Anyone else remember the lightbulb moment when you realized that the chapstick you were using was actually contributing to your dry lips? Yes, I’m looking at you Carmex and Blistex. Thankfully, the clean beauty movement has brought awareness to the many harmful ingredients that can be found in many mainstream brands. Today, I’m sharing some natural alternatives to keep your lips hydrated and what I have found to be the best natural lip balm.
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*Suzi(Gurl Gone Green) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Best Natural Lip Balm
Alpyn Beauty Sweet Agave + Willow Plumping Lip Mask is my favorite hands down! It moisturizes like nothing else and lasts. The longevity of it is amazing. My lips stay buttery soft and smooth using this. I love applying it at night and waking up to smooth lips. But I also wear it in the morning for extra moisture throughout the day. The slightly sweet minty scent is amazing too!
Use code GURLGONEGREEN15 to save 15% off your order!
Toxic Ingredients To Avoid In Lip Balm
- Petrolatum (petroleum jelly) – provides a false sense of hydration. Petroleum jelly or mineral oil as it’s also referred to can feel moisturizing, but it in fact is dehydrating and once it wears off, you’ll need to reapply. Petroleum creates a waterproof coating that can also trap bacteria and dead skin cells. Due to the oil refining process, petroleum is frequently contaminated with 1,4-dioxane.
- Parabens – can dry out the skin’s barrier. Commonly used as a preservative to prevent the growth of bacteria. Butyl, propyl, and ethyl parabens are endocrine disruptors that have been associated with cancer.
- Fragrance – a blanket term that can hide a multitude of harmful chemicals such as phthalates, which are known hormone disruptors and can contribute to respiratory conditions.
- Menthol and Phenol – ingredients that provide a cooling effect, that actually dry out the lips. Not to mention they can also exfoliate the lips, removing the outer layer of skin, again not what we need when we have chapped lips.
- Artificial colors/dyes – many times the dyes are sourced from heavy metals or coal-tar.
- Octinoxate and Oxybenzone – these hormone disruptors can be found in some lip balms that contain SPF
- Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – preservatives used to prevent mold and oxidation. They are also endocrine disruptors and can cause respiratory irritation and have been linked to cancer
- Alcohol – another drying ingredient that can contribute to chapped lips.
You can also search out ingredients in the EWG’s skin deep database.
Related Content: 8 Best Alternatives To Petroleum Jelly
Ingredients To Look For In A Natural Lip Balm
- Beeswax – a natural way to moisturize and protect lips from the harmful rays of the sun.
- Shea butter – it can soothe and hydrate dry, sore lips and prevent them from getting chapped. It is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants.
- Coconut butter – similar to shea butter, also rich in vitamins and nutrients – A1, B1, C, D, E, iron, and magnesium.
- Coconut oil – protects lips and helps with the healing process.
- Vitamin E – can contribute to softer lips by improving circulation and generating new skin cells
7 Best Natural Lip Balms
Alpyn Beauty Willow & Sweet Agave Plumping Lip Mask
This Tik Tok famous lip mask softens, plumps, and hydrates with wildcrafted ingredients. You can use it as an overnight mask or over/under lipstick. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free.
Key Ingredients
Hyaluronic Acid – moisturizes and adds fullness.
Sweet Agave Extract – skin smoothing and hydrating.
White Willow Bark – gentle and natural softener.
Wild Chokecherry and Vitamin E – antioxidant protection.
Cost – $28
Review
This is my go to natural beauty lip balm. It hits all the marks for me. It’s long lasting and really nourishes my lips long term. I apply it to my lips at night and wake up with smooth, soft lips. I also love using it during the day as well. It keeps my lips moist and not peeling. I can’t recommend it enough!
Use code GURLGONEGREEN15 to save 15% off your order!
Related Content: Alpyn Beauty Review
Ilia Lip Wrap Reviving Balm
This Tik Tok famous lip mask softens, plumps, and hydrates with wildcrafted ingredients. You can use it as an overnight mask or over/under lipstick. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free.
