Our Editors Are Obsessed With This Lip Balm — and It's Only $4 Right Now

Your lips are unlike any other skin on your body. For starters, they don’t produce the natural oils that keep the rest of your skin supple, and while the rest of your body has 15 to 16 protective layers, your mouth has only three to four, says GH Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D.

"Lips are primed to be chapped," says Dendy Engelman, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Manhattan. "They are in daily contact with saliva that contains alpha-amylase, a digestive enzyme that can break down skin, and are always exposed to the elements, so lips take a beating from the sun, the cold weather, wind and heat." Translation: They're especially prone to dryness, flaking, chapping and cracking. But the good news is that a great lip balm can help.

That's why the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab tested 175 lip treatments from more than 70 brands: To find the best balms that help to replenish much-needed moisture and seal it in. Hydrating, tinted, wallet-friendly, balms with SPF — we've got 'em all on this list. These are the best lip balms on the market, with picks sourced from extensive Lab testing, plus the pro picks our Beauty Lab experts reach for every single day.

Our top picks:

Scroll to the bottom of this article for more information on how we test lip balms in the GH Beauty Lab, plus what to look for when you're shopping for a good lip balm. Want more tips for hydrated skin? Check out the best moisturizers for dry skin and learn what's causing your dry skin.