Protective face masks can save our lives, but they can also conjure up a storm on our faces. Trapped heat, humidity, and friction from wearing a mask can aggravate our skin and lead to a host of issues. We’re already struggling to manage skin irritation, congestion, and mask-induced acne as we speak.
Since it’s difficult to properly moisturise our lips by reapplying lip balm under a mask, many of us have started to experience dehydrated, chapped lips too. And because our lip skin lacks oil glands and is thinner compared the rest of the skin on our body, our lips dry out quicker during the day. This is why finding a long-lasting, moisturising lip product is more vital now than ever.
Thankfully, there’s a new crop of lip products to take care of that. Ahead, find 14 hydrating products of every variety, from balms and gels to a unique scrub-to-balm formula. Slather them on before donning your mask or as a pre-bed ritual. Get ready for smoother, softer lips.
Pssst! Stay with us till the end of the article to see more tips on how to protect and prevent dry lips!
Moisturising lip products to keep your lips soft under a mask
Tarte Sea Jelly Glaze Anytime Lip Mask
If your lips are in dire need of hydration, treat them to Tarte’s Sea Jelly Glaze Anytime Lip Mask. This rich but non-sticky jelly provides the same nourishment as a lip mask, but it’s designed to last all day as a lip balm for healthier, softer lips. The blend of squalane and hyaluronic acid draws moisture to your lips, while avocado and argan oils will seal in the hydration.
There are also marine plant extracts in the lip mask to soften the look of fine lines and protect your pout against pollution. Available in three scents and sheer shades, you can rotate among Strawberry Jelly (a wash of pink), Grapefruit (a hint of peach), and Toasted Coconut (a tint of cocoa).
Tarte Sea Jelly Glaze Anytime Lip Mask retails for S$22 at Sephora.
Natasha Denona Lip Oh-phoria Lip Balm
When we’re talking about hydrating the lips, it’s important to find a product that has staying power, and thicker formulas tend to be better at that. Try Natasha Denona’s Lip Oh-phoria Lip Balm, a pampering gloss-like balm that soothes and moisturises dry, chapped lips.
It drenches the lips in a gorgeous sheen while emollient esters repair and cushion your lips for comfortable eight-hour wear. The lip balm also contains a tinge of peppermint oil to refresh your lips and plump them up ever so slightly. And if you like glosses with intense colour payoff, you’ll adore this one. It’s packed with colour pigments that coat the lips in luminous, duo-chrome colour.
Natasha Denona Lip Oh-phoria Lip Balm retails for S$38 at Sephora.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Lip Pop
We may have found our new favourite multitasking product. A no-rinse, scrub-to-balm formula, Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Lip Pop exfoliates, hydrates, and gives your lips a lovely pop of pink. Coconut flower sugar and edible flower-derived AHA gently slough off dead skin for smoother lips.
Loaded with amino acids and vitamins, watermelon extract and watermelon seed oil quench thirsty lips and lock in moisture. There are even coconut oil and jojoba esters in the mix to deliver long-lasting hydration throughout the day. The Watermelon Glow Lip Pop also adjusts to your lip’s pH to create a unique pink flush.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Lip Pop retails for S$45 at Sephora ION and Sephora.sg from 20 August.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick
A sheer lip gloss in a stick form, Marc Jacobs Beauty’s Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick has a soft balmy texture that glides on effortlessly to give your lips a hi-shine finish that lasts. The teardrop-shaped bullet tip coats your lips in vitamin-rich kahai oil to protect, moisturise, and soften.
The lip gloss stick comes in 11 shades of creamy mauves, shimmering nudes, and bright pinks, but our go-to is Dancing Sheen – a clear option that won’t ruin the inside of your mask.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick retails for S$43 at Sephora.
Benefit Cosmetics California Kissin’ Colorbalm Lip Balm
For a bump in moisture and a flattering hint of colour, pick up one of Benefit Cosmetics’ California Kissin’ Colorbalm Lip Balms. This silky formula is infused with wild mango butter and hyaluronic acid to moisturise and keep your lips smooth and hydrated for up to eight hours.
It comes in 12 shades that brighten your complexion, so you won’t look lifeless when you remove your mask during mealtimes.
Benefit Cosmetics California Kissin’ Colorbalm Lip Balm retails for S$36 at Sephora.
Clinique Moisture Surge Pop Triple Lip Balm
This tri-coloured lip balm from Clinique delivers a sheer wash of colour while it deeply hydrates your lips. Get this, it can keep your lips moisturised for up to a whopping 72 hours! It does so with a nourishing blend of shea butter, vitamin E, coconut oil, and humectants to condition your lips.
Available in six shades, the Moisture Surge Pop Triple Lip Balm is made without parabens, phthalates, and fragrances, so go ahead and swipe it on without a worry.
Clinique Moisture Surge Pop Triple Lip Balm retails for S$36 at Sephora.
Fresh Rose Petal Soft Lip Cream
Love Fresh’s iconic rose range? We guarantee you’ll fall head over heels for the new Rose Petal Soft Lip Cream too. This deeply hydrating rose-scented lip balm conditions and provides instant relief for dry, cracked lips. It’s made with rose flower oil, which nourishes and moisturises for a smooth, petal-soft pout, just like it promises.
Fresh Rose Petal Soft Lip Cream retails for S$36 at all Fresh boutiques and Sephora.
