That said, your aesthetic and preferences for what you want in a lip colour may have changed since the last time you set foot inside a restaurant. To help figure out what you’re looking for this season, we’ve broken down the three biggest lip colour trends for summer 2021. Whether you want a balm, plumping gloss, or a multipurpose stick that doubles as blush, scroll through to find the most popular new tubes to toss in your purse ASAP.
Refinery29’s selection is purely editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items we love! As part of our business model we do work with affiliates; if you directly purchase something from a link on this article, we may earn a small amount of commission. Transparency is important to us at Refinery29, if you have any questions please reach out to us.

Tinted Balm
Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm
Our Refinery29 beauty editors were so excited about the new Ilia tinted lip balm we tested all eight shades, and we’re all fans. It’s that sheer your-lips-but-better tint that most of us have dubbed a “summer staple.”
Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm, $, available at Revolve

Pat McGrath Labs Lip Fetish Divinyl Lip Shine
Similar to Ilia’s, Pat McGrath’s Lip Shine is a soft cream-balm that goes on so sheer that you don’t need a mirror to apply it. The difference is that instead of being satiny in finish, this one has some sparkle, and comes in a gorgeous maximalist chrome-plated bullet.
PAT McGRATH LABS Lip Fetish Divinyl Lip Shine, $, available at Selfridges

Plumping Gloss
Lawless Beauty Forget The Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss
Blame TikTok or the rise in popularity of lip flips and filler, but many brands have recently formulated “plumping” lip products. This new one from Dior is popular for its diverse shade range (from pink to coral), non-tacky consistency, and how it delivers subtle, gentle plumping — without the dreaded tingle.
Dior Lip Maximimiser, $, available at Dior

Too Faced Lip Injection Maximum Plump Extra Strength Lip Plumper
Fans claim that Too Faced’s Lip Plumper offers an effect similar to what you’d see after lip injections: a little swollen and pink in colour (of course, it’s temporary). The newest formulation is the same kind of plumping formula in a mini tube, so for $16 you can give it a try before investing in the full-size.
Too Faced Lip Injection Maximum Plump Lip Plumper, $, available at Cult Beauty

Lip & Cheek Stain
Charlotte Tilbury Tinted Love Lip & Cheek Stain
Along with the rise in lipstick, we’ve seen a new wave of blush happening this summer. Use this new hybrid tint from Charlotte Tilbury on your lips, then dab a little on your cheeks, too.
Charlotte Tilbury Tinted Love Lip & Cheek Tint, $, available at Charlotte Tilbury

Freck Beauty Cheekslime Blush + Lip Tint with Plant Collagen
If you’re going for a wash of colour, not so much precise application, this multipurpose tint is a win. It’s viscous but sheers out nicely on the cheeks, lips, or lids for a kiss of colour. Reviewers compare it to a Glossier Cloud Paint that doubles as a lip stain.
Freck Beauty Cheekslime Lip & Cheek Tint, $, available at Beauty Bay
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Troubling Male Attitudes Towards Women’s Makeup