We're Lip-Mask Enthusiasts, But Only These Ones Met Our High Standards

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If there is one thing to know about the Who What Wear UK team, it's that we're total lip balm enthusiasts. You'll find them on our desks, in every bag we own, on our nightstands and in every jacket pocket. And with the launch of Rhode's lip balm phone case, you can bet that we're practically inseparable at this point. However, sometimes our lips require extra nourishment and hydration that a regular lip balm doesn't deliver—and that is where lip masks come in.

Unlike lip balms, lip masks usually come in a thicker consistency that acts as an occlusive on the lips. This means they form a barrier on the lips to prevent moisture loss—exactly what you want if you're struggling with dry, dehydrated or chapped lips. They're most likely formulated with a cocktail of nourishing ingredients to hydrate, soften and plump the lips, such as shea butter, peptides, fruit seed oils and squalene.

Designed to be applied in a thick, juicy layer on the lips, they make a great overnight treatment or an intense balm for those times when your lips require another form of defense, whether from the elements, the moisture-sapping air conditioning in your office or during plane travel. Due to their thick and nourishing formulas, you'll find that many come in little tubs with an accompanying spatula to scoop the product out, which feels rather fancy.

However, lip masks tend to come at significantly higher price points than most balms, so they can be an investment. To find out which of the many lip masks on the market are truly the best, I enlisted the biggest lip balm connoisseurs from team Who What Wear UK to test them out for you, and the results are in. Scroll ahead for the very best masks that are deserving of your lips.

Pros: Deeply hydrating, non-sticky, great for chapped or cracked lips, locks in moisture and shields lips from the elements

Cons: On the expensive side, less product gram for gram than others available

Rating: 9/10

My lips are basically chronically dry. I’m prone to sensitivity and often have to limit how much I wear lipstick because a lot of ingredients cause my lips to become dry (an occupational hazard as a beauty editor). For that reason, I’m very picky about what I put on them, and whilst I’m never more than five feet away from a lip balm, I often call upon a mask to give my lips the best chance of clinging onto hydration overnight.

I’d heard fellow beauty editors talk about Tatcha’s The Kissu Lip Mask like it’s the stuff of legend. Tatcha is known for its luxurious textures and formulas, and having now tried its lip mask, I can confirm it’s just as sensorial as expected. The mask is housed in a little pot complete with a golden spatula to scoop the jelly-gel texture. It’s very silky, thanks to the addition of camellia flower oil, Japanese peach extract and nourishing squalene. It has a very subtle floral scent but it’s unflavoured.

The mask is non-sticky and silky on lips but most importantly, it really gets the job done. Some lip masks give my lips initial comfort by masking over dryness temporarily, but I feel like Tatcha’s deeply hydrates my lips with moisture. After experiencing some chapping, I applied a generous layer overnight and woke up with pillowy soft lips without any dryness—I couldn’t actually believe how much better my lips looked and felt after one use. And because they were so hydrated, they looked plumper too.

Of course, the £27 price tag does make my bank account wince and feels quite steep for 9g of product (compared to the 20g you get with Laneige’s, for example). That being said, you only need a tiny amount, and for the difference it has made to my sensitive lips, I do see it as a worthwhile investment. You could easily wear it on bare lips during the day too, as it’s not heavy and has a subtle glossiness to it, but I hope one day Tatcha will bring out a tube version for on-the-go application.

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Pros: Long-lasting on the lips, hydrating, fun flavours and scents, more product gram for gram than most lip masks

Cons: More expensive than some other masks

Rating: 7/10

My lips get dry frequently, especially in the winter, which is usually signified by chapping around the border. This means I always have at least a couple of lip balms close, so I know a thing or two about what makes a good one for me. I’m also prone to biting my lips, so they’re often in need of some TLC.

Lanegie’s Lip Sleeping Mask has become the lip balm to have, but does it live up to the hype? I know our junior beauty editor Grace loves it, but I must admit that when I've previously tried the Berry flavour, I wasn’t too impressed. The Vanilla scent, on the other hand, is different. The consistency feels thicker, it’s more hydrating and as a sucker for all things that smell like sponge cake, I just prefer the scent and flavour. It also gives a lovely, non-sticky gloss finish.

I put this on before bed with the adorable little silicone applicator and I’m happy to report that I could still feel the mask on my lips when I woke up—proving that it forms a nicely occlusive layer to keep the hydration locked in. It contains hyaluronic acid, shea butter and an antioxidant complex derived from berries, but if I’m being totally honest, I'm not massively fussed about fancy ingredients in this case—I just want a mask to visibly moisturise my lips. And this does. Any chapped skin is gone not long after application, and it doesn’t need reapplying every half an hour because your lips are already feeling parched again, unlike with some other balms and masks.

Personally, I think anything around £20 is steep for a colourless lip product, but you only need a tiny amount, so I know a pot would last for ages. And given its cult status, I think this would make a gorgeous gift for someone, especially because the applicator makes using it feel like more of an experience. I’ll be keeping the pot by my bed to give my lips the intense TLC they deserve. 

