The 19 Best Tinted Lip Balms, According to a Beauty Editor

Where nourishing ingredients meet gorgeous color.

best tinted lip balms including nars, summer fridays, and supergoop
(Image credit: Future)

Historically, my lips were perpetually chapped—peeling, sometimes bleeding, rarely smooth. So, I became a beauty editor on a mission. Never would there ever be a time when I would let my lips fend for themselves. They would be covered, at all times, by one of the best tinted lip balms out there. 24/7 and seven days a week, with an extra heavy layer before bed. This little hydration experiment proved successful (my lips are now silky smooth) and provided me the opportunity to try an exorbitant number of tinted lip balms. 

I’ve figured out which balms are ideal for nights out when I want a bit more pigment, discovered ones I simply can’t function without (cough cough: Dior), and found the best affordable options to store in every handbag. Want to know my thoroughly-tested must-haves? Keep reading to shop for the best tinted lip balms of all time, according to yours truly.

Best Deals on Tinted Lip Balms

NARS Afterglow Lip Balm, $24 at Nordstrom

NARS Afterglow Lip Balm, $24 at Nordstrom

Scoop up this pale pink lip balm in the iconic Orgasm shade for 15 percent off at Nordstrom. It'll leave your natural lip color slightly enhanced and your pout undeniably hydrated.

Clé de Peau Beauté Lip Glorifier, $40 at Nordstrom

Clé de Peau Beauté Lip Glorifier, $40 at Nordstrom

Clé de Peau goes on sale very rarely—and it's currently $7 off. Don't miss the chance to get your hands on this ultra-nourishing tinted balm at a discount. I'm partial to the glossy coral shade, but you can't go wrong.

Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm, $34 at Nordstrom

Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm, $34 at Nordstrom

This balm is a cult favorite for a very good reason—it's the perfect everyday addition to your routine. Whether you're going bare-faced or doing a full beat, this is the perfect finishing touch. Shop it for $6 at Nordstrom.

What to Look For in Tinted Lip Balm

  • The Right Ingredients 

A lip balm that’s genuinely hydrating is going to contain two types of ingredients: Film formers, like petrolatum or a wax, and hydrators, like ceramides, waxes, butters, oils, or sea asparagus. “If there are no hydrators in the product, it’s like putting saran wrap over a dry lip—which does not do anything,” explains cosmetic chemist Ginger King. If your lip balm does contain petrolatum, make sure it’s USP-grade, meaning the purity is par. 

  • Buildable Coverage 

“A good tinted lip balm should be able to build coverage,” says King. “If people want full coverage, they should opt for lipstick.” A sheer tint is by and large what you’ll find on this list, but there are a handful that pack in more pigment. 

The Best Tinted Lip Balms

Meet the Expert

Ginger King
Ginger King

Ginger King has been passionately creating beauty products from concept to finish since 1995. She is well versed in innovative concepts, creative product formulation, advanced technology applications, ergonomic package development and impactful competitive analysis. Ginger has developed over hundreds of products from hair care to skin care, and sun care to color cosmetics. Her claim to fame products include the revolutionary first to market Joico ICE SPIKER, water resistant hair glue, Freeze 24.7 Ice Shield, SPF 15 face wash and Avon Advance Techniques Color Protection series. Her Avon True Color Eye shadow and Daring Definition Mousse Mascara have also been selected as the finalists for CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) for 2005 and 2006 respectively.

Samantha Holender
Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.