15 Best Lip Balms With SPF in 2021 for a Moisturized and Protected Pout
Your lips are more susceptible to the sun than you think.

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By now, you probably know that it's important to slather your face and body in SPF before you go outside, but what about your lips? You likely have a favorite lip balm that you reach for whenever your lips are feeling cracked or parched, but it may or may not contain SPF. If you're going to be exposed to UV rays at all, it might be a good idea to consider adding a lip balm with SPF to your beauty repertoire (you can even wear it under or over your favorite lipstick).
Though you may not think about it, your lips are actually hypersensitive to the sun's harmful rays. "It is very important to wear SPF on your lips because the UV rays can speed up the aging process by increasing collagen and elastin damage," says DiAnne Davis, M.D., F.A.A.D., a dermatologist in Dallas, Texas. "The skin on the lips is very thin and has very little melanin, so there is not much protection from the damaging UV rays on the lips. Not wearing SPF will not only lead to lip wrinkles, but also precancerous lesions called actinic keratosis, or even skin cancer."
What should you look for in lip balms with SPF?
- Choose hydrating ingredients. Dr. Davis recommends looking for a lip balm containing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin or occlusives like shea butter and petrolatum. These ingredients help draw moisture into the skin to keep your lips hydrated throughout the day, according to Dr. Davis.
- Look at the SPF number. "Your lip balm should be SPF 15 or higher," she says.
- Be weary of ingredients. Lips can be more sensitive than other areas of the body, so opt out of heavy fragrances or long ingredient lists if you know that your skin falls on the easily irritated side.
While the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has never tested lip balms with SPF specifically, the Lab has tested 175 lip treatments from more than 70 brands, some of which contain SPF. Below, based on dermatologist recommendations, Beauty Lab input and editor favorites, find the best mineral and chemical lip balms with SPF, guaranteed to protect and heal your delicate lip area.

Katie Berohn is the Beauty Assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day and Prevention magazines, all part of the Hearst Lifestyle Group. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a major in journalism and minor in technology, arts, and media, and earned her Master’s Degree at NYU’s Graduate Program of Magazine Journalism. In addition, Katie has held editorial internships at Denver Life Magazine, Yoga Journal, and Cosmopolitan, a digital editorial internship at New York Magazine’s The Cut, a social good fellowship at Mashable, and has freelanced for HelloGiggles. When she’s not obsessing over the latest skincare launch or continuing her endless search for the perfect shade of red nail polish, Katie can be found in a hot yoga class, trying everything on the menu at New York’s newest restaurant, or hanging out at a trendy wine bar with her friends.


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