Over the past few years, the K-beauty industry has taken over the world. If you have been closely watching your favorite K-pop stars, you might have noticed how flawless their face looks. They take care of their skin and pamper their lips, keeping them nourished with the best Korean lip balms. For those of you who want to get similar glossy and dewy lips, we have curated a list with some of the best recommendations. They hydrate your cracked lips and nourish them with essential ingredients to withstand the everyday hustle and bustle. 

Just kike your skin, your lips also need special treatment as they undergo a lot of stress throughout the day. Since the lips are one of the most sensitive facial features, they are prone to wear and tear; hence they need proper nourishment. 

Discussing the importance of lip care, our contributor Andrew Grella, who is a beauty expert, says, “The lips need care because, unlike the rest of your skin, they do not have melanin, the pigment that protects against harmful UV rays. Over time, neglect can lead to dryness, chapping, and even discoloration. Korean lip balms are specially formulated to provide intense hydration, sun protection, and nourishment to ensure the lips stay soft, healthy, and plump.”

Based on our observations and trying the products ourselves, we have enlisted some high-quality Korean lip care balms that help restore your lip moisture and maintain its overall health. 

Korean lip balms are a great addition to your skincare routine. Unlike regular lip balms, these are loaded with natural ingredients, including essential oils, vitamins, botanical extracts, and more, that calm, hydrate, and protect your lips. A single swipe adds a dollop of hydration and maintains a natural moisture balance.

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  Best Overall

  Lip Smacker Lippy Pals - Unicorn Magic

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This adorable pocket-size lip balm is bound to catch your attention. Featuring a unicorn design, the colorful balm stick offers superior moisturization while ensuring that it delivers a smooth shine. Infused with classic conditioning ingredients, the Lippy Pal lip balm formula makes your pout glossier than ever. Interestingly, it is also available in an array of other flavors, from cotton candy to watermelon, that will delight your senses and take you back to your childhood. Plus, it’s also a safe product which makes it apt for regular use.

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Best Korean Lip Tint

FRUDIA Blueberry Honey Lip Balm

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Packed in a super cute yellow and purple jar, this K-beauty product is a luxe blend of natural botanicals that serves as a holy grail for your dried and chapped lips. Enriched with honey, blueberry, and vegetable collagen, the Korean-tinted lip balm offers optimum lip care. It keeps your pout hydrated and preps it for picture-worthy moments. The moisturizing balm stick gently exfoliates and improves your lip's elasticity and firmness to fight dryness and increase rejuvenation. Moreover, it promises a 48-hour moisture lock advantage to seal in hydration and ensure a radiant glow.

3

Best Lip Balm for Dry Lips

I'M MEME - Pep! Balm

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The Pep! Balm from I'M MEME has a unique formula that adds vivid color to your lips and cheeks. Specially made for dry skin, it will become your favorite on-the-go makeup tool that elevates your look anytime, anywhere. Also, this multi-purpose Korean lip balm for dry lips consists of a highly pigmented and buildable formula that blends easily with no mess. Apply a pea size amount and the balm will leave a lush dewy color on your cheeks and lips. Furthermore, it's infused with shea butter that moisturizes chapped lips and gives a healthy-looking glow.

4

Most Long-lasting Balm

SKINFOOD Tomato Jelly Tint Lip

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The jelly lip balm boasts the goodness of tomatoes. The Korean lip balm tint is infused with tomato extracts to moisten your pot and it adds a natural rosy glow. Besides, it contains vitamin E and essential oils, such as macadamia nut oil and jojoba oil, to increase plumpness and hydration. It doesn't stop there! The jelly-based formula is comfortable to use and delivers a super vivid lip color that looks natural and stays from AM to PM. Just apply a single coat, and you'll be ready to move about with confidence 24x7.

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Best Fragrance

The Crème Shop HELLO KITTY Macaron Lip Balm

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We all have been fans of fictional characters like Hello Kitty, especially during our childhood – this lip balm is bound to give you a feeling of nostalgia. The Korean chapstick is formulated with vitamin E and berries to naturally smoothen your pout and keep it glossy and nourished. The formula increases skin firmness and protects it from environmental stressors and pollution. Moreover, it features a sweet, macaron-like fragrance that will invigorate your senses. Available in a wide range of flavors, from mixed berries to red velvet and white chocolate, you can choose any of them based on your mood and preferences.

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Best SPF Properties

TONYMOLY Mini Peach Lip Balm

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This fruity lip balm is packed in a peach-shaped container that is so lovely, you won’t be able to keep your eyes off of it. The creamy and lightweight formula melts like butter without leaving any residue. It slathers smoothly onto your lips and leaves them feeling moisturized and happy all day long. The formula is infused with a berry complex, including blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, and blackberry extracts with vitamins that show antioxidant effects and prevent your lips from damage. Additionally, it contains SPF 15, which blocks UV rays from harming your lips.

