The 7 best lip balms for plump, hydrated lips year-round

You'll notice Laneige twice in this roundup because its lip balm formulations are truly out of this world. To me, the perfect lip balm keeps my lips so hydrated that I never have to apply more, but it has a delicious scent and comfortable feel that makes me want to. The Lip Glowy Balm, made with shea butter and murumuru butter that nourishes and moisturizes, is that ideal combination.

The unique cushiony, glossy feel of the Lip Glowy Balm makes this the best lip balm for me. It's as shiny as a lip gloss but with a thicker texture that smooths over lip lines and gives the illusion of a fuller lip without the sting of a lip plumper. I also frequently wear it over a lip liner or lip tint to lock in hydration, and it rarely messes with the staying power of either. The slanted applicator fits the shape of lips well, and you'll never squeeze out too much product because of its thicker consistency. 

The various scents are delicate and not so fragranced that you can smell them throughout the day, but they are a wonderful addition to the application experience. Laniege also releases limited edition scents for the holidays that are fun to collect. Each scent has its own tint, but each is so sheer that it pretty much looks clear. I have one of these in almost every single bag, and I will keep repurchasing unless a better lip balm comes along. — Maiya Pascouche, Style & Beauty Editor

There's nothing fancy about Aquaphor Lip Repair, but that's what makes it so great. If you hate frills like fragrance, tint, or shimmer and just want that hydrating goodness, this is a fantastic option.

Aquaphor is the number one dermatologist-recommended lip brand, and it's also the number one mom-recommended lip brand. In my personal opinion, both endorsements have equal weight. This is the stuff my mom always digs out of her purse when I ask her if she's got lip balm. It feels like Vaseline, only less slimy.

This is also great if you've got an open wound like eczema or cold sores near your mouth. The formula is fragrance-free and chock full of shea butter and chamomile extract to soothe and repair cracked skin.

You can use Aquaphor Healing Ointment on your lips, but I'm partial to the Lip Repair because it comes in a portable, squeezable tube.

Before I tried Glossier Balm Dotcom for the first time, I was convinced it was overrated. I love just about everything Glossier, but how special could a lip balm in a pink and white tube really be? Uh, the answer is really freaking special.

I'll admit that this is more of a protective lip balm rather than a restorative one. It's not going to heal your cracked lips like our best overnight pick, the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, but it will protect them from further damage and do so very well, thanks to ingredients like castor seed oil and beeswax. So, if your lips are already in pretty good shape but need some extra moisture and protection, this might be the lip balm to carry with you throughout the day. 

The balm lasts long on your lips, withstanding several cups of coffee and even food without completely wearing off. My favorite iteration is the Birthday flavor, which was inspired by Momofuku Milk Bar's famous cake. It's sheer with a tiny bit of shimmer, perfect for days when I'm not wearing makeup. I even tap the excess on my fingertips into my cheekbones for a subtle highlighter effect.

The Birthday balm is a bit glossy, but the others just deliver a slight sheen. My husband loves the Mint version, which smells like Breyer's mint chocolate chip ice cream and goes on clear — I even bought him a trio for his birthday so he'd stop swiping mine. Some of the other scents, like Rose and Cherry, have a very subtle tint. Former deputy editor Malarie Gokey uses the Rose one every day.

I swear by the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask for giving my face a boost of hydration overnight, and I swear by the brand's Lip Sleeping Mask for soothing my angry, chapped lips. Every night, I apply a tiny amount of it instead of a regular lip balm and start the next day with minimal flaking.

This is the only lip treatment I've found that noticeably diminishes the chapping I experience daily. I use it nightly and wake up with a smooth canvas for lipstick and fewer bits of skin for my teeth to absentmindedly chew on while I'm distracted.

The formula's vitamin C, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid effectively salve my always irritated lips. The product comes in a jar with a tiny spatula, but I usually just apply it with my fingers.

I suppose you could use this during the day, but the texture is very thick and glossy with a slight pink tint, so I prefer to let it marinate while I'm sleeping. Sure, I still reach for other balms in my waking hours, but the effects of the Lip Sleeping Mask are long-lasting. A 0.7-ounce pot costs $20, but I've been using my first one for over a year and I only just dipped past the halfway mark.

With 4,300+ 5-star reviews on Sephora and our own Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask review, you really can't go wrong.

What are you doing with your life if you don't have a tube or 10 of Burt's Bees Lip Balm lying around? I always have so many of them in my house that I basically hand them out like Halloween candy.

There's a lot to love about Burt's Bees. The brand's classic lip balm comes in many different flavors. However, my favorite is the original one formulated with vitamin E and peppermint oil  — the ingredient responsible for that energizing tingle when you apply it to your lips. Other popular variations include Vanilla Bean and Pomegranate.

Burt's Bees is a great lip balm to reach for during the day or when you're wearing other lip products because it's not very shiny or thick. I love adding this on top of lipstick if I'm feeling dry — so, always. The beeswax and fruit extracts in the formula subtly moisturize without making you look like you're wearing lip gloss. It's also 100% natural, made without parabens, SLS, or petroleum.

You probably already know how important it is to protect your skin with SPF, so why neglect your lips? Even if you have never dealt with a serious lip sunburn (which is very painful), it's important to protect your pout from the sun's harmful UV rays. Luckily, plenty of great options combine hydrating properties with SPF, like this Fresh Sugar Treatment.

It's the perfect lip balm if you want to keep lips soft and smooth, protect them from sunburns, and give your lips a hint of color — there are 13 tints and one untinted option if you want to keep it simple. I tend to avoid tinted lip products, but I've used the Fresh Sugar Treatment in Rosé and loved it. The color goes on pretty sheer with a subtle rosy tint that gives my lips a pop of color without overwhelming them. 

The Fresh Sugar Treatment with SPF 15 is formulated with sugar to lock in moisture and contains black currant seeds to help maintain your lip's hydration levels. Grapeseed oil and vitamins C and E help smooth and soften lips, and of course, there's SPF 15 for everyday sun protection. In-vivo testing shows that the lip balm will keep your lips moisturized for six hours without reapplying. It smells great, too. 

The product gets rave reviews from Sephora shoppers, with over 290,000 likes, around 9,000 reviews, and a 4.5-star rating. It also made the list in our guide to the best lip balms with SPF. — Remi Rosmarin, former Reporter

Don't be deceived by the simple name and even simpler packaging — Mario Badescu's Rose Lip Balm will make your lips basically look and feel like a silk-covered memory foam pillow. 

This unassuming, almost norm-core squeeze tube features an intensely hydrating formula made of cocoa butter and sweet almond, avocado, and olive oils. I can apply a layer in the morning and forget about it until the afternoon after lunch; it holds up that long. I also use it as an overnight treatment sometimes, not unlike a lip mask, though this one absorbs into my lips as opposed to sitting on top. 

The demi-matte finish can also help soften the look of super-matte lipsticks and make them a little more wearable, especially when temperatures drop and chapped skin becomes inevitable.

The slanted tip applicator is intuitive to use, although you might squeeze too much out at once if the tube has been sitting in your pants pocket for a while. That's not to say it's a bad thing because you'll probably just use the excess on your lips, but it could be messy for some. — Jada Wong, former Senior Editor