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The skin on our lips is unique—and highly sensitive—which is why you might want to consider adding a lip mask to your skincare lineup. Here’s how to find the best lip mask for hydrating dry lips, and learn how to use it, too. Did you know that red lipstick is about as old as human civilization? According to historians, it was the ancient Sumerians, who lived more than 5000 years ago, who initially crushed red rocks into a lip tint. In light of this fact, it’s easy to see how the mouth—particularly, the lips that surround it—has become one particular locus of our beauty attention for as long as we’ve attended to beauty.Of course, we’ve come a long way in the intervening five millennia or so. The options for tinting one’s lips could span into an infinitesimal assortment of shades far outside the geological palette—from reds to pinks to blues to prismatic glosses. We shade our lips, we line them, we shellac them, and we have fun doing it.Skincare has caught up, too. Indeed, while the ancient Sumerians probably had techniques for lotioning their skin, and protecting it from the sun, today’s skincare offerings promise to specifically target unique areas of skin on the body. This is why we have different moisturizers for our bodies than for our faces. But have you ever considered a lip care routine with special skincare for your lips? This highly sensitive, special area of exposed skin on the body has long been a focus of makeup. But why not skincare, too? What is a lip mask?Beauty lovers are doubtless familiar with face masks, which take potent skincare formulas and dole them out into more than effective formulas. Because of their potency, these products are likely to be used only a few times a week, as opposed to in your daily skincare routine.Many of these masks offer additional hydration to areas of the skin. Unlike a typical hydrator or moisturizer, a mask is intended to be left on the skin for a short period of time. Sometimes, these are also applied to sheets that trap, in the manner of a greenhouse, the ingredients between the mask and the skin, to amplify its effectiveness. In occlusive creams, these can provide a seal of moisture that allow the product to sink into skin beneath. Some masks are made for daily use, but most often they are employed once or a few times per week as a helping hand to the rest of your skincare attentions.While most of us are familiar with the need to moisturize our lips—and this is why a lip balm may be the first beauty product many of us ever use—this skincare step often feels insufficient, or at least it requires multiple applications. By contrast, the best lip mask can be used to supercharge lips with moisture—keeping them healthy, hydrated, and comfortable for longer periods of time. Do my lips need a mask?It is hard to think of a part of the skin that sees more action from day to day than the skin on our lips.The skin on our lips is unlike the skin anywhere else on our body. In contrast to the 16 or so layers that comprise the skin on our face, the vermillion of our lips—the part of your lips that are naturally tinted—are between three to five cellular layers, making them exceptionally thin. Our lips are free of the hair follicles and oil glands that appear elsewhere on skin. Crucially, they also provide a boundary between the skin on the outside of the body and the mucous membrane that lines our innards, from our mouths on down.Think about what the lips accomplish in a day. For many, spoken language and consumable sustenance cross this threshold multiple times a day. Unlike our delicate mucous membranes, the skin on our lips is also exposed to the elements, and susceptible to sun damage or other environmental stresses. Common allergic reactions, inflammatory responses, or even stress can also contribute to lip dryness, or chapping.Keeping our lips hydrated, and using moisturizer on them regularly, is the official advice from the American Academy of Dermatology Association on how to keep them healthy. For very dry lips, a “thick ointment,” like petroleum jelly can help seal moisture in. A bit of trend marketing has rebranded applying petroleum jelly as something called slugging, but this is really an act of masking: Leaving a concentrated product on for a short duration up to a few times a week. While lips may not need a mask, mask treatments have shown to help stay skin moisturized for longer. (And applying them infrequently is easier than carrying a lip balm on you at all times!)What are the benefits of a lip mask?Our lips need hydration and moisturization, two things which masks excel at. But how, exactly, do they do that? The best lip masks provide many benefits; here are a few things they can do.Hydrate and moisturize delicate lips. The long lasting effects (and often more potent ingredients) that masks employ are specially suited to care for the lip area. Due to lips’ unique properties, notably a lack of oil glands that help other parts of skin self-moisturize, it’s necessary to reapply hydrators and moisturizers, and masks allow you to go longer between applications.Repair environmental damage. Like the skin on our cheeks, arms, or feet, our lips are also susceptible to stress induced by the environment around us—some pollutants can cause oxidative stress, for example, and of course ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure can accelerate aging. Thickly applied masks not only help trap moisture that skin needs to keep itself healthy (and naturally repair itself against stress), but they can also have a protective quality, too.Prime and prep for makeup. Few things help to prepare skin to apply makeup than a base of good skincare. While makeup primers can help pigments adhere to the skin on your face, they’re unlikely to work on dry skin. And when it comes to lips, which can easily chap and flake, the moisturizing power of a lip mask makes for a perfect primer. (They also turn the quotidian act of applying lipstick into a slightly more decadent affair.) The best lip mask & how to use itThe best kind of lip mask is one that you like enough to use frequently, but that also feels something like a treat—it is, after all, more of a treatment than a daily skincare product. This is why the world’s most beloved lip masks feel like something of an indulgence. Unlike other indulgences, this one is pretty good for you. Tatcha’s Kissu Lip Mask is a best-seller for a reason: It distills Japanese skin superplants into a dense, gel texture that restores lushness to lips. One of the main ingredients, Japanese peach extract, is a traditional Japanese beauty secret used centuries ago to help repair damaged lips—and delivers a slight peachy kiss. Camellia oil, rich in oleic acid, vitamins, and nourishing Omegas 3, 6, and 9, makes a superb moisturizer. A pearl-sized amount can be applied to lips whenever necessary—a few times a week, or anytime in a pinch. It’s your nighttime BFF: Go to bed, and wake up with a more perfect pout.

