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Finding the best beauty store lip products

Jacqueline Graham Student Contributor, Michigan State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at MSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

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There are many different types of lip products these days. It is hard to choose what is worth the purchase. It is common for people to use Aquaphor and Vaseline, but beauty store lip balms are becoming more popular, and as they do each brand seems to drop their version. These are some of the top brands you can find online, at Sephora or Ulta, and which ones you should purchase. Disclaimer: This is not a list from best to worst. The order does not affect the product review.

1. Summer Fridays Butter Balm

About: 25 dollars, 0.5 ounces (15 grams), nine available flavors

*Vegan and Cruelty-Free

This is a personal favorite. There are 10 different tints and flavors, 9 of which are available and can be found online or at Sephora. I own and have tested 5 of the ten options and recently purchased another one. This butter balm is very smooth and smells amazing in every flavor. The applicator is in a suitable shape for a nice application. Additionally, the containers last a while and are amply pigmented. These butter balms are fun to put on and help when lips are dry. It looks great on your lips and is comparable to a lip balm/lip gloss. The packaging is also clean and each option is a different color and name. The one downside is they are the most expensive of all the lip balms on this list. It is $25 a tube which is not cheap and I wouldn’t apply it before bed because of the smell and consistency. However, like I said earlier, they last a long time and are a high-quality product. I think this is the perfect gift for people because it is fun and in some ways a “fancy” method for practicing self-care. I will continue to be Summer Friday’s number one fan and I think it is worth it, but it’s obviously not for everyone. That’s why it is good that we have options.  

2. Laneige Lip Glow Balm

About: 19 dollars, 0.35 ounces (10 grams), nine available flavors

*Contains Murumuru Butter and Shea Butter

Laneige’s lip balm is a popular product and is similar to Summer Fridays in many ways. This brand is known for its night lip mask product, but also carries a lip glow balm. This brand has many flavors with fun names. It comes with a bit less product than some of the other options on this list, although it is a little less expensive. It is a bit stickier than the other balms and doesn’t spread as well, but it has a similar look when applied. It has less tint and the smell isn’t strong at all. The packaging is cute as well. The applicator is small, but so is the tube so it gets the job done. I think this product is a good purchase, yet it’s a personal first or second choice. I will say their Lip Sleeping mask is amazing and is my favorite product to put on before bed. This lip balm would still be a good gift and I know many people that do enjoy it. 

3. Tower 28 Lip Softie Lip Treatment

About: 16 dollars, 0.38 ounces (11 milliliters), five available flavors

*Clinically-Proven and Derm-Approved

Tower 28 is a well-trusted brand with lots of great products, but remains underrated a bit when it comes to their lip balms. This product is great for helping out with cracked/damaged lips. It is a really good lip balm and the reviews on the products reflect this. I would say that this product doesn’t appear as glossy on your lips as Summer Fridays due to a thickener consistency and does need to be accompanied by one of their lip oils. The color on these balms is quite visible again. This can be nice because it gives your lips color without being too much with the glossiness.  The smell is present but isn’t overpowering, which can be a positive depending on what you like. I think that the packaging is cute and simple with really fun colors. The applicator is probably my least favorite of the options just because it is round and not slanted like the other lip balms. This product is worth the more expensive price because of the amount of product you receive. I would recommend this product, but also advise exploring their other products as well like their lip jelly. 

4. Glossier Balm Dotcom

About: 16 dollars, 0.5 ounces (15milliliters), 10 available flavors

*Cruelty-Free and Original Formula

I’ve used Glossier for a while now as it was popular before other brands came out with lip balms. The first thing I have to say about this product is that it is thick. This can make it hard to apply and can cause a chunky feeling on your lips. Yet, this does give it its moisturizing quality as well as adding a glossy look. The smells are detectable, but not too strong and are also more unique compared to the other products. The product doesn’t have a ton of color, but it varies from flavor to flavor. The packaging is very fun with multiple colors on the tube and the iconic Glossier logo in red. The packaging alone makes me want to own every single one of the lip products. The applicator is slanted and medium-sized, which I love. It goes on easy and is a good size for your lips, ensuring the product doesn’t spread all over. One thing I noticed though is that the hole where the product comes out is a bit big, causing too much product to dispense sometimes. This product has a great price and lots of different fun options and flavors for customers. I like this product, especially as more of an inexpensive buy. I think that it would be a fun gift with the fun coloring on the package and the coolest brand name on this list.

You can not go wrong when there’s many lip balms on the market that can work for you and meet your needs. While you can use a simple Aquaphor or Vaseline, I think it can be fun to add a fun lip butter balm to your look that adds a little color to your lips. When trying them out, go to Sephora or Ulta to test them and decide which one(s) suit you best.

Graham is a freshman at Michigan State University and majors in journalism, with a minor in broadcast and sports journalism. She was previously a part of her high school broadcasting program and has experience with computer design as well. Aside from Her Campus, Graham is also a member of the Association of Women in Sports Media (AWSM) and is a member of the Pi Beta Phi chapter at MSU.

When she's not writing, Graham loves working out, hanging out with friends, looking at Pinterest, and watching TV.

Graham is excited to be a part of Her Campus, and she hopes readers enjoy her articles.