9 best hydrating lip balms that double as lip gloss
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If you’ve been on social media recently, you might have noticed that lip treatments are the trending beauty product of 2024. Somewhere between a lip gloss and a lip balm, these hybrid lip products do double duty as makeup and skin care. Summer Fridays and Hailey Bieber’s Rhode have been at the forefront of the trend, with their conditioning, gloss-like lip treatments being all the rage. Now, more and more brands are dropping their own innovative formulas that treat and hydrate your lips while leaving a high-shine, tinted finish too.
Here are our picks — vetted by myself and associate beauty editor Sophie Shaw — for the top lip balms that can double as your go-to lip gloss.
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm
If you're already a fan of Laneige's Lip Sleeping Mask, you won't want to sleep on the Lip Glowy Balm. The treatment is sheer and juicy right out of the tube. It feels light on the lips and comes in the brand's fan-favorite tasty flavors, including Berry, Sweet Candy, Gummy Bear and Vanilla.
$34 for a 3-pack with code CNNWOOT24 at Woot!
$18 at Amazon
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
Packed with shea and murumuru seed butters, Summer Fridays' viral Lip Butter Balm can be used as an overnight lip mask or as a gloss in your everyday lip combo. The Lip Butter Balm is my and Shaw's personal favorite — I even bought it in every color. The formula comfortably stays on my lips when I wear the Sweet Mint flavor as an overnight treatment and when using Vanilla Beige as a gloss during the day. It helps keep chapped lips at bay, and each flavor smells and tastes delicious without being overpowering.
Rhode Peptide Lip Tint
While I unfortunately haven’t gotten my hands on the viral phone case, I am a regular user of this buildable tinted lip balm that’s packed with hydrating ingredients like shea butter, cupuaçu and babassu. With sheer pigment and a high-shine finish, it’s available in four universally flattering shades, or you can opt for the original colorless Peptide Lip Treatment. My favorite way to wear it is over a darker lip liner for a night out, since the pigment is sheer enough to let it peek through once applied. This combo makes for the perfect natural lip for an effortless, understated look.
Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Hydrating Peptide Lip Treatment
If you want to blur fine lines on your lips and prefer a plumped look, Pout Preserve is the lip treatment for you. Infused with lip-specific peptides, kokum and mango seed butter, and cloudberry oil, this nourishing formula doubles as a thick tinted gloss. I came across this gem on TikTok, and ran straight to Sephora to add it to my ever-growing lip product collection. From my experience this treatment has a thick texture and a high-shine finish that needs minimal reapplications throughout the day. Shaw's favorite shade (and flavor) is the sheer pink Strawberry Sorbet.
Lanolips Tinted Lip Balm
With lanolin (a super emollient) as its main ingredient, this tinted lip treatment hydrates your lips all day long. The Tinted Lip Balm delivers light, wearable color for the perfect no-makeup makeup day. I have one of these in every purse because of how hydrating and quick it is to apply.
Tower 28 LipSoftie Hydrating Tinted Lip Treatment Balm
Tower 28’s new lip treatment balm comes in five shades and keeps your lips hydrated and nourished with shea butter, jojoba oil and lysine. It has more of a balmy finish, and can be patted into the lips for even less shine. It's similar to Summer Fridays' Lip Butter Balm in that way, and for $8 less, it's a great entry point into these lip treatments. Choose from unique flavors including Watermelon Kiwi, Dulce de Leche, Ube Vanilla and Blood Orange Vanilla.
Topicals Slick Salve Glossy Lip Balm
Replace your clear gloss with Topicals' Slick Salve that hydrates, soothes and protects dry, chapped lips all while adding a layer of shine. The balm’s hyaluronic acid and ceramide formulation contains anti-aging properties and works to protect the skin barrier. It has a thick consistency that'll stay on your lips.
Kosas Plump + Juicy Lip Booster Buttery Treatment
If your lips need a boost, Kosas' lip treatment restores hydration while plumping using ingredients like concentrated fatty acids, peptides and hyaluronic acid. The buttery-soft formula adds shine and instantly makes your lips appear fuller with one swipe.
Polite Society Polite Pout Lip Balm
Infused with hazelnut, peony, vitamin E and plant-based omega-9 oils, this glossy lip balm adds shine while locking in moisture. The pretty lip treatment goes on sheer and juicy. Choose from five different shades and scents: Pink Grapefruit, Coconut Cream, French Caramel, Strawberry Glaze and Bumbleberry.
Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.
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