Beauty Burt’s Bees Lip Color: 3 Natural Picks Compared for 2026
Three formulas, one brand promise: natural color that cares for lips. We compared the Gloss Lip Crayon in Hawaiian Smolder, Lip Shimmer in Peony, and Lip Shine in Smooch on pigment, moisture, finish, wear time, and ease of use. Each was worn for full days and tested through real routines.
| Factor | Burt's Bees Gloss Lip Crayon, | Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer, Peony | Burt's Bees Lip Shine, Smooch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Twist-up crayon | Classic bullet | Slim shine stick |
| Color payoff | Medium, buildable | Sheer tint | Sheer to medium gloss |
| Finish | Juicy gloss | Shimmery sheer | High shine |
| Signature trait | Foolproof application | Peppermint tingle | Your-lips-but-better |
| Best for | Everyday color | No-makeup days | Polished natural looks |
Our Verdict
For most people, the Gloss Lip Crayon in Hawaiian Smolder is the best buy: foolproof application, medium buildable color, and serious moisture. Lip Shimmer in Peony wins for minimalists who want the sheerest tint. Lip Shine in Smooch is the pick for a polished, glossy look. Start with the crayon; collect the others as you fall in love.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Polished glossy your-lips-but-better color
Burt's Bees Lip Shine, Smooch
- Sheer red-brown glossy shade
- Non-sticky shine finish
- Moisturizing lip-care base
- Mimics healthy bitten lips
Pros
- Beautiful natural gloss
- Comfortable, non-sticky
- Very flattering shade
Cons
- Gloss needs reapplication
- Sheer coverage
- Can feather without liner
Liner Irritation: Allergy vs Normal Tingle
Liner-caused cheilitis gets one passing mention, so here is the guide. Normal plumper tingle fades within minutes and feels like mild warmth. Allergic stinging intensifies over an hour, brings redness or swelling, and recurs every time you wear the product. Castor oil, flagged as an emerging allergen, appears in many natural lip formulas, including some Burt's Bees products, which surprises buyers who assume natural means hypoallergenic. Fragrance and flavoring are the other usual suspects.
The diagnostic: if only one of the three formulas here causes the reaction, the trigger is likely an ingredient unique to that formula, which narrows the search. If all lip products cause it, see a dermatologist, since that pattern suggests a broader sensitivity. The patch test: wear the suspect product on one half of the lower lip for an hour. A reaction confined to that half confirms the product as the cause. Low-irritant options exist, but the honest first step is identifying the trigger rather than blindly switching brands. Natural does not mean non-allergenic, and this brand's loyal buyers should know that.
More lip pencil picks across formulas are in our best lip pencil picks.
The Liner-Only Look: Wearing Crayon as Color
Nobody covers wearing lip liner alone as the color, but the Gloss Lip Crayon in Hawaiian Smolder is built for exactly this. The liner-only technique: apply the crayon across the entire lip, not just the edges, then blot firmly with a tissue. The blotting removes the excess that would feel heavy, leaving a lived-in stain of color. A second light layer in the center adds dimension. The result is the most natural-looking lip color in this comparison, more natural than any of the three worn conventionally.
The formulas that work solo share traits: creamy enough not to drag, pigmented enough to show, and comfortable enough for all-over wear. The Gloss Lip Crayon checks all three. The Lip Shimmer in Peony works for the sheerest version of the look. The Lip Shine in Smooch is almost a gloss already, so wearing it "alone" is just wearing it. The setting trick for longevity: after blotting, dust the faintest amount of translucent powder over the lips through a tissue, which sets the liner-only color without the heaviness of a full lipstick. Minimalist buyers get maximum mileage from this technique.
Liners on Flaky Winter Lips
"Prep with balm" is the whole winter advice everywhere, but the balm-then-blot timing is what actually matters. The routine: apply a rich lip balm, wait a full ten minutes, then blot firmly until the lips feel almost bare. What remains is enough moisture to prevent the liner from skipping, but not enough slip to make it slide. Applying liner over freshly balmed lips is the number one winter mistake, causing the color to migrate and fade within the hour.
The formula ranking for chapped lips: the Gloss Lip Crayon glides best on texture, since its creamy formula does not catch on flakes. The Lip Shine follows closely. Drier, waxier pencils skip worst, so winter is the season to favor the creamiest formula you own. The overnight prep matters more than the morning routine. A lip scrub plus a heavy lip treatment the night before gives the liner a smooth canvas that no morning balm can create. Winter lip color is won the night before, not the morning of.
Crayon-format rankings are in our best lip crayon sticks for everyday color.
The 90s Brown-Liner Ombré: Technique Guide
The 90s brown-liner trend driving category sales gets no dedicated technique guide, so here it is. The look: deeper liner on the edges, lighter color in the center, blended where they meet. With these crayons, use the deepest shade you own as the liner, applied along the lip line and slightly inward. Fill the center with the lightest shade, then blend the transition with a fingertip, not a brush, which keeps it soft. The Gloss Lip Crayon in Hawaiian Smolder is an ideal edge shade, with its medium buildable color. The Lip Shimmer in Peony or Lip Shine in Smooch works as the center. The blending is the technique. Harsh lines look dated. A diffused gradient looks modern. Blot once at the end to meld the layers.