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Best lip balms 2025: tried and tested for dry lips
A good lip balm should restore moisture, and protect from the elements and other factors that dehydrate your lips, by creating a protective barrier and locking in moisture.
Unlike skin on your hands or the rest of your face, lips don't have sebum or glands to keep them moisturised. Constant licking, as well as wind and sun exposure, also contribute to your lips feeling dry and rough, which is where lip balms come in.
Our panel of men and women blind-tested 10 lip balms from popular brands such as Nivea, Summer Fridays, Vaseline and more. There was no avoiding slight contradictions, mainly around texture, scent and flavour, but the panel had no issues identifying and highlighting the products that truly made a difference. They also noted the lip balms they perceived as only creating a surface barrier, rather than absorbing and hydrating.
Our tests uncovered two Best Buy lip balms that were praised by the panel for being easy to work into the lips, as well as hydrating instantly and providing long-term relief. We also found two Great Value alternatives that gave a premium feel without the premium price.
How our tests find you the best
We've tested 10 lip balms
This includes big brands and popular products at different prices to help you find the best balance between value and performance.
Dryness relief and longevity
Our panellists rated how hydrated and soothed their lips felt right after applying the balm, and whether their lips still felt moisturised hours later.
Absorption
A lip balm should do its job quickly and without leaving annoying waxy residue. We'll tell you how quickly each lip balm will absorb or settle into your lips.
We also test...
how the lips felt once the balm had absorbed, how easily the balm spread across the lips, how noticeable the scent and taste were, and more.
The lip balms we tested
Only logged-in Which? members can view the hand cream test results below.
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| Lip balm | Price | Score | Dryness relief | Absorption | Longevity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableDigital £8.99 per month, cancel any time. Already a member? Log in | 80% | ||||
| 80% | |||||
| 71% | |||||
| 70% | |||||
| 70% | |||||
| 69% | |||||
| 65% | |||||
| 63% | |||||
| 53% | |||||
| 51% |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableDigital £8.99 per month, cancel any time.
Already a member? Log in
Date tested: September 2025. Page last checked: November 2025. We're not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
Blistex Med Plus Lip Balm
Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
Carmex Original Tube
Need to know 10g tube
Dr. PawPaw Original Balm
Need to know 4.8g tube
Glossier Balm Dotcom Original Fragrance-free
Need to know 15ml tube
Dry and uncomfortable hands? See our hand cream reviews to find one that moisturises well without leaving any residue
Hello Sunday The One For Your Lips Lipbalm SPF 50
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Lip Care
Nivea Original Care Lip Balm
O’Keeffe's Lip Repair Unscented Lip Balm
Need to know 4.2g stick
Vaseline Lip Therapy Original
Need to know 20g pot
How we test lip balms
We buy the bestselling and most searched-for lip balms from UK retailers. We buy every lip balm we test – no freebies from manufacturers – meaning our reviews are honest and unbiased.
The lip balms were tested by a panel of 10 men and women over the course of four weeks. Each lip balm was tested for the following:
- Dryness relief - We asked the panel to tell us how well the lip balm relieved dryness immediately.
- Absorption - How well panellists thought the balm was absorbed into the lips and whether there was any residue left behind after application.
- Longevity - How their lips felt once the balm had fully absorbed or settled, and how long that effect lasted for.
- Ease of application - How easy the panel found it to apply, and what they thought about the balm's texture and spreadability.
- Scent and taste - We asked whether there was any fragrance or flavour, and how noticeable and pleasant it was.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent
How does Vaseline Lip Therapy Original compare with Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly?
We wanted to see how Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly compared with Vaseline's dedicated Lip Therapy lip balm, so we included it in our tests. Our panellists found it quite messy to use, and many criticised the huge size of the pot.
It scored lower than Vaseline Lip Therapy Original, with many saying it felt sticky and heavy, and that it just provided a thick surface layer with no real hydration benefits. Some even said it made their lips feel drier.
So, if you're considering whether to stock up with a big tub of Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly to moisturise your lips, we'd recommend going for one of our Best Buy or Great Value lip balms instead. A product designed and intended for the lips will always do a better job than a general-purpose product such as petroleum jelly.
Your lip balm questions answered by an expert
Dr Angela Tewari, a consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, answers the most searched-for lip balm questions.
How often should you apply lip balm for best results?
First of all, if you’re suffering from angular cheilitis (cracked, irritated skin at the corners of your mouth) or a lip dermatitis (eczema), then it’s important that you seek help from a medical specialist.
In general, I would apply lip balm every time you feel that you need it. There are no sebaceous gland appendages and no natural oils produced, which makes lips more susceptible to drying out.
Can using lip balm too often make your lips drier?
In some instances, when you’re applying lip balm regularly, you’re probably also licking your lips and perhaps licking the lip balm off.
The alkaline in your saliva will disrupt the already fragile skin barrier, causing a worsening of the dry skin on the lips. That’s why I prefer a lip balm without a flavour, so there's no incentive to lick my lips.
What ingredients should you look for in a lip balm?
I like a lanolin-based barrier ointment in a lip balm. Studies show you’re most likely to get an allergic contact dermatitis to castor oil, benzophenone-3 (sunscreens) and colophony.
As well as lanolin, I like ceramides, dimethicone and shea butter in my lip balms. Petrolatum can be helpful as a barrier against environmental stresses.
Are there any ingredients you should avoid in lip balms?
I would avoid fragrance and be mindful of mint (menthol) and camphor, which can be cooling, but some will find that they irritate their skin.
Generally speaking, do natural or organic lip balms work as well as regular ones?
Many natural ingredients in lip balms like beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil are excellent, but so are more regular ones such as dimethicone and paraffin.
If you're prone to allergies, I'd go for the regular ones, which act as an effective barrier and are less likely to irritate the skin.
Should you use a lip balm with SPF?
Yes, if you’re going skiing or planning a holiday in the sunshine I would use a lip balm that has SPF protection. Ideally SPF50 if it's very sunny weather.
Is there anything to be aware of before buying a lip balm?
I've seen allergies to lip balms containing lanolin and also certain to products. My advice is if a lip balm causes any redness or discomfort, then to stop using it.
Also make sure not to leave your lip balm in direct sunlight, as the oils can oxidise in the heat.