The Best Lip Balm: Our Tips & Advice

Let’s talk lip balm.

Why buy this item in bulk? How about adding a tube of lip balm to a gift bag? Or maybe if your kids are always losing theirs, you can leave large container of lip balm out for the family to take as needed.

To find the best lip balm, we did a blind test with 9 different brands (yes, we removed the labels). Why blind? That way we aren’t influenced by brands or packaging. 

When it comes to lip balm, there seem to be two camps: folks who like flavored lip balms and those who prefer the plain jane versions. We’ve got you covered with picks in both categories.

One piece of advice: consider shea butter with caution. Although only a small number of folks have an allergy to shea butter, you might consider steering clear if you are buying these lip balms in bulk to give away. That said, our kid testers love the soft texture of shea butter lip balms . . . so we can see the appeal there!

Here are the winners of our tests.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!