Not all lip balms are created equal. The best Japanese lip balms manage to fulfill the task of hydrating and moisturizing lips, while also adding benefits like antioxidants and sun protection. Consider the lips, and everything they do: they help us to eat and allow us to express ourselves. They say so much, even when they’re not speaking. It’s little wonder that the mouth has been a locus of attention for as long as people have been alive—there is evidence of lipsticks used in some of the earliest records of civilization. In contemporary times, with our slightly more sophisticated cosmetic culture, it’s also become an area of acute care. We open our mouths for our doctors, brush our teeth, and moisturize our lips.In some cultures, even the smallest gesture of self preservation takes on a greater significance—when they’re mindfully employed. When you witness the ritual that Japanese geisha performers employ to take off their thick stage makeup, you grasp this completely: The precision and care imbued into this simple act of hygiene seems to refresh on a level deeper than skin. In this light, it’s possible to see a link between the regimented and the ritualistic.In many Japanese beauty routines, the idea of skincare is analogous with the idea of self-care, which is why every part—from cleansing and renewing to moisturizing and protecting—is thoughtfully performed. Sure, the scattered moments spent applying lip balm probably fall short of a true meditation. But how else are we to care for this part of us that does so much, if not give it meaning? We can start by elevating our lip care with the best Japanese lip balm. The philosophy of Japanese skincare One thing about skin in Japan: It’s not about looking young, but about having the best skin of your life at whatever age you may be and regardless of your skin type.What does this actually look like? Many Japanese skincare routines focus on nourishing and hydrating the skin, sometimes using multiple steps and solutions, as well botanicals with time-tested benefits. Silk has a long history in Japanese cultural products, but also skincare: Geisha used to wash themselves with silk, as if they could transfer its smooth, liquid quality directly to their skin. Now we know that silk extracts are easily absorbed into the skin, and carry powerful antioxidants and amino acids that help promote cell regeneration. Take it from a centuries-old beauty secret. Why Japanese lip balms workSkin is thin, and in some places more than others: Our lips have a third or less of the cell layers found on the rest of our facial features. A lack of oil glands means that our lips also can’t self-moisturize, which is why you notice dryness faster on your lips than anywhere else. Most lip balms will do the bare minimum for you, by forming a protective seal over your lips. But some Japanese lip balms are thoughtfully designed to do even more: Restoring and protecting delicate lip skin. Here’s why they make some of the best lip balms:They have SPF. In Japan, skincare is also suncare. Japanese women have long understood that sun protection is critical for every part of the body, including—and especially—on the lips. Sun exposure not only damages lip skin, but accelerates aging. In many of the best Japanese lip balms, an SPF lip protectant is more than an added feature: It’s a non-starter.They’re lightweight, but effective. Those who aren’t as familiar with Japanese lip balms often remark on their texture, which feels more lightweight than the waxy-jelly they might be used to. By contrast, Japanese lip balms have an elegant feel that makes them a delight to use—and reapply.They’re made with high-quality ingredients. Some of the skincare you may encounter in Japan is older than it looks, and many ingredients have histories that date back to pre-modern times. Silk, for one, is still not only widely used in Japanese craft but also finds its way into skincare formulas. Rice, a staple of the Japanese diet, but also unclogs pores—and makes an excellent exfoliant. The best Japanese lip balmsThe skincare brand Tatcha, which incorporates Japanese ingredients and inspiration into highly effective and luxurious topical formulas, calls its lip care collection Kissu—the Japanese word for kiss. It’s an apt name that helps describe the brand’s goal of combining skincare with ritual elements—turning a small act of moisturizing into a small act of love. Tatcha makes some of the best Japanese lip balms, which you can browse depending on when you’re most likely to wear it: For day: The Kissu Lip Tint SPF Tatcha’s brand-new tinted lip balm formula provides lips with a moisturizing veil that lasts all day. Its key ingredients, lanolin and silk protein, work to hydrate lips and seal them against water loss while UV filters protect lips from the sun and harmful photoaging. Each shade of lip tint is named for a bloom cherished in Japanese culture, and captures a different hue of Japan’s scenery: The soft pink “ume”, a first sign of spring; the classic red “tsubaki”, a symbol of strength, and the deep berry “kuroyuri”, that rare and romantic bloom. For night: The Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm When was the last time you encountered a lip balm suffused with 23-karat gold? The Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm is thick and intensely hydrating thanks to the power of camellia oil, a featherweight moisturizer used for centuries in Japanese beauty routines. Nourishing antioxidants and essential fatty acids help keep lips protected and sealed against water loss all day or night. Then there’s the gold: A fine dust lends a subtle metallic shine to lips. It makes the perfect barely-there lip gloss for a night out—or a decadent mask for a night in. Or try: The Kissu Lip Mask The overnight period is when most of us get all of our rest, and it’s also when skin goes into its own repair mode. This is why dermatologists recommend layering on skincare products before bed, so they can help the process along—and it’s why we have lip masks in addition to lip balms, a category which takes the lip balm to new moisturizing heights. Tatcha’s best-selling Kissu Lip Mask, made with juicy Japanese peach, feels practically weightless thanks to the emollient squalane, but it’s enough to restore lips to full lushness by morning—just in time to apply your day balm.

