As a beauty writer, I'm ashamed to admit that I used to forget about SPF on my lips completely. I was diligent about sunscreen application everywhere else—face, neck, chest, and even the sneakiest spots (hi, ears, and scalp)—but my mouth? Not even a second thought. That changed after I began to notice dryness, irritation, and, more serious, sun-induced hyperpigmentation after a long day outside. I quickly understood the importance of SPF lip balms, and the rest was history.
Like the rest of the sunscreen lineup available on the market today, lip sunscreens are less of a goopy, greasy mess and instead utilize skincare ingredients to supercharge the formulas. This means that they contain things like antioxidants, humectants, and emollients to create a product that protects your skin and minimizes dehydration, a common side effect of prolonged sun exposure. Plus, they're available in different formats, including glossy lip oils, tinted lip balms, and even plumping formulations, making it easier than ever to incorporate them into your daily beauty routine.
“SPF lip balms are formulated for the delicate skin on your lips,” board-certified dermatologist Aanand Geria, MD, FAAD, tells me. “This area is actually really prone to sun damage because they don’t have the same protective outer layer of skin that the rest of your face does." Dr. Geria emphasizes that using an SPF balm is a simple but important step in preventing sunburn, premature skin aging, and even skin cancer on the lips.
Like everything in life, it can be tricky to get into the habit of using lip SPF every day—but the right product that can be seamlessly weaved into your sun-care ritual makes it feel like less of a chore and more like a natural step in your beauty routine. Below, I rounded up the nine best SPF lip balms that hydrate, smooth, and in some cases, even add a pop of color, all while shielding your lips from UV damage.
The Best SPF Lip Balms
- Best SPF Lip Balm Overall: Prequel Lip Visor Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30
- Best Traditional SPF Lip Balm: MD Solar Sciences Lip Balm SPF 30
- Best Glossy SPF Lip Balm: Caliray Lipguard SPF 31 Lip Gloss
- Best Tinted SPF Lip Balm: Inn Beauty Project Sun Balm SPF 30
- Best Mineral SPF Lip Balm: Beauty Stat Cosmetics C Lip Serum SPF 30
My ideal lip product has the perfect amount of slip, a squeeze tube for hygienic purposes, and provides just enough shine to get away with wearing it as a gloss if I really want to. This formula from Prequel checks all of these boxes and has a sun protection factor of 30. Add a minty scent to mask that sunscreen smell, and I’ve basically levitated into another stratosphere with how much I love this product. Plus, if you want to elevate your SPF balm even more, opt for the Rosewood shade instead of clear.
Size: 0.34 oz
Key Ingredients: Bisabolol (Soothing antioxidant to help prevent signs of aging); Physalis angulata extract (supports lip volume and antioxidant protection); Sorbeth-2 hexaoleate (helps to protect and enhance sunscreen filter performance)
What I Love: Minty scent that feels refreshing when applied to lips; Squeeze-tube packaging; Comes in a clear and a tinted version
What I Don’t: The tinted shade is often sold out, so you have to grab it when you have the chance
Review for MC: “I love nothing more than when my lip products either have no scent or a light aromatherapeutic fragrance when applying them to my lips. This formula from Prequel not only checks that box thanks to the slight minty scent, but it applies completely clear on my lips, is in a squeeze tube, which my germaphobe heart loves, and has an SPF of 30. This is an SPF lip balm that I’ll have zero issues remembering to reapply—it’s that good.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Prequel Lip Visor Sunscreen.
What struck me the most about this SPF lip balm was the nostalgic twist-up packaging. It reminded me of my childhood obsession with Lip Smackers. Whereas the former has a super sweet scent and felt like rubbing petroleum on my lips, this version is much more elegant, thanks to emollient-rich ingredients like shea butter and jojoba oil, which make it glide onto my lip with ease. Additionally, this balm has no scent and an SPF of 30, which makes it much more suited to my current getting-ready routine.
Size: .15 oz
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, jojoba oil (moisturizes); Vitamin C (protects with antioxidants and brightens skin)
What I Love: Elegant silver packaging; Twist-up component makes it easy to get all of the product out; Comes in five different colors
What I Don’t: Some report having issues with the packaging not twisting back down after use
Review for MC: “I think it’s the traditional lipstick bullet that caught my eye the most about this formula, but the balm itself is a perfect addition to my SPF lip balm repertoire. It has an SPF factor of 30, which is the recommended amount for all SPFs, and it glides onto my lips like melted butter. If you sniff really hard (and I mean a deep, deep inhale), you may smell a hint of that traditional sunscreen fragrance, but it’s so minimal you’ll forget about it virtually the second you apply the balm.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Mdsolarsciences Hydrating Sheer Lip Balm Spf 30.
