We Tested Exfoliating Lip Scrubs — Trust These 9 for Makeout-Ready Lips

Best Overall

Fresh Sugar Lip Polish Exfoliator

View On Nordstrom $21 View On Sephora $21 View On Ulta $21

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Exfoliation
  5/5
• Hydration
  4/5

My little sister is very anti-intensive skincare and beauty regimens. If it’s more than two steps, she instantly gets disinterested, so you know it’s important if she’s willing to add an extra step for the right product. The one lip scrub I always keep stocked for my picky sister is the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish that InStyle testers also agree is all that. This bad boy is jam-packed with moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil and vitamin E that keeps the product from getting too grainy recalls one tester. 

This lip scrub differs from others on the market for its use of brown sugar crystals instead of regular sucrose for the exfoliating portion. “The texture and feel are great, but the brown sugar is sticky,” one tester tells InStyle. All this means is you might have to wipe excess product off a few times to avoid lips adhering together slightly. Make sure you wash your hands before dipping your fingers into the circular pot to limit bacteria and apply the scrub all over your lips to gently scrub away any flakiness. Prepping your lips for dry weather or a makeup look makes a noticeable difference, and this exfoliator can be used multiple times per week.

Size: 0.35 oz | Key Ingredients: Brown sugar crystals, jojoba oil, shea butter, vitamin E

Best Splurge

Dior Addict Lip Sugar Scrub

View On Amazon $40 View On Sephora $40 View On Ulta

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Exfoliation
  4/5
• Hydration
  4/5

Beauty TikTok is a weird space on social media with its mixed bag of content and random clips. From non-professionals giving random advice to new and cult classic makeup products going viral seemingly overnight. One such beauty favorite is the Dior Addict Lip Sugar Scrub, which has its own spotlight (and 90.7 million views) on the app. Right now, I can count three different bags in my apartment that have this buttery exfoliating scrub awaiting me at the bottom for on-the-go use. That’s how obsessed I am. (Also, yes, I’m a Sephora Rouge member if that wasn’t obvious).

InStyle testers were also really into this balm-like scrub with sugar crystals that melt on lips. “The texture and feel of the product are very soft, though it is definitely grainy from the exfoliating aspect. However, it’s not too hard or unpleasant. It’s not at all sticky or tacky and glides on smoothly and easily.”

This balm is a little different from other scrubs because of its two-in-one system. The melted sugar crystals create a velvety texture on the lips, then the beeswax and mango seed butter level up the soft, smooth feeling. “Once you wipe your lips, you cannot feel the hydration almost at all,” one tester says. The same reviewer continues, “Nowhere on the packaging did it say how long to keep it on or take it off, so I believe it’s meant to stay on.” And it is. If you’re looking for a luxe investment, this is the one to keep treating yourself with.

Size: 0.12 oz | Key Ingredients: Synthetic beeswax, vitamin E, mango seed butter

Best Value

Chapstick Total Hydration Conditioning Lip Scrub

View On Amazon $11 View On Walmart $15 View On Walgreens

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4/5
• Exfoliation
  5/5
• Hydration
  5/5

An InStyle Lab tester was so amazed by this conditioning lip scrub that it got them on the lip care bandwagon, “I can now see the appeal of using a lip scrub in the mornings,” they confirm. Chapstick is one of the OG’s in lip care for no-fuss products that leave lips feeling nourished, and their lip scrub is no different. Their formulation relies on natural ingredients like shea butter and maracuja oil to condition lips as the sugar beads scrub away dead skin and flakiness. “The tiny exfoliating beads were more effective than expected. The beads aren’t visible until it touches your lips, where you can slowly start to see and feel it almost dissolve into your lips,” says one tester. 

“My lips felt like I had moisturized them without the oiliness or tackiness. I would say the scrub holds true to its name; if not anything else, this scrub will keep your lips feeling hydrated for a while after application.” On its own, the scrub hydrates lips after use, but if you want a more long term effect, you can combine it with the lip balm or serums from the collection for maximum care.

Size: 0.27 oz | Key Ingredients: Sucrose, shea butter, beeswax, peppermint oil, vitamin E, maracuja oil

Best Drugstore

Burt's Bees Conditioning Lip Scrub

View On Amazon $10 View On Walmart $12 View On Walgreens $10

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4/5
• Exfoliation
  3/5
• Hydration
  5/5

Burt’s Bees created an excellent introduction into the world of lip scrubs with this conditioning exfoliator, another natural favorite on this list. You can pick this up at a drugstore price almost anywhere and know it’ll work. “My lips were left feeling super hydrated, and the texture reminded me of a lip oil once the product was warmed from the temperature of my lips,” says an InStyle Lab tester. The scrub-to-oil effect is a product of natural ingredients, such as castor seed oil, vegetable oil, and beeswax, that melt fast on the lips. 

Some exfoliating formulas might contain sugar crystals that dissolve on the lips as you rub, but that’s where this one differs. One tester saw the mixture begin to stick together with the base ingredient of honey, “The exfoliator became clumpy after about 45 seconds of use and became one glob of sugar on my lip.” Some extra wiping might be necessary, but the honey crystals do leave a glossy and nourishing sensation on the lips. 

