Hand on Heart: This Is, By Far, the Very Best Lip Balm I've Tried

I consider myself to be a bit of a lip balm connoisseur. I've tested hundreds of them for a living as part of my job, but even before I became a beauty journalist, I've long had an obsession with lip balms. Not just because I have dry lips, but it's easily my most-reached-for beauty item in my skincare and makeup routine—I don't feel myself if I don't have a layer on my lips. I've tried everything from Vaseline all the way up to La Mer's £70 lip balm and almost every other formula in between. However, I can confidently declare that I've found my favourite formula yet.

Violette_FR Balm Amour

What Makes Balm Amour the Best Lip Balm?

Violette_FR was created by French makeup artist Violette Serrat, and it is not only one of my favourite makeup brands, but it is a total staple in my makeup bag for its incredible lip formulas in particular (Bisou Balm delivers what she calls "bouche mordue"— meaning just bitten lips in French). So, when I heard that she had spent six years developing Balm Amour, I already knew I'd like it. But after testing it for myself, it became clear that this is the lip balm to end all lip balms.

Firstly, I want to highlight the applicator. It's made of ceramic, which makes swiping it on a moment of joy every single time. It stays cold, which feels particularly cooling on chapped or inflamed lips. My lips are prone to dryness and sensitivity, but since using this formula, they've remained baby-soft.

As for the texture, it has a rich yet non-sticky balm that instantly cloaks your lips in hydration and stays put on the lips for a good while. Even once it's worn away, my lips still feel deeply nourished and sumptuous. Serrat included a whole range of hydrating plant actives alongside tripeptides at double the functional dose, meaning not only is this balm incredibly nourishing and repairing, but it also helps to make your lips look fuller and smoother over time.

The Shades

After the clear version launched last year, the lip balm has become so popular that there are now three tinted shades to choose from. They all have the same formula, but with a sheer tint of colour that are perfect for throwing in your bag when your lips are parched but you also want a wash of colour.

Noisette Fumé

Noisette Fumé is a cool brown that brings just a hint of hazelnut to your lips. It's not so pigmented that it overpowers a natural makeup look, but it offers just enough depth to your lip colour to feel a little more polished. I'll be wearing this all throughout autumn and winter with a lip liner.

Dahlia Noir

Dahlia Noir is Violette_FR's bestselling shade in its Lip Nectar lip stains, so I was thrilled to see it join the Balm Amour tints. The shade might look intimidating at first, but it's actually a perfect pairing of berry and brown in a sheer tint, which makes it so wearable for day-to-day. This one lives permanently in my work bag.

Rose Latte

Last but not least, we have Rose Latte. This is the shade to go for if you like a bright pop of pink that's still effortlessly wearable and leaves your lips with a healthy flush of colour.

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Why Trust Us

At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including some skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.

We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.