Heading into winter again means we have two certainties to look forward to: Christmas music is about to overwhelm the charts (yay!), and the dreaded case of chapped lips returns, especially with each passing winter seemingly becoming worse than the last.
Take it from us—the purveyors of Nordic & French skincare—that even in the most blisteringly cold regions of northern Europe, French pharmacy products are the go-to's to keep lips looking and feeling plump & moisturized. Why? Because the Nords know that the best French lip balms are enriched with ingredients of inimitably supreme quality, from nourishing Provençal botanicals to the most soothing eau thermale.
Deciding which one is best for you, though, depends on your budget, goals, and personal preference. Our top 9 picks narrow down the best French lip balm for you based on each of these factors. Enjoy!
#1 — Best Overall French Lip Balm
The best overall lip balm is one that keeps your lips feeling ultra-soft & supple even during the coldest of days, prevents & cures chapped lips quickly, and feels light and non-sticky/greasy on your lips. Finding one that ticks all those boxes while also being kind to your purse is surprisingly tricky; fortunately, we were spoilt for choice when it came to picking the best French lip balm!
Our favourite is from L'Occitane, and we seriously cannot overstate enough how much of a holy grail this little thing is.
Containing 10% shea butter (ethically & sustainably sourced from Burkina Faso), the Ultra-Rich Lip Balm nourishes and moisturizes leaving your lips feeling kissably smooth, plump, and healthy. It's one of those perfect little goodies that fits neatly into even the smallest of handbags or pockets so that you can keep it on you while you're on the move!
#2 — Best French Tinted Lip Balm
For achieving that elusive no-makeup makeup look during the winter or while struggling with dry lips, a tinted lip balm is the way to go.
Now, hear us out; for our curated recommendation lists we work very hard to ensure we rate a diverse range of product options, but we're going to have to make an exception for these first two rankings here, as L'Occitane really is in a league of their own when it comes to lip balms. Thus, allow us to introduce Baume Teinté Délicieux.
With its irresistible sunny scent (and taste!), and its sumptuously creamy non-sticky texture, the delicious tinted balm is the perfect ally for dry lips looking for hydration, comfort, vibrant shine and natural touch of colour. It comes at a premium price point, but a little goes a really long way, and it lasts for hours and hours without reapplication.
#3 — Best Healing French Lip Balm
When your chapped lips are getting cracked and really out of hand, it's time to bring out the big guns. And by big guns, we mean Avene's Cicalfate Restorative Lip Cream.
The restorative lip cream seals in moisture for immediate soothing and cooling relief, and it nourishes and protects very dry, chapped lips to restore them to their natural, smooth, healthy state. The magic behind the long-lasting, effective treatment boils down to a few key active ingredients:
- Sucralfate: promotes epidermal repair.
- Zinc: promotes healing.
- Sulfate: an antibacterial ingredient which reduces the risk of bacterial proliferation.
- Glycerin: a humectant that retains moisture.
- Eau thermale: soothes and calms sensitive skin.
The number of rave reviews there are for this around the internet only furthers our confidence in recommending this gem of a product. Tout simplement magnifique!
#4 — Best French Pharmacy Lip Balm
The best French skincare brands are all about protecting and nourishing sensitive skin, and skin doesn't get much more sensitive than the lips. Ergo, we highly recommend opting for a French pharmacy lip balm. #3 is one of the best in this regard, but for the sake of variety, we would also really like to advocate for La Roche Posay's Nutritic Lip Balm.
Containing biolipids and ceramides, as well as being rich in La Roche-Posay's famously soothing thermal spring water, this lip balm transforms all four major signs of dry, sensitive lips: pulling, fragility, fineness and chapping. The ultra-fine, non-greasy texture is immediately absorbed by the skin, and the formula is 100% hypoallergenic & non-comedogenic—as you would expect from the dermatologist-recommended brand.
#5 — Best Value French Lip Balm
Affordable skincare tends to be associated with low-quality ingredients, and while you may not be getting a product imbued with diamond dust, they certainly still deliver bang for their buck. Bioderma's Atoderm Lip Balm is a prime example.
For just a few dollars, indulge in a moisturizing and soothing lip balm that you can find lining the shelves at Parisian drugstores. With a delightfully refreshing raspberry fragrance, and a beautifully smooth result, where's the downside?
#6-9 — Best Luxury French Lip Balms
If you want to invest in or treat yourself to an especially luxe option, you won't be able to find much better than the Rolls Royce of lip balms by luxury brands Dior, Sisley, Laura Mercier and By Terry. It's incredibly hard to separate them on quality alone, so ultimately it comes down to what you're most looking for in a lip balm.
By Terry's Baume de Rose is the best all-rounder, harnessing the power of essential rose wax for fuller, plumper, kissable lips, keeping lips highly moisturized all year round.
Dior's Color Reviver Balm combines the comfort of a balm with a natural flush of colour that suits every skin tone. What's more is that it boasts a moderate amount of sun protection (SPF 10) to protect against the sun's daily damaging and ageing impact on your lips.
Sisley's Nutritive Lip Balm is like a suped-up French pharmacy lip balm. As an emergency treatment for dry, chapped lips, it repairs and restores lipid levels and re-hydrates and plumps up your lips throughout the day.
Laura Mercier's Hydrating Lip Balm is the best daily luxury lip balm focussing heavily on hydration and daily protection. Made with cold-pressed Plum Seed Oil for deep nourishment and hydrating Olive-Derived Squalane, the lip balm effortlessly moisturizes to maintain the look of fresh, hydrated lips.
Pair any of these with your choice of the best French lipstick for the ultimate lip beauty routine.
Calum Torrington is the founder of FEMMENORDIC. He has worked as a beauty editor since 2020 and employs his analytical background in mathematics to thoroughly scrutinize complex INCI lists. Now, he helps over 1 million people per year to find the best beauty products.
