I’ve Worn Hundreds of Hydrating Lip Products, but Nothing Comes Close to the Laneige Lip Mask

It seems that the name on everyone’s mouths (and the skin-softening product on everyone’s lips) is Laneige — specifically the brand's Lip Sleeping Mask. And after about a year of testing it, I now understand why. 

Celebrities like Sydney Sweeney (a Laneige brand ambassador) and Reneé Rapp have highlighted it as a staple in their beauty routines, and even Kate Hudson admits that she wishes she came up with the mask herself: “This is the best product right now,” she told British Vogue during an episode of In the Bag last year. 

I’ve always been someone with dry skin, and no lip oil, balm, or skincare-hybrid gloss could keep my lips properly moisturized for an extended period of time. That is, until I started using the viral Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask about a year ago. 

We also tested 25 lip masks in our PEOPLE Tested lab last year and decided that, actually, this is the only one worth buying.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Finish: Natural | Skin Type: Normal, dry | Flavors: 5 | Size: 0.70 oz. 

This smooth-as-can-be mask is made with an antioxidant-rich formula that locks in moisture while you sleep — a result of the brand’s signature Berry Fruit Complex (a mixture of murumuru seed and shea butter) plus coconut oil and vitamin C, which help soothe and protect your lips. All of these ingredients work together to revive dry skin and leave your lips feeling soft and smooth.

It also comes with a small wand, which makes the application process a lot less messy (but you can always use a clean finger, too).

How We Tested

Though this mask is advertised as a nighttime product (and I certainly do use it before bed), I reach for this jar whenever I need an extra dose of lip hydration throughout the day, too. 

It’s a great step after brushing my teeth in the morning, which gives the formula time to absorb while I make breakfast and do my makeup — so by the time I reach my lip liner (the final step before heading out the door), the mask has almost fully dried down. 

The Results

The proof is in the name, because this product truly works its magic while you’re fast asleep.

The Lip Sleeping Mask delivers overnight results and gradually softens your lips with continuous use. In a Laneige clinical study, a group of women (ages 25 to 35) showed a 135 percent boost in hydration that lasted for up to eight hours. 

While I can’t give you exact numbers on my lip's moisture levels, it’s easy to see and feel the noticeable difference between my dry end-of-day lips and the glossy, smooth pout I’m granted immediately after application. Better yet — after a good night’s sleep — I wake up to nourished, ultra-hydrating lips sans clumping or unsightly residue (a byproduct of so many gelatinous lip masks). 

Though it’s a little thick for midday wear, that doesn’t stop me from following up my morning skincare with a very light layer of the mask. This traps enough moisture in my lips to get me through the day without needing to reach for a hydrator as often.

This mask comes in a jar, but to get the same dose of hydration in a much more portable container, I’d suggest adding the ultra-moisturizing Lip Glowy Balm to your cart.

Other Laneige Favorites 

Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask

This collagen-boosting, anti-aging mask has tiny capsules that burst when contact is made with your skin, caressing your face with its ultra-hydrating (and slightly cooling) formula that transforms dry, dull skin into, well, a visage that’s bouncy and firm.

Lip Glowy Balm

A truly transportable version of the Sleeping Mask, this balm was made to be the daytime counterpart of the nighttime mask — one that could be easily placed in a purse or pocket and used throughout the day.

Is the Laneige Lip Mask Worth It?

To put it plainly — yes, the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is worth every penny. 

When you test hundreds of beauty products for a living, it’s rare that something stays on your shelf (and is emptied and replenished time and time again), but this mask continues to be a mainstay in my skincare cabinet no matter how many new and flashy products pop up on the market.

However, if you are still looking, here’s a few others that I’ll reach for if my Laneige isn’t close by.

Other Lip Masks To Consider

Byoma Liptide Lip Mask

For something that’s a bit more purse-friendly, try this lippie from Byoma. Pumped with peptides and a skin-softening cocktail of babassu oil and PHA, this glassy mask feels like a spa for your lips (and can even double as a gloss).

E.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration! Lip Mask

With a similar design and applicator to Laneige’s, this Elf lip mask is a more budget-friendly way to get overnight results. The formula is infused with ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalane, which locks the moisturizing ingredients in overnight. (The mask even has a similar berry flavor!)  

Jason Wu Beauty Good Night Mr. Wu Lip Sleep Mask

Almost $10 less than the Laneige lip mask, this product has a similarly antioxidant-packed ingredient list (and feels just as good on your skin) to soothe, soften, and seal the skin barrier of your lips. 

Make Beauty Lip Reset Overnight Lip Mask

This luxuriously-packaged, ultra-nourishing mask has a slightly more gelatinous texture than the Laneige mask (but very similar results by morning). This vitamin- and oil-packed formula is a great hydration booster for dry, flaky lips and its mint flavor is rather soothing on irritated skin.