Are you one of those unfortunates that deal with chronic chapped lips and do you carry around a lip balm everywhere you go? You are not alone. In fact, most people have dry lips, especially during the winter.
Jump to: the 14 best cruelty-free lip balms of 2021.
Why Our Lips Are Dry
Dry cracked lips can be caused by a number of factors. Our lips are exposed to the elements (sun, cold, wind, heat) all the time. The skin of our lips is naturally very thin. Where our body has 15 protective layers, our lips have only 3. And while the skin of our body produces natural oils to keep skin supple, our lips don’t. This is why our delicate lips are so prone to cracking, flaking, sometimes even bleeding.
Allergens That Make Dry Lips Worse
Some say lip balm is addictive and makes lips even dryer. Although this is not true in general, there are lip balms that contain irritants and allergens that actually worsen the problems we are trying to treat, making the lips even more dry. By applying more product, you’ve entered the vicious lip balm circle.
If you’re done rotating lip balms, because no product seems to work, try to find out what allergen may cause your lips to stay the mess they are.
It might be your lips get irritated by salicylic acid, chemical sunscreen, fragrance (especially menthol) or certain oils like castor oil. Even beeswax can be an allergen for your lips. As this is different for everybody, there is not one lip balm that works for everyone.
A lip balm that doesn’t contain allergens that trigger your lips, does really help to give them that much-needed moisture and seals it in by creating a barrier between the lips and the outside world.
Cruelty-Free Lip Balm To The Rescue
Although there are a lot of widely used lip balms such as Chapstick, Aquaphor and Carmex that are tested on animals, luckily there are a lot cruelty-free lip balms too. We’ve searched for the best cruelty-free lip balms out there. From hyaluronic acid infused sleep masks to sun protecting lip treatments, these 14 cruelty-free picks will give your lips the TLC they need. Brand new lips, here we come.
Vegan
As beeswax is a commonly used ingredient in lip balm, a lot of lip balms are unfortunately not vegan. In this list you find 3 vegan options.
Index
- Mario Badescu – Lip Balm
- ILIA – Lip Wrap Clean Hydrating Lip Mask
- Too Faced – Hangover Pillow Balm Ultra-Hydrating and Nourishing Lip Treatment
- Grown Alchemist – Lip Balm in Vanilla & Watermelon
- Lano – Lanolips The Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm
- Biossance – Squalane+ Rose Vegan Lip Balm VEGAN
- Bite Beauty – Agave+ Daytime Vegan Lip Balm VEGAN
- Burt’s Bees – Beeswax Lip Balm
- Drunk Elephant – Lippe Balm
- Coola – Classic Liplux Organic Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF30
- Glossier – Balm Dotcom
- Sara Happ – The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm
- Becca Cosmetics – Hydra-Light Plumping Lip Balm VEGAN
- Kosas – LipFuel Baseline Universal Clear Hyaluronic Lip Balm
The 14 Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balms For Healthy-Looking Lips Year-Round
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1/14
Best Everyday Cruelty-Free Lip Balm:
Mario Badescu – Lip Balm
Shop at Amazon | $
This blend of oils and butters is very moisturizing. Because of the thicker consistency, this balm has great staying power, it even holds up when drinking or eating. It doesn’t add too much shine, applies like butter and has a light coconut-y scent. The squeeze tube is handy and hygienic.
Pros: thick consistency, not sticky, great staying power, hygienic packaging, budget-friendly
Cons: not vegan, the scent if you’re not a coconut person
Free of: animal testing, paraben, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, mineral oil, gluten
2/14
Best Cruelty-Free Lip Mask:
ILIA – Lip Wrap Clean Hydrating Lip Mask
Shop at Amazon | $$$
Creamy lip mask, containing hyaluronic acid and natural butters, seals in moisture and turns your lips to the best version they can be. It has a subtle glossy finish. It can be apply as an overnight mask as well as a balm during the day. The light lavender-chamomile natural scent is instantly calming.
