The Best Lip Products for Extremely Dry Lips, Ranked by Hydration

reviewamazon

Mar 1

If you naturally have extremely dry lips like us, you know the struggle of finding a lip product that actually keeps them soft and moisturized. Some balms feel great for five minutes before disappearing, while others provide serious hydration that lasts for hours. After testing a range of lip products, we’ve ranked 12 popular products from least to most hydrating, so you know exactly what works—and what doesn’t.

We also shared the prices that we paid for each item. The prices may change over time - especially if you’re buying from Amazon - but these should still be helpful signals as to what you can expect to pay.

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12. COOLA Organic Tinted Lip Balm – $18

🌿 Hydration Level: Low

While this COOLA lip balm wins points for being organic and having SPF 30, it’s just not the most hydrating option if your lips are prone to dryness. The tint is pretty, and it feels nice at first, but it fades quickly and doesn’t provide lasting moisture. We do appreciate the long-term benefits, but it’s not worth the chapped lips in the meantime.

11. Amallow Lip Balm – $19

💋 Hydration Level: Low

This Amallow balm has a creamy texture and a smooth application, but it’s not quite enough for severely dry lips. We found that it fades super quickly, meaning you’ll need to reapply frequently to maintain any hydration. We do appreciate that it’s an all natural product with high quality ingredients! So, if that’s important to you then it may be worth a try still.

10. Burt’s Bees Chapstick – $4

🐝 Hydration Level: Low-Medium

We know this one is a cult favorite and considered a classic, but if you have super dry lips, Burt’s Bees not enough. The beeswax formula creates a nice protective layer, but it doesn’t deeply penetrate or repair dryness. Better as a maintenance balm than a true hydrator. Plus, we just don’t love the waxy feel.

9. Revlon ColorStay Suede Ink – $10

🎨 Hydration Level: Low-Medium

For a long-wear lipstick, this one actually feels surprisingly comfortable, but it’s still not a product that truly hydrates. It won’t make dry lips worse, but it won’t fix them either. But we will say, we love the Suede Ink line for long-lasting, smudge-free color.

8. Laura Geller Jelly Balm – $20

💄 Hydration Level: Medium

This lipstick from Laura Geller offers Vitamin E- based hydration with pigment, which is a win for those who want color without sacrificing comfort. It’s not deeply moisturizing but holds up better than most traditional lipsticks. We found this product to be solid, but tend to still reach for other items on this list instead.

7. Revlon ColorStay Overtime Gloss – $9

✨ Hydration Level: Medium

This gloss has a hydrating top coat that helps keep lips comfortable for hours. While not the absolute most moisturizing, it’s one of the better options for long-lasting lip color that doesn’t dry you out. Generally, we love the ColorStay line and the Overtime Gloss is the most hydrating of all of their options, without sacrificing on the long-lasting wear.

6. Laneige Lip Mask – $24

🌙 Hydration Level: Medium-High

This cult-favorite overnight lip mask delivers a solid dose of moisture, but on severely dry lips, it doesn’t always last. It’s great as part of a nighttime routine but might not be enough on its own during the day. We do love how the Laneige Lip Mask has us waking up in the morning with softer lips, but this doesn’t replace the need for multiple applications of a gloss or chapstick through the day.

5. Rodan + Fields Plumping Lip Oil – $36

💧 Hydration Level: High

This hydrating oil not only smooths lips but (allegedly) plumps them slightly, making it a two-in-one product. It’s moisturizing, but because it’s an oil, it needs reapplication throughout the day. We don’t know about the plumping effect, but there is a nice cooling sensation when using this product. The Plumping Lip Oil also feels high quality as you apply it, and we’d expect nothing less from dermatologist-led Rodan + Fields.

4. Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint – $37

🌟 Hydration Level: Very High

A sheer, buildable lip tint that packs a serious punch of hydration. It’s lightweight but leaves lips feeling soft and nourished for hours. Bobbi Brown delivers a great tinted option for dry lips. It’s one of the pricier items on this list, but we have been using it for years and continuously reach for it.

3. Tower 28 Jelly Lip Gloss – $16

💦 Hydration Level: Very High

This non-sticky gloss is shockingly hydrating, making it one of the best daytime lip products for extremely dry lips. It feels like a gloss but nourishes like a balm—we highly recommended Tower 28. This is one of our newest discoveries and we are obsessed so far.

2. Aquaphor Healing Ointment – $7

🥈 Hydration Level: Intense

A classic for a reason, Aquaphor locks in moisture and helps repair cracked, flaky lips. It’s thicker than most balms and works incredibly well as an overnight treatment or daily protectant. It’s actually not specific to your lips, so you can use it for a boost of hydration anywhere. We know this one is unsexy, but sometimes a simple product is all you need.

1. Vaseline – $10

🥇 Hydration Level: Maximum

Vaseline remains the gold standard for dry lips. It creates an unbeatable protective barrier and locks in moisture better than anything else. While it doesn’t add hydration on its own, it prevents water loss like no other product, making it the best choice for extremely dry lips. Plus, they now offer a lip option with a rosy tint!

Bonus Pick: Wonderskin Lip Stains

If you opt for a clear hydration option like Aquaphor or Vaseline but still want a bit of color, we can’t recommend Wonderskin Lip Stains enough. We can’t count the number of times we’ve seen this product promoted by influencers (so much so that we were wondering if this company just had a crazy marketing budget) but it’s actually incredible. It’s quick to apply and really does last all day. It’s non-irritating for sensitive lips and works great for layering with a moisturizing lip product. If you’ve been considering trying a lip stain, we urge you to go for it!

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for serious hydration, stick to Vaseline, Aquaphor, or Tower 28 gloss for daily use, and use Laneige or Rodan + Fields as a booster. If you want hydrating color, Bobbi Brown and Tower 28 are your best bets, but you can boost color for any product with Wonderskin. But if we absolutely had to pick just one winner, right now we are loving Tower 28.

No matter your choice, keeping lips hydrated is all about finding what works for you—but if you have extremely dry lips, some of these products will work a whole lot better than others!

Looking for more inspiration? Make sure to follow us on instagram at @midlionnaire for more thoroughly-vetted Amazon finds.