Size: 0.25 oz | Key Ingredients: Honey, castor seed oil, vegetable oil, beeswax

Best for Flaky Lips

Sara Happ The Lip Scrub

View On Amazon $26 View On Nordstrom $26 View On QVC $24

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4/5
• Exfoliation
  4/5
• Hydration
  5/5

When the weather takes a turn for the worst — that could be from intense dry heat or frigid cold — your lips probably suffer from all the licking and biting you do subconsciously. I’m not too fond of chapped lips during wintertime, especially when my lips start to crack and bleed from cold air, so a scrub between lip mask sessions is a must. Sara Happ knows one way to avoid this is weekly exfoliating to promote healing and safely remove flaky skin. An InStyle tester says the grainy formula, while “slightly harsher than I would like,” still left her lips very soft and hydrated. The graininess can be intense initially, but it breaks down on lips to flake off dead skin and create a smooth foundation.

Dr. Ava Shamban, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills, knows a thing or two about lip scrubs. “A lip scrub will basically buff away dry, flaking, and cracked skin, restoring and revealing a softness and smooth feeling surface to the lips.” Dr. Shamban loves this scrub for the differing sucrose grains that penetrate deep. “It is packed with 100 antioxidants, ferulic acid, vitamin B, vitamin E, and rice bran (which has elements to increase circulation to the lip area).”

And no, you can’t eat this one either. But the vanilla bean, brown sugar, pink grapefruit, and sparkling peach flavors contain subtle scents that aren’t overwhelming, but still equally yummy, adding to the overall experience.

Size: 0.5 oz | Key Ingredients: Sucrose, grape seed oil, vitamin E, jojoba oil

Best Moisturizing

French Girl Rose Lip Polish Lip Scrub

View On Amazon $22 View On Frenchgirlorganics.com View On Macy's $22

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Exfoliation
  5/5
• Hydration
  5/5

Finely ground sugar crystals exfoliate deeply, scrubbing lips in a way that plumps as the spearmint and peppermint leave skin with a slight buzz. This scrub makes an excellent foundation for lipstick or a liquid lippie if you’re afraid of overdrying, says one InStyle tester. “My lips look and feel noticeably softer than before I used the scrub,” they say. 

This scrub gets its moisturizing powers from the heavy exfoliating that gently strips the skin of dead follicles while cocoa and shea butter put back the softness it desperately needs. The product image alone shows how packed this container is, with more scrubbing factors than filler to shuck off dry spots without irritation. Because of how tightly packed the product is (you get an entire ounce of lip goodness), the scrub can get messy. “You may find bits of the scrub spreading all around your mouth area. This product is best for at-home lip prep,” recommends a tester.

Size: 1 oz | Key Ingredients: Sucrose, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, spearmint, peppermint

Best Multipurpose

Dr. PAWPAW Scrub & Nourish Duo Pot

View On Amazon $10 View On Ulta $11

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Exfoliation
  4/5
• Hydration
  5/5

Let me get right to it. You CAN lick the residue of this scrub from your lips after use. It says so on the directions! This multipurpose duo is double-sided, with the scrub bit on the top and a soft balm on the bottom. “It adds loads of hydration while removing dry skin on the lips. I love that it includes a lip balm along with the lip scrub,” says one InStyle tester. 

Dr. PawPawis an Australian brand known for its versatile products that customers can use for multiple purposes. I sometimes carry this balm with my manicure kit to prep my nail bed for cuticle removal with the scrub portion that doesn’t leave my fingers feeling greasy or sticky. Castor oil works to heal chapped lips with the brand’s signature carica papaya fruit extract giving lips hydration with a pleasing scent. “It leaves lips incredibly soft and smooth. I felt comfortable exfoliating with it for longer,” says another tester. 

Size: 0.5 oz | Key Ingredients: Castor oil, sunflower seed oil, olive oil, carica papaya fruit extract

Best Natural

Handmade Heroes All Natural Vegan Coconut Lip Scrub

View On Amazon $10 View On Handmade-heroes.com

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4/5
• Exfoliation
  5/5
• Hydration
  5/5

Out of all the natural lip scrubs, this one from Handmade Heroes is given the "very best" title for its straightforward ingredients and sustainable practices. With neutral plastic packaging and clean ingredients, you know you're making a conscious choice when using this scrub. Tested by InStyle, one reviewer was impressed by this product that left lips velvetier longer. "My lips feel softer after using, and I don't feel the need to apply chapstick as consistently as I normally do throughout the day," a tester tells InStyle.

Coconut is the hero ingredient in this lip product that keeps the sugar from clumping together while effortlessly melting on the lips. The coconut to sugar ratio leans more towards the exfoliator, giving it a denser texture. "It does feel a bit sandpapery and is pretty thick to apply," says one tester, who agreed this grit is what makes it effective after the initial penetrating sensation. 

Size: 1.23 oz | Key Ingredients: Sweet almond, coconut oil, avocado oil, vitamin E