According to the IMARC Group, the North American lip care market is expected to reach $532.1 million by 2033 with a CAGR of 1.39%. Spate’s 2024 data found butter balms experienced an average of 12.9 thousand monthly searches, with an increased 69.3% YoY rate, while lip salves experienced an average of 1.2 thousand monthly searches, with an increased 1.3% YoY rate. Lip products are experiencing renewed consumer interest, with gloss identified as the fastest-growing lip category in 2024, driven by Gen Z’s interest, according to Beauty Discovery’s 2025 Report. Innovation in lip care is being fueled by food-inspired colors, lip-smacking flavors, cosmetic collaborations, and refillable packaging.
LIP SERVICE – FOOD AS INSPIRATION
The intersection between cosmetics and pop culture inspires new products named after popular foods and fruits. In January, to celebrate the Lunar New Year and honor the brand’s AAPI heritage, Tower28 added the Red Bean Mochi colorway to its LipSoftie Tinted Lip Treatment line. Additional new colors in the LipSoftie line include Confetti Cake and Sugar Plum. In honor of its 120th anniversary, Popsicle entered the beauty space with a trio of Pouts limited-edition Lip Oils inspired by its nostalgic flavors. The lip oils are available in Cheeky Cherry, Groovy Grape, and OMG Orange shades, “reminiscent of Popsicle-stained lips.” Eadem has added Guava Fresca to its fan-favorite Le ChouChou Softening Lip Balm. Gen Alpha brand Daise dropped a line of Hydrating Lip Balms formulated with vitamin E, coconut oil, and avocado oil. The Hydrating Lip Balm comes in six flavors: Coconut Breeze, Juicy Pomegranate, Peppy Peppermint, Strawberry Kiss, Very Vanilla, and Watermelon Crush.
LIP SMACKING FLAVORS
The flavor trends happening in food and beverages are trickling into lip care. Inspiration from fruits and gourmands is being translated into fun lip flavors. Inspired by Prada’s banana motif featured in the spring/summer 2011 collection, Prada Beauty unveiled Prada Balm in Banana Yellow. The banana-scented lip balm has a melting texture and was introduced alongside a limited-edition release of Prada Banana candy. Lawless Beauty added Cherry Pop to its Forget the Filler Gloss collection. The Cherry Pop is “a glossy, sheer red with a pop of pearl, sparkle, with a nostalgic cherry vanilla flavor.” Eos unveiled a Flavor Lab Secret Menu Lip Balm collection in several products. The limited-edition 24H Moisture Super Balm is offered in Strawberry Acai, which “tastes like a blend of strawberry nectar and passionfruit acai,” and Marshmallow Fluff that “tastes like lightly toasted golden marshmallows.” The ‘Nilla Milkshake Lip Balm Variety Pack features Marshmallow Fluff, Vanilla Crème, Salted Caramel, and Vanilla Toffee. The Tropical Chiller Lip Balm Variety Pack is “dermatologist-recommended lip balm formulated for sensitive skin and made with soothing shea butter, coconut oil, and antioxidants.” It is available in four varieties: Pineapple Passionfruit, Mango Melonade, Sparkling Lime, and Peach Yuzu.
COSMETIC COLLABORATIONS
There’s been a trend for cosmetic brands to team up with iconic food and beverage brands on colorful and flavorful, limited-edition collaborations. Lip products are the latest focus of these partnerships. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages have been active. Eos and Blue Moon partnered on a Limited-Edition Valencia Orange Lip Balm. The Blue Moon x eos Valencia Orange Lip Balm is formulated with shea butter, beeswax, and coconut oil. Tarte Cosmetics and Dunkin’ joined forces on a lip collection inspired by Dunkin’ Refreshers and Tarte’s Maracuja formulas. The inspiration includes Dunkin’s new Pink Spritz Refresher featuring guava, orange, and passion fruit with Vitamin B and green tea. The Maracuja Juicy Lip Tints are available in two guava-inspired shades: Lolli and Ice Pop. The Shimmer Glass Lip Plump is a rosy mauve, while the Lip Melt Mask in Icing is a baby-pink daytime balm and overnight lip mask. Both products come with a mini Dunkin’ cup keychain charm.
