Keeping my lips super hydrated is one of my top beauty priorities, not only because I love the sheen of a glossy pout, but also because when my lips are dry, I compulsively pick at them, which leads to patchiness and somehow, even more dryness. I’m the person who can’t fathom leaving the house without a lip balm in my purse (or several). In my endless search for kissable lips, I’ve stocked up on quite a few lip masks—thicker creams that really last. But what are lip masks, exactly? Dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal is here to explain.
“Lip balms are commonly used to treat dry chapped lips,” says Dr. Lal. “Lip balms are meant to prevent further water loss like a sealant. Lip masks on the other hand are meant to hydrate the lips overnight.” Ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum, shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, and carnauba wax are all great ingredients to look for in these thicker lip products that help banish flaking and chapping.
“Anyone can use a lip mask. They help hydrate dull and dry-appearing lips,” says Dr. Lal. According to Lal, in addition to soothing dryness, lip maks can also make lips look more plump and full. “I look for lip masks that have sunflower oil, vitamin E, coconut oil, and hyaluronic acid,” Lal adds. You can [also] simply use petrolatum oil or natural sunflower oil at night and get phenomenal results.”
Here are 15 of our favorite lip masks for totally kissable lips.