Key Ingredients
Salicornia – increases hydration status and helps replenish the moisture barrier.
Hyaluronic Acid – serves as a magnet for moisture, in doing that it smoothes and plumps lips.
Prickly Pear Oil – strengthens the moisture barrier.
Cost – $24
Review
I love how this not only hydrates the lips but really acts as a treatment for them. It glides on so easily and I do love that it comes in a tube, making application even easier. It isn’t sticky at all, but such a smooth formula overall. My lips did feel a little dry in the afternoon, compared to other products. I found I liked wearing it at night when it can really act as a lip treatment.
Related Content: Ilia Beauty Review
Beauty By Earth Peppermint Lip Balm
This is a certified organic lip balm that you can feel good about using everyday. It heals, hydrates, and protects through natural ingredients. The company is also leaping bunny cruelty-free certified and practices sustainability.
Key Ingredients
Organic Beeswax – Aids in healing and protecting the skin. Locks in moisture and can soothe and calm skin.
Sunflower Seed Oil – Contains Vitamin E so it acts as an antioxidant and contains linoleic acid which helps to protect the skin’s natural barrier.
Cocoa Butter – Moisturizes the skin and helps maintain elasticity.
Peppermint – Soothes, cools, refreshes skin and is antibacterial. Also helps to maintain firm lips.
Rosemary Leaf Extract – An antioxidant with antifungal properties
Cost – $11.99 (4 pack)
Review
This is a great budget friendly option for a lip balm. It feels very similar to what most of us used growing up. It’s a basic lip balm, nothing fancy to it, which also is great for those that want something simple and cost effective. I love the peppermint scent. My lips felt nourished but I definitely needed some more in the late afternoon. However, you get 4 lip balms with each packet so you can keep one in a variety of places and swipe more on when you need too. This is a great option for kids too and teens. It won’t break the bank!
Related Content: Beauty By Earth Review
Henne Luxury Lip Balm V2
This is a certified organic lip balm that comes in an aluminum lipstick tube. You can use this lip balm daily but for best results, apply a thick layer before a bed to give your lips time to repair. It’s also leaping bunny and cruelty-free certified.
Key Ingredients
Coconut Oil – Contains essential fatty acids that can help the skin’s barrier function by replenishing and supporting the skin’s natural emollients.
Beeswax – Aids in healing and protecting the skin. Locks in moisture and can soothe and calm skin.
Avocado Oil – Nourishes lips with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants Vitamins C and E.
Shea Butter – Has moisturizing properties that can be used to treat cracked skin.
Cocoa Butter – Moisturizes the skin and helps maintain elasticity.
Jojoba Seed Oil – Rich in fatty acids that hydrate the skin.
Vitamin E – Contributes to softer lips by improving circulation and generating new skin cells.
Cost – $19
Review
This reminds me of a conventional lip balm, but clean of course and taken up a few notches to really make it more of a luxury lip balm. It comes in a tube with a lid and rolls up when twisted. It’s very nourishing to the lips. My lip stayed nourished throughout the day using it. I love using this in the morning before applying any other lip product too since it doesn’t feel heavy. It also doesn’t have a scent which is nice. Super simple ingredients too.
Three Ships Buttercream Hydrating Lip Mask
This lip mask provides intense hydration and builds up a protective barrier to lock in that moisture. Winner of Cosmopolitan’s Holy Grail Beauty Award in 2022. It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and a certified B corporation.
Key Ingredients
Sunflower Oil (23%) – Rich in linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Sunflower oil moisturizes and softens the skin.
Coconut Oil (10%) – Contains essential fatty acids that can help the skin’s barrier function by replenishing and supporting the skin’s natural emollients.
Shea Butter (5%) – Has moisturizing properties that can be used to treat cracked skin.
