The 9 Best Tinted Lip Balms for Lightweight Hydration and Easy-to-Apply Color

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22-05-2025

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The entire point of a tinted lip balm is casual color. These aren't the beauty products that you carefully apply with a well-lit makeup mirror, nor are they ones that demand a thorough lip scrub or a hydrating mask to glide on like butter. That's why the very best tinted lip balms — ones that deftly moisturize and lightly tint the lips — are the lip products that our WWD Shop editors will willingly sideline our go-to lipsticks and glosses to wear.
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We saw lip oils and hybrid products (think serum-textured potions like Rhode's Peptide Lip Treatments) trend in the past few years, however a recent report from Daash Intelligence points to lip balms as the formula du jour. And while the tinted lip balm category is aflush with new launches, our testing panel agrees that this is a segment of lip products where the classics really shine.
During 18 months of testing, products you may already know and love — think Burt's Bees' Pomegranate Lip Balm or Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey — beat out the majority of newer releases in their ability to hydrate the lips and impart a flattering tint that fades evenly.
Our extended testing period spanned all four seasons on the East Coast, plus trips overseas and long flights where parched lips are par for the course. Our testing panel paid close attention to all the finer details, ranging from functional packaging to inclusive shade ranges to nourishing ingredients, as well as how the color fades. Throughout the process, we evaluated a total of 52 tinted lip balms — these nine beat out the rest.
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$28
Buy Now at nordstrom
$28
Buy Now at Sephora
For a good tinted lip balm that enhances your lip color with a hefty dose of sheen, Nars' Afterglow Tinted Lip Balm is bar none. It's available in shades that range from bronze to vivid red, but the shimmery pink Orgasm tone won over our testers (and is the colorway of choice for A-listers like Meghan Markle and Emma Stone). Our testing panel was wowed by the texture of the formula, which errs on the firm side but slightly melts as you swipe it on the lips. This gives you great control when applying the balm, eliminating any messy excess product that warrants a mirror for touch ups. Ingredients like coconut oil and squalane help to condition lips for the duration you wear the product, and give it a good glide when you swipe it on. Price upon publish date of this article: $28
$9.99 for 4
Buy Now at Amazon
$4.49
Buy Now at cvs
There are a slew of new tinted lip balms that fall under the $10 price point, but our testers kept coming back to Burt's Bees when comparing drugstore offerings. We were most impressed by the balm's ability to both moisturize lips and lock in that hydration, resulting in long-lasting suppleness without frequent reapplication. As long as you can get behind a waxy texture that you find in classic balms (you may need a few swipes to warm up the product), we found that Burt's Bees' Pomegranate Lip Balm delivers a natural-looking tint that enhances your lips while softening them. The color payoff is on the subtle side compared to others we tested, but that also makes the plummy tint flattering on any skin tone. Price upon publish date of this article: $4.99
$32
Buy Now at lancome
It's rare to find a tinted lip balm that hydrates like an oil and gives the color payoff of a nude lipstick — but that's exactly the case with Lancome's Butterglow Balm. Squalane is the product's secret weapon, helping to create a silky texture while preventing moisture loss in your lips while you wear it. But it's the shade range that won over our panel of testers, earning high marks for its 14-strong lineup of colors that span barely-there pinks to rich chocolates.This top tinted lip balm (which often sells out online) is closer to a lipstick than it is a classic balm in its color payoff. Our testing panel loved the effect of it over lip liner — the product's buttery texture melds beautifully with liner for contoured, plumper-looking lips that stay hydrated for hours. To learn more, read our full Lancôme Butterglow Balm review.Price upon publish date of this article: $32
$16
Buy Now at glossier
A modern-day classic, Glossier's Balm Dotcom has amassed a loyal fan base — one that successfully petitioned the brand to revert to its OG formula after briefly reformulating it in 2023. Now the salve features lanolin and beeswax (two superstar occlusives that lock in your lips' moisture) and a shade range that continually expands with new core and limited-edition colorways. Many of our testers found that Glossier's Balm Dotcom delivered the longest-lasting moisture when compared to other tinted lip balms. Note that some of the more pigmented shades like Espresso and Black Cherry can apply slightly splotchy, however the built-in angled applicator allows you to blend it out quickly without using fingers or a makeup brush. Price upon publish date of this article: $16
$29
Buy Now at Violette_FR
$29
Buy Now at moda operandi
Created by makeup artist Violette Serrat, the Violette-Fr Bisou Balm is a great choice for completing a bare skin beauty look with a pop of color. Serrat's background in painting is evident through the shade range here, which goes beyond basic pinks and rose tones. Instead, you can pluck a spicy coral, warm honey, rich berry, or any of the other six shades — all of which read sophisticated. As for application, you can build up the balm for the effect of a great lipstick, or tap it on the lips and diffuse it out with your ring finger for a beautifully diffused effect. Price upon publish date of this article: $29
$42
Buy Now at nordstrom
