Tinted Lip Balms Are The Ultimate Cold-Weather Alternative To Lipstick

Let’s set the scene: It’s a frigid, blustery mid-winter day. You’re piling on the layers in order to head out into the frozen tundra to run errands all afternoon. Think a t-shirt under your cashmere sweater, thick wool socks, a chunky scarf, Heattech gloves, you get the idea. As a last step, you apply your go-to matte pink lipstick only to discover it’s not the complementary focal point of your daily makeup look anymore. Instead, it’s a sight for sore eyes because it’s settled into the cracks of your weatherworn, flaky lips. While seasonal dryness is a common winter skin care struggle, it’s possible to treat the condition without giving up your lipsticks until springtime rolls around. Enter tinted lip balms.

These two-in-one products are formulated with the same nourishing, repairing, and conditioning ingredients as their traditional counterparts, but they’re infused with pigment to provide a soft, sheer wash of color that stays even and smooth long after they’re swiped on. Better yet, some brands have gone above and beyond by leveling up the coverage of their balms so that the finish rivals a traditional lipstick. Not to mention, the shade ranges are just as expansive, spanning from cherry red to deep espresso.

Build out your tinted lip balm collection for winter with these tried-and-true tubes, below.