Shopping·9 min read

13 Lip Balms, Scrubs, and Masks for Your Softest Lips Ever

8 Lip Balms, Scrubs, and Masks for Your Softest Lips Ever
Design: theSkimm | Image: Laneige, Fresh
July 31, 2023

This post was originally published in April 2022 and has been updated.

Products you buy through our links may earn us a commission. Oh, and if something's out of stock, oops, it was there (and all prices were accurate) at time of publication.

Flaky, dry lips are a drag. But soft lips aren’t always easy to maintain, especially if you’re not using the right products. So we’ve rounded up some of our favorite items for keeping your lips healthy and hydrated. Like an overnight mask, all-natural scrub, and SPF balm that’ll protect your lips all season long.

Lip balm overnight mask
Amazon

A cult-fave sleeping lip mask that smells ridiculously good…

And will leave your lips feeling hydrated in the morning. Skimm HQ'rs love — and we mean love — this famous Laneige overnight lip mask. Apply a generous layer over your lips before bed and let the vitamin C and antioxidants work their magic. This one comes in five different scents and includes an applicator to help keep your fingers clean. Plus, you can wear it during the day for a glossy, healthy look. Your obsession will be real, promise. ($24+, Amazon)

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Lip scrub
Amazon

A vegan lip scrub you can use to slough away dead skin…

It’s made with Hawaiian cane sugar for exfoliation, kukui oil for hydration, and shea butter to lock in moisture. Simply take a pea-sized amount and massage it onto your dry lips, let it sit, and then wipe away. Bonus: All ingredients are natural, vegan, and cruelty-free. Pucker up. ($15.99+, Amazon)

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Lip primer
Ulta

A lip primer to prep your pout for your matte-est lipsticks…

Because nothing’s worse than a flaky matte lip. Before you put on your lipstick, apply this primer so it’ll go on smoothly. It’s a color-free base that’ll leave those little lip lines filled in, moisturized, and smooth. This formula is free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and sulfates, and it’s been dermatologist tested. New makeup bag staple? We think so. ($23, Ulta)

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SPF lip balm
Amazon

An SPF lip balm meant for all-season wear…

Sun protection is important all year round — and your lips need it, too. This all-weather lip balm has SPF 15 and it's water-resistant, so whether you’re hitting the ski slopes or escaping to a tropical vacation, this’ll keep your lips protected and hydrated. Win-win. ($8.13/2-pack, Amazon)

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Lip balm
Fresh

A lip balm that’s designed to provide hydration for up to 24 hours…

It comes in 12 different shades with sheer-to-buildable color, including one non-tinted option. This HQ’r-fave balm glides on seriously smoothly — it’s infused with sugar and plant-based oils, like grapeseed oil to smooth and soften, and cranberry oil to protect your lip barrier. Your new obsession, coming right up. Psst…We love Fresh’s lip exfoliator, too. ($25, Fresh)

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Lip balm
Jones Road

A practical chapstick with no tint…

Lock in moisture for hours with this hardworking balm. It’s packed with rich plant-based oils like castor oil, cocoa butter, and avocado oil, and comes in the brand's signature fresh orange and lavender scent. ($18, Jones Road)

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Cerave Lip balm
Amazon

Healing ointment for dry and cracked lips…

You might think this healing balm is just meant for your face and skin, but derms recommend it for super dry and chapped lips as well. It’s got petroleum, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid that revive and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, and it’s non-comedogenic. Sweet relief, coming through. ($10.99, Amazon)

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Lip balm
Ulta

An ultra-hydrating balm designed to leave your lips feeling plumped…

Use it before bed as a mask or during the day for an ultra-glossy shine. It comes in five nude and pink shades and is paraben- and cruelty-free. Avocado oil nourishes and shea butter hydrates for cushiony-soft lips in no time. Yes, please. ($26, Ulta)

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Lip mask
Sephora

An HQ’r favorite lip mask that’ll replace your gloss…

That’s right — another lip mask we can’t recommend enough. It’s super hydrating, ultra glossy, and smells great — all without that sticky residue. It leaves your lips looking plumper and feeling healthier thanks to its satiny texture…the high shine is just the cherry on top. ($29, Sephora)

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Jelly lip
Sephora

A jelly lip gloss that protects and shines…

We recently snagged the XOXO sheer pink shade of this buzzy lip gloss and we can't get enough. It goes on slightly sheer and builds in color right before your eyes. It’s super glossy without being gloopy, and we love the applicator that gives you the perfect amount of product each time. Protective antioxidants and nourishing oils in the formula are just an added bonus. ($16, Sephora)

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Lightweight gloss
Ulta

A super lightweight gloss that smells fab…

This one comes in nine different colors, ranging from nudes to pinks to shimmers. It swipes on easily, lasts for hours, and leaves your lips super hydrated, even though it has a “barely there” feel. One HQ’r superfan says it smells and tastes like watermelon gummy candy, and swears by the Cherry Blossom shade. ($10, Ulta)

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kosas lip balm
Amazon

A perfect everyday balm…

If you’re looking for a balm that hydrates, firms, and smooths (aka does it all), you’ve found it. This one from Kosas comes in four different shades (including a colorless option) and uses ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to keep your lips soft and protected. ($18, Amazon)

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Lip balm
Kinfield

A rescue balm for lips in need…

This vegan balm is the holy grail for wind protection. It has a thick formula and clean ingredients (it’s sulfate-, paraben-, and phthalate-free, and never tested on animals). Get ready to bring those chapped lips back to life. ($16, Kinfield)

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