The best lip tint is a color product that falls somewhere between makeup and skincare on the beauty product spectrum—but which one is it, exactly? Let’s explain lip tint, and how it differs from stains, balms, and sticks. Eyes, lips, face: Together, they assemble the trinity of major makeup categories. Each word describes a dizzying amount of product options all used in self presentation, from the creamy concealers or dusty blushes on our cheeks to the pencils or markers or powders we use to sketch our brows.Lips in particular have always been a popular application site. It’s a small way to show them some care. There’s a phenomenon named for this: The “Lipstick Effect”, describes an economic theory that even in times of recession, humans will still purchase affordable luxuries, like lipstick, even though their benefits are mostly tied to vanity. It’s less about the lipstick, and how lipstick makes us feel.Contemporary innovations in makeup have given rise to a number of other lipstick-like products, which provide near endless ways to wear lip color—and near endless options, too. Take lip “tints”—are they sticks, or balms, or both? It turns out, some products can seamlessly marry the categories of makeup and skincare. Which one describes a lip tint? What is a lip tint? It won’t shock you to learn that the phrase “lip tint” is not a regulated one, meaning there are few guidelines about what a lip tint should look like or be composed of. As the same suggests, these products are intended to add slight color to the lips. But that usually isn’t all they can do.A lip tint is, by definition, a makeup product, but one that is unlike other lip colors. Rather than simply pave over skin, tints usually come in a slippery texture, like an oil or gel-cream, that provide sheer washes of different shades that still allow for the natural lip color to come through. These softer textures can even help moisturize skin, which makes for longer, more comfortable wear in the process. Because of these combined factors, lip tints are typically regarded as more natural and long-lasting lip color options than their companions in the makeup aisle. Especially if you’re looking for a subtle makeup look, a lip tint might be your holy grail. What’s the difference between lip tint and lip balm?Lip balms are ubiquitous. There’s a good chance there’s one near to hand right now. There’s also a good chance that it was one of the first skincare products you ever owned.We’re familiar with lip balm because there is no place we need balm more than on our lips. Skin has the ability to self-moisturize using oil glands buried in its outer layers that secrete waxy sebum—but on the lips, these oil glands are absent, which is why the skin in this delicate area is prone to chapping. Lip balms use waxes or emollients which act as moisture seals. They are typically worn throughout the day and at night, but are frequently translucent, without color.Some lip balms do carry a bit of color, and these are commonly called tinted lip balms. These might function similarly to lip tints—and even look nearly identical—but are probably, like their untinted cousins, skincare products, while lip tints are makeup products. What’s the difference between lip tint and lip stain?In your shopping adventures, you may encounter the term lip stain, which refers to long-wearing lip color that clings to lips like a stain to fabric. You can read more about the difference between lip tint vs. lip stain vs. lipstick here, but in short, like lip tints, stains are makeup products. Look closely and you’ll notice a difference in texture: While tints usually have a hydrating, jelly, luminous quality, stains are inky and matte. Both products offer a slighter change to the lips than a lipstick, but in two different finishes. A lip tint is a little closer to a balm than a stain, which may have more in common with lipstick. Is a lip tint right for me?Why add a lip tint to your makeup wardrobe? It’s not dissimilar to adding a pair of jeans to an outfit: They’re an easy, everyday way to flatter your features. But a lip tint might also benefit you if you’re a person who…Is prone to lip dryness. Dry skin can be caused by all kinds of factors, from your skin type to the outside environment to inflammation in our bodies, but moisturizing ingredients in lip balms and lip tints can help form a seal over lips that inhibits water loss. If your lips are chronically dry, you probably have a good lip balm or two up your sleeve; A lip tint, or a tinted lip balm, allows you to incorporate them into your makeup look, too.Hates the feeling of lipstick. It’s a common question at the makeup counter: Will this lipstick dry me out? Some lipsticks go on creamy, only to crust over as the day wears on, but a lip tint will stay juicy between reapplications.Opts for minimalist makeup. If your makeup look is little more than mascara and lip color, a lip tint may help collapse steps in your routine. Lip tints are easy to use and their versatility as a hybrid skincare-makeup product makes them highly convenient for a simple, natural makeup look—any time, any wear. The best lip tint For half a decade, the skincare brand Tatcha’s best-selling Kissu Lip Mask has restored thousands of lips to full lushness using the power of Japanese peach extract, a powerful plant moisturizer. Lately, they’ve expanded Kissu into a collection of some of the best lip tints for long-wearing, natural lip color: Please welcome the Kissu Lip Tints. The Kissu Lip Tints come in three shades, each inspired by time-treasured Japanese botanicals—the pink plum blossom, the red camellia bloom, and the berry midnight lily—to assemble a curated lip color wardrobe. Regardless of your choice of tint color, each one builds with applications, too. One swipe gets you a sheer wash of color, or you can load it up for a higher-impact look. But it’s more than just makeup: the Kissu Lip Tints are also fortified with UV filters that protect lips from the aging rays of the sun, as well as silk protein and botanical lanolin, for optimum moisturization. This smooth, elegant formula keeps lips comfortable while gliding on effortlessly. It’s a kiss of color, and one that keeps lips well-loved.

