natural ingredients and given it goes on your lips I thought that was a very good thing No - sadly no compliments! But my daughters used it and also liked it using regularly as a go to lip balm, and it did improve the general condition of my lips, they were less dry and rough. They felt replenished. I found it best when I'd been carrying it around in my pocket as it warmed up and was easier to apply. The scent is a lovely refreshing citrus but it's not at all irritating.
£5 for 7g - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD SANN Nourish & Care Solid Lip Serum
This is the clear, sheer version of the twist-up, chubby pencil-style lip balm which scooped a Beauty Bible Gold Award this year in LIP BALM – TINTED; several tints are available, as well as this neutral version. The name means true, real and genuine, in Swedish, and founder Yulia Tertilova-Kristell created SANN after feeling ‘overwhelmed by the myriad of products and endless stream of beauty “must-haves”.’ For every product sold, SANN found a day of education for girls, in Africa. Botanicals include cocoa butter, softening liquorice leaf extract, meadowfoam and Cannabis Sativa seed oils, which are rich in nourishing fats and lipids.
£22 for XXg - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘It was very easy to get the right amount from the stick – I love the pencil-style format. There was no fragrance which is how I prefer it, no stickiness at all, just lots of moisture. I love this little gem of a lip serum! It provides long lasting moisture and I no longer need to apply lip balm every half hour or so’ • ‘Really improved condition and texture; my lips feel so much softer and better nourished. I also love the format of the serum – much prettier than the stick or tin that I used to use, and I really feel like I am treating my lips’ • ‘This is a long-lasting lip balm that improves softness and moisture in the lips. I was really pleased with the results from the start; my lips felt better from the first try. Sann’s balm could be the game changer for people with dry sore lips – it’s brilliant; lips feel softer and look so much healthier. It works well with make-up, too’ • ‘A one-stop remedy spa day for your lips! I have been told my lips look fuller and the cracks have disappeared – soft and smooth and a little plumper, maybe even a little more definition’ • ‘My lips were so soft after the first use; they felt well protected, and I am actually quite confident it will work well in cold weather. My lips feel so much softer, and I don't need to apply lip balm anywhere near as often, and it really lasts on the lips.’
£22 for XXg - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
Yet again, Burt's Bees have excelled in the lip-care categories this year – and we’re always thrilled when that happens, as it enables us to flag up products are seriously affordable options, and which are all-natural, to boot. This is an absolute classic of a product, actually, in its spot-it-at-100-paces slim, pocket-friendly, swivel-up tube. The balm was one of the brand’s first-ever products, created ‘in the backwoods of Maine in 1991’, and has been slipped inside millions of pockets and handbags since then. There’s a hint of peppermint and rosemary oils in the blend of coconut and sunflower, for a teensy hint of a tingle. The words ‘softer’ and ‘smoother’ featured in every single tester response.
£4.49 for 4.5g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘From first use, it worked as an effective barrier against the elements and left lips feeling smooth and moisturised. Very pleasant minty taste and smell’ • ‘A complete game changer; I would never use a different brand of lip balm since finding Burt’s Bees. I have fine lines around lips, slight loss of volume and lips can be dry and flaking, but lips are much softer and smoother now, with no flakes. It was a good base for lipstick and felt like it was protecting my lips from the cold weather’ • ‘I suffer from dry and chapped lips, especially in the winter months, but I really enjoyed using this product; it is a nice, solid cream, which I used in the morning and evening and sometimes during the night if I woke up (I often do this with my face creams as well). But I didn’t feel the need to re-apply during the day, after my morning application‘ • Gave a nice base ready for lipstick or lip gloss’ • ‘I like that this isn’t in a pot, as they always feel a bit unhygienic. Obviously, this little balm feels less luxurious that my usual upmarket balm, but it’s also a lot easier to keep in my pocket – a good alternative for everyday use. Lips are softer and definitely more moisturised than before’ • ‘Great protection against the elements. Lips felt softer, fuller and in overall better condition.’
£4.49 for 4.5g - click to buy