Balms that do more than nourish your lips

Not everyone is a lipstick girl. But not wearing anything at all on your lips can sometimes make you feel too undressed and exposed to the elements — think the drying effects of air-conditioning and even harmful UV rays. A lip balm with a hint of a tint is the perfect solution to nourish your lips and coat them with a light veil of colour that looks like your lips but better. Here are some of the better balms out there.

Make Up For Ever Artist Hydrabloom, $33
This universal colour reviver balm imbues lips with a hint of made-to-measure colour. This can be applied over a matte lip colour to hydrate lips and also as an overnight mask, so you wake up with super soft kissers.

Caudalíe French Kiss Lip Balm in Seduction, $19
This isn't just the usual tinted lip balms. It's enriched with Caudalie's signature antioxidant rich grape-seed polyphenols so it has anti-ageing properties as well. In three colours, we favour the melon-like Seduction for its fresh hue.

Glossier Balmdotcom in Birthday, US$12
This lip balm doubles up as a skin salve that can be used on dry cuticles and patches of skin. The Birthday flavour is inspired by Milk Bar's famous cake and has a hint of sparkle that will dress up even bare lips.