Tinted lip balms and lip oils took over the lip category by doing something lipstick never did: giving you color that behaves like skincare. Between LANEIGE’s K-beauty balm, Clinique’s famous Black Honey, and the e.l.f.-led lip oil wave, the category now spans $5 to $25. Which one you pick depends on whether you want balm comfort, oil shine, or a real hint of color.
Quick verdict: LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm is the best overall. It’s a genuinely comfortable tinted balm with shea and murumuru butters at a mid-tier price. Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey is worth the upgrade if you want the cult-classic sheer shade. On a budget, essence Hydra Kiss Lip Oil delivers a hyaluronic-acid tinted oil for around $5.
Quick Picks
Best OverallLANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm (Berry)$18.05-$19.00as of Oct 11, 2026Read our take ↓
Worth the UpgradeClinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey$23.75-$25.00as of Oct 11, 2026Read our take ↓
Budget Pickessence Hydra Kiss Lip Oil (03 Pink Champagne)$4.97as of Oct 11, 2026Read our take ↓| Spec | LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm (Berry) $18.05-$19.00as of Oct 11, 2026 4.5 | Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey $23.75-$25.00as of Oct 11, 2026 4.5 | essence Hydra Kiss Lip Oil (03 Pink Champagne) $4.97as of Oct 11, 2026 4.4 | e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil (Rose Envy) $8.55-$9.00as of Oct 11, 2026 4.4 | NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip (Missed Call) $8.03-$8.45as of Oct 11, 2026 4.3 | Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm Value Pack (Red Dahlia, Daisy, Rose) $12.99as of Oct 11, 2026 4.6 | Maybelline Lifter Glaze Oil Balm (Pink Drip) $6.62-$6.97as of Oct 11, 2026 4.3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Tinted lip balm | Sheer tinted lipstick-balm hybrid | Tinted lip oil | Tinted lip oil | Lip oil gloss | Tinted lip balm 3-pack | Oil balm hybrid |
| Shade | Berry (sheer tint) | Black Honey | 03 Pink Champagne | Rose Envy | Missed Call (sheer pink) | — | Pink Drip (sheer baby pink) |
| Key ingredients | Shea and murumuru butters (per label) | — | Hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, vitamin E, meadowfoam oil (per label) | Apricot, avocado, and jojoba oils (per label) | — | — | Hyaluronic acid, hydrating oil blend, acerola cherry extract (per label) |
| Finish | Glossy, non-sticky (brand-reported) | Sheer, glossy slip (brand-reported) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.3 |
Prices change daily — tap Check Price for the current Amazon price.
Prices change daily — tap Check Price for the current Amazon price.
How We Evaluate
Every product here was validated against its live Amazon listing at publish time. Current price, in-stock status, and seller attribution. Six of the seven ship from Amazon directly. The essence lip oil sells through the brand’s official storefront on Amazon, which we consider trustworthy. All texture, wear, and ingredient claims are brand-reported label claims that we haven’t independently measured.
Balm vs. Oil vs. Hybrid: What’s the Difference?
A tinted balm — Burt’s Bees, LANEIGE — is a solid stick or potted formula. It prioritizes comfort with a whisper of color. A lip oil — e.l.f., essence, NYX — is a liquid applied with a doe-foot. It gives gloss-level shine but a lighter, non-sticky feel. Hybrids like Maybelline’s Lifter Glaze split the difference. They have a melty oil-balm texture. If you hate stickiness, oils have largely replaced traditional glosses. If you reapply blind at your desk, a balm format is more forgiving.
1. LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm - Best Overall
LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm (Berry)
The Lip Glowy Balm is the daytime sibling of LANEIGE’s famous sleeping mask. It’s a lightweight, moisture-coating balm with shea and murumuru butters per the label. This one’s in a sheer berry tint. The finish is glossy but non-sticky by design. The pocket-sized tube makes it the easiest reapply of this lineup. At around $17 it costs more than drugstore balms. But it’s the pick we’d hand to someone who wants one tube that covers comfort, shine, and a hint of color.
2. Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey - Worth the Upgrade
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
Black Honey went viral decades after launch for a reason. Transparent pigment that glides on as a sheer, glossy slip of color. The deep shade is positioned by Clinique as chameleon-like across skin tones. The emollient-rich formula leaves a sleek, moist finish per the label. At around $25 it’s the priciest pick here. But it’s the only one that reads as a true your-lips-but-better lipstick rather than a balm. The upgrade for anyone who wants the icon.
