Tower 28's New Tinted Balms Will Save Your Winter Lips

In case you aren’t constantly scrolling #BeautyTok like us, lip products are the hottest commodity in beauty right now. However, not just any lip gloss or lipstick is the center of this obsession. Instead, the current craze is all about the balms—more specifically, tinted, glossy balms that blend the best of makeup and skincare.

Over the past few months, tinted lip balms like Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment and Summer Friday’s Lip Butter Balm have become staples on social media and the purses of It Girls everywhere. They're so easy to use, you don’t need a mirror to make sure your application is even, and though you can apply them over a liner, you don't need to.

Of course, there's also our skincare obsessions that has made us prioritize hydration and skin health above all else. This leads us to the last reason we can’t get enough of a glossy balm: the winter cold. Tinted lip balms are the perfect way to keep your pout perfectly moist in frigid temps, while also giving you a bit of mood-boosting color in the process.

Enter Tower 28’s new LipSofties ($16), the latest tinted lip balm to hit the market and our For You pages. Ahead, everything you need to know about the latest viral lip offering, and team Byrdie's honest reviews.

The Product

LipSofties are the latest product to be added to Tower 28's repertoire of lippies, joining the fan favorite ShineOn Lip Jelly and the JuiceBalm Lip Balm. However, where ShineOn prioritizes gloss and JuiceBalm hydration, the brand's newest product offers a tasteful fusion of the two.

All vegan, cruelty-free, and artificial fragrance-free, LipSofties are clinically proven to provide just as much hydration as a lip mask, with five fun tints and flavors.

The first of the five is the classic SOS Rescue Balm. Housed in a bright orange-red tube reminiscent of the brand's cult-favorite SOS Rescue Spray and Daily Barrier Recovery Cream, this is the only clear balm in the collection—simply providing hydration and a subtle glossy finish, as well as a subtle hint of vanilla flavor.

Ube Vanilla is the darkest of the four tinted formulas. Delivering the same hydration as the clear, this shade provides a deep purple, nearly maroon tint and a vanilla ube flavor. Then, there's Dulce de Leche, a sheer nude with a caramel flavor.

Blood Orange Vanilla has a citrusy-vanilla dreamsicle flavor and a bright red flush of color. The sheerest and lightest of the tinted formulas is Watermelon Kiwi. It features the flavors you would expect from the name, plus a baby pink tint.

The Formula

Despite the delicious-sounding names and flavors, every shade is fragrance-free. The yummy flavors aren't the work of perfumes, but food-grade, non-artificial flavorings that the brand says won’t irritate sensitive skin like other similar products. And just like the rest of the brand's products, the LipSofties are National Eczema Association-approved. 

On top of the non-skin-irritating flavors, the product also boasts multiple dermatologist-approved, sensitive-skin-safe moisturizers to penetrate your lips and deliver intense hydration.

First and foremost, LipSofties use shea butter to repair and hydrate. Shea butter is a holy grail for broken, cracked skin. Not to mention, it also provides a skin-plumping effect that makes it perfect for your lips.

Jojoba oil is the second hydrator in the mix. Jojoba is one of the most universally tolerated moisturizers across skin types and concerns—helping with everything from dryness to reducing acne and providing antibacterial properties. Last in the mix is lysine. An essential amino acid, this builds protein and collagen in the skin and promotes elasticity on every layer.

The Reviews

Eden Stuart, Editor

"I was actually surprised by how much color payoff these provided! I paired Ube Vanilla with a lip liner, and you would have thought I put on a lip gloss. But don't get it twisted: This formula has all the hydrating, non-sticky hallmarks we all know, love, and associate with the best lip balms. There's definitely a noticeable scent and taste (this one reminds me of a birthday cake), so be mindful of that if you're sensitive to that sort of thing. Since I like a good dessert lip product moment, this one gets 10s across the board from me."

Bella Cacciatore, News Editor

"As a dry-lipped girlie, I love a tinted balm, and this formula will be joining my rotation. The caramel scent is a little strong for my taste (the rest of the shades are just as pretty and a little less fragrant) but I love the sheer wash of color and the fact that it actually keeps my crusty lips nice and hydrated. I've been reaching for the clear shade 24/7, but the tints will be a staple in my purse as well."

Star Donaldson, Social Director

"This gloss gives a sheer wash of color and a boost of hydration without being sticky. It does have a very strong scent of Dulce De Leche, which is a bit too sweet for me—but I still love the look of this gloss so it's still a winner to me."