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The Best Color-Changing pH Lip Oils and Balms for a Custom, Flattering Tint

Including Sabrina Carpenter's go-to Prada pick.

By Claire Sullivan Plus Icon

Claire Sullivan

There’s a particular kind of magic in watching a sheer lip product morph into your perfect pink — especially when it happens in real time, on your own smile. That might be why color-changing lip oils, balms, and glosses have surged in popularity in the last year, crowding both social media feeds and Sephora’s new releases landing page.

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Take, for instance, the viral moment when Sabrina Carpenter swiped on Prada’s Moisturizing Lip Balm in Astral Pink in a TikTok video last June that’s since been viewed over 50 million times. The tinted lip balm‘s cameo caused it to sell out in short order, creating a new level of demand for a cosmetic category that isn’t exactly new (beauty historians will recall brands like Tangee releasing 1.0 versions of pH lip balms nearly a century ago).

Much of the modern-day appeal lies in the transformation itself. Color-changing lip glosses, balms, and lip oils are inherently satisfying to watch — especially on platforms like TikTok, where visual payoff is everything. But beyond the aesthetic thrill, these products promise a more personalized experience.

At their core, color-changing lip products rely on pH-reactive technology: In basic terms, these formulas contain ingredients that adjust their hue based on the natural acidity of your skin. The result? A just-for-you tint that’s designed to be bespoke to you — at least in theory. In practice, most pH lip balms and oils tend to skew toward the shade of a cool-toned pink lipstick. The differentiator, then, becomes texture, shine, and overall feel.

We tested over a dozen of the most talked-about options to find the best pH lip balm formulas on the market. Whether you’re after a high-shine gloss that changes color with your pH, a juicy lip oil that delivers sheer color and serious moisture, or something in between, these three picks stood out for their finish, wear, and just-right flush.

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Prada Moisturizing Lip Balm in 001 Astral Pink

$50

Buy Now at nordstrom

Two WWD Shop editors swear by Prada’s lip color collection — we rate the products as luxury beauty accessories that are well worth the investment for their packaging, shade range, and lip-softening formulation.

This Prada pH lip balm is one of the subtler color-changing products you can find on the market, in a good way. Rather than overpowering your pout in a fuchsia color, it acts as more of a filter on the lips that blurs fine lines and adds a touch of oomph to your natural lip color.

Price upon publish date of this article: $50

TirTir Water Mellow Lip Balm in 01 Icy Blue

$15

Buy Now at amazon

A low-stakes entry point to the color-changing lip balm category, TirTir’s Water Mellow Lip Balm is the best affordable pH lip treatment we tested. Where some color-changing balms take a few seconds to fully transform on your lips, this one creates a custom tint immediately upon application — one that errs on the punchy-pink side, if you opt for our favorite Icy Blue shade (shown). Our testers found that the product requires a few swipes for even application, but otherwise, you’d never know that it’s priced under $20.

Price upon publish date of this article: $15

WWD/ Claire Sullivan

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip pH Powered Plumping Shift Lip Balm

$27

Buy Now at ulta

$27

Buy Now at sephora

For max shine and staying power, go with Tarte’s color-changing lip treatment. The product gives the juicy finish of a great gloss while subtly plumping your lips — and the custom color you’ll get is more pigmented than similar ones we tried. Our testers found that the tint could last for a full three hours without needing a touch-up; after that, an additional swipe is helpful to facilitate even fading.

Price upon publish date of this article: $27

More pH Lip Balms & Lip Oils to Try

Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint in Phreeze

$24

Buy Now at milk

$24

Buy Now at sephora

Our editors love the watercolor effect of Milk Makeup’s Cooling Water Jelly Tints — rather than color that you need to carefully apply, you can be generous with the product’s application and blend it with a makeup sponge or clean fingertips for a flawless flush of color. The color-changing Phreeze shade starts out as a coral peach then fades to a cool-toned pink in a few seconds. Slough your smile with a lip scrub before using it for best results.

Price upon publish date of this article: $24

Winky Lux Flower Balm

$17

Buy Now at ulta

Another affordable pick for those who want to test out a pH lip balm without a huge commitment, Winky Lux’s Flower Balm is a favorite, available in three translucent shades that shift pink upon application. We found it to be best for a touch of color, but don’t expect anything transformative in terms of hydration or shine.

Price upon publish date of this article: $17

Haus Labs Phd Hybrid Lip Oil

$26

Buy Now at haus labs

$26

Buy Now at sephora

While we found pH lip balms to be easiest to apply, Haus Labs makes the best color changing lip oil for those who prefer a syrupy, silky texture without a lick of stickiness. The product is one of few in its category that actually nourishes the lips, too, courtesy of its softening prickly pear oil.

Price upon publish date of this article: $26

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Meet the Author

Claire Sullivan is a contributing commerce editor for WWD and Footwear News, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion, and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as an editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the products that make a meaningful difference in your skin and hair. Sullivan contributed to product testing and reporting to write this article on the best color-changing lip balms and oils.

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The Best Color-Changing pH Lip Oils and Balms for a Custom, Flattering Tint

Recent Articles by Claire Sullivan

In this article

View More

Top Color-changing Lip Products of 2025

Prada Moisturizing Lip Balm in 001 Astral Pink

TirTir Water Mellow Lip Balm in 01 Icy Blue

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip pH Powered Plumping Shift Lip Balm

Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint in Phreeze

Winky Lux Flower Balm

Haus Labs Phd Hybrid Lip Oil

Related Articles

Prada Moisturizing Lip Balm in 001 Astral Pink

TirTir Water Mellow Lip Balm in 01 Icy Blue

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip pH Powered Plumping Shift Lip Balm

More pH Lip Balms & Lip Oils to Try

Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint in Phreeze

Winky Lux Flower Balm

Haus Labs Phd Hybrid Lip Oil

Why Trust WWD

Meet the Author

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