Lips · Top 3 picks
The Best Lip Gloss: 3 Picks for Shine, Moisture and a Plumper Look
A hyaluronic acid gloss, a gloss Revlon pitches for moisture and a plumping gloss balm. Pick by the job you want done.
Read the guideThe Best Lip Balm: 3 Picks for Dry, Chapped and Everyday Lips
A fragrance-free stick, a classic beeswax tube and a flavored organic balm, plus the ingredients dermatologists say to look for and skip while lips are chapped.
The best lip balm for most people is the Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick: it is fragrance free, built around shea butter and jojoba oil, and comes as two 0.17-ounce sticks. If you prefer a beeswax balm in a classic tube, Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm comes in a four-pack with a hint of peppermint. For a flavored option with an organic certification, the eos 100% Natural Lip Balm two-pack pairs Strawberry Sorbet with Pomegranate Raspberry.
The most useful piece of advice comes from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD): while your lips are chapped, avoid balms with fragrance, flavorings (especially mint and peppermint), camphor, menthol and similar irritants, and if a balm burns, stings or tingles, stop using it. That rule shapes which of these three suits you right now.
Our 3 picks at a glance
- Best Overall
Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick, 2 x 0.17 oz
Check price on Amazon for Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick, 2 x 0.17 oz (opens in a new tab) - Best Beeswax Balm
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm, Original Beeswax, 4 pack
Check price on Amazon for Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm, Original Beeswax, 4 pack (opens in a new tab) - Best Flavored / Organic
eos 100% Natural Lip Balm, Strawberry Sorbet and Pomegranate Raspberry, 2 pack
Check price on Amazon for eos 100% Natural Lip Balm, Strawberry Sorbet and Pomegranate Raspberry, 2 pack (opens in a new tab)
How we picked
We searched Amazon's Beauty department for lip balm, set aside sponsored results, and opened listings from established lip-care brands. We chose three balms for three different jobs: a fragrance-free stick for chapped lips, a beeswax tube for everyday use and a flavored, organic-certified balm. For color and shine on top of a balm, see our lip gloss picks and our guide to lip oil vs lip gloss.
Every product detail below comes from the Amazon listing on the day we checked it, and brand claims are labeled as claims. Ingredient and care advice comes from the AAD's pages on chapped lips and dry skin.
1. Best Overall
Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick, 2 x 0.17 oz
Shipped and sold by Amazon.com
Aquaphor's stick is the pick that lines up most closely with the AAD's advice. The listing says it is fragrance free and paraben free, and the formula includes shea butter and jojoba oil, with shea butter on the AAD's list of ingredients to look for in a lip balm. Aquaphor says it is clinically proven to relieve dryness and soothe chapped, cracked lips; read that as the brand's claim, since the study behind it isn't on the listing. What you can check for yourself is the absence of the things the AAD says to avoid: no fragrance, no flavor, no menthol or camphor.
The listing also describes nourishing vitamins and moisturizers, and says the balm helps guard against dryness for long-lasting moisture. You get two 0.17-ounce sticks, so one can live in a bag and one by the bed, which fits the AAD's advice to apply balm several times a day and before sleep. A stick is also easy to reapply when you feel the urge to lick your lips, which the AAD says is the moment to reach for balm instead.
What the listing says
- Fragrance free and paraben free, per the listing
- Shea butter and jojoba oil
- Two 0.17 oz sticks
- Shipped and sold by Amazon.com
Keep in mind
- "Clinically proven" is Aquaphor's wording; the study isn't on the listing
- No SPF; the AAD says to use SPF 30 or higher outdoors
- For very cracked lips, the AAD says a thick ointment seals in moisture better than a stick
Best for: Chapped lips, sensitive lips and anyone who wants a fragrance-free balm.
Check price on Amazon for Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick, 2 x 0.17 oz (opens in a new tab)2. Best Beeswax Balm
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm, Original Beeswax, 4 pack
Shipped and sold by Amazon.com
This is the classic beeswax tube. Burt's Bees says the formula uses responsibly sourced beeswax, vitamin E and nourishing oils, and describes it as 100% natural with what the brand calls clean ingredients. It is tint free with a matte finish, so it works under lipstick or on its own, and the wax base gives it a firmer feel than a softer petrolatum balm. Beeswax itself is not on the AAD's list of ingredients to avoid.
The four-pack of 0.15-ounce tubes makes it easy to keep one in every coat pocket. The one thing to know is the peppermint oil: Burt's Bees describes a refreshing tingle, and the AAD says a tingle means a balm is irritating your lips. Save this one for days when your lips feel fine, and switch to a plain, fragrance-free balm if they crack. If you like the format but not the mint, Burt's Bees makes other variants; we only captured the Original Beeswax listing.
What the listing says
- Beeswax, vitamin E and nourishing oils, per Burt's Bees
- Four 0.15 oz tubes
- Tint free, matte finish
- 100% natural, says the brand
Keep in mind
- Contains peppermint oil; the AAD says to avoid mint and peppermint while lips are chapped
- The tingle Burt's Bees describes is, per the AAD, a sign of irritation
- No SPF
Best for: Everyday use on lips that aren't currently chapped, and anyone who likes a wax-based tube.