Dear Dahlia Blooming Edition Paradise Aurora Shine Lip Treatment
If you’re looking for a lightweight lip treatment that still packs a punch, try Dear Dahlia’s Blooming Edition Paradise Aurora Shine Lip Treatment. This non-sticky gloss coats your lips to give them a natural shimmer while it keeps them hydrated.
Made with organic, plant-based ingredients, the lip treatment contains antioxidant-rich dahlia variabilis flower extract, which is known to protect the skin from damage. It also provides anti-ageing benefits, so your lips will look healthier over time.
Dear Dahlia Blooming Edition Paradise Aurora Shine Lip Treatment retails for S$48 at Sephora.
HERA Sensual Spicy Nude Lip Balm
We can’t get enough of lip products that give us that MLBB glow, which is why we’re obsessed with HERA’s Sensual Spicy Nude Lip Balms. This rich formula is creamy but it leaves a non-tacky finish, so it’s perfect for everyday wear.
While it comes in five other nude shades, the colour Jalapeno is the most interesting of the bunch. If you’re wondering why we’re recommending a green-tinted lip balm, it’s because it doesn’t stay green on your lips. In fact, it warms up to your body’s temperature and changes into a customised sheer pink that looks great on every complexion.
HERA Sensual Spicy Nude Lip Balm retails for S$43 at all HERA boutiques and Sephora.
Huda Beauty Silk Balm Hydra-Plumping Lip Balm
If you want a comfortable lip balm that’s neither too thick nor too runny, try Huda Beauty’s Silk Balm Hydra-Plumping Lip Balm. Infused with hyaluronic acid, soybean extract, and licorice extract, this lightweight gloss glides on easily to provide a tall drink of hydration for your lips. The extracts have a plumping effect without causing a tingling sensation, so you’ll see fuller-looking lips in seconds.
Huda Beauty Silk Balm Hydra-Plumping Lip Balm retails for S$36 at Sephora.
Alpha-H Absolute Lip Perfector Lip Balm And Treatment
Alpha-H’s Absolute Lip Perfector Lip Balm And Treatment works both the day and night shifts. It moisturises and protect your lips during the day, and it submerges your lips in hydration at night, doubling up as a powerful, anti-ageing treatment. It contains honeycomb extract and Hilurlip – a hyaluronic acid and collagen-boosting tripeptide – to smooth and soothe cracked, dry lips.
With a subtle, nude tint, the lip treatment hydrates, conditions, and perfects your pout in one quick step – perfect for those who are short on time. The balm also contains a hint of peppermint oil and wild mint, which have natural antibacterial properties to them.
To top it off, there’s even zinc oxide in the formula to help speed up the healing process, ideal for those who are struggling with dehydration and chapping. This lip product was practically made for a time like this.
Alpha-H Absolute Lip Perfector Lip Balm And Treatment retails for S$33 at Sephora.
KLAVUU Nourishing Care Lip Sleeping Pack
You’ll be hooked on this Lip Sleeping Pack by KLAVUU, and not just because of its yummy vanilla scent. The nourishing lip mask is formulated with moisturising oils from avocado, sweet almond, and apricot, which work to prevent your lips from drying out during the day. It restores hydration and smoothes out flaky bits for softer lips. You’ll want to slather this on before you head out and before bed.
KLAVUU Nourishing Care Lip Sleeping Pack retails for S$12.62 at YesStyle.
Kosas Kosasport LipFuel
If you’ve been looking everywhere for a lip balm that’s not greasy or glossy, end your search with Kosasport’s LipFuel. Unlike most lip balms we’ve tried, this hyaluronic acid-powered lip balm has a unique, gel-like texture that hydrates parched lips and leaves a matte finish.
The formula is packed with moisturising ingredients like vitamin E, cocoa seed butter, lanolin, and beeswax, while konjac root seals in the nourishment. It also has a hint of mint to refresh your senses. Choose from three different hues: Baseline for a clear finish, Rush for a wash of cool-toned pink, and Pulse for a tint of warm red.
Kosas Kosasport LipFuel retails for £18 (~S$32.28) at Cult Beauty.
Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Jelly
With the shine of a gloss and the comfort of a balm, it’s easy to see why Tower 28’s ShineOn Lip Jelly has garnered great reviews since it launched. Made with a blend of five nourishing oils including apricot kernel oil and raspberry seed oil, the lip jelly protect dry lips against free radicals and environmental aggressors.
There’s also rosehip oil in the formula to promote cell repair and regeneration, so you’re left with soft, healthy lips. These lippies are available in six shades, from clear and peachy to fiery red and bright fuchsia.
Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Jelly retails for S$30 at Shopee.
Tips to prevent dry lips under face mask
- Try not to lick your lips. We should steer clear of water-based products because water tends to evaporate quickly, and you shouldn’t lick your lips for the same reason. When there’s water or saliva present on your lips, it wipes away the natural oils that are there.
- Pay attention to what your face mask is made of. Some masks are made of rough, abrasive material, which can be irritating on the lips in the long run. When you’re buying a mask, look for one that’s made of smoother fabric, like cotton or washable silk.
- Don’t pick at the dry skin on your lips. The lips are one of the most sensitive areas of your body, so when you manually peel off layers of dry skin, you can cause irritation and bleeding. Instead, run in the other direction and apply one of these recommended lip products to put moisture back rather than rip your cells away.
