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The Best Lip Scrubs to Keep Your Lips Polished and Plumped

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Written by Clare Holden
Best Lip Scrubs

Whether you favor a bold statement lip or prefer a trusty balm with a natural-finish, exfoliating your lips with a scrub is key for a flawless pout. Makeup artist Caitlyn Dominic explains the unparalleled benefits of using a lip scrub: “Lip scrubs are a great way to achieve a flawless lipstick finish. They help exfoliate the lips, removing dry, flaky skin to create a smooth base. This allows an even lipstick application and prevents it from clinging onto dry patches. A lip scrub will not only make your lipstick look better, but your lips will feel smoother as well.”

Exfoliating your lips with a scrub is a once or twice a week task and takes less than one minute to apply. We also spoke with Miami-based makeup artist Natalie Dresher, who gave us her expert opinion on how frequently to exfoliate the lips, saying, “While you can use a lip scrub once a day, I personally like to use a lip scrub every few days since the lip area can be very sensitive. Bi-weekly application is perfect for maintaining smooth, soft lips without over-exfoliating them. If your lips are extremely dry or chapped, then consider doing a lip scrub more frequently.”

To help you find the best lip scrubs to buff, polish and soften your pout, we heavily researched a variety of picks at a range of price points. We also tapped the makeup artists we interviewed for their top recommendations. Read on for the best luscious lip treatments.

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Finding the Best Best Lip Scrubs

Not only do lip scrubs improve the appearance of skin, they also enhance your makeup.

To ensure you make the best choice for your skin type and know how to apply them correctly, we put together this guide covering everything from lip scrub ingredients to brands.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Lip Scrubs

Ingredients

Most lip scrubs use sugar crystals to remove dead skin cells. If you have sensitive skin, look for a lip scrub that uses extra fine sugar crystals to avoid irritation. Picking a scrub that has hydrating ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter or hyaluronic acid will keep your lips soft and hydrated.

Skin Type 

Every skin type can benefit from using a lip scrub. If you have especially dry skin, follow up with a lip balm to help maintain a soft appearance after exfoliating with a scrub. For those with oily skin, lip scrubs are a great way to give lips a polished finish.

Application

Lip scrubs can be used once or twice a week. We recommend using them at night after removing your makeup, then following up with an overnight lip treatment to wake up to plump and supple lips.

Brand

Our best lip scrubs list boasts a selection of heavily researched lip scrubs from both affordable and luxury brands. Since a little dose goes a long way, most lip scrubs last a long time, making it worth investing in a higher-end option.

Lipstick

The makeup artists we spoke to swear by a lip scrub before applying lipstick. If you’re a fan of lipstick, exfoliating your lips beforehand is the secret to achieving a flawless finish.

What are the Different Types of Lip Scrubs?

Stick

This is the handiest type of lip scrub. There is no need to rinse afterwards, so they can be applied on the go. Since the crystals tend to be finer, this formula can generally be used daily, making it ideal for colder weather when exfoliating dry skin is necessary.

Balm

Lip scrub balms come in a pot or tub-like container and offer deep exfoliation. They must be rinsed off, so they’re best to apply in the morning or during your evening skincare routine.

Gloss

If you’re short on time and want an all-in-one lip product, an exfoliating gloss provides both lip polishing properties and a subtle tint. This formula can be worn on their own or paired with a stronger eye makeup look.

1

Best Overall: Handmade Heroes 100% Natural Lip Scrub

Pros

  • Suitable for sensitive skin
  • Natural ingredients
  • Cruelty-free

Cons

  • Fairly small lip scrub tub

Topping our list of the best lip scrubs, this clean beauty pick from Handmade Heros effectively exfoliates lips to leave them looking softer and smoother with no irritation in sight. Available in three delicious flavors, choose between coconut sorbet, matcha latte or bakuchiol to enhance the appearance of your lips.

Formulated without synthetic fragrances, parabens, sulfates and phthalates, this dermatologist-tested scrub improves the look and feel of your natural lips while offering a flawless lipstick application.

2

Best Budget: Essence Lip Care Sugar Scrub

Pros

  • Affordable price point
  • Refreshing citrus scent
  • Skin-nourishing ingredients

Cons

  • Doesn’t include a spoon applicator

Looking for a budget-friendly lip exfoliator? We can't recommend this under $5 pick enough. In addition to fine sugar particles that remove dead skin cells, it also contains hydrating shea butter, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to keep lips conditioned and moisturized.

The cruelty-free formula boasts everything you need to plump and replenish your lips in an instant. Bonus: The lemon citrus scent offers an extra fresh sensation.