Sunscreen is important: Every day, every wear. That includes on your lips, too. This short guide will help you select the best lip balm with SPF, which moisturizes lips while protecting them from UV light. If there’s one true beauty essential that exists in the world, it’s sunscreen. You probably already know this, but it bears repeating: Sun protection is an important part of your skincare routine and should be applied every day. If you’ve ever been a kid on a beach, you can understand why.What’s more difficult to understand is how to apply sunscreen, so that it can protect skin with its intended (and rigorously-tested) efficacy. Unlike your moisturizer, a single application won’t get you very far—reapplication is key. And you may remember to wear it on exposed areas outside of the face, like the hands, neck, even the tops of the ears. SPF should be applied anywhere the sun hits, and that includes lips.In fact, the skin on the lips is some of our most delicate skin, regardless of your skin type. No wonder it requires our protection. But once again, unlike choosing a moisturizer (which comes in many different textures and formulas) or the right sunscreen for your skin type, it’s an easy task to find adequate lip sunscreen: All you need to do is locate the best lip balm with SPF. What sun does to skinThe sun is a powerful, sustaining life force; We wouldn’t be here without it. That power can even be felt from some 92 million miles away, if you spend a little too long outside on a bright and clear day.The sun is an effective heater and illuminator thanks in part to ultraviolet radiation, or UV rays, which arrive to Earth in three types. UVC, the most harmful to us, is absorbed entirely by our planet’s atmosphere. Most UVB is absorbed, too, but most UVA rays reach the Earth’s surface. These UVA and UVB rays are what we’re protecting ourselves from when we apply sunblock.What happens if we don’t? The process of photoaging, or aging as a result of sun overexposure, can occur. UV light travels from the sun directly to our skin, where it can reach the dermis and cause DNA changes at the cellular level, according to Yale Medicine. Photodamage begins as early as in our teens, though its telltale signs—sun spots from hyperpigmentation, wrinkles from structure loss—may not reveal themselves until later on. This is why sunscreen is more than just a way to skip a sunburn—it’s also one of the most effective anti-aging products in existence.But aging, in any form, is a privilege. A more grave argument for sunscreen centers on the proven link between UV radiation from sun overexposure and skin cancer. One of the most common cancers, having five or more sunburns doubles one’s risk for developing melanoma, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. In light of this, the idea of sun protection takes on a new urgency. Do lips need SPF?The skin on our lips is unlike anywhere else on the body. For one, it’s hard to imagine another patch of skin that sees more action than the one just beneath our noses. We use our mouths to breathe and communicate. We use them for expression, for sustenance, and so much more. Is it any wonder we sometimes paint them, too?The lip vermillion, otherwise known as where you apply lipstick, borders your facial skin and the inner mucous membrane. But unlike the skin on your face, it is much thinner, and lacks glands that produce sebum—skin’s own self-moisturizing fluid. This is why lips are so prone to getting chapped, why lip balms are so beneficial, and why lip balm is its own category of product. They need all of the moisturization help they can get, which is why there are specific lip care routines for winter. They also need sunscreen.It’s possible that your face sunscreen would make a fine SPF if applied to lips. But it also might taste unpleasant, and could certainly dry your lips out, which might keep you from using it and cause sunburned lips. Some of the formulas that make sunscreen nicer to wear on your face aren’t made to wear on your lips. An SPF lip balm, by contrast, is designed for lips’ unique skin. The best lip balms offer ample moisturization alongside sun protection. Bonus points if it adds a little tint, too.The best SPF lip balmLip SPF, like anywhere-else SPF, needs to be frequently reapplied—every two hours, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, even when you’re indoors. The best sunscreen for you is not only one that can be easily reapplied, but one that you enjoy using, which can help solidify the habit. SPF for the face can be tricky to reapply, especially over makeup. SPF for lips is easier; we already reapply it, even when SPF isn’t included.Then there are the best tinted lip balms with SPF, which make sun protection for lips as simple as applying lipstick. These hybrid makeup-skincare products are formulated with ingredients that moisturize skin, with an added wash of wearable color. Add UV filters, and this single product condenses three different skincare steps into one slim tube. The Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25, from Tatcha, is one such multitasker. It’s foremost a skincare product, made with emollient plant-derived lanolin and silk protein for a weightless moisturizing skin finish. The shades assemble an edited wardrobe of lip tint colors, from coral pink to deep berry, and can be built up for higher intensity color. But most importantly, The Kissu Lip Tint is made with SPF 25 sun protection to help prevent photoaging while keeping lips hydrated. (In a trial, 100% of respondents reported feeling moisturized instantly and an hour after application.*)We at Tatcha take inspiration from Japanese beauty culture, which places an emphasis on SPF. Japanese women have long understood that sun protection is essential to maintaining healthy-looking lips. This creamy, hydrating lip tint makes it easy, too.††Based on bio-instrumentation (TEWL) clinical study of 42 panelists.

