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The 10 best lip balms with SPF that prevent chapped, burned lips
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Between comments from friends, medical professionals, and our favorite skincare influencers, most of us are aware of the importance of wearing sunscreen every single day. But, even the most diligent users often overlook one particular part of the face: the lips. We recommend keeping a lip balm formulated with SPF on hand to round out your routine with full sun protection.
Since products with SPF are notorious for looking and feeling chalky, we took the time to research the best lip balms you won't hate wearing. Taking into account texture, hydrating ingredients, and extra perks like tinted options, these lip balms offer sunblock with the benefit of improving your pout. We also sought the advice and recommendations of three board-certified dermatologists, Dr. Jody Levine, Director of Dermatology at Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC, Dr. Elizabeth K. Hale, senior vice president of The Skin Cancer Foundation, and Dr. Marie Hayag, founder of 5th Avenue Aesthetics.
Our list of the best lip balms with SPF includes a wide range for all preferences, but if we had to pick a favorite, we'd award EltaMD's UV Lip Balm with SPF 36 the top spot. This dermatologist-favorite lip balm checks all boxes with an SPF level above 30, hydrating ingredients, water resistance, and a formula that's made for sensitive skin. No matter the intensity of your activities, this is a lip balm you can count on for nearly any occasion.
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Our top 3 picks for the best lip balms with SPF
With its water-resistant and hypoallergenic formula, this lip balm with SPF 36 from dermatologist-favorite EltaMD is great for sports activities and sensitive skin types.
From the sun experts at Supergoop!, this lipstick contains a mineral formula with SPF 30 and a host of hydrating ingredients. It’s available in five shades that build in intensity with each swipe.
Jack Black lip balm provides broad-spectrum sun protection and offsets windburn and extreme temperatures with antioxidants like vitamin E, green tea, and natural emollients.
Staff Pick
With its water-resistant and hypoallergenic formula, this lip balm with SPF 36 from dermatologist-favorite EltaMD is great for sports activities and sensitive skin types.
What we like
- Water resistant
- Good for sensitive skin
- Contains antioxidants
What we don’t like
- Can leave a white cast
Ask a dermatologist for a sunscreen recommendation, and you'll likely hear the name EltaMD. The brand's lip balm gets high marks for its no-frills formula that contains a hefty dose of SPF 36. It's fragrance-free, dye-free, and hypoallergenic, so this is a great pick for those with sensitive skin. In addition to sun-blocking zinc oxide and octinoxate, you'll get free radical-fighting antioxidants, including vitamin C ester and vitamin E. An added benefit of this lip balm is that it's water resistant for up to 80 minutes, so you'll be well prepared for the next trip to the beach or the ski slopes. "One of my favorite and highly recommended lip balms is EltaMD's UV Broad-Spectrum Lip Balm with SPF 31. Its creamy, long-lasting moisturization soothes the lips and provides a protective barrier from UV rays, leaving your lips hydrated and healthy," says Dr. Levine.
Aquaphor’s vitamin-enriched lip balm with SPF 30 provides sun protection while treating severely chapped lips. It’s fragrance-free, dye-free, and inexpensive enough to buy in multiples.
What we like
- Under $10
- Contains vitamins and shea butter
- Good for severely chapped lips
What we don’t like
- Contains oxybenzone
I bought this lip sunscreen ointment because I'm never without Aquaphor's ultra-nourishing Lip Repair. The two products have similar ingredient lists and consistencies. And though I'm not a huge fan of the sunscreen smell and taste, they're minimal and do not override the efficacy of this balm. The formula specifically caters to those with sensitive skin, and I find this to be true, as well. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, former style & beauty reviews fellow
Jack Black lip balm provides broad-spectrum sun protection and offsets windburn and extreme temperatures with antioxidants like vitamin E, green tea, and natural emollients.
What we like
- Comes in multiple flavors
- Contains antioxidants
- Doesn’t feel sticky or greasy
What we don’t like
- Small size for the price
You may know Jack Black as the popular men's skincare line, but this lip balm is for everyone. The colorless formula contains antioxidant-rich vitamin E and green tea, plus SPF 25, and goes on thick without feeling heavy or greasy. A perk of this lip balm is that you can choose from several flavors, my favorite being the popular Mint. On the flip side, there isn't a ton of product in the squeeze-tube container, but that also means it's easy to stash in a handbag or jacket pocket.
From the sun experts at Supergoop!, this lipstick contains a mineral formula with SPF 30 and a host of hydrating ingredients. It’s available in five shades that build in intensity with each swipe.