Pros: good ingredients, natural light scent, subtle glossy finish
Cons: pricey, not vegan
Free of: animal testing, parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, mineral oils, fragrance, gluten
3/14
Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balm + Gloss:
Too Faced – Hangover Pillow Balm
Shop at Amazon | $$$
It looks like a lip gloss, but is actually a true treatment for the lips. The extremely moisturizing balm, containing fruit oils and hyaluronic acid, soothes and rejuvenates peeling tight lips. It can be used a daily lip balm, or as an overnight mask to wake up with baby-soft lips.
Pros: very moisturizing, handy applicator
Cons: glossy, not vegan
Free of: animal testing, parabens
4/14
Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balm: Natural Ingredients
Grown Alchemist – Lip Balm in Vanilla & Watermelon
Shop at Amazon | $$$
Step up your lip care game with this balm of Grown Alchemist. Made with essential fatty acids, retinoids, vitamins, and antioxidants, that all work overtime to keep lips hydrated and healthy. It absorbs quickly and leaves a healthy sheen that doesn’t disappear after an hour. It has a vanilla and watermelon scent. And as it all-natural we don’t have to worry about getting some product in our bodies.
Pros: staying power, subtle sheen, natural ingredients, long-lasting
Cons: not vegan, the scent/flavor if you are not into that
Free of: animal testing, parabens, sulfates SLS and SLES
5/14
Best Multitasking Cruelty-Free Lip Balm:
Lano – Lanolips The Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm
Shop at Amazon | $$$
No more painful peeling lips with this 2 ingredient medical grade lip balm. The wonder ingredients lanolil and lanolil oil mimic your skin’s oils and hold in moisture. The consistency is extra thick and very concentrated. Not only will your lips be thanking you, dry cuticles, elbows, paper cuts and even eczema will benefit from this multi-purpose stuff.
Pros: very thick consistency, good longevity, multitasker
Cons: sticky, not vegan
Free of: animal testing, parabens, sulfates SLS and SLES, mineral oil, fragrance
Vegan alert: the ingredient lanolin is secreted by the oil glands of sheep
6/14
Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balm: Vegan
Biossance – Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm
VEGAN
Shop at Biossance | $$
This vegan lip balm is formulated with rose wax instead of beeswax to hydrate and comfort dry soar lips. The clear and fragrance-free formula is very moisturizing, soaks in nicely and leaves a subtle glossy finish.
Pros: subtle gloss finish, good ingredients, vegan, fragrance- and essential oil free
Cons: glossy finish
Free of: animal testing, animal (by)products, parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, fragrance, essential oil
7/14
Best Cruelty-Free Vegan Lip Balm:
Bite beauty – Agave+ Daytime Vegan Lip Balm
VEGAN
Shop at Amazon | $$$
This cult-favorite agave-based lip balm comes with a creamy heavier texture that melts into the lips. Your lips will feel moisturized and super soft for hours. Added bonus for being vegan.
Pros: easy application, not sticky, vegan
Cons: kind of sweet scent that lingers, very thick, doesn’t go well with lipstick
Free of: animal testing, animal (by)products, parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, mineral oil
8/14
Best Drugstore Cruelty-Free Lip Balm:
Burt’s Bees – Beeswax Lip Balm
Shop at Amazon | $
This classic lip balm is widely loved because it is effective and doesn’t break the bank. The simple and 100% natural combination of coconut, lanolil and beeswax work together to keep your pout hydrated and soft. Plus, the balm looks very natural on the lips, as it isn’t shiny.
Pros: all-natural, budget-friendly, not greasy, not shiny
Cons: peppermint can be irritating for your lips
Free of: animal testing, parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, petrolatum
9/14
Best Clean Cruelty-Free Lip Balm:
Drunk Elephant – Lippe Balm
Shop at Drunk Elephant | $$
Formulated with the brands’s key ingredient marula oil, this balm gives your lips a decent amount of hydration. It fills out the lip lines, making your lips look more plump. The balm doesn’t feel tacky and is pretty much scentless. Bonus points for Drunk Elephant being a supporter of the International Elephant Foundation.
