At this point, you probably know you’re supposed to slather yourself in sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every time you’re having fun in the sun. But there’s another style of sunscreen you should use as well: SPF lip balm.
Because the best lip balm won’t always cut it.
“The lips are perhaps the most at-risk part of the face for UV damage because they are exposed to the sun and rarely protected the way that they should be,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research at Dermatology at Mount Sinai hospital in NYC. “Just like for the skin on your face, you should apply a sunscreen to your lips. The lower lip is especially at risk because it faces upwards, toward the sun. Additionally, men are not in the habit of applying lip products as much as women are by the very nature that women tend to wear lipsticks on a regular basis and most men do not.”
Since lips often go sans sunscreen, Dr. Zeichner has seen a rise in skin cancer of the lips among men. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution at hand.
How Do You Protect Your Lips from Sunburn and Skin Cancer?
To make it easier to protect your pucker, it’s best to use a lip balm with sunscreen, since slathering your mouth in sunscreen doesn’t sound that appealing — or effective.
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“Lip products are specifically designed with ingredients like wax that allow them to stay in place once they have been applied,” Dr. Zeichner says. “Especially with lip-licking and eating, the lips are constantly exposed to environmental factors that can remove anything applied to them.”
When looking for the best SPF lip balm, choose a product that has at least SPF 15 protection. “An SPF 30 product does an even better job and is ideal,” says Dr. Zeichner. “Just like your face, lip sunscreen products should be reapplied no less than every two hours. I also recommend reapplying after eating or kissing.”
Another place where men commonly forget to apply sunscreen is the scalp, making it another high-risk area for sun damage. “Besides helping to keep our bodies warm, hair forms a physical barrier to protect the scalp from the sun,” Dr. Zeichner says. “When the hair thins, the scalp becomes more at risk for UV damage. Plus, the part of the hair is always at risk, even in people with full heads of hair.”
He recommends using Sun Bum’s SPF 30 Scalp & Hair Mist to protect that vulnerable skin. (Dr. Zeichner is a partner of Sun Bum.)
“If you see a new or changing spot on your lip, scalp or elsewhere on the body, don’t wait. Visit a board-certified dermatologist for evaluation, as early detection can mean a complete cure.”
So, what is the best lip balm with SPF? We’ve scoured the web and recommend keeping your lips safe from the sun with these best SPF lip balms.
1. Sun Bum SPF 30 Lip Balm in Mango
BEST OVERALL
The delicious mango flavor will instantly transport you to a tropical vacation. But it does a lot more than taste good. This SPF lip balm from Sun Bum has aloe and vitamin E to keep lips moisturized and smooth while protecting them. Plus, the formula is hypoallergenic as well as gluten-, cruelty- and paraben-free.
2. Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25
BEST FOR WINDY CONDITIONS
Your lips will be safe from the wind and the sun with this anti-chapping hard worker that offers broad-spectrum protection. There’s green tea, vitamin E and natural emollients to soothe and nourish dry and irritated lips.
3. COOLA Organic Liplux
BEST ORGANIC
If you’re all about organic, you can rest assured that Coola is free of icky ingredients. Besides delivering broad-spectrum protection, this lip balm with sunscreen also has natural fruit butter to pamper your pucker, along with vitamins and antioxidants.
With an SPF of 30, you can rest assured your lips will be well protected throughout the day.
4. EOS SPF 30 Coconut Lip Balm
BEST BUDGET
Want a budget-friendly lip balm that protects against those harmful rays but doesn’t taste like you’re putting sunscreen on your lips? Check out EOS’s coconut lip balm, which comes in fun, summer-themed packaging and is 100% organic and cruelty-free. The hypoallergenic formula is also available in watermelon, giving you a fruity hit of summer with each use.
5. Supergoop! PLAY Lip Balm SPF 30 with Acai
BEST SHEA BUTTER
Having cornered the cool SPF market, no one does sun protection quite like Supergoop! and their SPF lip balm is no exception. To keep moisture on lockdown, the formula boasts shea butter as well as antioxidant-packed acai to nurture the sensitive skin on lips.
6. Cotz Lip Balm SPF 45
BEST TINTED
If you’re jumping on the mineral sunscreen bandwagon, you’ll want to add this lip balm to your arsenal; it’s completely free of chemical sunscreen filters. With a high SPF of 45, it’ll keep your lips extra safe.
The formula goes on super smooth and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. If you’re particularly sensitive to the sun, we highly recommend this option as it has the highest SPF rating on our list.
7. Banana Boat Sunscreen Lip Balm
BEST WATER-RESISTANT
Banana Boat is a classic for a reason — it’s been protecting our skin from the sun since before we can even remember. This lip balm offers broad-spectrum coverage from both UVA and UVB rays and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
This sunscreen lip balm also has the seal of approval from the Skin Cancer Foundation as well, so you can wear it confidently.
8. ChapStick Lip Moisturizer
BEST BULK PURCHASE
ChapStick is almost certainly the first lip balm you ever used, and many people call any lip balm ChapStick. In addition to their standard moisturizers, they also make this handy sunscreen option.
It comes in a pack of three and offers SPF15 protection. It’s meant to provide 8 hours of protection.
9. Aquaphor Lip Protectant + Sunscreen Lip Balm
FRAGRANCE-FREE
This moisturizer from Aquaphor comes in a compact squeeze tube with an applicator tip, rather than the traditional hard plastic balms. It provides broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection, so it’s great for long days in the sun. It’s fragrance-free, too, making it suitable for anyone who’s sensitive to perfumes.
10. Burt’s Bees SPF15 Moisturizing Lip Balm
BEST FOR COLD WEATHER
The OG hippie beauty brand, Burt’s Bees is beloved for lip balms and hand lotions that use beeswax, honey and other natural ingredients. The all-weather lip balm features SPF15, providing moisturizing comfort against cracked lips in cold weather and sun protection in warm weather.
11. EltaMD UV Lip Balm Sunscreen
BEST TUBE
Boasting an impressive SPF36, you could practically kiss the sun with this lip balm sunscreen from EltaMD. The balm protects against UVA and UVB, and it’s water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. It’s fragrance-free, too, making it a unisex option that won’t irritate anyone with fragrance sensitivities. The balm comes in tube form with an applicator tip.
12. O’Keeffe’s Lip Repair with SPF 35
BEST REPAIRING
This lip balm from O’Keeffe’s has SPF 35 protection, helping to protect the most chapped lips against the harshest sunlight. It’s also formulated with aloe for quick relief. The lip balm is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
13. Anthony Blood Orange Lip Balm
PARABENS-FREE
Anthony has quickly emerged as one of the top men’s beauty brands, and this moisturizing lip balm features a pleasant blood-orange scent. It provides SPF 25 protection, and the formula is free of parabens and phthalates.
14. Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Color Balm
BEST COLOR
This SPF lip balm adds a pop of color to your lips (or cheeks), all while protecting that pucker from harmful elements like pollution, blue light and infrared radiation. The balm is made from 100% minerals with antioxidants that also protect against free radicals. Add in moisturizers like jojoba esters and squalene, and this little stick does a pretty big job. Grab one in blush or berry.
Have (Safe) Fun in the Sun this Summer with the Best Sunscreens