‘I’m actually using lip balm less often now because this nourishing formula is so good,’ says beauty editor Laura Mulley about this surprising hit product
For me, lip balm isn’t just a winter essential but a year-round one, and – as someone with perpetually dry lips – a bit of an obsession; I’ve always got about five on the go at any one time, in handbags, coat pockets and desk drawers, and I must have tried almost every single one on the market at some point in my life, from pharmacy bargains to luxury lip salves.
However, while there are plenty that I love – from celebrity favourites such as Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask and Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm – I picked up a new one, Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Gloss Balm, recently without giving it much thought, and couldn’t believe the effect that it had on my lips overnight.
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Housed in a glossy pink pot, it’s not too dissimilar to Laneige’s popular one – loved by the likes of Molly-Mae Hague – however I’d say Glow Recipe’s is a bit firmer and less gloopy than Laneige’s. Applying it at night (as it isn’t the most convenient form to carry around with you), I found that it had a light raspberry scent and gave a flattering, subtle sheen to the lips – but the real revelation came in the morning.
Normally I find that lip balms last a few hours max before I need to reapply, but I could still feel this Glow Recipe one on my lips when I woke up eight-ish hours later – something that never happens – and post-shower, the skin here was way softer and smoother than it would normally be.
To be completely honest, Glow Recipe isn’t a beauty brand I’ve used much in the past, but this lip balm has totally wowed me. Yes, at £20 it’s more expensive that lots of others, but with these sort of long-lasting effects you may only need to apply it twice a day, unlike most.
If you too are tempted to try it or know someone who would love this, it’s available to buy from Sephora and Cult Beauty, and also on Amazon (and 1p cheaper) – Amazon Prime members can get it with free next day delivery.
If you’re after alternatives, I’ve also finally caved and bought one of the viral Rhode Peptide Lip Treatments, also £20, and I think they’re worth the hype. And if you really want to push the boat out, La Mer The Lip Balm, £62, is the ultimate treat; it was one of the highlight’s inside my 2025 Liberty Advent Calendar.