Check price on Amazon for Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm, Original Beeswax, 4 pack (opens in a new tab)3. Best Flavored / Organic
eos 100% Natural Lip Balm, Strawberry Sorbet and Pomegranate Raspberry, 2 pack
Shipped and sold by Amazon.com
If you want flavor, eos is the pick with the most certifications behind it. The listing says the balm is USDA Certified Organic, 100% natural and cruelty free, and made without parabens, phthalates, gluten, silicones, petrolatum or synthetic dyes. The formula leans on shea butter, sunflower seed oil with vitamin E, beeswax, and coconut and jojoba oils, so the base is close to the other two picks. The organic certification and the petrolatum-free formula are what set it apart on paper.
eos claims all-day moisture and says the balm is dermatologist recommended and gentle enough for sensitive skin; both are brand claims. You get two balms, one Strawberry Sorbet and one Pomegranate Raspberry. Because they are flavored, the AAD would steer you away from them while lips are actively chapped; once your lips are comfortable again, flavor is a matter of taste. The listing doesn't say whether the flavoring is natural or synthetic beyond the 100% natural wording.
What the listing says
- USDA Certified Organic, per the listing
- Shea butter, sunflower seed oil, beeswax, coconut and jojoba oils
- Two flavors in the pack
- Made without parabens, phthalates or petrolatum, says eos
Keep in mind
- Flavored; the AAD says to avoid flavorings while lips are chapped
- "All-day moisture" and "dermatologist recommended" are eos's claims
- No SPF
Best for: Anyone who wants a flavored, organic-certified balm for everyday wear.
Check price on Amazon for eos 100% Natural Lip Balm, Strawberry Sorbet and Pomegranate Raspberry, 2 pack (opens in a new tab)Side by side
| Lip balm | Our pick for | Pack size | Standout listing detail | Sold by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick | Overall | 2 x 0.17 oz | Fragrance free; shea butter and jojoba oil | Amazon.com |
| Burt's Bees Original Beeswax | Beeswax balm | 4 x 0.15 oz | Beeswax and vitamin E; peppermint oil | Amazon.com |
| eos 100% Natural | Flavored / organic | 2 balms | USDA Certified Organic; two flavors | Amazon.com |
Figures are taken from each Amazon listing on October 1, 2026 and can change.
What to look for
No sting, no tingle
The AAD says a balm that burns, stings or tingles is irritating your lips. While lips are chapped, skip fragrance, flavorings, camphor, menthol, phenol and salicylic acid.
Helpful ingredients
The AAD lists castor seed oil, ceramides, dimethicone, hemp seed oil, mineral oil, petrolatum and shea butter. Aquaphor and eos both include shea butter.
SPF for outdoors
Not one of our three picks has SPF. Before going outside, even in winter, the AAD says to use a balm with SPF 30 or higher made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Format
For very dry, cracked lips, the AAD says a thick ointment such as white petroleum jelly seals in moisture better than waxes or oils. All three picks here are sticks or tubes, so keep a jar of petroleum jelly for bad days and use a stick for upkeep.
The bottom line
- Best Overall: Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick: fragrance free, with shea butter and jojoba oil.
- Best Beeswax Balm: Burt's Bees Original Beeswax: a four-pack of classic tubes, with peppermint.
- Best Flavored / Organic: eos 100% Natural: USDA Certified Organic, in two fruit flavors.
Questions, answered
What is the best lip balm for dry lips?
Pick a non-irritating balm. The AAD says to avoid fragrance, flavorings, camphor, menthol and similar ingredients while lips are chapped, and to look for shea butter, petrolatum, ceramides or dimethicone. Of our three, the fragrance-free Aquaphor stick fits that advice best. For very cracked lips, the AAD says a thick ointment such as white petroleum jelly works better than a wax or oil.
Do I need a lip balm with SPF?
Outdoors, yes. The AAD says to use a non-irritating lip balm with SPF 30 or higher, made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, before going outside even in winter, and to reapply every two hours, because sun can make chapped lips worse. Not one of our three picks contains SPF, so add a separate SPF balm for daytime.
What is the best lip balm for men?
Any of these three. Lip balm isn't gendered, and the AAD's advice is the same for everyone: avoid irritants, apply often and use SPF outdoors. If you want something unscented and unflavored with no shine or tint, the fragrance-free Aquaphor stick is the plainest of the three, and Burt's Bees is tint free with a matte finish.
Is licking your lips bad?
Yes. The AAD says saliva evaporates and leaves lips drier than before, and advises against licking, biting or picking at lips. Apply balm when you feel the urge to lick, and don't hold metal items like paper clips or jewelry with your lips.
Which lip balm ingredients should I avoid?
While lips are chapped, the AAD says to avoid camphor, eucalyptus, fragrance, lanolin, menthol, flavorings (especially cinnamon, citrus, mint and peppermint), octinoxate or oxybenzone, phenol, propyl gallate and salicylic acid. That is why we flag the peppermint in Burt's Bees and the flavors in eos.
How often should I apply lip balm?
The AAD says to apply a non-irritating balm several times a day and before bed. It also suggests drinking plenty of water and using a humidifier at home, especially if you breathe through your mouth at night. Expect improvement within two to three weeks; if lips don't improve, the AAD says to see a board-certified dermatologist.
Sources
Listing details were captured from Amazon on October 16, 2026 and can change. Brand claims are attributed; we have not tested these products ourselves. This page is not medical advice.
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