3

Best Stick Scrub: e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator

Pros

  • Easy to apply
  • Wide range of flavors
  • Affordable price point

Cons

  • Some may not want a stick scrub

This is an ideal pick for taking a lip scrub on the go. The twist-up stick makes it super simple to apply, not to mention the compact size is easy to stash in your purse.

Choose from seven refreshing scents — strawberry and brown sugar are our favorites. The stick boasts jojoba oil, shea butter and avocado oil to deliver lips with a serious dose of hydration.

4

Best Luxury: La Mer The Lip Polish

Pros

  • Balm texture
  • Mint scent
  • Includes an applicator

Cons

  • Splurge-worthy price point
  • Only available in one flavor

The ultimate indulgence for your lips, this luxury polish from La Mer contains a plethora of innovative ingredients to buff and resurface the skin on your lips. It uses marine micro minerals to soothe dryness and eliminate flakiness.

We love the dual-sided applicator to create a microcirculation effect on the lips and smooth uneven texture. The silky balm formula melts into skin and leaves lips with a subtle hint of sweet mint.

5

Best for Chapped Lips: Revlon Lip Scrub Balm

Pros

  • Hydrates dry lips
  • Preps lips for color
  • Easy to apply stick

Cons

  • Some may not want a stick scrub
  • No tinted option

Keep lips polished and hydrated with this essential stick balm from Revlon. It combines sugar crystals with natural fruit oils to leave lips looking and feeling softer.

This pick is ideal for prepping lips before color, as well as wearing on its own for an everyday polished appearance. We love how handy the stick is to use, making it a must-have for anyone who suffers from dry lips in the winter.

6

Best Celebrity Brand: Flower Beauty Petal Pout Lip Scrub

Pros

  • Gently exfoliates
  • Skin-nourishing ingredients
  • Great price

Cons

  • Fairly small lip scrub tub
  • One scent available

We adore Drew Barrymore’s makeup line, Flower Beauty, and one of our favorite discoveries is this award-winning petal lip scrub. Extra-fine sugar crystals buff and polish lips, leaving them looking super soft and supple.

This scrub is packed with nutrient-dense ingredients like coconut and castor oil. Cocoa butter hydrates and moisturizes lips while giving them a plumped effect.

7

Best for Plumping: Laneige Bouncy & Firm Plumping Lip Treatment

Pros

  • Enhanced formula
  • Hydrates skin
  • Dermatologist-tested

Cons

  • Texture is slightly thicker

If you have delicate skin and find sugar scrubs too harsh, this wonder product from K-Beauty brand Laneige is the lip treatment needed to keep lips looking plumped and polished. Suitable for all skin types, this firming lip solution contains hyaluronic acid, collagen and ceramide capsules to ensure skin is nourished.

If you’re looking to revitalize your lips, the innovative formula strengthens the skin barrier while replenishing firmness and elasticity. We love to lather it on before bed and wake up to supple lips.

8

Best for Everyday Use: The Ordinary Squalane + Amino Acids Hydrating Lip Balm

Pros

  • Ideal for dry skin
  • Nourishes lips
  • Versatile uses

Cons

  • Not the best at exfoliating

Traditional exfoliating scrubs should only be used once or twice a week, but this option from The Ordinary is safe for everyday use. If you’re serious about keeping your lips in peak condition, pairing this balm with a bi-weekly scrub is a winning formula.

Infused with squalane to deliver an intense dose of moisture, it also contains vital amino acids to lock in moisture and keep lips looking supple.

9

Best Pre-Lipstick: fresh Sugar Lip Polish Exfoliator

Pros

  • Suitable for all skin types
  • Smoothes lip texture
  • Preps lips for color

Cons

  • Slightly sticky texture
  • Must be rinsed off

Nothing elevates a final lip look more than a pre-application lip scrub. Whether you favor a bold red lip or matte nude, exfoliating the skin beforehand helps lip color glide on smoother, last longer and avoid creasing.

The brown sugar crystals in this scrub gently buff and polish the lips, removing any dead skin cells or flakiness, while shea butter and jojoba oil nourish and soften the skin to create an even canvas for your lipstick.

10

Best for Hydration: Poppy & Pout Exfoliating Lip Scrub

Pros

  • Made in the USA
  • Reusable packing
  • Natural ingredients

Cons

  • Only comes in one flavor

Give your lips a serious dose of hydration with this all-natural lip scrub from Poppy & Pout. For those looking to avoid harsh ingredients, this exfoliating treatment uses a combination of coconut oil, beeswax, vitamin E and sunflower oil, along with sugar crystals to exfoliate lips.

The pomegranate peach flavor makes this one of the most delicious scents on this list, giving lips a refreshing fruity finish.