On the sweet side, Baskin-Robbins has partnered with Laneige to launch the Laneige Rainbow Sherbet Lip Sleeping Mask, available exclusively at Sephora. The lip mask incorporates three different scents to replicate the “iconic fruity scent inspired by Baskin-Robbins Rainbow Sherbet and its color pattern.” Burt’s Bees and Mike’s Hot Honey turned up the heat with a Limited-Edition Burt’s Bees x Mike’s Hot Honey signature blend of sweet and spicy moisturizing Lip Balm. Glossier’s cult-favorite Balm Dotcom and Magnolia Bakery collaborated on a Limited-Edition Banana Pudding color. It is described as “Think rich cream, vanilla wafers, and perfectly ripe banana sweetness, all wrapped in a cult-favorite skin salve.” Dr. Paw Paw and Paddington created a limited-edition marmalade-fueled collab using the original papaya-infused formula in three new lip balms in Hot Chocolate, Orange Marmalade, and Strawberry Jam scents. The brands also developed a Paddington-themed lip balm key chain and travel collections.
Savory lip balms are also trending. Panera and Holler and Glow co-created two scented lip balms inspired by Panera’s popular Mac and Cheese and Bread Bowls. The S’Mac My Day is a mac and cheese-scented balm, while the Get That Bread is a “toasty bread-scented balm.” After consumers’ unprecedented demand, Chipotle and Wonderskin re-launched the sold-out, Limited-Edition Lipotle Wonder Blading Peel & Reveal Lip Stain Kit. Inspired by Guy Fieri’s signature BBQ sauce, Revlon collaborated on a Limited-Edition Flavortown chicken wing shade of its Super Lustrous Glass Shine Balm. The Revlon x Guy Fieri Balm is vanilla scented and includes a limited-edition sticker pack.
MUSIC TO MY LIPS
In addition to food and beverage, music is inspiring lip care collaborations. In honor of KATSEYE’s second EP, Beautiful Chaos release, Glossier developed six new mood-driven Lip Glaze shades “designed to reflect a different vibe or playlist energy, and worn by different band members.” The Lip Glaze features “a subtle minty glaze that gives lips a refreshing tingle” and its melting oil base enriched with apricot seed oil, raspberry seed oil, and liquid shea butter. It is available in Chilly (baby pink by Sophia), Creamy (rose by Manon), Frosty (clear lilac by Yoonche), Icy (sheer blue by Daniela), Melty (red-brown by Lara), and Tangy (coral pink by Megan) colors. Huda Beauty by Huda Kattan launched a new product and campaign collaboration with Palestinian musician Saint Levant. The Limited-Edition Kalamantina Faux Filler Lip Oil, inspired by Levant’s song, features a clementine scent.
REFILL ME
According to Smithers, refillable and reusable packaging sales are projected to reach $53.4 billion by 2027. In personal care, refillable deodorants are gaining traction while beauty brands are introducing refillable lip balms. French brand Typology released its first-ever refillable product, the Replenishing Lip Balm, formulated with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. The lip balms are 98% naturally derived and are multi-use for lips and cheeks. Byredo debuted a line of refillable Lip Care Balms formulated with natural vegan ingredients like castor seed oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter, said to deliver up to 24 hours of soft and nourished lips. Perfumer Jérôme Epinette “developed a signature scent for the balms, which includes seductive notes of red fruits, powdery florals, and vanilla cream.” The five shades are Celeste Nostalgia (coral red), Chain Reaction (a pH-reactive pink), Chromophobia (sheer), Cloud Bursting (mauve berry), and Fantome Rapture (nude brown). Refillable UK-brand Wild merged “the three hottest industry trends: nostalgia, food and sustainability” with a limited-time, candy-inspired collection with Chupa Chups. Available in a refillable Lip Balm, Wild offers Chupa Chups’ iconic Cola flavor: “A refreshing, cool scent with notes of cinnamon, citrus, and musk.”
Lip balms are an affordable luxury at varying price points. Expect brands to continue to innovate with inspiration from new food and beverages, fun flavors, unexpected collaborations, and refillable packaging.
No need to pout. Let Trendincite LLC plump up your creativity and custom-design a trend excursion, a glossy marketing presentation, a reusable blog post, or hire Amy Marks-McGee as a guest speaker.