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In our most recent Beauty Lab evaluation of lip balms, we received over 175 products from more than 70 brands in four general forms: stick, lipstick, tube and jar. Our pros documented each product’s ingredients and claims and tested the balms, ultimately settling on 20 finalists that were further evaluated to find a final range of picks across formats, gloss level, color, scent and more. We also relied on picks from previous GH Awards programs, from Beauty Awards to Sustainability Awards and beyond. The lip balms we ultimately recommended, above, are proven to hydrate and heal lips, perfect for everyday or overnight use.

“A lip balm should be designed to deliver a film of moisturizers onto the delicate skin of the lips,” says Aral, with emollients to replenish lost moisture and occlusives to prevent further moisture loss. Here’s what to keep in mind when shopping for the very best product to hydrate your lips:

✔️ Hydrators: Plant oils like castor and sunflower and emollients such as squalene and triglycerides help to moisturize and soften dry lips, making them lip-healing heavy hitters. Dr. Engelman recommends formulas made with vitamin E, hyaluronic acid or lanolin for ultimate moisturization.

✔️ Protectants: A great balm also contains occlusives to lock in all that nourishment and hydrate. “Look for balms or formulations containing petroleum or beeswax to seal in moisture,” says Dr. Engelman. These give the balm “the ability to enhance the barrier function by forming an occlusive film over the lips,” she adds. Other star occlusives include plant waxes, and shea and cocoa butters.

✔️ SPF: Sunburned lips are super common — and super painful. Dr. Engelman recommends lip balms with SPF 30 or greater to protect the delicate skin on your lips. Just be careful to avoid chemical sunscreen (as well as fragrance, alcohol and salicylic acid) which can actually further irritate lips.

✔️ Extras: No great lip salve is complete without bonus bells and whistles, like skin-shielding and formula-stabilizing antioxidants (e.g., vitamin A and vitamin E) and flavor from sources like fruit oils and extracts.

The Good Housekeeping Institute features a team of product experts and scientists who frequently collaborate in making the best recommendations out there. Deputy Editor Jessica Teich has over 10 years of experience researching, testing and writing about skincare products, including hydrating skincare ingredients (like hyaluronic acid and ceramides), moisturizers and more. You’ll never catch her without at least three lip balms on hand. For this article, she worked closely with the GH Beauty Lab’s scientists and analysts, distilling the findings from the team’s technical reports and gathering additional recommendations from product experts and board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D.