For many people, chapped lips are a fact of life, especially when the weather changes. Extreme heat or cold coupled with dry air leach moisture from the skin, causing dryness and flaking — particularly on the lips, where skin is thin. “In the winter there’s way less humidity in the air and so the cold air pulls moisture from the skin,” says Kiran Mian, D.O, a board-certified dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery in New York City.
The best way to prevent chapped lips, according to the board-certified dermatologists we spoke to, is to target the causes by keeping your body and environment hydrated whenever possible. (i.e. by drinking lots of water and buying a humidifier.) To treat existing dryness and prevent more moisture loss, you’ll need a lip balm. But not all lip hydrators are created equally, says Carmen Castilla, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at the New York Dermatology Group in Manhattan. “One of the most important things is making sure that you are applying the correct type of lip care,” she says.
Below, we rounded up everything you need to know to treat chapped lips and keep them smooth all winter.
SKIP AHEAD How we picked the best lip balms and masks | The best products for dry chapped lips in 2024 | How to shop for products to prevent and treat dry chapped lips
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No one is immune to chapped lips, even those who have oily skin, says Mian. To prevent and treat chapped lips this winter, the experts we spoke with stressed the importance of finding a lip balm that works well for you. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Look for hydrating ingredients. Moisturizers fall into one of three categories: humectants, which draw moisture into skin; emollients, such as ceramides, which support and strengthen the skin barrier; and occlusives, which physically seal moisture in by creating a thick water-proof barrier on the skin’s surface. To treat chapped lips, you want to look for products with the latter two, says Hadley King, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “Humectant ingredients need to be combined with emollients and occlusives to be effective,” she says. Without these key components, any water pulled into the skin by humectants can evaporate, leaving lips even dryer. Look for lip treatments with ingredients including ceramides (emollients) and petrolatum, beeswax, and coconut oil (occlusives).
- Avoid irritating ingredients. Paradoxically, many popular lip balms and chapsticks have ingredients that irritate lips and cause further dryness. Cooling ingredients such as menthol and camphor are common examples. “They are initially cooling and soothing, but they evaporate quickly and you will need to reapply if you aren’t using good emollients and occlusives,” says King. If you’re dealing with dryness, avoid formulas that promise to “plump” lips, which typically have peppermint or cinnamon oil, she says. Finally, avoid lip balms and masks with salicylic acid, often added as an exfoliant. “The lips are sensitive and repeated use will likely lead to irritation,” says King.
- Choose something you’ll actually want to use. For any product to be effective, you have to actually want to use it regularly. According to the experts we spoke with, there’s room for personal preference in choosing the best lip treatment. Mian, for example, tends to like waxy, stick-based formulas that are easy to reapply throughout the day and don’t require the use of your finger, “which may or may not be dirty,” she says. Castilla, on the other hand, avoids chapsticks since they typically have beeswax, which can be irritating to some people. Appearance may also be important to you — choosing a balm with a matte finish or chapstick over a glossy formula may make you more likely to reapply.
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To help you prevent and treat dry chapped lips all winter, we asked board-certified dermatologists for their personal favorite lip balms, masks and chapsticks. We also included a handful of NBC Select-staff favorites.
Vaseline Healing Jelly Original
All four dermatologists we spoke to recommend good, old-fashioned Vaseline. “It’s the OG product for chapped lips,” says Castilla. Pure petroleum jelly is fragrance free, unlikely to cause irritation, and is an excellent occlusive, according to Castilla. “It’s going to hold in that moisture and is good to use morning or night,” she says.
Aquaphor Lip Repair
Another classic formula — and favorite of NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio — is Aquaphor. She swears by the simple formula which has chamomile essence to help soothe irritated lips, according to the brand. “It just gives the perfect amount of hydration and moisture, especially in the colder winter months,” says Godio.
Lanolips Golden Dry Skin Miracle Salve
“Dehydration and Accutane have crafted me into a lip balm connoisseur,” says NBC Select editorial director Lauren Swanson. “I carry this around in every bag I own and keep one in my desk.” Lanolips Golden Dry Skin Miracle Salve is heavy, “taffy-like goo” that delivers a serious dose of moisture and is best used as a lip mask, according to the brand. It has antioxidant vitamin E and antibacterial manuka honey to help heal any cracks. For easier application, “warm the balm on your fingertips a little to make application onto your lips smoother,” Swanson says.
Ghlee Lip Balm
While she prefers a thicker salve for stubborn dry lips, Swanson also likes Ghlee’s lightweight formula for its layering ability. “I like to use the Ghlee lip balm (which comes in great, tasty flavors) under a thicker product like Aquaphor or the Lanolips,” she says. “The Ghlee is so smooth without any stickiness.”
Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter Stick
For those who prefer a chapstick-like formula, King likes the Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter Stick. Its formula checks all the hydration boxes: glycerin (an emollient) helps smooth skin along with vitamin E (which works as both an emollient and a humectant) and all that moisture is sealed in with occlusives petrolatum, shea butter, cocoa butter and beeswax.
EltaMD UV Lip Balm Broad-Spectrum SPF 36
Sun damage “can really tear the lips up,” says Navin Arora, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Borealis Dermatology in New York. This is why he recommends EltaMD’s balm, which has broad-spectrum protection. “It’s also water resistant, so this is going to be good if you’re going to go on a ski trip or hikes in the winter,” he says. “It’s going to really protect you in all different environments.”
Cerave Healing Ointment
While not technically a lip balm, Cerave’s all-purpose healing balm is a favorite of both Mian and Castilla for helping chapped lips. Like Vaseline, it’s petrolatum based, but benefits from the addition of ceramides, which can help repair the skin barrier, according to Mian. “I like it because it is good for a lot of places — your lips, your cuticles, the corners of your eyes, the corners of the nose,” she says. For really chapped lips, she recommends using this at night layered over a lighter balm.
U Beauty The Plasma Lip Compound
For mild dryness with a bit of shine, Swanson is a fan of U Beauty’s Lip Compound. It has alpha hydroxy acids and salicylic acid to help exfoliate dry skin, ceramides to help repair, and shea butter and beeswax to lock in moisture. “I love the clear option, but I think the star of the show is the color varieties. They have a subtle tint, while still being moisturizing,” says Swanson.
Blistex Repair and Protect
For chronic chapping, Arora likes Blistex’s medicated lip balms, especially the Repair and Protect formula. It has 45% petrolatum in addition to other occlusives including beeswax, shea butter and lanolin, which makes it “one of the better ones when you have thicker cracking or chronic dryness,” he says.
Smith’s Rosebud Salve
“Rosebud’s salves make my lips feel smooth and hydrated, even when they’re at their driest,” says NBC Select production coordinator Kelsey Fredricks. The petrolatum-based formula is versatile; you can used it on lips, hands, or anywhere else you’re dealing with dry skin. “I apply it whenever I want a little sheen but don’t want to reach for a gloss or matte lip product,” says Fredricks.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir
For a luxury option, King likes Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir. Unlike some of the more intentionally simple formulas on this list, the Magic Lip Oil has a stacked ingredient list: a mix of hydrating humectants and emollients that help repair damaged skin barriers, says King. She particularly appreciates the addition of shea oil, which has emollient and occlusive properties to help lock moisture in. Plus, it has a fun shimmer.
Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Color Balm SPF 50
Who says chapped lips have to be boring? For a dash of color King recommends Colorescience’s Sunforgettable Total Protection Color Balm SPF 50, which comes in six shades: Blush, Berry, Bronze, Pink Sky, Violet Haze, and Golden Hour. In addition to the sweep of color this stick-based balm provides protection against UVA and UVB rays and blue light, which can further damage lips. The formula has antioxidants to protect against free radicals and has squalane to provide moisture, says King.
La Roche Posay Cicaplast Lip Hydration Restore Lip Balm
It’s no surprise that dermatologist-loved brand La Roche Posay makes a lip balm favored by experts. Castilla particularly likes the nonshiny finish of this formula. “It’s not as greasy as Vaseline but it’s still hydrating,” she says. “It’s more creamy and ends up a matte finish once you rub it in.” It’s perfect for those who don’t want to look like they’re wearing anything.
Avène Cicalfate+ Lips Restorative Lip Balm
For those who can’t imagine going a day without lipstick, Castilla recommends using this as a primer. “It rubs in clear and it works well if you’re going to put a lipstick over it,” says Castilla. It’s also fragrance-free making it a good choice for ultra-sensitive lips.
How to shop for products to prevent and treat dry chapped lipsThe experts we spoke with emphasized the importance of finding a lip care formula that works for you. In addition to choosing a formula with the right mix of moisturizers, avoid potential irritants. Before you buy, consider the following factors:
Look for the right type of moisturizerTo heal damaged lips, experts recommend looking for formulas that have:
- Occlusives: Moisturizing ingredients that form a physical barrier on the skin are the most important ingredients in preventing water loss from the skin in winter. The most common occlusives found in lip treatments are petrolatum (petroleum jelly) and beeswax.
- Emollients: Ingredients such as ceramides or squalane help strengthen the skin barrier, repairing damage. “Think of ceramides like the building block of your skin barrier,” says Mian. “Using a product with ceramides in it is going to help your skin to heal and going to help it to become nice and strong so that it’s less prone to moisture loss,” she says.
