Trust me, tinted lip balms are a low-effort way to upgrade a minimal make-up look - here are 11 that team MC rate

Even if you're not a beauty enthusiast, I can bet that you've got the best lip balm at your disposal at any given moment. Hydrated lips are happy lips after all. I, for one, have one in every single handbag - never wanting to be caught short. However, as we head into spring, I want a wash of colour on my lips that makes me feel more put together, but can't be bothered with the faff of a lipstick or liner, and don't want *quite* as much shine as a lip oil or gloss. Enter: the best tinted lip balms. Both nourishing and pigmented, there are so many great options out there right now.

As a beauty editor, I've pretty much tried them all, and have rounded up my absolute favourites. I also enlisted the help of MC UK's Valeza Bakolli for her top picks - as a beauty-obsessed shopping editor, she's tried plenty of lip products in the name of journalism, and these new tinted lip balm releases are her current favourites.

We're pretty thorough when it comes to testing the products we review, so you can rest assured that every product in this list has been carefully selected as the very best of the best.

1. Rhode Peptide Lip Tint in Espresso 

"The hype is well-deserved for this one—and no, not just because of the Rhode lip case. First and foremost, this is a fantastic lip product. It's glossy, comfortable and gives the lips such a nice hydrated feel and finish, all without being sticky. The tint comes with four core shades to choose from: Espresso (a rich brown), Raspberry Jelly (a berry), Ribbon (a sheer pink) and Toast (a rose taupe), plus four new limited-edition shades. For some reason, I seem to get through a tube really quickly. Whether that's just because I use it loads and love it, or if the formula dries down quicker than others do, I'm still not sure. Regardless, I'll still keep a tube in my bag at all times." - Tori Crowther, Beauty Contributor

2. Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm

"There's a reason Naturium products always seem to be out of stock—they're bloomin' brilliant. Seriously, there's not a product from that brand that I don't rate. This lip product is up there among the best Naturium products. The formula contains ingredients like shea, cupuacu butter and squalane, which are ideal for dry lips. The finish is much more glossy than a balm and can be a tad more tacky than others in the list. I personally love the finish of this but definitely more of a going out gloss than staying home balm for me." - Tori Crowther, Beauty Contributor

3. Lisa Eldridge Baume Embrace Melting Lip Colour

"This is probably the chicest lip balm I own, and it’s all thanks to the Lisa Eldridge matte gold packaging - complete with magnetic lid and a great weight. I’ll be honest - it looks so similar to the brand’s iconic lipsticks that I worried it would feel too much like a moisturising lipstick, but has much more of a natural, balm-like feel.

My favourite shade is Epanoui - a soft pinky-brown nude - which I like to wear once my lipstick and lip liner has faded around midday - AKA when my lips feel the most dry. This is more of a thick balm. You can definitely feel it on the lips, but doesn’t feel at all sticky or glossy. It Evens out fine lines and cracking, has a really nice natural-looking sheen and a great colour pay off." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor

4. The INKEY List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm

"This tinted balm has quite a slippery feel - it’s more glossy than some of the tinted balms I’ve tried. The formula is super nourishing, giving my lips a beautiful glossy sheen and hydrated effect. It comes in a few different shades, including a sheer pink and deeper purple, but my favourite shade hands down is Mocha - a sheer browny nude, which layers beautifully over my favourite nude lip liner.

In terms of its plumping effect, this definitely isn’t immediate. It actually doesn’t feel too uncomfortable on the lips - with more of a slight tingly, rather than harsh stinging, sensation. But it’s the effects over time that are supposedly the most impressive, plumping the lips by up to 40% in 4 weeks, and visibly smoothing fine lines on the lips in as little as 2 weeks." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor

5. Clarins Lip Oil Balm

"First off: this smells amazing. Exactly like lychees. I’ve tried a few of the shades, and each provides just a hint of sheer colour. Lovely. Let me get one more thing straight: though this is a ‘lip oil balm’, it definitely veers closer to the balm category in most ways. It has a super hydrating finish and more of a shine than other lip balms I’ve tried, so this is where the benefits of a lip oil come through." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor

6. Tatcha The Kissu Lip Tint SPF25

"This tinted lip balm probably has the most balm-like consistency of all the ones I’ve tried - leaving a moisturised, semi-matte finish. My lips look super hydrated and smooth, without too much shine. It has a great colour pay off, so can be worn alone without lip liner - I adore the Camellia shade for a subtle pop of bright colour.

It also has SPF25 - making it great for poolside make-up free looks when you want to feel more put-together. It goes without saying that this lip balm will be coming with me on every holiday from now on. Oh, and it has the most beautiful packaging which feels heavy and expensive, definitely worth the higher price tag." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor

7. ILIA Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm

"This formula is such a gooden. If you're not into glossy finishes, then you'll love this true balm that gives such a fantastic tint to the lips. You can add a wash of colour or build it up to be more of a lipstick than a balm. Unlike a lot of classic lipstick formulas, this contains a cocktail of ingredients that work to add moisture to the lips. The best part for me is how easy it is to apply out and about without a mirror to hand—no high maintenance colour here." - Tori Crowther, Beauty Contributor

8. Gucci Baume À Lèvres Lip Balm

"If you love a luxe option then you'll adore this. It's a lip tint first then a balm second, as it doesn't have quite as many skincare benefits as others in the list. The colours are so great though, I don't tend to worry about whether my lips are hydrated. There are three shades to choose from — "No More Orchids" (pink), "Rosewood" (red) "Penelope Plum" (purple-pink) and every one is beautiful. It doubles as a bit of a two-in-one as dabbed on the cheeks, it makes a stunning blush colour, too." - Tori Crowther, Beauty Contributor

9. RMS Beauty Tinted Daily Lip Balm

"I can quickly see these being a go-to daily product, because they're so comfy and give such a lovely wash of colour. The formula is incredibly creamy (which I love in a balm) with lots of moisturising ingredients like cocoa butter, beeswax and jojoba oil to keep lips feeling comfy all day. However, this does mean that the colour isn't long-lasting but that would kind of defeat the whole point of a balm. There are three pretty shades to choose from: a light pink, coral and purple-pink with the lighter pink being the favourite." - Tori Crowther, Beauty Contributor

10. Refy Lip Gloss

"Look, I know it's called a lip gloss, but it deserves to be in this roundup because it could be a balm. The formula contains lip-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil and shea butter to keep them from feeling dry and uncomfortable. It's non-sticky and leaves a beautiful glassy finish. There are seven shades to choose from, though there isn't a massive variation between the colours. I love this product but I do find the Refy packaging  a bit of a let down. For me, it doesn't reflect how great the formulas are and feels a little cheap. I really like the metal tip applicator but do find that it can leak." - Tori Crowther, Beauty Contributor

11. Dr Sam's Flawless Lip Tint

"Dr Sam's Flawless Lip is the product I reach for when my lips need some serious TLC but I want something a bit more special than just a clear balm. It has a universally-flattering berry tint that is beautiful worn alone or over the top of lipstick for added moisture and shine. It's a great option if you don't get on with lots of other lip products but still want that no-makeup makeup tint." - Tori Crowther, Beauty Contributor