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Pros: Travel-friendly tube, glossy finish, hydrating and plumping

Cons: Some find that the formula turns gritty

Rating: 9/10

I’ve been testing the Rhode Peptide Lip Treatments since its launch in the UK, and I have to say it has become one of my favourite lip treatments. I now have one on my desk, one on my bedside table and one in my bag in a few flavours and tints. But for this review, I chose to test the unscented version.

Described as a lip treatment, you can wear this as an everyday lip balm or apply a thicker layer for 10 minutes as a flash lip mask before applying liner or lipstick products. It has a thick, glossy consistency that looks like a lip gloss, making it ideal for when you want to cocoon your lips—think on a plane or when your office is blasting aggressive air conditioning—but also on the occasions you want to wear a glazed and glossy lip.

It has an arsenal of hydrating ingredients too, including nourishing shea butter and peptides, which help to plump the lips. Whilst there are multiple flavours and tinted varieties to choose from, Rhode has thoughtfully formulated an unscented version that contains no fragrance or flavour, which is ideal if you have a sensitivity to either.

When I put the entire range of the Peptide Lip Treatments to the test for a review recently, I noticed that my lips felt really soft but also subtly plumped after using them all week. As the formula is so thick, it works really well at helping to prevent moisture loss and keep your lips looking and feeling great.

However, I’ve heard complaints that the shea butter in the formula takes on a gritty texture at different temperatures. I haven’t experienced this firsthand, but if you live somewhere where the temperature fluctuates you might want to bear it in mind. I love that this comes in a tube, which is really useful for on-the-go applications, and the £16 price tag feels reasonable as it does last for a long time, even when I regularly apply it. 

If I had to be picky, I’d like it to deliver a little more hydration, but I’ve been using this as a shield against the cold wind and rain throughout winter and it has really helped to keep my lips protected from chapping. 

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Pros: Lasting hydration, glossy finish

Cons: No applicator

Rating: 8/10

You’ll never catch me without a lip balm (or three) in my bag —especially in the colder months when I’m prone to dryness. My lips aren’t sensitive, so I’ve tried my fair share of products and I’m always on the hunt for ones that really lock in the moisture. Glow Recipe’s Plum Plump Hyaluronic Gloss Balm is the ultimate multi-purpose lip product—it can double up as a topper for lip liner too. It contains clinically proven ingredients like hyaluronic acid and kakadu plum, which promise lasting hydration.

The formula is thicker than a balm yet not quite as sticky as a gloss, and it has a slight berry scent and taste, though I typically prefer something unscented. I applied it throughout the day and loved the way it looked on my lips; it's super shiny so I didn’t need to add a layer of lipgloss. Most importantly though, I didn’t have to top up as much as I usually would, and my lips did feel properly nourished. I also tried the Gloss Balm overnight, and was really impressed that I could still feel the difference in the morning—no flaking or dryness in sight.

Sitting at around the £20 mark, some may prefer to opt for something less pricey, but I do think the price tag is worth it considering that it can fulfil the role of multiple products. My only other note is that I wish it came with a tiny applicator, but that’s a small sacrifice for pillowy soft lips with added shine.

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Pros: Affordable, softens lips

Cons: Small amount of product, subtle blue tint

Rating: 7/10

My first impressions of E.l.f’s Holy Hydration Lip Mask? It’s small. I placed it on a table next to a £1 coin and honestly, it wasn’t a whole lot bigger. However, with a £7 price tag, I wasn’t too disheartened by this. Opening it up, the mask has a thick consistency, and the brand even provides you with a spatula to scoop it with, which I found handy given how rich and thick the formula is. It's also glossy and unscented—both things I prefer in a lip product.

However, once you apply it, the formula softens greatly, slicking across the lips with ease. A little goes a long way, and it’ll take you a few attempts to get the right amount, but once you nail it, you’ll find the mask lasts for a long time. It boasts hydrating ingredients including hyaluronic acid, squalane and castor seed oil, all of which aim to combat dehydration and plump fine lines. Maybe my expectations were too high because of this, but after a couple of days of use, I just wasn’t getting the intensive hydration promised. Days in and my lips still lacked the fullness I usually see after applying a really good lip treatment.

As you can see from my videos, the balm itself has a translucent blue tone in the pot, and although subtle, I found this tinge stuck around when first applied, which made my teeth look more yellow than they are. This is likely a very specific issue, but worth noting nonetheless. I started wearing it overnight instead of during the day, and whilst I definitely awoke to softer, fuller lips, the plumpness lessened quickly.

Would I recommend it? If you’re on a budget, I would—I’ve tried other lip masks since and can’t say I’ve been blown away by any of them, so perhaps this is a good gateway. And who knows, it might work better for you. However, since going back to my usual SPF lip balm, I’ve found my lips are already looking more hydrated. Sometimes it pays to stick to what you know.

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