11

Best Smoothing: Makeup by Mario Perfecting Lip Scrub

Pros

  • Cruelty-free
  • Hydrating formula
  • Evens out lip texture

Cons

  • Doesn’t have a flavor
  • Tube design may be hard to apply product

Ensure lips are always photo-ready with this pout polishing option from one of Kim Kardashian’s go-to makeup artists, Mario Dedivanovic. It deploys extra-fine micro crystals to gently but effectively remove dead skin cells, resulting in smooth, soft lips.

It infuses lips with moisturizing coconut oil and vitamin E to protect against environmental stressors. If your lips dry out after wearing lipstick, this is an ideal solution to use in between applications.

12

Best Gloss: DIOR Dior Addict Lip Sugar Scrub

Pros

  • Non-sticky feel
  • Doesn’t need to be rinsed
  • Suitable for all skin tones

Cons

  • Slightly more expensive

This luxury pick from Dior is our go-to lip product for everyday wear. It works as both an exfoliator and a lip gloss, making it ideal for those who love a natural look. The no-rinse formula glides on to create a soft and glossy effect.

A beauty bag essential, this lip scrub melts onto lips — no greasy residue left behind. It leaves lips with a subtle, glossy finish to compliment every skin tone.

13

Best for Sensitive Skin: Burt’s Bees Conditioning Lip Scrub

Pros

  • Skin nourishing formula
  • Free of harsh ingredients
  • Leaves skin looking supple

Cons

  • Needs to be rinsed
  • Somewhat sticky texture

If you have sensitive skin, you’ll love how this scrub gently buffs lips to leave them looking soft and supple — no harsh ingredients involved. The 100% natural formula uses honey crystals instead of sugar to effectively remove dead skin.

Lips are left looking softer, smoother and renewed and ready for color. In addition to polishing lips, this conditioning scrub provides deep moisture through skin-enriching ingredients like castor oil and beeswax.

14

Best Natural: Hanalei Sugar Lip Scrub Exfoliator

Pros

  • 100% natural ingredients
  • Made in the USA
  • Vegan and cruelty-free

Cons

  • Only comes in one flavor

This bestselling lip exfoliator is the one to reach for if you prefer beauty products to be all natural. Made with Hawaiian cane sugar and kukuli oil, this vegan-friendly option brightens and revitalizes lips in an instant.

It also contains shea butter to hydrate your pout, making it a makeup bag essential for those who want to polish and moisturize their lips at the same time.

15

Best Anti-Aging: Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask Overnight Lip Scrub Exfoliator

Pros

  • Smoothes lip texture
  • Calms irritation
  • Includes spoon applicator

Cons

  • More expensive
  • Not everyone may like the gel texture

If you’re looking for something special to elevate your skincare routine, this pick from Tatcha is a real treat. Not only does it exfoliate lips, it also smoothes fine lines and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

The bouncy, jelly-like texture includes a combination of Japanese peach extract to soothe and repair and three rose extract to smooth lips. Meanwhile, Tsubaki oil provides vitamins A, B, D and E, along with omegas 3, 6 and 9 for additional nourishment.

People Also Ask

  • Q: Are lip scrubs good for your lips?

    A:Yes, lip scrubs help remove dead skin cells and give lips a smoother and healthier appearance.

  • Q: How long do I leave a lip scrub on?

    A:Lip scrubs are quick and easy to use. Simply massage the formula into the skin for 30 seconds to one minute and rinse off.

  • Q: How much should I spend on a lip scrub?

    A:Depending on your skincare needs, it may be worth it to invest in a long-lasting formula if you have severely dry or sensitive skin. Still, there are plenty of effective lip scrubs available at every price point, so it all comes down to what you want to pay.

Why trust Us

At Luxury Handbag Shopping, we aim to inform readers to make smart purchasing decisions, saving you both time and money. Our editors are obsessed with finding products in a variety of categories from fashion and beauty, to home and fitness.

We try various products, so we can recommend our favorites, and we also summarize feedback and data from other customers. Data, like product reviews and ratings, helps us recommend the best product choices for individual price points and needs.

On top of that, we highlight unique product features for special use cases, ingredients preferences, and more. We strive to make sure you are discovering new products that can make your life easier, while keeping you up to date with the best product choices for types of items you already know and love.

Author photo

By Clare Holden

Beauty and style writer Clare has been a fan of makeup and fashion ever since she was a child. While studying for her degree in Journalism and Communications, Clare worked part-time on cosmetic counters. After graduating she went back and trained as a makeup artist after falling in love with beauty and skincare. She now splits her time between writing about all things makeup and running her own womenswear brand White Night.
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