7 Colour-Changing Lip Balms That Are Next-Level
You don't have to get customised lip colours to own a one-of-a-kind shade – these colour-changing lip balms will do the trick.
By Sarah Adriana,
Gone are the days that one shade fits all. The latest crop of colour-changing lip balms is all about customisation, reacting to your lips' pH and temperature to create a tint that's uniquely yours. Think sheer flushes that transitions into a juicy pink and hydrating balms that doubles up as skincare for your lips, with finishes that go from satin to glossy.
What makes these balms even better? They don't just look good, they work hard too. Infused with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and nourishing oils, these multi-tasking heroes hydrate, plump, and protect your lips while serving up a colour payoff that evolves through the day. Ahead, we’ve rounded up seven picks that deliver on both glow and wear.
Dior’s Addict Lip Glow may look sheer in the tube, but once it hits your lips, it morphs into a your-lips-but-better shade thanks to its pH-reactive formula. It’s the kind of product that makes you look put together, even if all you’ve done is swipe this on and dash out the door. Beyond the tint, it actually works: shea butter and cherry oil keep your lips soft and cushioned, not sticky or waxy. And with 20 shades across warm and cool undertones, there’s a version for everyone, even if you're not usually a balm person.
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The YSL Loveshine Candy Glow isn’t your average tinted balm, it melts into lips with a buttery slick of colour that shifts ever so slightly depending on your pH formulated with the PH Colour Rush Technology, so it always looks like you, but more radiant. The formula is packed with skin-loving ingredients like shea, jojoba, and maracuja oil, and is made with 98% natural-origin ingredients. The result? Lips that feel soft, pillowy, and quietly expensive, all with just one swipe.
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Givenchy’s Rose Perfecto is what happens when skincare meets sheer luxury. This balm doesn’t just sit pretty, it works overtime to plump, smooth, and hydrate your lips for up to 24 hours. Made with 95% natural-origin ingredients and infused with a blend of rose oil, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, pink pepper, and shea butter, it melts into your lips like a treatment. The marbled formula isn’t just for show either, it reacts to your pH to deliver a flush that feels completely your own. Available in nine shades, it’s your skin but glossier, your lips but better.
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Don’t be fooled by the electric blue, the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Shift in Blueberry may look bold in the tube, but it transforms on contact into a pink that flatters your natural tone, thanks to its pH-powered formula. Equal parts gloss, balm, and treatment, it delivers juicy shine, soft colour, and a plush, pillowy feel in one glide. Packed with over ten superfood ingredients (yes, really) and hyaluronic acid, it smooths and hydrates while giving your lips that fresh, just-bitten look. It’s the kind of shift we’re very into.
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The MAC Cosmetics Glow Play Tendertalk Lip Balm is a pH-activated balm adjusts to your natural chemistry for a personalised flush, while delivering serious moisture in a barely-there finish. It’s powered by 91% naturally derived ingredients, including sunflower oil, jojoba seed, and shea butter, to condition and soften without that waxy after-feel. And in case you needed one more reason: it’s formulated without parabens or animal-derived ingredients, and comes in recyclable packaging. A balm that works hard, looks good, and does better? We’re into it.
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Your next lip companion? The TIRTIR Waterism Mellow Lip Balm is a pH and temperature-adaptive balm that gives you a just-right tint that subtly shifts throughout the day, leaving your lips looking fresh, flushed, and quietly radiant. The formula glides on with a dewy, non-sticky finish and packs serious hydration, perfect for reviving dry or flaky lips without the fuss. One swipe, and it’s glow-up mode activated.
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Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Envy Colour Replenish Lip Balm is like a made-to-measure tint. It reacts to your lips’ unique chemistry to reveal a shade that flatters you, no guesswork needed. The balm glides on with a silky, cushiony feel, delivering a hit of moisture while smoothing and conditioning your lips. The result? A polished, plumped-up pout that looks effortless but feels luxe.
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