Choosing the perfect lip balm for your pout is an entirely personal endeavor. Do you prefer a slick gloss or a sticky one? Tinted? Scented or nonscented? Is the inclusion of SPF a nonnegotiable? Depending on the person you’re asking, the answers may vary. Below, we tapped W magazine’s editors and contributors to put forth their choices for the best lip balms, glosses, and treatments they’ve ever used. You’ll surely find an option that fits your preferences, whether you’re looking for a luxe option or a drugstore mainstay.
Simply the best, in any season. Out of all the lip balms I have tried in my lifetime (a lot), it’s the most nourishing, smooth, and longest-lasting one. Simply put: It works, and it isn’t full of frills. The balm provides hydration to my lips with no fuss. —Maxine Wally, Senior Digital Editor
I love a fancy-shmancy lip balm as much as the next person, but I’ve yet to find something that I pull out more often than Aquaphor’s repair stick. It is lightweight, has no major fragrance and, best of all, features SPF. —Matthew Velasco, News Writer
When I’m dehydrated or in a colder climate and notice my lips becoming chapped, I do three things: Drink more water with electrolytes, take vitamin E supplements, and layer on the La Mer balm, day and night. In the evenings, I’ll apply a thicker layer before bed and use a clean toothbrush to gently slough off any dead skin. Then I wipe the balm off with a tissue and leave the residue on my lips to be absorbed while I sleep. This routine gets my lips back to normal. I don’t use it every day, mind you, only in winter and summer when my lips tend to get extra-dry. —Maryam Lieberman, Contributing Beauty Editor
This is one of my favorites because it’s substantial. (If that’s not your thing, you might consider Rhode’s range of regular Peptide Lip products.) The Lip Boost is so thick, it even requires added muscle when squeezing it out of the bottle. There is a tingle here as well; be forewarned. But it stays in place and doesn’t have a scent, which I adore. —M.W.
This is a sheer lipstick, lip balm, and lip tint all in one. What’s not to love? —Allia Alliata, Style Director
For years, I struggled to find a balm that was rich and nourishing enough to soothe my cracked, parched lips. Once I discovered Eadem’s exfoliating Le Chouchou lip mask, the search was over. The product is thick, glossy without being sticky, and incredibly hydrating—perfect for winter but also great for year-round use if you have dry skin like I do. —Ashley Simpson, Contributing Writer
This is, hands down, my favorite nighttime lip treatment. Tatcha’s Kissu is sumptuous and moisturizing and truly works. To be honest, I use it during the day too. It’s that good! —M.W.
This product is perfect for hydration and shine, and it’s great for everyday wear to keep your lips glossy and healthy. It works as both lip care and as makeup, and I personally love the silicone applicator. —Kayla Perno, Fashion & Accessories Assistant
I put this on first thing in the morning and right before I go to bed. It’s my constant go-to for keeping my lips hydrated and smooth. —A.A.
At first sight, I loved the cool, funky shape of the packaging on Sulwhasoo’s Glowing Lip Balm. But after my first use, I was hooked on the product itself. The perfect, smooth consistency and uncloying scent (along with the 24-hour hydration it provides) makes this my favorite lip treatment. —Oona Wally, Associate Visuals Director
Celine Beauté just launched a new collection of tinted matte lip balms, and we’re already obsessed. The line is an extension of the Le Rouge Celine lipstick collection launched in 2024—but this time, the French brand has taken things one step further, creating eight shades with buildable color, plus a refillable case. —Jade Vallario, Accessories Editor
I first heard about Rosebud Salve from Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen, who identified it as their favorite lip balm in an interview many years ago. I was in middle school at the time and immediately hit the drugstore to purchase it. Decades later and it’s still a go-to that works like a superstrong Vaseline to protect my lips. Sometimes I’ll put it on my knuckles during winter, when my skin gets very dry. —M.W.
While technically a matte lipstick, Parisian makeup artist Violette Serrat’s sheer balm sticks are perhaps the best tinted lip product I’ve tried. The texture is heavenly, the buildable hues are natural—never too much—and ingredients like lapacho-tree extract help reduce fine lines. —A.S.
The Korean fragrance and lifestyle brand Nonfiction has been around since 2019—but 2026 has proved a pivotal year for the brand founded by creative director Haeyoung Cha. Earlier this month, Nonfiction opened its very first U.S. store—and the first outside of Asia—on New York City’s Lower East Side. At 38 Orchard Street, you’ll find the Charlap Hyman & Herrero–designed space, which features limewashed walls and oxblood-tiled floors. After a stroll through the art-filled boutique, I went home with this incredible lip product, which enriches with plant-based ingredients to provide extra nourishment, hydration, and elasticity. The honey flavor isn’t too overpowering, either—it’s balanced out by lemon, grapefruit, and nectarine. —M.W.
This is the perfect ultra-lightweight hydrating gloss. It’s filled with green pea peptides, upcycled raspberry extract, and shea butter, all sourced from a farm in Sicily. As a bonus, it also tastes amazing. —A.S.
I always come back to my trusty C.O. Bigelow shea butter lip balm, which I’ve been using since my best friend introduced me to it in seventh grade. It’s been around for at least two decades and for good reason. No. 303 is moisturizing, shiny, and sleek without being too sticky, and best of all, it smells delicious—even without any artificial fragrance or colorants. (It’s also not tested on animals.) More to love: the slanted-tip applicator, the soft matte feel of the bottle itself, and the fact that it can be worn both under and over lipstick. —Claire Valentine McCartney
K-beauty has always been a step ahead, and Sulwhasoo’s wrinkle-targeting tinted lip balm is no exception. It’s luminous, velvety on application, and packed with collagen and other fine-line-smoothing ingredients. The sinuous sculptural case makes it a product you can leave on display. —A.S.
