How To Choose The Best Lip Balm For Daily Use

Wallet? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Phone? Check. Lip Balm? Check! 

The handbag essential that no one should step out without is a trusty lip balm, because when the winter dryness hits, your lips feel it first. This beauty product is not just a must-have, but a non-negotiable part of your everyday routine. Because, irrespective of the season, your lips deserve to feel soft, smooth & moisturised. But why is lip balm so important? Unlike your skin, your lips don’t have sebaceous glands that can produce oil to keep them naturally moisturised. Also, the skin on the lips is thinner, making them more susceptible to dryness, chapping, and cracking. This can even cause irritation and/or discolouration. This is why your lips need a blanket of hydration & protection to keep them feeling nourished, looking plump, and protect them against damage caused by environmental aggressors. The key to achieving that: Choosing the best lip balm to give your lips the care they deserve! 

Best Lip Balm for Daily Use: Here are 6 factors to keep in mind: 

1. The right set of ingredients is what matters most! Look for ingredients like shea butter, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. These help hold moisture and keep lips feeling moisturised for longer hours. 

2. Your lips need sun protection just as much as your skin, if not more. A lip balm with SPF15 or higher is recommended to keep your lips protected against sun damage and other environmental aggressors. This can also prevent pigmentation and premature ageing of the skin on the lips. 

3. Sensitive lips that chap or crack easily require a gentle formula that effectively moisturises without irritating the skin. That means no scents, no flavours, no plumping ingredients, just a simple hydrating formula that delivers the desired result. 

4. Choose a texture that you’re comfortable with. Thick, balmy, smooth, creamy, lightweight, or jelly-like; opt for a texture that you’re comfortable with, and that suits your needs. 

5. Lip balms come in many forms and sizes; pick the one that meets your needs best. Sticks, pots, or tubes, find a pack that gives you the most amount of product & gives you value for money. Also, when purchasing your lip balm, make sure to figure out its purpose, e.g., do you need the best lip balm for daily use, or are you looking for one that’s fit to suit your next travel plans? Answer these questions before purchasing one. 

6. Figure out your lips’ concern. Do you have dry, chapped lips or dark, pigmented lips? Each of these requires different ingredients and formulations to offer the desired result. 

Choosing the best lip balm just got easier, but only if you know which types of lip balm will work best for you. 

• Hydrating Lip Balm - Ideal for everyday use to combat dryness by creating a protective barrier over the lips that helps lock in moisture & keeps them soft. 

• Tinted Lip Balm - Ideal for everyday use, it can also serve as a makeup base for achieving a natural, no-makeup makeup look. 

• SPF Lip Balm - Best for outdoor use, an essential for sun-protection to prevent sunburn, pigmentation, and premature ageing of skin on the lips. 

• Brightening Lip Balm - Best for pigmented or dark lips, this helps brighten lips while moisturising them if used regularly. 

• Medicated lip balm - Best for cracked, irritated, and sensitive lips, this type of lip balm helps soothe excessive dryness and inflammation caused by the same. Use only as prescribed by your dermatologist. 

And while we’re on the topic of choosing the types of lip balm, here are 12 ingredients to look for on the label to help narrow down your choices. 

• Hyaluronic Acid: Helps draw moisture into the lips 

• Glycerin: Hydrates & softens 

• Shea Butter: For deep nourishment

• Cocoa Butter: For moisturisation & protection

• Almond Oil: Lightweight hydrating agent 

• Jojoba Oil: Moisturises without feeling heavy or greasy 

• Ceramides: Supports natural barrier function of skin on lips & face

• Squalane: Locks in moisture 

• Aloe Vera: Soothes inflammation or irritation 

• Vitamin E: Rich in antioxidant properties & helps repair dryness

• Panthenol: Calms & conditions lips 

• Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide: For sun protection 

If your current lip balm is ticking off all these boxes, then you’ve already got the best lip balm for daily use on your side. But if you’re still looking for ‘the one’, then here’s a suggestion for Simply Nam - Sweet Kisses Hydrating Lip Balm.

It’s more than just the best lip balm for daily use; it's a mood, a treat, and a whole self-care ritual for your lips packed in one little tube! 

Here’s every reason why we know its the best lip balm you can add to your bag:  

1. The 3-in-1 formula makes it a multitasker. It acts as a hydration powerhouse, a healing agent, and a glazed lip enhancer all in one. 

2. Offers 24x7 hydrating power, deeply moisturises lips and keeps them looking & feeling soft & supple for long hours. 

3. Delivers a non-sticky, high-gloss finish for juicy-looking lips all day. 

4. Powered by active ingredients like peptides that boost collagen production for plumper, healthier-looking lips. 

5. Formula powered by squalane that deeply nourishes the lips & locks in moisture. 

6. Backed by the lightweight jojoba oil that creates a protective barrier to help maintain hydration. 

7. Lip-loving formula completed with shea butter that offers deep nourishment, and soothes & softens lips.

8. Vegan, sulphate-free, paraben-free formula that’s also cruelty-free. 

9. Available in 6 versatile shades that are made to flatter every Indian skin tone - 

Sugar (clear) 

Cupcake (pink)

Brownie (brown) 

Snow Sparkle (shimmer pink)

Birthday Cake (vintage rose) 

Chili Jam (peach-pink) 

Lip balms or not, your lips still need a little bit of extra love & care, and here’s how you can do that: 

• Stay hydrated! Your skin & lips love it when you’re hydrated because that means you get to maintain skin’s elasticity without having to put in any extra effort. 

• Don’t bite or pick your lips. When your lips get dry or chapped, there can be dead skin buildup. Avoid biting them, instead make sure you use a hydrating lip balm every once in a while during the day to keep them moisturised. Picking or biting your lips, even licking your lips can worsen dryness and increase irritation. 

• Exfoliate your lips when needed. Just like your skin, your lips can also have dead skin buildup which can make them look dull and flaky. Invest in a gentle lip scrub or use a DIY sugar scrub to exfoliate your lips, which helps repair & restore moisture. Use lip exfoliants only when it is absolutely necessary as the skin on the lips is more sensitive than the rest of the face. And don’t forget to follow up with a hydrating lip balm after.  

• Care for chapped lips by using soothing ingredient-powered lip care essentials. These will help reduce the inflammation and irritation, and in turn also prevent any long-term damage.