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Best Non-sticky Blend

COSRX Lip Plump Balm

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Achieving thick, dewy lips similar to Kylie Jenner's is no more a tedious task with the COSRX Lip Plump Balm. The lip plumper is a proportionate blend of organic acids, alpha-hydroxy acid, and beta-hydroxy acid (AHA and BHA) with vitamin C. This fusion performs triple functions – revitalization, exfoliation, and increased plumpness. The jelly-like textured elixir energizes the lips while nourishing them without any sticky feeling. What's more is that the packaging includes a reusable spatula for recycling, thus contributing to sustainability. Drawing from our experience, applying a pea-size amount is enough to see visible results.

8

Best Everyday Wear

BOM KEEO DAY & NIGHT LIP MASK

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Bom Keeo’s Lip Balm is one of the best Korean lip masks you can use during the day and night. Made with botanical ingredients, including green tea, avocado, grapefruit, and coconut oil, the concoction makes the perfect lip care treatment. Green tea extracts shows anti-aging effects and is known for its antioxidant properties. Grapefruit is known to remove dead skin and nourish the lips (1). Avocado oil heals damaged lips deep within and coconut oil creates soothing effects. Besides these, the star ingredient, rosehip oil, boosts lip collagen production and triggers skin renewal to make your lips fuller and thicker (2).

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Best for Dark Lips

Leegeehaam Vegan Kombucha Tea Lip Balm

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This Korean hydrating lip balm is a nourishing bomb that’s suitable for both men and women. The magical potion is formulated with shea butter, tea complex, squalene, and fermented oil. These key ingredients strengthen the lip moisture barrier and deliver maximum hydration. In addition, the balm is rich in antioxidants that lighten lip hyperpigmentation while protecting your cute pout from further damage (2). Available in stick format, you can apply it with no mess. Stash it in your handbag and carry it wherever you go for quick touchups.

10

Most Durable

Etude House GINGER SUGAR Essential Lip Balm

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Made to give you celebrity-like lips, this Korean beauty product is the secret behind moist, dewy, and fuller lips. Ginger and orange oil infuse the balm with a relaxing smell that will light up your mood. Also, the duo adds a quick energy boost and prepares it for everyday challenges. On the other hand, sugar and shea butter clear dead skin and layer the surface with a moisturizing film to prevent moisture loss (2). The K-beauty lip balm sits comfortably on your lips and does not wipe off. So if your lips get dry frequently, this one will become your new best friend.

11

SIORIS MORE THAN Lip Balm

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The classic, elegant lip balm stick looks super subtle and chic. Crafted with 93.4% organic ingredients, the ultra-rich, buttery formula absorbs quickly into the skin and forms a protective film to retain moisture. The magical concoction is formulated with cold-pressed perilla seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and shea butter that work together to treat chapped lips and nourish them without stickiness (2). The stick features a buttery smell to delight your nose and runs seamlessly while providing optimum coverage.

We hope you have found our recommendations for the best Korean lip balms useful. They are natural and will help you to get smooth, glossy lips throughout the day. However, before stashing a lip balm in your beauty kit, it's important to know how you can choose one.

Here are some factors to consider before choosing Korean lip balms; 

Ingredients 

Opting for Korean chapsticks made with organic ingredients, such as essential oils, fruit extracts, plant-based materials, organic acids, etc., are a great choice. It's better to avoid harsh chemicals like parabens and animal-derived ingredients like lanolin, as these can disturb your natural skin barrier and lead to irritation and redness.

Long-lasting Formula 

Your lips may become dry a little after you apply lip balm. Hence, choosing one that offers all-day hydration and moisturization comes in handy. 

SPF Factor 

Some Korean lip balms offer sun protection to prevent your lips from getting damaged due to harmful sun rays. You can choose balms with SPF 15 or above to prepare your lips to handle everyday sun exposure and other environmental stress. 

Fragrance 

Lip balms may or may not have a smell. Some may have a pleasant invigorating fragrance, while others can be unscented. If you are sensitive to smell, you must pick unscented or mildly scented versions. 

Non-sticky 

Discover lip balms that are non-sticky and have a lightweight texture. This is because sticky balms give you a greasy feeling and they may attract dust or pollutants. 

Color 

It's wise to pick a color formula that matches your skin tone. It should neither be too dark nor too light if you prefer a more natural shade. However, transparent options are also available if you like going with your natural lip color. 

Skin Type 

Know your skin type before picking a lip balm. If you have dry and chapped skin, choose a formula that offers maximum hydration. Those with sensitive skin can opt for a hypoallergenic option that reduces the chances of irritation and redness. 

The best Korean lip balms are a boon for dried and chapped lips. They are meant to restore normal hydration and moisturization levels while keeping your lips soft and supple. Some iconic balms repair and exfoliate the lips while performing their primary function. But with a plethora of options available on the market, it's difficult to choose one. Hence, you must check for factors like ingredients, staying time, sun protection abilities, fragrance, color, non-sticky features, and more to find one that matches your needs. Also, make sure that the formula you pick is gentle and non-irritating.

Contributor: Andrew Grella, Beauty Expert, CEO and Founder - Foremen Inc.