What we like
- Mineral formula
- Can be used in place of lipstick
- Highly pigmented
What we don’t like
- Comes in five colors but could have more
- Pricier than most lip balms with SPF
Supergoop! excels at making sun-protective products more akin to skincare than the typical sticky sunscreen. Now, it's added lipstick to that list with this smooth and hydrating formula containing shea butter, natural mango, peptides, and SPF 30. I appreciate that it's pigment-packed, combining the benefits of a lip balm with SPF and lipstick to simplify your makeup routine. While there are currently five shades made to flatter a variety of skin tones, from a vibrant coral to a deep plum, it would be great to see even more options. Another plus for this lip product is that it has a mineral formula. Dr. Levine adds that "Supergoop's products focus on safe ingredients (avoiding parabens and synthetic fragrances often found in other lipsticks and associated with health risks). I've used this lip product and find it to be good."
This multi-purpose sunscreen stick is convenient for use on lips and the rest of your face. Its water-resistant formula and SPF 50 make it a great pick for extreme sun exposure activities.
What we like
- Can be used on other areas of face and body
- Good for sensitive skin
- Water-resistant
What we don’t like
- Small size won’t last long if you intend to use it for more than just lips
Dr. Levine names this as one of the best lip balms with SPF, recommending it for those who have sensitive skin. She adds that it "provides UVB/UVA protection and is paraben free and water-resistant, making it ideal for lips receiving extreme sun exposure." A nice perk of this sunblock stick is that it can be used on the rest of the face or to cover moles on other body parts more precisely, though that does mean lip-balm-sized tubes will go fast. Because it's a solid formula, you can look forward to a mess-free application to areas like lips, nose, and under-eyes while on the move. Dr. Levine also recommends looking for SPF levels of 30 or higher, which this pick far surpasses.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lip Balm offers a light layer of protection with SPF 15 in a classic roll-up tube. The vitamin E-enriched formula glides on like butter and smells great too.
What we like
- Under $10
- Contains vitamin E
What we don’t like
- Low SPF
As someone who is sensitive to the sun and prone to my fair skin burning, I'm especially cautious with the products I'm using. That being said, I use SPF just about everywhere, even in the colder winter months. I absolutely swear by Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Balm. It has SPF 15 and also prevents my lips from being chapped. It applies buttery smooth, as its name suggests, and smells divine. — Victoria Giardina, former buying guides fellow
With ultra-nourishing ingredients like shea butter, Supergoop!’s PLAY Lip Balm treats dry lips while also keeping them sun safe. The soothing formula goes on clear and comes in two flavors: acai and mint.
What we like
- UVA and UVB protection
- Two scent options
- Affordable
What we don’t like
- Somewhat unpleasant taste
The tube and formula remind me of old-school Vaseline, but much more protective and way less goopy. The SPF 30 is great for protecting my lips and the formula includes shea butter for lots of moisture. It doesn't contain any oxybenzone, octinoxate, or octocrylene that would be harmful to coral reefs, so I always use this when I'm around the beach. — Jada Wong, senior editor
Coola’s Liplux Lip Balm is a favorite for its clear, non-greasy formula that’s full of vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, it uses mostly organic ingredients.
What we like
- Water-resistant
- Tinted versions available
- 70% certified organic ingredients
What we don’t like
- Some find the consistency hard or waxy
If you're looking for a quality plant-based sunscreen lip balm, this one from Coola offers broad-spectrum protection, instant moisture, vitamins, and antioxidants. Plus, it's water-resistant for 80 minutes and should be reapplied every two hours. Dr. Hayag says, "This is a good balm that provides broad-spectrum protection against UV rays while also providing hydration to the lips through ingredients like jojoba and avocado oil."
Colorescience marries your favorite lip gloss with sun protection. Enriched with plumping hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, Lip Shine comes in a handful of neutral hues and keeps your pout safe with all-mineral SPF 35.
What we like
- Mineral SPF
- Contains lip-improving peptides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E
What we don’t like
- Limited colors
- Not best for sport activities
For days when you want more color and luster, this lip gloss checks off those boxes — plus, it has broad-spectrum SPF 35 sun protection. You can reapply every two hours, but every 40 minutes if you're swimming or sweating a lot. According to Dr. Hayag, "This is a great gloss that contains zinc oxide and Vitamin E to aid in photoprotection. It also contains hyaluronic acid, helping the lips stay well moisturized. Additionally, it has peptides that give the lips a more plump appearance." The shade selection includes rose, pink, champagne, coral, and clear.
With its creamy formula and multiple color options, this tinted lip balm from MDSolarSciences softens lips as you wear it. Plus, built-in SPF 30 means one less lip product to worry about.
What we like
- Several color choices
- Contains hydrating shea butter, avocado oil, and vitamin E
What we don’t like
- More expensive than most lip balms with SPF
This tinted lip balm has a gentle, cruelty-free, and reef-safe formula that does all of that and, of course, fends off ultraviolet rays, too. The broad-spectrum SPF 30 sheer tinted balm comes in red, pink, and nude. According to Dr. Hayag, "It also has multiple ingredients in it to help keep your lips moisturized, like avocado oil and olive butter. The balm also contains shea butter, which is rich in antioxidants and soothes and softens the lips."
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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