There a few things I detest more in the world of beauty than a drying lipstick. Even some of the most seemingly nourishing formulas can turn my lips dry and flaking in a matter of minutes. You see, while I love for my lips to have a hint of pigment (few things make me feel better than a slick of poppy-red lipstick), my lips are dry.
Even some of the very best lip balms out there can't make my dry, peeling lips any better. And dry lips do not make for a good base for lipstick. Not only does lipstick tend to look terrible on my patchy lips, it also dries them out even more, making matters worse. As a result, most days I avoid lipstick entirely—reserving it only for very special occasions and nights out. Instead, I like to opt for hydrating, tinted balms and oils. And recently, I've come across one product in particular that has totally changed the game for me—Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balms.
I've been a long-time fan of Summer Fridays vegan skincare products, and the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm has proved a particular favourite since it launched a few years ago (I'm thrilled the brand updated the messy aluminium packaging that was prone to splitting). It smells like vanilla, but not in a sickly sort of way—rather it smells like fresh, straight-out-the-pod vanilla that makes you feel clean rather than sticky and tacky.
I liked it when it first launched, but it wasn't medicated or hardworking enough for me to include it in my daily rotation. If only, I remember thinking, Summer Fridays would bring out some tinted options for everyday wear. Fast forward a few years and Summer Fridays Tinted Lip Butter Balms are available in an array of shades—and they never leave my lips.
The butters (the formula is very much true to name) deliver the perfect wash of balmy colour that sticks around for an impressive amount of time. They're not sticky, they don't end up all over teeth and, most importantly, they're incredibly comfortable to wear.
Containing a blend of vegan waxes, shea butter and murumuru seed butter, the balms work to soften lips for ultimate comfort and soothing nourishment. Plus, the new, non-aluminium packaging is still fully recyclable—so that's a big plus, too.
As for the shades available, my current favourite is Pink Sugar, a soft, candyfloss pink that gives my lips a very faint wash of gloss. I'm also a huge fan of Cherry, a true-to-name red, for when I want a more impactful hit of pigment. There's also Vanilla Beige, a nude-like brown, Poppy, a coral-like orange, Brown Sugar, a deeper, darker brown, and Vanilla, the tintless classic—and they're all as beautiful as the next.
The one catch? They are quite pricey, coming in at £23. Having said that, my previously go-to lipstick for the daytime comes in at £27. When I think of this as a lip balm, yes £23 seems expensive. However, when I reframe it as the tinted lip colour I reach for day in, day out, £23 is far more aligned with the amount of money I'm okay with spending.
