To Buy or Not to Buy: Putting Popular Lip Products to the Test

Pictured above are four lip products that are popular at Watauga High School: Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm, Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, Glossier Balm Dotcom, and Rhode peptide lip treatment. Summer Fridays and Laneige were two best-selling lip balms in 2024. Photo credits: Bethany Atwood

Bethany Atwood, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn

When it comes to makeup, there seems to be a constant stream of new and exciting products that are flying off the shelves. It’s easy to see that lip products are certainly no exception to the craze. From peel-off lip liners to glosses, it seems a new lip product is constantly trending. With all the options, it can be hard to decide which ones are worth it, or if they are just popular. These are some of the more popular lip products at the high school, but are they really up to the hype? With ratings in four categories---longevity, texture, scent, and packaging---let's see if they can pass the test and are worth the buy.

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (Brown Sugar)

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm, in the shade Brown Sugar, can be purchased from Sephora online or in store for $24. Other popular shades include Pink Sugar, Vanilla, Cherry, Iced Coffee, and Vanilla Beige. Photo credits: Bethany Atwood

Starting off with longevity, this balm has good color retention and stays on well throughout the day, earning an 8/10 rating. You don’t need too much product to achieve a nice color payoff, so the amount of product given can last you awhile with regular use.

The buttery texture feels nice and moisturizes well, with a 9/10 rating being most accurate. This balm has a smooth texture that isn’t too heavy on the lips. This product isn’t too sticky or too slick, just right. The texture is also perfect for if you are pairing it with a lip liner.

Yummy. Sweet. 10/10. The scent of Brown Sugar smells like your first step into your favorite bakery. Summer Fridays does a great job of creating a genuine scent that doesn’t smell too artificial or fake. 

This product's simple but charming packaging is a decent 7/10. The matte texture and font are cute and fit the vibe of the brand and product well. One downside, however, is that the tube isn’t particularly good at holding its shape. If the tube gets bent, the marks will stay there and not go away, which can make the tube look flawed.

This is a nice product, and I’ll give it a final rating of 8.5/10. The finish and scent make this balm a good option for people looking for a product to moisturize or just a gloss to pair with their favorite lip liner. This product is strong in multiple categories, with good longevity, scent, texture, and cute packaging. Even if the packaging doesn’t hold up super well structurally, the product itself stands out compared to other balms on the market.

Glossier Balm Dotcom (Espresso)

Glossier Balm Dotcom, in the shade Espresso, can be purchased from Glossier online or in store for $16. Other popular shades include Birthday, Strawberry, Black Cherry, and Wild Fig. Photo credits: Bethany Atwood

This balm has strong longevity with an 8/10 rating. I would say the longevity is similar to a chapstick. It lasts a while and does a good job at staying on the lips and moisturizing them.

I give the low rating of 3/10 to this balm’s texture. The chapstick-like texture of the balm is definitely not one of my favorites. The formula is prone to separation and becoming oily after exposure to heat, such as in a pocket or sitting in the car.

I would give the Espresso scent of this balm a 7/10. The Espresso scent is nice, but doesn’t accurately represent the real thing. Scent could be more accurate to the scent it is trying to recreate.

Similar to the scent, packaging of this balm is also a 7/10.  While the Glossier packaging is iconic, functionally, it is nothing out of the ordinary, being a simple plastic squeeze tube. A downside of the packaging is the top can also get a bit dirty over time, attracting product buildup. 

Overall, I think the Glossier Balm Dotcom is deserving of no more than a 6.25/10. Aside from being popular, the balm doesn’t stand out in other categories. The biggest weakness of this lip balm is the formula’s tendency to separate between oil and all its other ingredients. The texture paired with the average packaging and less than ideal scent makes this balm a poor contender.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (Sweet Candy)

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, in the shade Sweet Candy, can be purchased from Sephora online or in store for $24. The most popular shades include Gummy Bear, Sweet Candy, and Vanilla. Photo credits: Bethany Atwood

I give the perfect rating of 10/10 to this product's longevity. Incredibly long lasting both when used before sleep and also in regards to the amount of product given in the container. I bought this particular container of the lip mask in April and still have enough to last for a couple more months with regular use.

This product’s texture is also very pleasant on the lips, earning an 8/10 rating. The product has a silky, light texture that’s perfect for wanting to moisturize your lips while you sleep. I would recommend this balm for use primarily at night time since the light texture is perfect for when you want something to hydrate your lips while you snooze without it being too sticky or heavy.

The scent is lovely and perfect if you don’t want something too strong, which is why I give it a solid 8/10. Although the scent is nice, it could be a little bit stronger. However, I don’t find this to be a big issue since the product is intended to be used at night, making the scent's presence not as much of a significant factor.

The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask does fall short in the packaging category, which is why I found an 4/10 rating appropriate. The packaging is unique, with the product being contained in a small pot with a little spatula used to apply the balm to the lips. Unique doesn’t always mean good, and I have found that it’s not very convenient. The type of packaging doesn’t allow for as much control when applying the product to your lips.

This lip mask is a strong product with an overall rating of 8/10. Standing out in areas such as longevity and texture, it’s a great fit for anyone looking for a lip mask that’s going to get the job done. Its shortcomings when it comes to the packaging category are easily made up by its strength in the other categories, making this a solid competitor.

Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment (Ribbon)

Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment, in the shade Ribbon, can be purchased from Sephora online or in store for $20. Popular shades include Toast, Ribbon, and Raspberry Jelly. Photo credits: Bethany Atwood

This product's longevity is alright, with a 7/10. The longevity is okay, but I found it necessary to reapply it every so often for the same color payoff.

The texture of this lip balm is its highlight, with a 9/10 rating. It's neither too thin nor too sticky, so you don’t need to apply too much to get a nice glossy finish.

As a scentless balm, I find a 5/10 rating appropriate. Although this balm is good, a scent could make it great. While some shades come with scents, the ones that don’t fall behind due to their lack of scent. However, for those looking for a pleasant, scent-free balm, this is a great choice.

The simple and chic packaging is cute, and I find it deserving of an 8/10. The simplicity of the design choice and unique top makes it a subtle but visually appealing container.

A final rating for this balm is a 7.25/10. It’s nice but doesn’t stick out exceptionally well compared to the others, except for in the texture category, where I gave it a 9/10. The texture is its highlight and ranks in the top in that category. Although the longevity could be better, it’s a nice scent-free lip balm for anyone looking for something to pair with a nice lip liner.

Final Ranking:

1. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (Brown Sugar) 8.5/10

2. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (Sweet Candy) 7.5/10

3. Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment (Ribbon) 7.25/10

4. Glossier Balm Dotcom (Espresso) 6.25/10

While some performed better than others, most of these balms performed well in at least one category. The top scorer was the Summer Fridays balm, because it showcased strengths in all categories, particularly in texture and scent. A close second, the Laneige balm stood out well in the longevity category, making it a perfect long-lasting balm for moisturizing your lips before bed. The Rhode peptide lip treatment found its place in third, standing out in texture but not exceptional in any other categories. Finally, the Glossier balm unfortunately fell to last place. With not being exceptional in any category, this balm is just average. Whichever balm you decide is the best for you, there are certainly plenty of options. Every balm has strengths and weaknesses, so it's up to you to decide which one is going in your cart.