I am a lip balm addict and I am not sorry

There’s nothing like too much hydration

If there were a group called Lip Balmers Anonymous, not many would walk out of it feeling stronger. The other day, I was scrolling through Reddit when someone asked how to kick their lip balm dependency. What followed? A flood of fellow balm addicts chiming in with their favourites, warning against the duds, and debating whether Vaseline counts. It was basically like going to an AA meeting and coming back with a list of the best cocktails in town. Truly, we are as powerless as the matcha girlies who have to post a picture of their green love on Instagram.

While many people hoard foundations or moisturisers, I’m more of a minimalist. I stick to one lipstick, one moisturiser, one AM and one PM serum (here’s what you need to simplify your routine). But lip balms? Oh, I want all of them. The last thing I do before sleeping? Swipe on the balm from my bedside table. The first thing I do after groaning at the morning light? Hydrate my lips. Every time I sip water during the day, I reapply. And I drink at least four litres a day.

I get it: to some, this obsession might seem baffling. But really, what harm is it causing? No one’s ever looted a bank to pay for a pot of lip butter. If I were addicted to gambling, I might be drowning in debt. But has anyone ever gotten into a brawl high on lip balm? Lip balm addicts are harmless. In fact, I trust them the most. You think they’d risk going to jail? That’s a place without Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask.

I’m convinced every lip balm lover, like me, has a stash hidden across their bags, drawers, and random corners of their home and office. I keep one or two in every handbag, my vanity, my work desk, and of course, next to my bed. But I won’t lie, there have been a few moments when I’ve reached into a bag and found nothing. My heart dropped. Once, it happened at my nani’s house, and I ended up raiding her kitchen to slap some ghee on. You’ve got to keep the bread moist.

My friends once counted, I applied lip balm 16 times in a single night. I don’t think there’s a single person (or pet) in my life who hasn’t seen me reapply. I could be in the middle of an argument, but hang on, I need to hydrate first.

Sounds relatable? If you love lip hydrating products—balms, oils, masks—as much as I do, here are a few that need to go into your stash pile.

Lip hydrating products that are worth being addicted to

BYOB pH Lip Balm by The Natural Wash, ₹599

The BYOB pH Lip Balm by The Natural Wash does more than keep you from licking your lips a hundred times a day. We slather sunscreen on our face and body, but we forget our lips can experience sun damage too. So this lip balm with SPF 50 gives you what you didn’t know you needed. It feels like melted butter on your lips, and its pH-activated pigments adapt to your unique lip tone for a more personalised tint. This means it will always be the perfect match, and you can freely recommend it to your fellow lip balm addicts.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, ₹600

Sometimes, when you have your AC on at night, you can wake up to lips that feel drier than the Thar desert. Unless you prep them well before you sleep. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask comes armed with coconut oil and shea butter in this man vs AC battle. It also has murumuru butter, which, due to its high fat content, keeps your lip elasticity as good as that of your new scrunchie. The vitamin C in it encourages collagen production, slowing down ageing. You can dampen your lips or apply some serum on them, before applying the final layer of this Korean lip sleeping mask.

Inde Wild Dewy Lip Treatment, ₹799

Inde Wild is not your regular lip balm. It comes with antioxidants, which basically protect your lips from external damage and ageing, just like your best friends who keep you from going back to that toxic ex. It’s also enriched with ghee (so you don’t have to steal it from your grandma’s kitchen like me). The brand claims that this lip balm increases moisture by 114 per cent. While we may not be able to verify this exactly, we can vouch that the product really does make your lips feel balmy for hours. If you’re a big fan of long-lasting liquid lipsticks but don’t love how they dry your lips out, apply this balm underneath for hydration.

Blur India It’s Giving Honey Juicy Lip Oil, ₹599

Unlike skincare and makeup formulations, very few lip products boast of hyaluronic acid as a pillar ingredient. It’s supposed to fill in the fine lines on your lips and make them look more plump and dewy. Plus, this lip oil comes in several shades, offering the subtlest touch of colour. Our favourite is the caramel, a warm brown, that lights up Indian skin tones.

Wishcare Ceramide Lip Balm, ₹299

This one is a standout, offering SPF 50, ceramide nourishment, and a subtle tint at a very reasonable price. For someone who wants to reduce pigmentation and sun damage, this is a valuable addition to your beauty kit. It also leaves a pink tint on your lips, making it appear like your natural lip tone but healthier.

e.l.f. Cosmetics Glow Reviver Lip Oil, ₹1,050

If you’re looking for a glammed-up look, this lip oil offers the shine with hydration. Super glossy and available in a range of shades, you can wear it directly on your lips, or apply it over a lipstick. It contains squalene, the ingredient that helps your skin repair itself—along with avocado, jojoba and pomegranate oils, which moisturise and protect against ageing. If you’re in the mood for experimentation, their silver shade will make you feel like a woman from the future. A very well-hydrated one.