Cost – $19
Review
This was the newest lip balm I tried. I was initially taken back by the scent. It is very strong overall. The strongest I’ve smelled before for a lip balm. The scent isn’t bad- smells like a strong vanilla scent. It moisturized my lips, but it’s not intensely moisturizing like some of the other lip balms I’ve tried. It does the job if your lips just need a little bit of moisture for everyday, but if you chronically deal with dry lips, it won’t cut it in my opinion. The texture is really smooth and soft. It doesn’t feel sticky at all which I love. If you’re into scents and don’t need an extremely moisturizing lip balm, this is a good option.
Poppy & Pout Natural Lip Balm
This lip balm is fun and aesthetically-pleasing while providing serious moisture for the lips with 100% all natural ingredients. It’s Leaping Bunny and cruelty-free certified and was featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things List.
Key Ingredients
Coconut Oil – Contains essential fatty acids that can help the skin’s barrier function by replenishing and supporting the skin’s natural emollients.
Beeswax – Aids in healing and protecting the skin. Locks in moisture and can soothe and calm skin.
Sunflower Oil – Rich in linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Sunflower oil moisturizes and softens the skin.
Cost – $9.95
Review
I found this one on Amazon and knew I had to try it. I chose the scent Sweet Mint. A budget friendly option. It feels like a conventional lip balm you would have picked up at the drugstore but elevated slightly with the cute sustainable packaging. They have some fun flavors of lip balm to choose from. A great pick for a teen or young adult. I would use this first thing in the morning before applying anything else to my lips for extra moisture. It worked great! I did find my lips would need another swipe or two in the afternoon, but my lips still felt soft. The Sweet Mint scent was so refreshing too!
Gen SEE Comfort Level Lip Mask
This lightweight mask rejuvenates and repairs lips. It’s vegan and Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certified.
Key Ingredients
Hyaluronic Acid – Moisturizes and adds fullness to the lips.
Avocado Oil – Nourishes lips with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants Vitamins C and E.
Hemp Oil – Contains omega3 and omega6 amino acids that help repair the skin’s barrier and lock in moisture.
Cost – $28
Review
This lip mask really delivers when it comes to moisture. I really only wear it at night because it does leave a slight pinkish hue on the lips. I wake up with a thoroughly nourished pout and such a smoothness to my lips. It’s loaded with so many nourishing ingredients. I did read that some people apply it lightly right before applying lipstick so as to prevent cracking of lipstick. I haven’t done that yet, but a great tip. If you’re wanting a true lip mask that isn’t sticky or goopy but delivers moisture this is it.
Is Natural And Organic Lip Balm Any Better?
If a lip balm is organic, then it’s going to use natural ingredients such as beeswax, cocoa butter, or vitamin E, to soften, hydrate, and protect lips. If you want to avoid chemicals and additives, and if you want to use a more environmentally friendly lip balm, then look for mostly organic ingredients or the organic certification.
Even if a lip balm uses the term “natural” in its marketing, it’s important to review the ingredients to make sure they are indeed natural.
Natural and organic lip balms are definitely the better option in comparison to the mainstream variety. In many conventional lip balms, the chemicals not only contribute to dry lips, but worse than that, they can easily be absorbed into the body.
Did I miss your favorite natural lip balm? Share it below!
If you liked this post, check out these past posts:
- Best Matte Lipstick Shades
- 15 Truly Non Toxic And Clean Makeup Brands
- How To Use A Lip Scrub + Best Lip Scrub Products
My favorite is Weleda Everon Lip Balm. Long lasting formula.
It is just my personal preference but I think pots are unsanitary.
Hi Christine! I totally get where you’re coming from. 🙂
Hi Suzy,
I noticed there is no sunscreen in any of your recommendations. Is sun protection not needed for lips? I spend much of my day outdoors, as does my husband, and usually try to use a lip balm with spf 15 or higher. However, I want to switch to something healthier.
Thank you,
Sheilla
Hi Sheilla,
I was more looking for hydration and how well they moisturized versus spf. You can totally need sun protection for your lips- just depends on where you live. All Good has spf 15 in them that are great!