Can you really get the most out of your lip-care routine if you’re skipping out on the best lip scrubs? The short answer is no. Lip scrubs gently remove dry, flaky skin and dead skin cells in just a few gritty (yet supremely gentle!) swipes, leaving lips soft, smooth, and perfectly prepped for lipstick or lip liner. The key to these nourishing exfoliators is often sugar granules that gently buff flakes away; at the same time, moisturizing emollients and occlusive ingredients soften lips and lock in moisture. So, before you apply the rest of your lip-care products, follow our footsteps and upgrade your lip-care routine with these skin-polishing lip treatments.
Our Top Lip Scrubs
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Poppy & Pout Sweet Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub
Why it’s worth it: Whip out the 2024 Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning Poppy & Pout Sweet Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub whenever your lips feel particularly flaky. This sugar scrub buffs away patches of dead skin while coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and beeswax moisturize chapped, dry skin. We love its ever-so-slightly tingly feel, thanks to delicious peppermint oil. Just scoop a tiny bit onto the lips and massage it in circular motions before wiping it off for fresh, smooth lips that are ready to take on a fresh coat of lip gloss.
“When my lips are so dry and flaky that a lip mask just isn’t cutting it anymore, I know it’s time to reach for this little jar. The scrub inside takes a minute to warm up, but once it does, the tiny grains spread smoothly and evenly, buffing away dead skin without irritating my lips. It’s not too abrasive, and it tastes like peppermint (without tasting like toothpaste). Afterwards, my lips feel super-smooth, and my lipsticks apply so much more evenly!” —Sarah Felbin, senior commerce editor
- Key ingredients: sugar, coconut oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, peppermint oil, vanilla, vitamin E (tocopherol)
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Chemical Exfoliator: Dr. Idriss Barrier Baste Lip Peel
Why it’s worth it: Not everyone loves a gritty physical scrub, especially when it comes to lips. If you’re in that camp, try Dr. Idriss’ Barrier Baste Lip Peel—it also has a matching lip balm, available on its own or as part of a set—designed specifically for chapped lips. Shreene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and brand founder, developed the treatment after a trip to Wyoming that left her lips drier and flakier than ever. Step one, Lip Peel, is an exfoliating serum with mandelic acid to gently smooth and gluconolactone to lightly exfoliate while pulling moisture into the skin. After letting it absorb for about 20 seconds, follow with step two, Lip Baste, a squalane- and ceramide-rich balm that adds suppleness and can be reapplied throughout the day for extra nourishment.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“Sure, physical scrubs are satisfying…but at what cost? (The cost is messy, sticky fingers.) Barrier Baste Lip Peel is an easy solve, thanks to mandelic acid, and it has a cute rollerball applicator that glides onto lips more seamlessly than any regular ‘ol balm applicator. The AHA doesn’t irritate my lips (it may have slightly tingled the very first time, but nothing since!), and the entire formula dries down super quickly, so I’m left with an utterly smooth base for my lip balm. This lip peel is the definition of low effort, high reward.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: mandelic acid, gluconolactone, squalane, ceramides
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Leave-On: Maed Reveal Exfoliating Lip Polish
Why it’s worth it: Maed’s Reveal Lip Polish is one of the most convenient scrubs on this list—you don’t even have to rinse it off, so it’s fair game anytime, anywhere. Apply it directly to your lips, rub them together for a minute, and the formula melts from a gentle sugar scrub into a creamy balm, leaving lips soft and shiny. Dissolvable sugar crystals exfoliate as they melt, while ceramides, peptides, and stem cells hydrate and repair, plus squalane and cherry coffee seed oil boost softness and elasticity. It’s exfoliation, moisture, and glossy balm all in one (basically your entire lip routine in a single tube!).
“This lip polish is a total miracle worker. It starts out grainy, but after you rub it in for about a minute, it melts down into a full-on lip balm with zero grit left behind. Your lips feel noticeably softer, plus there’s a subtle brown sugar taste that feels like a little treat every time you lick your lips.” —Lily Wohlner, commerce writer
- Key ingredients: sugar, ceramides, peptides, squalane, cherry coffee seed oil
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Flavors: Sara Happ The Lip Scrub
Why it’s worth it: If there’s one thing Sara Happ is known for, it’s lip scrub. While it’s available in Sparkling Peach, Brown Sugar, and Vanilla Bean, we think the original Pink Grapefruit deserves the spotlight. This formula gradually transforms from a gritty scrub to a lightweight oil that results in your softest lips yet—and yes, it tastes exactly like the refreshing fruit (no artificial flavors here!). After testing it, one editor said her lips felt so hydrated she didn’t even need to apply a balm afterward.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“This is the lip scrub I keep coming back to, probably because it’s a classic. (You can see how old mine is from the packaging!) The sugar crystals buff away dead skin but don’t feel overly gritty or irritating, and they’re easy to wipe away. And the oil base always leaves my lips feeling instantly soft and more comfortable, even without an extra layer of lip balm on top.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
- Key ingredients: sugar crystals, jojoba seed oil, grapeseed oil, rice bran extract, rosemary extract, sunflower seed extract
- Fragrance-free: no
More lip scrubs we love
Best Budget: e.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Exfoliator
E.L.F. Cosmetics
Lip Exfoliator
Why it’s worth it: Available in seven nostalgic, candy-like scents, e.l.f. Cosmetics’ revamped Lip Exfoliator embodies all the sweet-smelling vibes of the lippies we used to love in the ’90s, with the bonus of exfoliation. Shaped like a lipstick, the Lip Exfoliator should be applied with small, circular motions and removed with a cotton pad before your next lip product. In this newly-reformulated version, the tip has been flattened for easier application. Sugar provides gentle exfoliation, while vitamin E, jojoba oil, shea butter, and avocado oil nourish and moisturize, leaving lips soft, smooth, and never stripped.
