Smooth, hydrated lips start with the right prep — and September is the perfect time to fold a proper lip routine back into your day. Whether you need something to buff away flaky skin or a rich balm to lock moisture in afterwards, here are four picks worth trying this month.
1. NUXE Rêve de Miel Lip Balm
A cult classic reformulated for even richer nourishment, this balm restores comfort to dry, chapped lips with a luxurious grapefruit scent.
- Formula: Honey, shea butter and sweet almond oil hydrate and condition, while defending lips against environmental aggressors.
- Finish: Non-greasy and comfortable, leaving lips moisturised all year round.
- Good to know: Pairs well with a scrub beforehand for maximum smoothness, since it’s designed to lock in moisture rather than exfoliate.
2. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Nourishing Lip Balm
Built on the brand’s iconic Eight Hour Cream, this treatment combines nourishment with sun protection for lips that face daily exposure.
- Formula: Eight essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals work alongside broad-spectrum SPF20 to protect against UVA/UVB damage.
- Finish: Soft, smooth and healthy-looking, applied via a portable squeeze tube with a slanted applicator.
- Good to know: A good year-round pick if you want sun protection built into your daily lip care.
3. Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Sugar Melt Lip Scrub 8g – Strawberry Sorbet
The genuine exfoliator of the group, this twist-up scrub melts away dry, flaky skin in seconds for an instantly smoother pout.
- Formula: Fine sugar gently retextures while coconut and sunflower oil condition, and kokum, cocoa and shea butter soften and nourish.
- Finish: Instantly smoother lips with all-day hydration; no rinsing required.
- Good to know: Comes in a fun Strawberry Sorbet scent and is designed to be left on rather than washed off.
4. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Stick SPF15 (Various Shades)
A tinted take on the brand’s signature formula, this stick adds a sheer wash of colour while keeping lips nourished and protected.
- Formula: Emollients, SPF15 sunscreen and antioxidant vitamin E work together to moisturise and defend against UV exposure.
- Finish: Soft, supple and delicately tinted, wearable alone or under lipstick.
- Good to know: Available in three shades — Blush, Honey and Plum — so it doubles as a light everyday lip colour.
From NUXE’s honey-rich balm to Elizabeth Arden’s tinted SPF stick, these four picks cover every step of a proper September lip routine — buff, nourish, protect and colour.