3. essence Hydra Kiss Lip Oil - Budget Pick
essence Hydra Kiss Lip Oil (03 Pink Champagne)
At around $5, the Hydra Kiss Lip Oil undercuts everything else here. The label lists hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, vitamin E, and meadowfoam oil. The formula is non-sticky with a subtle hint of color per the brand. It’s vegan and cruelty-free. It sells through essence’s official Amazon storefront rather than shipping from Amazon directly. That’s a listing detail, not a quality concern. The tint is faint. Treat it as a glossy treatment first and a color product second.
4. e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil - Best Lip Oil
e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil (Rose Envy)
The Glow Reviver is the product that put lip oils on every checkout counter. Rose Envy delivers an ultra-glossy sheer wash of color. It’s applied with an oversized plush doe-foot. The non-sticky formula is infused with apricot, avocado, and jojoba oils per the label. At around $8 it’s the definitive entry point to the format. Just know that viral shades cycle in and out of stock. And glossy finishes transfer more than balms.
5. NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip - Best Gloss-Oil Hybrid
NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip (Missed Call)
The Fat Oil Lip Drip leans further toward gloss than the e.l.f. Bigger shine, a slightly thicker cushion, and a brand-reported claim of up to 12 hours of hydration. Missed Call is a sheer pink that works as a universal topper. The vegan formula is certified cruelty-free per the label. If you loved 2000s glosses but hate the stickiness, this is that finish rebuilt as an oil for around $9.
6. Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm Value Pack - Best Balm Value
Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm Value Pack (Red Dahlia, Daisy, Rose)
Three full tubes — Red Dahlia, Daisy, and Rose — for around $13. This is the value play of the category. Each balm carries Burt’s Bees’ brand-reported eight-hour moisture claim with shea butter. The formula is 100% natural-origin vegan per the label. These are classic wax-balm tints. No gloss, no oil shine. Just comfortable color you can apply without a mirror. One for the bag, one for the desk, one for the car.
7. Maybelline Lifter Glaze Oil Balm - Best Drugstore Oil Balm
Maybelline Lifter Glaze Oil Balm (Pink Drip)
The Lifter Glaze is the newest format here. An oil balm that melts on with glazed, buildable sheer color. The label lists hyaluronic acid, a hydrating oil blend, and acerola cherry extract. There’s a brand-reported 24 hours of moisturizing shine. Pink Drip is a sheer baby pink that flatters without effort. At around $7 from an Amazon-direct listing, it’s the cheapest way to try the melty oil-balm texture. Just keep it out of hot cars.
Which One Should You Buy?
If you want one do-everything tube, get the LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm. Comfort, shine, and a sheer berry tint in one pocket-sized balm. If you want the icon, Clinique Black Honey remains the sheer shade every makeup bag eventually acquires. Budget shoppers should start with the essence Hydra Kiss Lip Oil at around $5. Lip oil first-timers should start with the e.l.f. Glow Reviver.
Pair any of these with a long-wear base from our best long-wear foundations guide. Lock it all down with one of the best setting sprays. Finish the eye with a pick from our best drugstore mascaras comparison. Application tools live in our sponges and brushes roundup. The full lineup is in our makeup category.
FAQ
Do lip oils actually hydrate, or is it just shine?
Formulas vary. The oils here list humectants and emollients on their labels. Hyaluronic acid in the essence and Maybelline. Plant oils in the e.l.f. NYX brand-reports up to 12 hours of hydration. Those are label claims we haven’t independently measured. For pure overnight repair, a dedicated balm or mask format is the more traditional choice.
Is Clinique Black Honey worth $25 when lip oils cost $8?
They do different jobs. Black Honey is a sheer lipstick-balm hybrid with a deep, universal shade. Lip oils are glossy treatments with faint tints. If you want visible color that still feels like balm, Black Honey is the one product here that delivers it.
Which pick lasts longest?
Balm and oil formats all transfer with eating and drinking. NYX brand-reports up to 12-hour hydration. Maybelline reports 24 hours of moisturizing shine. But those are moisture claims, not color-wear claims. Expect to reapply any of these after meals. The pocket-friendly formats — LANEIGE, Burt’s Bees — make that easiest.
Are these vegan?
Per their labels: the essence, NYX, and Burt’s Bees picks are vegan. NYX is certified cruelty-free. Burt’s Bees uses 100% natural-origin ingredients. Check each listing for current formula details. Brands do reformulate.
Safety note: Ingredient lists and claims are brand-reported and can change between batches; check the listing and patch-test if you have sensitive skin or known allergies. These recommendations are not medical advice. Consult a dermatologist for persistent skin concerns.