I’m a lip gloss lover, so when I found out that Caliray released an SPF gloss, I was over the moon excited. Not only does this formula deliver the perfect amount of high shine and contains SPF 31, but it comes in the most stunning range of neutral shades for everyday wear that can easily be your signature lip color.
Size: 0.15 oz.
Key Ingredients: Sweet almond oil, shea butter (moisturizes); Glyceryl caprylate (prevents trans-epidermal water loss)
What I Love: Flattering shade range; Buildable pigment; Can be used as a true gloss
What I Don’t: Some people find that it tastes unpleasant if it accidentally gets in the mouth
Review for MC: “It’s like Caliray knew my lip SPF dilemma and created these products just for me. From the gorgeous neutral shade range to the absolutely adorable packaging, I can’t believe that this is actually an SPF lip product. It could easily replace one of the glosses that I use daily, and if you know how attached I am to my lip glosses, then you know how big of a deal it is for me to say that.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Caliray Lipguard Spf 31 Lip Gloss Balm.
Innbeauty Project has some of the best skincare products on the market (they've even won a Marie Claire beauty award!), and yet I still find that the brand has so many underrated products. One of those that I recently discovered? An SPF balm with a tinted formula. From the pinky shades that flatter a range of skin tones to the squalane and mango butter ingredient profile that manages to calm my lips while protecting them, I became a fan of this product immediately after testing it.
Size: 0.6 oz
Key Ingredients: Squalane, mango butter, jojoba oil (moisturizes)
What I Love: Conditioning ingredients provide long-term moisture benefits; Glossy balm formula; Broad-spectrum protects from UVB and UVA rays
What I Don’t: Can slip around a little too much with heavier application; Have to squeeze pretty hard to get the product out
Review for MC: “Not only does this balm not have the dreaded SPF taste, but it offers a sun protection factor of 30 while providing an opaque layer of color in one swipe. If you’re someone who likes to wear tinted balms over lipstick every day but doesn’t want to sacrifice that slight sheen that a gloss provides, pick this up immediately.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Inn Beauty Project Sun Balm SPF 30 Broad Spectrum Lip Balm.
While I subscribe to the chemical sunscreen narrative, I recognize that there are people who prefer mineral sunscreen formulas. Beauty Stat’s C Lip Serum not only provides the sun protection that everyone needs, but it also contains the brand’s hero ingredient, vitamin C. For a mineral SPF lip balm that ticks all the boxes, this Beauty Stat formulation is the way to go.
Size: 0.35 fl. oz
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C (brightens); Peptides (supports collagen production); Shea butter (moisturizes)
What I Love: Compact packaging doesn’t take up too much room in my bag; Two tinted shades flatter a wide range of skin tones
What I Don’t: Really strong citrus scent
Review for MC: “Beauty Stat is one of my favorite vitamin C brands, so I’m not surprised that I enjoy the brand’s SPF lip balm so much. Not only is the peach shade super flattering on my skin tone, but it doesn’t get all goopy at the corners of my mouth when it comes time to reapply.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing BeautyStat Cosmetics C Lip Serum Spf 30.
If you’ve been on practically any social media platform, you’ve likely seen some of your favorite beauty editors and content creators raving about Supergoop sunscreens. The brand recently expanded its sun-care line to include a lip gloss SPF, and not only do they offer a protection factor of 40, but they also come in three sheer, flattering shades. Supergoop loyalists, rejoice.
