The Best Tinted Lip Balms for Everyday Use

Monika Blunder's GH Beauty Award-winning lip color comes with added benefits thanks to included hyaluronic acid and nourishing plant oils like safflower, orange, avocado and apricot. It comes in three juicy hues that Beauty Lab testers loved: They gave it the highest overall score and perfect ratings for not dehydrating or irritating lips. "Its lovely sheen brings youthfulness to lips," Wizemann reports. Online reviewers wish it were offered in a larger tube.

The classic lip balm brand gets an update with this tinted version featuring natural plant oils, butters and waxes. Beauty Lab pros said this balm is a "nice, nurturing formula that imparts low sheen and color and immediate softness to lips." One evaluator especially loved its "subtle grapefruit flavor." While the testers agreed that the pink tint was bright, one did find the color to be a bit too intense.

Earning near perfect scores in Lab testing of lip crayons, Revlon's tinted balm was rated highly by testers across several categories. Testers agreed it was the best at moisturizing and not drying lips, felt great on lips, delivered a glossy finish and provided a desired amount of color. Plus, they found it easy to use thanks to a twist-up design that doesn't require a sharpener. "I really loved the feel of this product," one tester shared. "It was soft and smooth feeling." However, a few testers mentioned that they did not think this crayon lasted on their lips all day.

Lips, just like the rest of your skin, need sunscreen. Classic lip balm brand Burt's Bees adds SPF and color to this iteration for added lip protection. It features mineral sun protection in the form of zinc oxide, which Beauty Director April Franzino loves. She adds that this Sienna Rose shade "imparts a flattering dusty rose color to lips that gives a just-right boost." Many online reviewers are split on the coconut taste and scent of this product, with some loving it and some not.

Widely loved by consumers and editors alike, many will agree that as high as the price tag is on this Dior lip balm, it's worth it. It delivers "the perfect dewy, sheer look with a touch of color that lingers on lips," says Franzino. Though it's offered in a wide shade range, the sheerness of the formula means that "it's sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the colors when you apply them," she adds. Think of this as "your lips but better," as one of our editors puts it; it leaves her lips feeling soft and smooth, perfect for a "no-makeup makeup" day.

At just around $4, Maybelline's iconic tinted lip balm is a well-priced buy. Franzino loves this cherry-tinted formula "that perks your face up and goes on super smooth," she says. The supple formula hydrates and protects lips; according to the brand's own study, 88 percent of testers experienced smoother lips after one week of use. However, note that the plastic packaging isn't very sturdy.

A favorite amongst the GH Beauty team, this tinted balm can be used on lips and cheeks for a lightweight wash of color. Offered in three shades, each offer a natural finish with a barely-there hint of color. "It feels like nothing on but leaves a little tint behind," says Franzino.

Wizemann adds that it has "good hydration and staying power, and the best part for me is that it's not messy and doesn't put up a struggle to squeeze it out." However, one tester felt that it felt was "hard to maneuver for lip application and acted more like a blush that you can apply to lips."

Popping up all over social media lately, this Summer Fridays lip balm is trending for good reason. It comes in a variety of shades and flavors, including Vanilla Beige, one GH editor's favorite. "Many lip balms that claim to hydrate and soothe usually don't work on my often dry lips," she says, but thanks to ingredients like shea butter, this one does. "I tried this one and it's everything I could want in a lip balm, from its nourishing feel to incredible vanilla flavor and sheer brown tint." She's been wearing it instead of lip gloss lately to keep her lips hydrated and made up at the same time. Online reviewers love this product as well, but some note that the pink option doesn't deliver enough color on lips.

Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment was recommended by almost all of our Beauty Lab experts. "The Sugar Honey flavor has been one of my favorite lip products for almost a decade," one of our editors shares. "It feels so buttery on my lips and is super buildable depending on how much coverage I want." Franzino adds that she loves the Sugar Berry and Sugar Honey options as well, "especially for their shade range, just-right color, lemony scent and cushiony feel, though they sometimes can get a little goopy when applied."

Featuring just three ingredients, this simple yet effective powerhouse lip balm is approved by Beauty Lab pros. "We loved the simplicity of this formula," says GH Beauty Lab Executive Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. It includes "petrolatum, the go-to occlusive in skincare, shea butter, a proven moisturizer, and tocopheryl acetate, a form of vitamin E as an antioxidant to ensure stability of the formula," she adds. Franzino especially loves this Rosy Lips shade that has a "pretty, medium pink tint." The small tin is great for on-the-go and travel, and due to its more solid form, you won't have to worry about leaks; but if you have long nails or acrylics, it can be difficult to open.

If you want a lip balm that also acts like a lip gloss, this is the product for you. This unique "gloss-balm" delivers high-impact shine that also hydrates and plumps lips, making it a great multitasker. "I have this in several shades," one of our editors shares. "I love how buildable it is; I can wear it for any occasion, from the office to a dinner. It looks just like a lip gloss when I apply it, but the balm part of it makes my lips feel hydrated and soft but never sticky." She does note that it can be a bit runny and makes the packaging a little messy.

GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek's "favorite shade of lipstick ever" is Nars Dolce Vita, so she was ecstatic to try the lip balm version. "It did not disappoint," she raves. "It is a sheerer and glossier version of the lipstick and is a beautiful dusty rose that is extremely wearable on lips for everyday." She loves that it gives her lips some color, and it "also applies easily and leaves my lips feeling hydrated," she adds. However, some online reviewers disagree, sharing that they feel it leaves their lips dry.

A worth-it splurge, Chantecaille's tinted balm delivers "the perfect amount of color for when I'm not wearing a ton of makeup," one of our editors shares. Like many other Chantecaille products, it's infused with rose; in this product, the rose comes in the form of hydrating rose oil. You can use this one either on its own or on top of lipstick for added shine, depth and moisturization.

Earning a perfect score for providing enough color on lips, this Clinique lip balm impressed our testers. They especially loved the vibrant, pigmented color, and the product also earned the highest score in testing for not feathering or bleeding. Testers also agreed that they didn't have to re-apply very often. One shared that they "liked the vibrancy of the color" and another said that it gives "perfect coverage." Other testers noted how hydrating it felt: "I really liked how it made my lips feel," one said. "It was moisturizing and my lips felt healthier when I used it. Plus it was pretty long-lasting." The twist-up crayon design doesn't require a sharpener, but some say that the tip breaks off easily.