Pros: fragrance-free, nice consistency
Cons: if your lips are real dry and chapped, this might not be moisturizing enough for you
Free of: animal testing, parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, mineral oil, silicones, fragrance, essential oils
10/14
Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balm With SPF:
COOLA – Classic Liplux Organic Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 30
Shop at Amazon | $
We all know how important sun protection is, so let’s not forget our precious lips.
Coola’s lip balm moisturizes and at the same time protects your lips from the sun’s UV rays with SPF30. It feels silky (not greasy) and doesn’t leave a white residue like with some SPF lip balms.
Pros: SPF30, easy application, no white residue
Cons: it melts quite easily, it has a slight chemical taste, not too expensive
Free of: animal testing, parabens
11/14
Best Cruelty-Free Multipurpose Lip Balm:
Glossier – Balm Dotcom (Original)
Shop at Glossier | $
The lip balm of the aesthetically pleasing brand Glossier is formulated with castor seed oil, lanolil and beeswax and leaves lips smooth and hydrated. It also works for dry elbows and cuticles. As it leaves a nice sheen, it is also perfect to highlight your cheekbones with. Available in 8 formulas, the original as well as Mint and Coconut go on clear, while the others give a sheer hint of color.
Pros: doubles as a skin salve, color options
Cons: not vegan, contains petroleum
Free of: animal testing, parabens
12/14
Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balm All-Round:
Sara Happ – The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm
Shop at Amazon | $$$
It is on the pricier side, however Sara Happ’s lip balm transforms lips from dry and cracked to smooth and plump in no time. While providing deep hydration that lasts all day, it adds a touch of shine, like you are wearing a subtle lip gloss. For the healthiest lips ever partner up with the brands’s The Lip Scrub.
Pros: lasts all day, no need to reapply every 2 hours
Cons: pricy, a bit sticky
Free of: animal testing, parabens, phthalates, gluten
13/14
Best Cruelty-Free Tinted Lip Balm:
Becca – Hydra-Light Plumping Lip Balm
VEGAN
Shop at Amazon | $$
For smooth lips with a sheer touch of buildable color, try this lightweight buttery balm. Formulated with hyaluronic acid and shea butter it feels very moisturizing without any greasiness. It add a bit of shine to the lips. It wears pretty long and it has a subtle mango scent. In terms of plumping, it gives a slight tingle but the effect is not life-changing.
Pros: magnetic closure, vegan, available in a range of buildable colors, not sticky, long-wearing
Cons: fruity scent, plumping not so much
Free of: animal testing, animal (by)products, parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, mineral oil, alcohol, gluten
14/14
Best Cruelty-Free Lip Balm All-Round:
Kosas – LipFuel Baseline Universal Clear Hyaluronic Lip Balm
Shop at Amazon | $$
Another high-performing and clean-rated lip balm, is Kosas’s original LipFuel. Besides hyaluronic acid to hydrate it is formulated with vitamin E to improve lip’s conditions and konjac root to protect lips from the elements. It has a refreshing minty scent and feel. Do note menthol can be an allergen for your lips, making your lips more dry in the end. It comes in clear as well as a few sheer colors.
Pros: clean ingredients, color options, not sticky
Cons: peppermint can be an allergen for some lips, making them more dry, pricey
Free of: animal testing, parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS and SLES, mineral oil, silicones, fragrance, gluten
Other Tips To Heal and Avoid Dry Lips:
- Stay hydrated and drinks loads of water (good for everything)
- No picking or biting flaking lips as this only slows down the healing process
- Don’t ever lick your lips. Although this may feel like a temporary relief, when the moisture evaporates from our lips, it actually causes more dryness
- Breath through your nose. If you’re a mouth-breather at nighttime, a humidifier in your bedroom could be helpful to moisten the air
- Wear a scarf over your mouth in cold and windy weather
- Wear a hat or a SPF lip balm when you’re out in the sun
- Gently exfoliate your lips a few times a week to remove any flaky peeling skin for instance with Sara Happ’s The Lip Scrub