Sunburned lips can not only be painful, but can also lead to more serious issues. Discover how to heal sunburned lips and how to prevent them in the first place. Wearing sunscreen daily is a must. You (hopefully) apply broad spectrum SPF on your face and body frequently throughout the day—but do you extend that due diligence to your lips, too? Sunburned lips are a common woe with excessive sun exposure, which can lead to not only discomfort and irritation, but also premature aging (including fine lines around the lips) and even skin cancer. Here’s how to heal sunburned lips with home remedies and after-sun skincare products—and how to protect lips from sun damage altogether.Sunburned Lips 101Can your lips get sunburned? (Really?!) Yes, the sun can easily burn the lip area, especially because the lips have thinner skin than the rest of the body, making it even more delicate and burn-prone. Additionally, the sun can burn dry, chapped lips more easily, says the American Academy of Dermatology.Sunburned lips often mimic the telltale signs of sunburned skin: redness, heat radiating from the burn, dryness, itching, and discomfort. In more severe cases, bleeding, blisters, and peeling can occur. Burns can even trigger cold sores for some, notes the AAD.How To Heal Sunburned LipsTreating a sunburn on the lips is similar to preventing peeling from sunburn and requires some basic products, many of which you likely already have at home. Healing sunburned lips begins with applying a cool compress to ease the burning sensation and swelling instantly, while hydrocortisone cream, found at any drugstore, can address redness and swelling, too. Aloe will help calm, cool, and hydrate the area as well—bonus points if it’s kept in a cool place for an additional boost of soothing.Sunburned Lips TreatmentThe ultimate method for avoiding sunburned lips is prevention, either by applying a lip balm with SPF sunscreen or protecting your skin from sun exposure altogether using hats, UPF clothing, and more. Slather on a non-irritating lip mask or balm with SPF 25 or higher before going outdoors and reapply every two hours or after eating or drinking.The Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25 Perhaps you’re searching for the ultimate lip formula: a moisturizing, SPF-boosted lip product with a flattering flush of color? Look no further because Tatcha’s Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25 is finally available. Made with silk protein and botanical lanolin, this brand-new unscented formula hydrates lips and seals in moisture while protecting from UVA and UVB rays with SPF 25. Available in three universally flattering shades, The Kissu Lip Tint is unique in that the formula is customizable and builds from sheer to medium coverage in just a few easy swipes.The smooth, non-sticky formula keeps lips moisturized and comfortable, and clinical studies agree. 100 percent of panelists agreed that the Kissu Lip Tint seals in moisture* and after one week of use, 97 percent of users noted their lips felt protected when outside in the sun.***Based on a bio-instrumentation (TEWL) clinical study on 42 panelists.**Based on self-assessment questions within a clinical study on 42 panelists.The Kissu Lip Mask Also, because we now know dry, chapped lips burn more easily, it’s important to keep lips hydrated. Grab the bestselling Kissu Lip Mask, which features plant-based squalane, Japanese peach extract, and camellia oil to nourish, calm, and restore lips’ lushness. This uniquely textured jelly treatment melts into lips, locking in moisture and repairing parched lips. Massage a generous, even layer onto clean, dry lips day or night and leave it on to soak in indefinitely.Sunscreen – whether it be for the face, body, or lips – is an investment in the health of your skin and overall well-being. Ensure you keep your skin as healthy as possible by following sunscreen best practices—including slathering on SPF-included lip products as needed. Your plump, hydrated, tinted, and protected lips will thank you.

