Best Hydrating Lipsticks That'll Replace Your Favourite Tinted Lip Balm
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Time to read 7 min
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Time to read 7 min
💄 This season's absolute must-have: the skin-caring lipstick
For decades, lipstick has been a true symbol of confidence and showing off your personality, but goodness, it's come a long way!
Just over 138 years ago, the pioneering French perfume house GUERLAIN unveiled the first commercial lipstick. It was a simple mix of deer tallow, castor oil, and beeswax, dabbed on with a brush. Fast forward to today, and we beauty lovers expect so much. We're in a brilliant new era of lip innovation, where formulas are packed with cutting-edge skincare ingredients and the designs are as thoughtful as they are chic.
Forget those harsh, drying mattes of yesteryear; the spotlight is firmly on hydrating, buildable colour that truly enhances your natural lips. The trend is crystal clear: we want lipsticks that work like skincare, blurring the lines between a treatment and a pop of colour.
Whether you're looking to sort out dryness, chapped lips, or a bit of a loss of fullness, this line-up of skin-caring lipsticks is designed to elevate your lip game. Get ready to discover a collection that not only gives you stunning colour but genuinely looks after your pout, leaving it soft, smooth, and utterly kissable.
Finish: High-impact shine with a buttery, balm-like texture.
One of the first signs of ageing can be a subtle loss of volume in the lips. What better way to tackle this than with your everyday lipstick? We simply had to kick off this list with the pioneers themselves: GUERLAIN. Their GUERLAIN KissKiss Shine Bloom Lipstick is a real marvel, designed to address this concern head-on.
Why you'll love it:
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Winter Rose Extract, Shea Butter.
💡 Did you know
Hyaluronic acid is a superstar ingredient, a powerful humectant that attracts and holds up to 1000 times its weight in water. This makes it brilliant for plumping and hydrating the skin, including delicate lip tissue.
Finish: Soft matte with a unique blurring effect and a luxurious silky finish.
For those who adore a matte finish but dread the dryness that often comes with it, the GIVENCHY Le Rouge Sheer Velvet Lipstick is your new go-to. Experience 24 hours of hydrating lip colour with this unique soft matte formula that gives a beautiful blurring effect.
Why you'll love it:
Key Ingredients: Mango Butter, Vitamin E
💡 Did you know
Mango butter is rich in vitamins A and C, providing excellent emollient properties that deeply moisturise and soften the skin. Vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Finish: High-pigment satin finish.
As someone with sensitive skin, carefully checking ingredient lists is second nature for my skincare. But why should lipstick be any different? The bareMinerals Mineralist Hydra Smoothing Lipstick totally changed my mind. With only 19 ingredients (40% less than top-selling brands) and a whopping 76% of natural origin, it takes a truly eco-friendly approach to makeup without compromising on performance.
Why you'll love it:
Key Ingredients: Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil, Olive Oil, Pomegranate Oil, Jojoba Oil
💡 Did you know
Sea buckthorn oil is a powerhouse of nutrients, including vitamins C and E, and omega fatty acids, known for their restorative and protective qualities. Jojoba oil closely mimics the skin's natural sebum, making it highly effective for moisturising.
Finish: This one has a bit of a range, offering various textures from rich creams to smooth mattes.
Did you know that our lips are made up of only 3 to 4 layers of skin, compared to the 15 to 16 layers on the rest of our body? Yet, we often overlook them in our dedicated skincare routines. Well, it's time to change that! Treat your delicate pout to a much-needed moisture boost with the updated Urban Decay Vice Lipstick.
Why you'll love it:
Key Ingredients: Aloe Vera, Avocado Oil
Key Ingredients: Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil, Olive Oil, Pomegranate Oil, Jojoba Oil
💡 Did you know
Aloe vera is well-known for its soothing and hydrating properties, while avocado oil is rich in fatty acids and vitamins A, D, and E, providing deep moisturisation and antioxidant benefits.
Traditional lipsticks, especially some matte finishes, can sometimes leave your lips feeling dry, tight, or even chapped. Hydrating lipsticks prevent this by infusing your lips with moisture, keeping them soft, smooth, and comfortable all day. They also help improve the overall health and appearance of your lips in the long run, and many even offer benefits like plumping or protection from environmental aggressors.
The hydrating lipsticks featured in this post, and the trend generally, focus on comfortable, lightweight formulas. While they provide moisture, they're designed to feel like a balm or a second skin, rather than a heavy, sticky product. Brands are prioritising a pleasant sensory experience alongside the hydration.
Absolutely! Hydrating lipsticks are an excellent choice for anyone prone to dry or chapped lips. They deliver much-needed moisture and soothing ingredients directly to your pout, helping to heal and prevent further discomfort. They allow you to wear colour without sacrificing lip health.
While many hydrating lipsticks do offer a lovely sheer or buildable colour for a natural look (like Dior Addict Lip Glow and the Lancome Mademoiselle Shine), there are also options with rich, pigmented hues that still provide excellent hydration. The trend is moving towards buildable colour, meaning you can achieve anything from a subtle tint to a more vibrant shade depending on how many layers you apply.
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