A lip balm works by putting a physical barrier over skin that cannot make its own. Waxes, butters and petrolatum do that, while menthol and camphor only create the sensation of relief. The eight here lead with the former. Lip balm sits in the odd position of being both a medical product and an accessory, and the market has never resolved which. The tinted versions are winning because they let you skip the choice.

Reaching for a lip balm every ten minutes usually means the formula is evaporating rather than sealing. A good one should hold for a couple of hours through talking and drinking. Anything that needs constant topping up is failing quietly. The reapplication complaint has a real mechanism behind it rather than being a myth about addiction. Humectant-heavy formulas without an occlusive layer pull water up and let it evaporate.

The best lip balm for dry lips is the one with an SPF in it if you are outside at all. Tint is a bonus rather than a reason to buy. Keep one in a coat pocket and stop buying replacements at the till. The SPF versions are the only genuinely important upgrade in this category. Lips have almost no natural protection.