The best tinted lip balms are multipurpose: deeply hydrating, while also leaving behind a flattering wash of color. But not all are created equally. We discover the best tinted lip balms to swipe on daily. Tinted lip balms have seen a rapid rise in popularity in recent years—and for good reason. The best tinted lip balms are multipurpose: deeply hydrating, while also leaving behind a flattering wash of color. They enhance the lip’s natural hue, while also hydrating and nourishing the delicate skin. While some versions are more subtle and others more buildable and customizable, all tinted lip moisturizers hydrate. But that doesn’t mean all tinted balms are created equal.Tinted lip balm: Makeup meets skincareA tinted lip balm is one of those packaged goods that blurs the lines between categories. A foundation product is distinct from a face moisturizer, even though both are applied to the skin on the face; they’re designed to achieve chemically different ends. A lipstick is made to shade lips, not moisturize them. For that, you'll need a lip balm.As the name suggests, a tinted lip balm is closer to its skincare cousin. You can use a tinted lip balm to hydrate and moisturize your lips throughout the day—the color is an added benefit, and one that helps simplify your makeup routine, too. You can save your heavier, untinted lip balm for your nightly skincare ritual.Here are the best tinted lip balms, including the best SPF-boosted options and the most ideal balms for dry lips.Best Tinted Lip BalmThe Kissu Lip Tint Made with silk protein and botanical lanolin, this brand-new unscented formula hydrates lips and seals in moisture while protecting from sun damage. Available in three universally flattering shades, The Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25 is unique in that the formula is customizable and builds from sheer to medium coverage in just a few easy swipes.Not only is it a beautiful lip tint, but it’s also one of the best SPF tinted lip balms, with SPF 25 coverage from UVA and UVB rays to prevent sun damage and age healthfully. Lips can burn in direct sunlight, and there are routines for how to heal sunburned lips, but they can also simply age just like the surrounding skin, with fine lines and dark spots. Bottom line, lip balm with sun protection helps shield your pout from the devastating effects of photoaging.Another reason The Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25 is extraordinary? The thoughtful and one-of-a-kind ingredients, including the aforementioned silk protein and botanical lanolin. Silk protein, which is featured in some of Tatcha’s favorite formulas, smoothes and nourishes, while also providing a veil of weightless hydration. Botanical lanolin is a comforting emollient that not only seals in moisture, but also helps lips naturally retain moisture and color for a smoother and more pigmented look.The smooth, non-sticky formula keeps lips moisturized and comfortable, and clinical studies agree. 100 percent of panelists agreed that the Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25 seals in moisture.* This tinted lip balm has been shown to apply smoothly** and improve lip moisturization*** with 100 percent of panelists. Additionally, after one week of use, 97 percent of users noted their lips felt protected when outside in the sun.*****Based on a bio-instrumentation (TEWL) clinical study on 42 panelists.**Based on a bio-instrumentation (Novameter) clinical study on 42 panelists.***Based on an expert grading clinical study on 40 panelists.****Based on self-assessment questions within a clinical study on 42 panelists.Not to mention the hues! The three tints were intentionally designed and selected for their universality. The future classics are:Plum Blossom: These resilient flowers, or ume as it’s known in Japan, symbolize patience. This soft pink, buildable tint is inspired by the Japanese plum blossom, whose petals announce the first sign of spring.Camellia: Already a beloved ingredient and inspiration for Tatcha, this vibrant red tint is as gorgeous as it is wearable. Camellia, or tsubaki in Japanese, is an ancient botanical that blooms in the winter and early spring. The fresh red petals symbolize strength, just like the striking image of the bold red flowers peeking out of the white snow-covered surroundings.Midnight Lily: The deep berry tint is inspired by the Japanese midnight lily, known as kuroyuri, which symbolizes love and admiration. The rare and mystical flower impossibly blooms in high elevation mountains and its rarity is thus linked to the rarity of true love.Best Hydrating Lip TintThe Kissu Lip Mask Just like how a face mask delivers a concentrated dose of potent ingredients to the skin, a lip mask works similarly, flooding the lips with hydration. A lip mask deeply replenishes a dehydrated pout, softens the look and feel of the skin, and can oftentimes give lips a juicy, plumped appearance. Grab the bestselling Kissu Lip Mask, which features olive-based squalane, Japanese peach extract, and camellia oil to nourish, calm, and restore lips’ lushness.The lip mask that launched thousands of enthusiastic fans, this uniquely textured jelly treatment melts into lips, locking in moisture and repairing parched lips. Massage a generous, even layer onto clean, dry lips and leave it on to soak in indefinitely. While the original, untinted treatment can be used any time of day and particularly right before bed, the tinted hue is designed for daytime use. It’s ideal for those seeking a tint of color while also deeply hydrating the delicate lip area.Why are my lips dry?First, let's talk about the skin on your face. Skin is a matrix made up of multiple layers, some suffused with networks of blood vessels and neurons, others densely packed with dead skin cells. Skin works as a barrier, keeping us protected from the environment around us, and its sophisticated layered system allows it to traffic other substances, like sweat and sebum, up and out of skin. Beneath the thick stratum corneum, the dead skin layer that forms our outermost skin barrier, the skin on our face could have between 15-20 cell layers.By contrast, the skin on our lips spans about three to five cell layers. This skin also lacks the hair follicles and oil glands that are found elsewhere, and as a result, it lacks the ability to self-moisturize. This is why the skin on our lips is prone to dryness, chapping, and cracking—and why regular moisturization is necessary, at least according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. Their advice: Apply a non-irritating