YSL Beauty's Loveshine Lip Oil Stick is one very few hybrid lip products to earn a spot on this list. While the brand describes it as a lipstick-to-oil formula, our testers agree that it's best described as a tinted lip balm — and an excellent one at that. The product has loads of slip with a just-right amount of color payoff for casual application. A high-shine finish negates the need for lip gloss on top, and a subtle blurring effect is great for mature shoppers who may want to smooth out fine lines on the lips. Out of the 17 shades available, Nude Lavalliere (shown) is your best bet to order without testing the product; it's a soft nude pink that works well across cool to warm undertones. One sensitive-nosed tester found the product's fragrance as off-putting, but others enjoyed it as part of the balm's sensorial experience. Price upon publish date of this article: $42
$22
Buy Now at sephora
Most tinted lip balms with SPF feel like sunscreen. Ultra Violette's, on the other hand, is an A-plus tinted lip balm that just so happens to broad-spectrum SPF 50 in the formula. It has a thicker texture than most balms we tried (you'll need to squeeze the tube a good amount to get the product out), but that also contributes to the silky, hydrating feel it leaves in its wake. Choose from the ultra-popular shimmery pink Bejewelled shade (shown) or the caramel-toned Dusk. Our testers rated it as the best tinted lip balm with SPF — it doesn't crease, pill, or feel heavy on the lips. Price upon publish date of this article: $22
$25
Buy Now at nordstrom
$25
Buy Now at amazon
Clinique's Black Honey tinted lip balm is a cult classic for its flattering-for-all berry tone and buildable color payoff. Though it originally launched in 1971 and became a favorite in the '90s, the product's popularity has spiked with the TikTok generation, even causing it to sell out multiple times in the past three years. According to our product testers, one coat is ideal for adding oomph to your natural lip color, while two to three creates a richer berry effect. One tester called out its ability to make her teeth look whiter, too, courtesy of its cool undertones. Price upon publish date of this article: $25
$26
Buy Now at nordstrom
Fresh's Sugar Lip Balm earned top marks for texture during our extended testing period. One tester described it as having a 'velvety, lip-blurring' effect. To achieve this, the brand taps plant-based ingredients like beet root derivatives and upcycled cranberry seed oil that soften the lips instantly. The color payoff has mild intensity that starts sheer but can build up to a more opaque finish. The packaging is also of note: The cap securely clicks onto the base of the bullet to prevent the two from separating in your bag. For a natural lip look, we recommend the Petal shade (shown). Price upon publish date of this article: $26
A total of 52 tinted lip balms were tested by our team of editors and panelists over an 18-month period for this guide to the best tinted lip balms. Our process combined real-world wear tests with close ingredient analysis and shade comparisons to determine which formulas were worth recommending. Some balms were sent to us for review, while others were independently purchased to ensure a broad and unbiased sampling of popular and under-the-radar options.
To make our final selections, we conducted multiple rounds of testing that considered a range of tester experiences. Our panel included men and women of varying skin tones, lip sizes, and hydration needs — from those with consistently dry, flaky lips to those simply looking to replace a lip gloss or lipstick with something lower maintenance. We paid close attention to how each balm performed in everyday settings: at work, during travel, in hot and cold weather, and even worn with other lip products like liner or gloss.
Our top picks emerged after rigorous comparisons across three core categories: hydration level, shade range, and overall value. We believe a great tinted balm should deliver visible moisture, flatter a wide range of skin tones, and offer real payoff for the price.
Below are the criteria our panel of testers considered when evaluating tinted lip balm formulas:
Hydration Level: Above all else, a tinted balm should nourish lips and prevent dryness. We evaluated each formula based on its ability to lock in moisture over time, resist flaking, and improve the overall softness of the lips. We also noted whether formulas provided an immediate soothing effect and whether hydration held up after meals, drinks, and environmental exposure.
Shade Range: While not every balm needs to come in 20+ colors, we prioritized brands that offered inclusive, versatile tints suited for a range of undertones. We paid special attention to how shades translated from the tube to the lips, tested layering potential, and looked for a natural, wearable finish across a spectrum of skin tones.
Value: We compared each balm's price point to its ingredient quality, wear time, packaging durability, and overall performance. Inexpensive doesn't always mean cheap—and we found that some of the best-performing tinted balms came in budget-friendly tubes. At the same time, several higher-priced options earned their place on our list thanks to thoughtful formulation details, like sustainably sourced or upcycled ingredients, elegant and functional packaging, and luxurious textures that elevated the user experience. Conversely, any balm that under-delivered, regardless of cost, didn't make the cut.
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Claire Sullivan is a contributing writer for WWD and Footwear News, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion, and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She's tested hundreds of products during her time as an editor, so she's well-versed in selecting the products that make a meaningful difference in your skin and hair. Sullivan contributed to product testing and wrote this article on the best tinted lip balms to buy in 2025.