Just a hint of color can make all the difference to brighten your look up. I’m a big fan of just a slight shade of pink or red, especially if I’ve got a bold eye. Here are seven fan favorites to give that pout just a touch of color to celebrate National Kissing Day.
Balm Dotcom | $12 | Glossier
From its 3200 reviews, the average person can understand why Glosser’s The Balm Dotcom lip balm is a cult favorite. Made with moisturizing castor oil, beeswax, and lanolin, it’ll prevent your lips from being chapped while acting as a cute base layer from all the elements. You can choose between eight different flavors and four tints that will be subtle but fashionable. Who can argue with that?
Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lip Balm | $10 | Amazon
The question is...who doesn’t love Burt’s Bees? They always come through with the moisture, but the tinted version really elevates itself. It swapped out the peppermint for shea butter that’ll lock in moisture, as well as botanical wax and coconut oil that’ll glide smoothly without all the stickiness you may be used to with lip glosses. Not to mention it tastes good. It gives the right amount of color that you can see but won’t ever get into the lipstick lane, which is what you wanted anyway, right?
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment | $24 | Ulta
Yes, this lip balm is pretty pricey, but with 1,200 reviews on Ulta and 94% of them being overwhelmingly positive, I’d say it’s worth the $24. Made literally with sugar to help with moisture, along with meadowfoam, black currant seed oil, and grapeseed oil to smooth and soften, your lips will be hydrated all day long. Plus, it comes in 6 shades to choose from and has added SPF 15, because yes, you should also protect your lips from the sun.
E.l.f. Cosmetics Ride or Die Lip Balm | $5 | Ulta Beauty
E.l.f Cosmetics is that girl for giving us beauty on a budget consistently. Infused with jojoba oil and vegan collagen, its Ride or Die Lip Balm repairs dry lips and adds a sheer amount of color that makes it look like you tried when you really, really didn’t.
Cream Rouge | $20 | Besame Cosmetics
Calling all vintage babes! A little goes a long way with Besame’s Cream Rouge. These three shades are recreations of popular hues from 1938. With almost 250 five-star reviews, these little tins have made retro gals very happy. This is a concentrated color that can be used on the lips and cheeks as they used to do in yesteryear. Just s simple swipe on either instantly brightens the face of all dames and dolls. Plus, it all comes in a beautiful reusable tine. If you aren’t familiar with Besame, they are run by a fantastic Latina, and everything is cruelty-free and vegan. As with everything from the company, it’s classic elegance for modern beauty.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Lip Pop | $22 | Sephora
I’m such a stan for Glow Recipe, specifically their Watermelon Sleeping Mask, so it’s no surprise reviewers love their lip balm. It’s a three-in-one scrub, moisturizer, and lip tint that has watermelon extract to hydrate, coconut flakes to exfoliate and remove dead skin lightly, and coconut oil for some more moisture, as well as flower AHAs to smooth and soften your lips. This tint specifically colors your lips according to your own special pH balance so that no one will walk around with the same shade as you. I love to see a K-Beauty brand thrive like this.
Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Lipstick | $22 | Fenty Beauty
So ok, this one is a lipstick, but it’s super sheer, which is why it deserved mention in this little round-up of mine. Fenty Beauty never misses. Ever. Their Slip Shine Sheer Lipstick, while $22, has raving reviews on their website and comes in 10 shades. It’s formulated with castor oil to keep lips moisturized all day, and they look good on any shade, which is a plus when beauty is overseen by a Black woman! Also, this product is cruelty-free!
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm | $17 | Sephora
With over 2k reviews, Laneige Lip Glowy Balm has tons of fans. It has five cute shades named after different fruits. It’s super lightweight as is infused with shea butter to be extra hydrating. It’s also free of sulfates or any other bad things for your skin, just moisture and vibes here. And if this is just as good as their Lip Sleeping Mask and Water Sleeping Mask, you’ll definitely be satisfied.