- Ingredients: sugar, vitamin E, jojoba oil, shea butter, avocado oil
- Fragrance-free: no
Best for Mature Skin: iS Clinical Lip Polish
iS Clinical
iS Clinical Lip Polish
Why it’s worth it: No, you can’t buff away fine lines and wrinkles, but Is Clinical can help soften them. This formula’s intensive smoothing properties come from a combination of conditioning cocoa butter, a stabilized form of vitamin C, and vitamin E (the latter two are even more effective when paired), according to Kellie Reed, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Austin. These ingredients address texture, such as faint smile lines and wrinkles around the lips. “It also helps hydrate lips and give them a glow,” she adds.
- Key ingredients: sugar crystals, cocoa butter, vitamin C (tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate), vitamin E
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Moisturizing: Fresh Sugar Lip Polish
Why it’s worth it: Rough, dry lips are no match for this conditioning scrub—and did we mention it smells like a freshly baked sugar cookie? Because it does. Fresh’s Sugar Lip Polish uses brown sugar crystals, which are natural humectants, to remove flakes and hydrate lips. Quynh-Giao Sartor, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Houston, says this is one of her favorite lip scrubs for its gentle yet effective buffing crystals paired with conditioning jojoba oil, “which is a natural exfoliant and moisturizer for lips,” she says of the latter. Shea butter and jojoba oil lock in hydration, so you don’t need to follow up with a lip balm immediately.
- Key ingredients: brown sugar crystals, shea butter, jojoba oil
- Fragrance-free: no
Best Mess-Free Applicator: Makeup by Mario Perfecting Lip Scrub
Makeup by Mario
Makeup by Mario Perfecting Lip Scrub
Why it’s worth it: If the not-so-pleasant texture of dipping your (hopefully clean) fingers into goopy scrubs turns you off, we get it. Makeup by Mario’s Perfecting Lip Scrub is super convenient because its formula is packed into a mess-free, goof-proof squeezy tube. All it takes is a quick swipe and a rub of your lips, and a simple lick (yup, it’s edible!) is enough to lift the granules while keeping the hydrating benefits intact. Speaking of moisture, the ingredient list features coconut oil and vitamin E, alongside sugar for exfoliation, so no dryness is left behind.
- Key ingredients: sugar crystals, coconut oil, vitamin E
- Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you exfoliate your lips?
Just like the rest of your skin-care routine, your lip regimen can benefit from exfoliation every once in a while. To achieve super-soft lips, it’s important to get all the dead skin off the surface, according to Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD. “Lips accumulate the same number of dead skin cells that the rest of our face does,” she tells Allure. “For optimal moisturization and to promote absorption of other products, exfoliation is key.”
That will not only make them smoother but will also allow lip colors to appear more vibrant. Heads up: The exfoliation process can be a tad drying on the skin, so rehydrate and seal in much-needed moisture with your go-to lip balm or mask for a smooth, plump feel. (However, most of the scrubs on this list also feature hydrating ingredients, so your lips aren’t left high and dry.)
When should you exfoliate your lips?
Yes, exfoliating helps smooth and soften your lips, but overdoing it will only exacerbate dryness and flaking. “If you see flakes, my first recommendation is to give the skin what it’s asking for, which is hydration,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously told Allure. “After moisturizing the lips, if there are still flakes, you can use gentle sugar scrubs.” It’s not an exact timeframe like other daily- or weekly-use products, but whipping out your lip scrubs only when absolutely necessary is key to maintaining the moisture barrier of the delicate skin on and around your lips.
Meet the experts
- Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City
- Kellie Reed, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Austin
- Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Branford and Hamden, Connecticut
- Quynh-Giao Sartor, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Houston
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best lip scrubs, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Find more of our favorite lip-boosting products:
