Now and then, an under-the-radar makeup category bursts its way to the forefront, and the latest is lip tints. Much like lipstick's evolution from a sturdy bullet to endless forms, shapes and finishes, that same ubiquitousness is now happening for this buzzy category. Some lip tints are more in the lip balm family, packed with skin-care ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and shea butter, with a hint of, you guessed it—tint to give your lips a little oomph. Other lip tints sit closer to a lipstick or go a step further toward a lip stain, leaving a hue of color hours after you applied it, maybe even after lunch.
In the spirit of the lip tint's popularity, which is currently at an all-time high—tinted lip serums, one of the category's fastest-growing formats, have seen searches jump nearly 302 percent year-over-year, according to Spate's Popularity Index—we rounded up the best lip tints of 2026. Our editors used years of experience testing formulations, dove into our respective beauty closets to try and test, and scoured beauty retailers to determine which ones have landed cult status among shoppers. Keep scrolling to discover your new favorite.
1 / 9
Arguably the pioneer of the category, Benetint has been a cult favorite since its launch in 1976. What began as a custom nipple tint made for an exotic dancer at the brand's original San Francisco boutique became Benefit's first-ever product—and its longtime bestseller. Nearly 50 years later, it's still going strong: One bottle sells every 11 seconds worldwide.
2 / 9
A 2026 NewBeauty Award winner, Molly Sims' YISE Beauty made Like a Gloss Hydrating Lip Tint a three-in-one product that restores like a mask, nourishes like a balm and shines like a gloss, and comes in six shades ranging from pale peach to warm berry.
3 / 9
We can't talk lip tints without bringing up Hailey Bieber's widely loved and adored peptide lip tint. It's a sheer, buildable formula with shea butter and peptides that leaves lips hydrated and plumped, not just tinted.
If you don't own it already, you've definitely seen it in selfies galore. (It's the one that clips right into rhode's cult phone case.)
4 / 9
For those who prefer modern takes on the traditional bullet lipstick, meet your match. The pH-reactive formula means the color actually looks a little different on everyone who wears it, landing somewhere between your natural lip tone and a soft flush.
5 / 9
I've used $30 lip tints that didn't work nearly as well as this $6 drugstore version. It swipes on sheer and liquidy, settles into a natural-looking stain that actually lasts and pulls double duty on cheeks.
6 / 9
It's no secret that Laneige has lip products down pat. This one starts watery, then melts into an oil right on your lips (glossy like a gloss, but somehow still there 12 hours later). Ceramides and peptides come along for the ride, and the loop cap turns it into a playful bag charm.
7 / 9
This lip tint's more skin-care focused than lip color-focused. The professional brand—sold and recommended by many derms—has a pH-reactive tint that shifts to your own custom pink, with anti-aging ingredients too, making it a great pick for mature skin or those prioritizing prevention.
Dermatologists even recommend it alongside filler because the peptide complex is designed to support the same lip volume and structure that filler addresses.
8 / 9
Most tints on this list lean sheer, but not this one. Instead, it’s a semi-matte stain with real, buildable pigment—12 shades from natural nudes to saturated color—applied with a paddle-shaped doe-foot applicator built for precision, not just a swipe. It’s also built on 94-percent natural-origin ingredients, so intensity doesn't cost you comfort.
9 / 9
Beckham has called this her “most unique product,” and honestly, fair. It launched in a single shade, Bisou, with no plan to expand, then customers wouldn't stop asking for more, and now there are five.
Where DIOR goes bold, this one stays more sheer. The weightless gel formula dries down soft and semi-matte, never sticky, built to look like your lips on a good day rather than a fresh coat of color.