Size: 0.50 fl oz
Key Ingredients: Shea Butter, coconut oil (moisturizes); Peptide complex (firms lips)
What I Love: Sheer colors that allow the formula to be truly universally flattering
What I Don’t: Strong artificial fruit/candy scent, which may bother sensitive noses who prefer fragrance-free formulations
Customer Review: “Ok, I am truly the pickiest person when it comes to gloss/balms/oils and whatever else is out there. I have it all. I got this maybe a week ago, and this outshines Summer Fridays by far. I say SF because I feel like everyone is obsessed with that one the most. With that, I need to reapply every 10 minutes or else my lips feel dry. But this is so moisturizing and soft. not sticky AT ALL! I usually just choose my Chapstick, but I've been going for this all week. immediately buying the other 2. Oh I bought the vanilla and love it.” — Sephora
I was introduced to this brand earlier this year, and it managed to remind me that not all mineral sunscreen products leave behind a horrid white cast. Seriously, it's one of the best new launches of the year on this side of the hemisphere. In the process, I discovered the Sheen Screen lip balm and knew that I had found a winning formula. With an SPF of 50, it is the highest level of protection that I’ve ever come across in an SPF lip balm. Not only that, but the available shades look beautiful across a range of skin tones.
Size: 0.5 oz
Key Ingredients: Lanolin (softens skin and retains moisture); Cocoa Butter (moisturizes); Vitamin E (provides barrier support)
What I Love: Non-sticky, moisturizing formula; No white cast
What I Don’t: This is an Australian brand that is new to the United States, so the full shade range is not available yet
Customer Review: “Awesome! Lips felt hydrated and had a pretty sheen. Not overly sticky and did not give off any taste or texture. Keeping in my pool bag all summer!” — Sephora
Another hidden gem, this mineral lip SPF from Malin+Goetz scared me at first, due to the fact that it comes out of the tube a stark white color. (Plus, I've only really ever known the brand for its strawberry perfume, not lip products). Thankfully, once I blended it into the product, it was completely clear, and even more surprisingly, it felt incredibly lightweight on the lips. If it weren’t for the faint scent of sunscreen directly under my nose, I’d forget I had anything on.
Size: 0.3 fl oz
Key Ingredients: Bisabolol (soothes skin); Hydrogenated polyisobutene (prevents transepidermal water loss); Ursolic acid, vitamin E (protects with antioxidants)
What I Love: Water-resistant; Mineral lip balm
What I Don’t: Contains spearmint which feels minty on the lips and may bother those with sensory sensitivities
Customer Review: “First, this is sunscreen for the lips. And that is exactly what it feels like. It's not balmy like Chapstick, so if moisture is your priority, you may be disappointed. I use lip balm all the time, alone or under lipstick. So this was perfect--sunscreen for my lips. Absorbs well; not a greasy or dry feeling on your lip and no weird taste for lip lickers.” — Amazon
Leave it to Naturium to make lip SPF accessible at the drugstore. The brand launched a revamped version of its Phyto-Glow Lip Balm line, this time featuring a formula that has SPF 45. Like the original line, the SPF balms come in a variety of sheer, neutral-toned shades to flatter a variety of skin tones, feature an emollient-rich formulation for super-smooth lips, and the best part of it all? They’re still less than $13.
Size: 0.34 fl oz
Key Ingredients: Squalane, shea butter, cupuaçu butter (moisturizes)
What I Love: Least expensive option on this list; Light fragrance that isn’t too overpowering
What I Don’t: The reformulated SPF version is only available on the Naturium website as of right now
Customer Review: “I have one of these in every room of my house and one in my car. I love this lip balm so much. It's my favorite for every day, it's so comfortable and affordable, why would I need anything else?” — Naturium
What Should I Look For In a SPF Lip Balm?
When searching for the best SPF lip balm, there are a few things to consider when picking the formula that best suits your needs. “Start with the essentials, and look for a broad-spectrum formula that protects against both UVA and UVB rays, with at least SPF 30 or higher,” Chief Innovation Officer at Supergoop, Akshay Talati, tells me.
Additionally, the experience that you have when applying and wearing the balm matters too, and should be considered when searching for the best product for your needs. “If the formula feels great, you will reapply often, which is key for proper protection,” Talati says. “Bonus points for nourishing and moisturizing ingredients like plant oils, shea butter, vitamin E, peptides, and hyaluronic acid to keep lips smooth and supple.”
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
For this story, we sourced numerous SPF lip balm formulas and tested over two dozen formulas. We narrowed down our favorites based on first-person testing, customer reviews, and expert recommendations. We evaluated each option based on parameters such as protection level, formula elegance, and ease of use.
Meet the Experts
Aanand N. Geria, MD FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology.
Akshay Talati is the Chief Innovation Officer at Supergoop. He serves as president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, sits on advisory boards for Cosmetics & Toiletries and Beauty Connect, and actively mentors professionals in the beauty industry.
