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Best Sephora lip balm

Which Sephora lip balms are best?

Lips tend to get cracked during the dry winter months, but you can moisturize their sensitive skin with a restorative lip balm. Sephora offers balms at an affordable price point with a fair level of quality. The balms have different coverage levels and shine options such as high shine and shimmer to match a wide range of occasions and preferences. Consider using a top Sephora lip balm such as the Sephora Collection Clean Lip Balm

What to know before you buy a Sephora lip balm

The textures and colors of lip balms can vary so that the balms can appear neutral or bright and shiny depending on the ingredients. Before purchasing a balm, consider how your skin interacts with different hydrating ingredients. If you are sensitive to certain products or additives, talk to your dermatologist to discover what balm would work best for you. 

Product texture

Some lip balms provide a thick, smooth texture or a thin amount of coverage with a light feel. The texture depends on the balms’ ingredients and consistency, but in general, they should feel smooth. However, hybrid options can feel slightly sticky, similar to a gloss. 

Ingredients

Some products touted as moisturizing are counterproductive to hydrating the lips. Certain balms can further dry out your skin due to ingredients or additives such as salicylic acid. If your skin is sensitive, certain balms can also irritate it. Test them on easily washable areas of your skin or consult your dermatologist if you are unsure about how a particular balm will react with your skin. 

Moisturizing needs

Lip balms offer a wide range of moisturizing and hydrating benefits depending on their ingredients. Some balms offer more invigorating qualities than others and can better keep moisture in your skin to prevent your lips from drying out. If your skin is extremely dry, consider balms that include highly hydrating ingredients such as petroleum jelly. 

What to look for in a quality Sephora lip balm

Sephora Collection products aim to achieve effectiveness and quality at an extremely affordable price point. The lip balms may also fall under the category of Sephora Clean, meaning that some balms are created without a lengthy list of unhealthy ingredients. 

Affordable price point

The products are much cheaper than other luxury brand-name products, appealing to a wider market and encouraging experimentation. 

Quality ingredients

Sephora uses quality ingredients to keep competitive with other high-end brands and to remain in line with its own high standards. 

Sephora Clean products

Sephora Clean products refrain from using ingredients and additives recognized as potentially harmful. The clean section at Sephora avoids using ingredients such as parabens, formaldehydes and phthalates that are potentially harmful to your body.

How much you can expect to spend on Sephora lip balm

Lips balms sold under Sephora’s own label range from $3 for an individual balm to $15 for sets.

Sephora lip balm FAQ

Does Sephora offer more lip products than just lip balm?

A. Yes. The Sephora brand offers products that can exfoliate the lips such as a lip scrubber and moisturizing lip masks. Besides its Sephora Collection brand, it sells luxury brands such as Dior and Jack Black — products that can help enhance the moisture of the skin, add color and rejuvenate the lips. 

Can lip balm make my lips sensitive to the sun?

A. Yes, so read the ingredients list before going out into direct sunlight for an extended amount of time to avoid potentially tanning your lips. 

What ingredients are best for hydrating the skin in a lip balm?

A. Many of the best moisturizing and hydrating balms include naturally derived ingredients such as beeswax, shea butter and honey. The balms often use petroleum jelly to restore the integrity of the skin and to better retain moisture.

What is Sephora?

A. Sephora is an international beauty company that started over 50 years ago in France. The company, now owned by beauty conglomerate LVMH, sells luxury beauty brands and offers a wide selection of products, from fragrances to foundations. 

What are the best Sephora lip balms to buy?

Top Sephora lip balm

Sephora Collection Clean Lip Balm 

What you need to know: You can choose from cherry, coconut, lychee or watermelon lip balms. 

What you’ll love: These balms hydrate and nourish lips for up to 8 hours at a time. They're made from clean, vegan ingredients and the formula isn't tested on animals. The ingredients are 95% natural. 

What you should consider: There are also a couple of lip scrubs in the same range, so make sure not to choose one of those if you're looking for a balm. 

Where to buy: Sold by Sephora

Top Sephora lip balm for the money

Sephora Collection Vegan Hydrating Lip Balm

What you need to know: The vegan balm offers a light amount of coverage so that it looks close to neutral in four different colors. 

What you’ll love: It uses ingredients such as avocado, cucumber and squalane to help improve the lips. 

What you should consider: Some reviewers said they disliked the smell and found it to be too sticky in texture.

Where to buy: Sold by Sephora

Worth checking out

Sephora Collection Colorful Lip Gloss Balm

What you need to know: This is a combination between a balm and a lip gloss that offers three finishes: satin, high shine and shimmer. It comes in 21 shades. 

What you’ll love: It’s Sephora Clean, includes ingredients such as mango oil and avoids using potentially harmful ingredients such as parabens. 

What you should consider: Some reviewers said the color was runny and felt too sticky.

Where to buy: Sold by Sephora

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Camille Cabrera writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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