- Humectants: Ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or aloe vera, help to draw moisture into the skin by binding with water molecules.
As a general rule of thumb, simpler is better when it comes to products to treat chapped lips. “There’s a lot of products on the market and some of them can be very irritating,” says Castilla. Added ingredients can increase the risk of putting your lips in contact with something that might be irritating to already damaged skin. Castilla says cooling ingredients like camphor and menthol as ones to watch out for. “They give a nice cooling sensation but they can end up leading to more dry, irritated skin,” she says. If you have sensitive skin, she also recommends avoiding fragrances.
Finding a nonirritating balm may require a little trial and error. “Some people might be totally fine using Burt’s Bees, which has menthol in it, but for other people, that product might cause more irritation,” says Mian. If you’ve been using a balm for several days and see no improvement (or worsening dryness), consider switching to something gentler.
Frequently asked questions
Environmental factors — cold air, low humidity, indoor heat — are the biggest culprits causing dry skin in the winter.
The biology of the lips, however, also plays a role. Lips don’t have oil glands like the rest of the skin, making them particularly vulnerable to dryness, explains King. On top of that, the skin on the lips is thin, meaning moisture is more prone to escaping.
Certain medications, like Accutane or isotretinoin, can also cause chronic chapped lips, adds Castilla.
Finally, individual habits can play a role. If you tend to breathe out of your mouth (including when you’re sleeping), for example, you might be more prone to dryness. “The constant airflow over the lips is drying,” says Castilla.
Lip masks, lip balms and chapsticks can all treat and prevent dry chapped lips. While you can use them interchangeably there are differences worth noting. Lip masks are typically the heaviest formulas and are generally designed for overnight use to deliver the greatest benefits, says Mian. “Lip masks tends to have more occlusive ingredients that are going to act like a shield,” she says. Lip balms, which are designed to be reapplied throughout the day, are lighter formulas. Chapsticks, meanwhile, tend to have a waxier texture.
It’s important to apply SPF every day, including on your lips. In fact, lips are particularly vulnerable to sun damage. In addition to lip skin being thin, lips have little melanin, which gives skin its pigment and protects it from sun damage, says King, making them more prone to the UV damage which can cause signs of aging and also skin cancer.“ Skin cancers of the lip have a higher risk of becoming invasive compared to most other areas,” says King. She recommends wearing a lip balm with at least SPF 30.
Castilla recommends taking it a step further for optimal protection. “It's really hard to protect your lips from the sun by just using a lip balm that has sunscreen because we're constantly talking and licking our lips and things like that,” she says. “It's better to protect your lips using a wide-brim hat,” she says.
One hack Mian frequently tells her patients about is lip slugging. (Slugging is the process of applying a thick layer of an occlusive moisturizer as a final step in your evening skin care routine to help seal in moisture overnight). She recommends applying a lighter lip balm with ceramides first and then laying on a highly occlusive layer such as Vaseline. “What you're doing is you're using something with ceramides to help heal the lip barrier and then you're applying a protective layer over it to help lock everything in,” she says.
Other ways to help hydrate dry lips:
- Don’t lick your lips. While this may be a natural impulse when lips feel dry, it will only dry lips out more. “The saliva evaporates quickly and leaves your lips drier than they were before,” says King.
- Don’t over-exfoliate. Exfoliating dry skin might also seem like a natural move when you have chapped lips but the experts we spoke with advised against it. “When you have dry skin, it's an indicator of damaged skin barrier. It's more important to repair that skin barrier than cause further irritation," says Castilla.
- Don’t pick. No matter how annoying, resist the urge to pick. “The more you pick, you're going to cause fissures and more trauma making it even harder to fix the underlying issue,” says Castilla.
- Get a humidifier. They can help increase moisture in the air and prevent further dryness, says Mian.
- Reapply. Reapply your formula of choice every two hours or after eating and drinking for the best results.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. Navin Arora, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He is the founder of Borealis Dermatology in New York.
- Dr. Carmen Castilla, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist at the New York Dermatology Group in Manhattan specializing in both medical and cosmetic dermatology.
- Dr. Hadley King, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist at her own private practice in New York City. Her areas of expertise include medical and cosmetic dermatology.
- Dr. Kiran Mian, D.O, is a board-certified dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery in New York City. She specializes in holistic treatments to target issues relating to hair, skin and nails.
Macaela MacKenzie is a journalist and former Glamour editor who has covered beauty and wellness treatments for over a decade. For this article, MacKenzie spoke to dermatologists about the causes of chapped lips, behavior changes that can help prevent them, and the best products for remedying dryness.
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Macaela MacKenzie
Macaela MacKenzieis a journalist covering women’s equality, wellness, and the gender gap and is the author of “Money, Power, Respect”.
