If you’ve ever been to Paris (or, ya know, watched Emily in Paris), you know that the French-girl beauty MO is unmatched. French women all seem to carry that certain je ne sais quoi—perfectly undone hair, glowy-but-bare skin, smudged eyeliner, and, of course, the oft-idealized “just been kissed” French-girl lips.
Just about everyone in the beauty industry loves a French-girl lip. The ideal version is slightly undone (absolutely no lip liner), sheered out, and not too matte (and, conversely, not too glossy), and it has an overall effortless vibe to it. Though I’m never one to shy away from tinkering with my lipsticks to create a French-inspired lip look, that does, on some level, go against the overall point, which is that it’s meant to be effortless. Luckily, I think I’ve found the answer to always having French-girl lips: tinted lip balm.
Tinted lip balms are undeniably having a bit of a moment. With brands like Tower 28, Lawless, and About-Face releasing versions of their own recently, tinted lip balms have effectively been launched into the beauty stratosphere like never before. These conditioning formulas, packed with just enough color, are easy to apply on the go and never leave you with dry or flaky lips like other lip-color formulas. There’s a reason they’re trending, and it’s partially because they’re just so damn foolproof.
I’ve rounded up the absolute best tinted lip balm formulas available right now. Keep reading for un-fuck-up-able lip color that looks incredibly effortless and chic—promise.
With Tower 28’s new tinted balm, you can pick either a sheer shade or a high-impact shade to try. Marula oil and shea butter work to soften and smooth.
This lip balm moisturizes lips so well. It’s almost like having a lip mask with you at all times. Plus, it slightly plumps while offering buildable color.
It smells good, it feels good, and it looks good—what more could you want? This balm offers a glossier finish than many tinted lip balms, and it comes in tons of lush colors.
Shea butter and a botanical blend of lotus, gardenia, and white waterlily work together to condition lips in this formula. The colors are all flexible, and the finish is dewy.
Sheer colors are mixed into an antioxidant-rich formula in this glowy lip balm. They all have a radiant finish.
Packed with hyaluronic acid, this lip balm is extremely moisturizing. Plus, the color payoff is intense, meaning it just might replace your favorite lipstick.
Dior’s lip balm has cherry oil and shea butter to condition, but it’s also formulated with color-reviver technology that reacts to the lips’ pH level to customize your color. This high-tech formula comes in 13 sheer shades.
Formulated with rose hip oil and shea butter, this tinted balm packs a major punch of hydration. It comes in eight universally flattering shades.
Clinique’s Chubby Sticks are classics for a reason. The Intense version gives high-impact color that you might expect from lipstick.
Glossier’s Balm Dotcom comes in tons of colors to add a sheer tint to lips. Plus, the new packaging makes it incredibly easy to use.
With 12 dreamy colors to choose from, Fresh’s lip treatment is buildable and extremely hydrating. It keeps moisturizing your lips for 24 hours, so expect the smoothest lips you’ve ever had.
This moisturizing lip balm gives the ultimate French-girl vibe. The sheer wash of color is the perfect just-bitten tint.
Burt’s Bees makes the OG tinted lip balm. It’s one of the best in the game thanks to 100% natural ingredients like shea butter that moisturize and nourish lips. The color is subtle enough to add a slightly elevated pop without being too vibrant.
