Our lips are one of the most delicate parts of our body and can suffer from dryness, meaning a good lip balm full of nourishing ingredients is an essential bit of kit. After all, although we naturally associate chapped lips with winter, they can actually be a problem through the year. So, to help you find the best natural lip balms for you, we’ve drafted in the experts to share more about what lip balms actually do and the formulations to look for. Plus we’ve also highlighted our top picks, all tried and tested…
How do lip balms work? First things first, what actually are lip balms and how do they work? “Lip balms work by creating a protective barrier on your lips that locks in moisture, preventing and healing dryness or cracking,” explains natural beauty expert Karen MacDonald, who’s also the founder of Blomma Beauty . “This is especially helpful in harsher weather conditions, or when lips are exposed to drying elements like central heating, wind or sun.”
What makes natural lip balms better than traditional lip balms? Here are Natural Health , we’ve long been championing the importance of opting for natural and organic ingredients whenever possible when buying skincare, and it’s no different when looking for items for your lips.
“Natural lip balms are free from synthetic chemicals and artificial fragrances that can irritate or dry out the skin,” says Karen. “They use plant-based ingredients like beeswax, shea butter and essential oils, which nourish and hydrate the lips naturally, offering a gentler and healthier alternative.”
What are the natural ingredients to look for if you’re suffering from dry lips? Are your lips particularly dry and sore at the moment? We hear you! Luckily, finding a good lip balm really can help, and some formulations in particular can be especially useful. Karen recommends looking for nourishing ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and vitamin E. “These ingredients are rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, which help not only to deeply hydrate, but also to repair dry, cracked lips,” she explains. “Essential oils like lavender or peppermint can also provide soothing relief.”
Why is it useful to buy lip balms with SPF? We’re used to hearing about multi-tasking beauty products, and lip balms can have multiple uses too – most notably protection against the sun.
“Lip balms with SPF protect your lips from the harmful effects of UV rays, which can cause sunburn and long-term damage. Lips are often overlooked when applying sunscreen, but they’re especially vulnerable to sun damage, making SPF lip balms an essential part of lip care,” says Karen.
Can you make your own natural lip balm? Yes! There are some great recipes online using ingredients such as coconut oil, honey and essential oils. You can even make your own lip scrub too. Just remember to only follow recipes that come from reputable, trusted sites and follow the steps carefully, using good quality and safe ingredients.
The best natural lip balms to try today
Give your lips a treat with one of our top buys…
English Mineral Make-up Lip Massive Moisture Drench
£28, englishmineralmakeup.co.uk
Natural Health Beauty Awards 2024 , this organic and vegan lip moisturiser is a standout. It’s packed full of nourishing ingredient such as shea butter, calendula oil and rosehip oil and is wonderful at soothing sore, split lips. We also love that you can choose between an original colour-free version, or opt for a tinted colour version. On trying it, Natural Health judge and renowned make-up artist Caroline Barnes said it has: “a beautiful texture and pinky hue that subtly flatters the lips,” adding: “I quickly became very addicted!”
Beauty Kitchen’s Natruline Natural
£3.50, beautykitchen.co.uk
Another Gold award winner in the 2024 awards, this lip balm seriously impressed Caroline. “I love that this looks like traditional Vaseline but it’s so much better,” she said. “No petroleum, just hydrating goodness wrapped up in a lovely balmy texture and it’s an absolute bargain too!” The key ingredient here is beeswax and it’s suitable for even the driest and most sensitive of lips.
Athletia Lip Oil Essence
£18, athletia-beauty.co.uk
Featuring powerhouse natural ingredients such as botanical oils and hyaluronic acid, this brilliant lip oil keeps lips moisturised for hours. This was another Gold winner in our 2024 Natural Health Beauty Awards, with judge Caroline saying: “I really adored the texture of this. It lasted well on my lips and left them feeling soft, with no need to continually apply.” We also love the natural fragrance of this one, which showcases the sweet scent of eucalyptus and juniper berries.
Nakin Lip Treatment Balm
£12, nakinskincare.com
Scooping a Silver award in the Natural Health Beauty Awards 2024, this multitasking lip balm not only helps to soothe and moisturise but also to plump and diminish lines. It features an active complex of shea, mint, argan and baobab oil to aid hydration and lock in moisture and also includes beeswax to help heal cracked lips. We love the way our lips feel soft and velvety after using.
Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
£4.69, boots.com
This handbag-friendly lip balm is a great natural and affordable option to soothe dry lips. With its nourishing and hydrating formula it softens and moisturises effectively and has a rich, buttery and non-greasy texture. We also like the fact it has a hint of peppermint oil included, which adds a refreshing tingle to application!
Skin Food Lip Balm
£7.75, weleda.co.uk
Neve’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
£6.50, blommabeauty.com
