Some lip balms are classics for a reason: we trust them with our lips without a second thought.

Yes, at first glance Carmex looks more like a tube of glue or something to keep out of children's reach, but that doesn't stop it being seriously effective. On the market since 1937, this hefty, hard-working balm is a regular in shoppers' favourites.

A mix of camphor, menthol and salicylic acid, among other ingredients, it keeps things simple and direct. Very reparative, creamy and gentle, it soothes chapped lips immediately and protects them from the cold and weather that can irritate this thin, fragile skin.

One to adopt and never be without.

The upside: the friendly price tag. A few pounds is enough, whatever format you choose. Carmex comes in various formats, packagings and scents, from a small tube to a family pot.

Five lip balms in different formats lined up on a light cloth
From tube to pot: five formats for five uses

Another lip balm with a century behind it, sold for more than 100 years and deserving to be better known. Rosebud Salve fell out of favour for a while as sleeker, trendier balms took over, yet it is back in force, brought back into fashion by American celebrities.

That is very good news: a pretty, slightly old-fashioned pot with delicious vintage charm, a creamy texture and a sweet scent. Ultra-nourishing and protective, it soothes immediately and gets to work on repair quickly. The little balm contains cottonseed oil and fragrance.

Small vintage round tin of Rosebud Salve open on a bedside table
The old-fashioned pot that also sorts out elbows and knees

The upside: it is a multi-purpose balm that can also be used on very dry patches of the body: irritated nose, knees and elbows, hands and nails.

Look for Rosebud Salve at Sephora UK or specialist beauty retailers; it comes in Original, Strawberry and Mint. Expect to pay around £10–£12 a pot, though prices vary.

This one hardly needs an introduction: it is ultra-famous, has a rock-solid reputation and remains a lifelong partner for plenty of us. Still, no round-up of seriously hard-working lip balms would be complete without Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm.

Honey, shea butter, calendula, musk rose and sweet almond oils, grapefruit: a proper vitamin-rich menu for lips.

Its thick, creamy, ultra-protective and nourishing texture does lips a power of good, which is exactly why it sells so well.

It is also formulated without synthetic fragrance, colourings, mineral oil or preservatives.

The habit worth adopting? A generous layer before bed means plumper, softer lips by morning.

The only snag: it comes in a pot, which is not especially hygienic if your hands are not very clean and you need to dip a finger in. Expect around £12–£15 depending on the retailer.

Eight Hour Cream stick resting on a grey wool coat beside gloves
The SPF 15 stick that lives in your coat pocket

Next on our list is Yves Rocher Shea Butter Repairing Lip Balm. A cute little balm that does not look like much, yet more than earns its place in our line-up.

Creamy, rich without being too greasy, with a lovely glide, good staying power and a properly nourishing, reparative effect: a very good product.

It is formulated with shea butter, a natural ingredient that needs no introduction and is well known for its nourishing and reparative properties.

The upside: a low price, with a few pounds a tube.

The downside: the ingredients list is not perfect: hydrogenated palm oil, which is a shame. It is worth reading the label, as formulas change with reformulations.

White and burgundy Caudalie lip care tube on a stone counter
Grape polyphenols and shea butter for plumper-looking lips

Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream needs little introduction: it has plenty of devotees and is one of those cult cosmetics. The brand also makes an Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick, and it gives the original cream a run for its money.

Inspired by the cult Eight Hour Cream formula, this sturdy balm repairs at speed; it has the same scent, though lighter, which is worth knowing if you were never a fan of that instantly recognisable fragrance.

We love the lovely texture, which melts into the skin; it is not too sticky, lasts well and nourishes deeply.

An excellent balm to keep within reach summer and winter, and a very good base for lipstick.

The upside: SPF 15, which needs reapplying through the day to protect lips from the sun.

Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick SPF 15, around £22–£25.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream stick on a pale marble shelf
The cult Eight Hour formula in a repairing stick

And we finish with Caudalie, no less deserving. Caudalie Lip Conditioner, like all the brand's products, is enriched with grape-seed polyphenols, a natural antioxidant; it also contains shea butter, castor oil, and rice, beeswax and candelilla waxes.

We love the soft, sweet scent and the nourishing texture, which leaves lips plumper and hydrated. It works very well on chapped lips and offers good protection against wind and weather.

The upside: its low price; it is one of the most affordable in the edit.

Caudalie lip care stick standing in a small ceramic pot
The lip treatment banking on grape antioxidants

Autumn and especially winter are risky times for lips, as you well know. The fact is that they are an extremely fragile area of the face: the skin on the lips has no sebaceous glands, the glands that help hydrate by producing sebum. So one cold snap and they feel tight, chap and crack. To avoid soreness and keep lips soft and smooth, there is only one solution: moisturise again, again and again. It is an essential beauty step if you want to preserve your lips' youthful look. And ideally you will have the perfect weapon: the seriously hard-working lip balm that never lets you down — one that repairs, nourishes and protects, never leaves your bag and has a duplicate proudly sitting on your bedside table for a good swipe before bed.

If a crack bleeds, crusts keep returning or a sore will not heal, it is no longer a job for lip balm. Speak to a GP, pharmacist or dermatologist rather than piling on more layers.

Budget

Expect to pay from a few pounds to around £25, depending on the balm, format and retailer. UK prices vary and can differ from those in France; check current prices before buying.

  • Carmex: around £3–£5 a tube, depending on format and scent.
  • Rosebud Salve: around £10–£12 a pot from Sephora or specialist beauty retailers (Original, Strawberry or Mint).
  • Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm: around £12–£15 depending on retailer.
  • Yves Rocher Shea Butter Repairing Lip Balm: around £5–£8 a tube.
  • Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick SPF 15: around £22–£25.
  • Caudalie Lip Conditioner: around £10–£12 a stick.

These ranges vary by channel (department store, pharmacy, supermarket or online retailer) and by promotions.

Sources

  • Official brand sites for Carmex, Nuxe, Yves Rocher, Elizabeth Arden, Caudalie and Rosebud Perfume Co.: formulas, formats and availability.
  • Sephora for Rosebud Salve stockist information; UK availability and prices should be checked with Sephora UK and specialist beauty retailers.