lip balm throughout the day, especially right before bed.A short history of lip balmIt’s possible, more than likely, that forms of lip balm have existed as long as humans have—and indeed, there is plenty of evidence that we’ve been moisturizing our lips for centuries. In our contemporary beauty market, the history of lip balm dates back to just before the turn of the 19th century. A Virginian pharmacist made a small tin of petrolatum, waxes, aromatic oils specifically for chapped lips and called it ChapStick. In 1912, a tin of ChapStick cost as much as a suit, but the product flew off shelves anyway: Dry lips needed a salve.A century plus later, it seems we still can’t get enough lip balm. There are waxes, oils, creams, tinted lip balms, even masks we wear on our lips. Why is this? It has a lot to do with the unique texture of the skin on our lips, which, while similar to the skin found elsewhere on the body, is crucially different in a few ways.No matter which tint color you choose, a tinted lip balm is one of the most useful products in your skincare routine and makeup arsenal. In fact, it might be helpful to have a handful of tinted lip balms, one in your go-to bag, one at the office, and one in your car—ready to go wherever the day may take you.

One of the most versatile products, lip tints are perfect for adding a flattering wash of color while also hydrating your pout. The only problem? Selecting which lip tint color is best for you. Considering swiping on a lip tint? The rapidly rising product is beloved for not only its wonderful versatility but also for its beautiful ease of use. What makes for the best lip tint? A lip tint adds a needed dose of moisture to the lips, while also imparting a flattering wash of color to the lips. While lip tints are more subtle vs. lip stains and lipsticks, a lip tint can also be built up for a more opaque appearance. Another reason it’s popular is for its seamless use—because a lip tint is (at its most understated application) just a hint of color, it doesn’t require a precise application method. Just like a balm, you can continuously reapply throughout the day as needed, without worry and sans mirror.Perhaps most importantly, a lip tint usually has a moisturizing benefit, with ingredients that are designed to nourish and hydrate the delicate lip area. Think of a lip tint as the best of both worlds: a super hydrating lip mask or balm, but with the added benefit of a flattering flush of color. The only thing you need to worry about when it comes to this category is how to choose a lip tint color. Keep reading to discover what lip color is best for you.What Lip Color Is Best For Me?Lip tints are intentionally easy to use, and while all colors are likely to look flattering, some hues might make your complexion sing even more than others. Here’s the quickest way to find the perfect lip color.Uncover Your Skin Tone No matter the hue of your skin, you have undertones, which is how to choose your lip color. The three undertones are cool, neutral, and warm. While it’s not a perfect science, the easiest way to discover your undertone is to analyze your wrist—no, really! Look at the veins on the back of your wrist and around your face and neck. If they appear blue, you have cool undertones. If they look more green, you have warm undertones. And you have neutral undertones if veins are neither blue nor green (or are a mix of both blue and green). Cool: Cool undertones love lip colors with blue and purple undertones. That includes blue-toned red lipstick and berry-colored lip tints. Warm: Warm undertones love warm tones, like brick red, orange-toned reds, corals, and pinks. Neutral: Neutral undertones are versatile! Because this undertone has both warm and cool elements, they tend to look wonderful in practically any shade. The Best Lip TintWhile there are innumerable lip tints on the market, one stands apart from the others… Introducing Tatcha’s Kissu Lip Tint.This brand-new unscented formula hydrates lips, seals in moisture, adds a pop of color, and protects from sun damage. Available in three universally flattering shades, The Kissu Lip Tint is unique in that the formula is customizable and builds from sheer to medium coverage in just a few easy swipes.The thoughtful and one-of-a-kind ingredients set it apart from others, too. The Tatcha Institute in Tokyo perfected the formula, including unique and powerful ingredients, like silk protein and botanical lanolin. Silk protein, which is featured in some of Tatcha’s favorite formulas, smoothes and nourishes, while also providing a veil of weightless hydration. Botanical lanolin is a comforting emollient that not only seals in moisture instantly, but also helps lips naturally retain hydration and color long term for a smoother and more pigmented look.But it doesn’t just hydrate and add a gorgeous flush of color, it also protects. The formula includes SPF 25 coverage, protecting from UVA and UVB rays to prevent sun damage. Lips can burn in direct sunlight, but they can also age just like the surrounding skin, with fine lines and dark spots. Bottom line, lip balm with sun protection keeps your pout from the devastating effects of photoaging.How To Choose A Lip Tint ColorLip tints leave a sheer, blendable kiss of color on your pout. But which Tatcha Kissu Lip Tint shade is right for you? The three tints were intentionally tested and selected for their universality, but here’s a guide to help narrow down your future favorite.Plum Blossom: These resilient flowers, or ume as it’s known in Japan, symbolize patience. This soft pink, buildable tint is inspired by the Japanese plum blossom, whose petalsannounce the first sign of spring. The coral pink tint would be particularly flattering on warm and neutral tones.Camellia: Already a beloved ingredient and inspiration for Tatcha, this red tint is as gorgeous as it is wearable. Camellia, or tsubaki in Japanese, is an ancient botanical that blooms in the winter and early spring. The fresh red petals symbolize strength, just like the striking image of the bold red flowers peeking out of the white snow-covered surroundings. This gorgeous, sheer rose hue is a must-have for cool, neutral, and warm tones.Midnight Lily: The deep berry tint is inspired by the Japanese midnight lily, known as kuroyuri, which symbolizes love and admiration. The rare and mystical flower blooms in high elevation mountains and its rarity is thus linked to the rarity of true love. While beautiful on everyone, the berry hue is especially lovely on cooler undertones thanks to its blue undertones.

