The best tinted lip balms to get you through winter
Our relationship with lip balm is a funny one. It does little for our overall look, and yet we rely on it more than any other product in our makeup bags. It pretty much ranks alongside our iPhone as a daily hourly essential item. Have you ever been without balm for a few hours? You probably ended up licking your lips raw until you got your hands on it again.
But as much as we love our trusty balm, it can easily feel a little boring and kiddish—and pretty much reminiscent of our Lip Smackers days. Yet, during the time of year when the air is dry and seriously frigid, we feel forced to settle for unexciting moisturizing balms instead of bold, trendy lipsticks.
Lucky for us, it’s 2016 and we don’t really have to settle for anything. There are plenty of top-notch lip balm-stick hybrids on store shelves now that act both as a moisturizer as well as a tint. And if that isn’t good enough, there’s an option out there that will meet all of your desires to a T. Want a juicy bright hue? There’s a balm for that. Favour the matte look? There’s a balm for that too. Flip through the gallery for five standout tinted lip balms that seem like it was made just for you.
If you like a subtle lip colour A favourite among beauty editors everywhere, Dior’s Dior Addict Lip Glow merely enhances your own lip colour for a look that’s natural, but better. The formula includes mango butter and loofah extract, which work together to eradicate flakes and protect lips from the harshness of winter. It offers a glossy pink finish that makes lips look more full and radiant.
Dior Addict Lip Glow ($40, thebay.com)
If you’re into natural products Go for Josie Maran’s Argan Love Your Lips Hydrating Lipstick. It’s a total three-in-one product as it offers the shine of gloss, the pigment of lipstick, and the hydration and protection of balm. Like all Josie Maran products, the formula includes argan oil which helps to naturally repair lips and regain moisture. As for the tint, it’s completely buildable, so you can make the colour as subtle or bright as you wish.
Josie Maran Argan Love Your Lips Hydrating Lipstick ($26, sephora.ca)
If you like to keep things bright When bold, saturated lipsticks are your thing, Burberry’s Lip Glow Balm is an ideal winter-friendly option. Coming in three popsicle-bright hues (including orange poppy, pink peony, and plum), it’s formulated with a nourishing blend of oils and waxes, along with lavender, rosehip and tea extracts, which work together to soothe and heal dry lips.
Burberry Lip Glow Balm ($34, net-a-porter.com)
If you prefer a matte finish Typically, matte products can be drying, but Tarte’s LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint is the exception. This highly pigmented lip balm comes in a creamy formula that’s infused with vitamins C and E to nourish and soothe lips while delivering a velvety-matte finish. The colour is buildable, so for a subtle look, just apply one coat.
Tarte LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint ($29, ulta.com)
If you like a glossy look Lip glosses are a great way to add a glam factor to your look, but in the dry season, they don’t do much to restore moisture into your pout. Opt for a glossy balm instead, like Yves Saint Laurent’s Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color. It coats lips in a sheer veil of colour with a formula that’s rich in vitamins and antioxidant fruit extract. The best part? It’ll leave your lips feeling hydrated for up to eight hours, so you won’t need to be reaching for it as much as your cell phone.
Yves Saint Laurent Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color ($39, sephora.ca)
Renée Reardin is a writer and editor with 15 years of experience in the beauty, fashion, and wellness spaces. You'll also find her work on other Canadian publications like Elle Canada and The Globe and Mail, and American publications like InStyle and Glossy.
Fashion FWD:
The next best thing to being a fashion editor - BTS access to trends, products & news.