These three lip products have definitive benefits, making each ideal for a certain user. We dive into what each product is, their benefits, and how to best use them throughout the day. While a lip tint, lip stain, and lipstick might seem like fairly interchangeable items within the lip category at first glance, they couldn't be more different. Each of the three products has definitive pros (and perhaps a few cons) that make them more ideal for certain users. Keep reading as we dive into the difference between a lip tint, lipstick, and lip stain—and which one is right for you.What Is A Lip Tint?A lip tint adds a beautiful wash of color to the lips. While a lip stain leaves behind an unbudgeable hue, a lip tint is a more sheer, blendable formula that can be applied with less precision than a lipstick, but can impart as little as a wash of color or built up for a more opaque appearance. It’s also seamless to use because a lip tint is just a hint of color, so it doesn’t require a precise application method. Additionally, a lip tint usually has a moisturizing benefit, with ingredients that are designed to nourish and hydrate the delicate lip area. Think of a lip tint as the best of both worlds: a super hydrating lip mask or lip balm, but with the added benefit of a flattering flush of color. Another huge advantage of a lip tint? They often have added protection with SPF coverage, which helps to protect the delicate lips from sun exposure. Take our game-changing Kissu Lip Tint for example. The buildable and blendable formula comes in three flattering hues, provides a creamy feel on the lips, and can be reapplied on the go. It also has SPF 25 coverage—shielding the delicate skin from both UVA/UVB rays and looking good while doing so.The only downside? Lip tints are not as long-lasting—and they’re not designed to be so. Just like a balm, you can continuously reapply lip tints throughout the day as needed (sans mirror).What Is A Lip Stain?As the name implies, lip stains stain the lips. Lip stains are usually water-based, allowing them to easily absorb into the skin and temporarily stain the area—from just a few hours to 12+, depending on the formula. They can also vary in opaqueness, with some stains giving a sheer hint of hue to other formulas imparting a deep opaque look in a single swipe. The main reason lip stains are so beloved is because of their longevity; they can outlast meals, meetings, and anything in between without smudging. One downside though is the application, which needs to be done precisely because once the stain touches the lips, it’s stuck there for hours.When it comes to a lip tint vs. lip stain—who wins? It’s solely based on personal preference. If you want a budge-proof, matte pop of color, consider a stain. If you prefer a hydrated, buildable, flush of color, grab a lip tint. Or, use both—start by layering a lip stain on clean, dry lips to your preferred color payoff, then top it off with a lip tint for a moisturized, customized, and modern look.What Is A Lipstick?Lipstick is a waxy formula designed to sit atop the lips, helping to achieve a specific color. Made of waxes, emollients, and oils, lipsticks come in a vast array of colors, finishes, and opacities. While each formula is different, they tend to provide a pop of color while also sitting on lips longer than a lip tint but not as long as a lip stain. Lipsticks can also be infused with hydrating ingredients, like botanical oils and vitamins, which not only slightly moisturize but make them feel more comfortable on the lips.On the other hand, lipsticks are famous for their smudge capabilities—eating, drinking, and even speaking can leave them smeared on your face, teeth, or cup. It usually needs to be frequently reapplied and touched up throughout the day and needs frequent check-ups in a mirror to ensure it hasn’t budged. Also, the application needs to be done precisely and carefully usually, if you’re looking for a flawless look.What’s the difference between a lip tint vs. lipstick? Lipstick gives a bold, chic appearance, but it also requires far more precision, fussiness, and touch-ups. A lip tint can also provide a pop of color, especially when building up opacity with multiple layers, but without any of the worry or carefulness. But both can happily live in a vanity and can be used to achieve whatever look you're aiming for that day.While a lip tint, lip stain, and lipstick are often pitted against each other, they can all happily coexist in your lipstick wardrobe. They can even be mixed and matched together to create a custom look that’s all your own.