U.S. Lip Care Products Consumer Insights - Usage, Attitudes, And Brand Performance Report

Introduction:

Lip care is a growing industry, as an increasing number of consumers show interest and adopt lip care products. Growing concerns about prolonged sun exposure, dryness, premature aging, and lip darkening have driven increased demand for high-quality products among consumers. Moreover, there has been an increasing focus on organic and natural lip balms, as consumers seek safer alternatives free of synthetic and toxic chemicals. The ongoing trend of personal grooming and wellness is driving more male consumers to adopt these products. Lip care is one of the most commonly adopted categories in the U.S. market, with around 6 out of 10 adults using lip care products at least once a day. Thus, there is a rising demand for products that provide multiple benefits, making it a functional product that nourishes, restores lips, as well as providing a natural tint and also fuller-looking lips, i.e., both cosmetic and health benefits from one product. There is an opportunity for brands to offer products with clean ingredients and environmentally friendly packaging, all the while keeping up with trends such as tints, plumping effects, scrubs etc.,

That also promotes inclusivity by offering a range of products for people of all genders, races, etc. And to deep dive further, here are some trends that took place in the lip care industry in 2025:

• Clean Beauty & Sustainability: As we see the clean beauty movement on the rise, it has also affected the lip care industry. The brands have shifted their focus to providing products with natural ingredients that do not harm the skin or cause irritation. This can be attributed to rising consumer awareness of chemicals and their effects; as a result, consumers are opting for nourishing formulas that are cruelty-free, vegan, and eco-conscious.

• Tinted & Multi-Functional Products: There has been a demand for multi-functional products that reduce the steps required in a routine, thereby improving efficacy. Having said that, consumers expect a lip care product not only to nourish but also to add a pop of color, providing an added skincare benefit.

• Lip Care as Skincare: Skincare routines have become popular, and lip care products as a part of that routine have been gaining traction and thus have become a significant step. Consumers no longer use lip balm; there is a rise in demand for lip scrubs, lip masks to apply overnightfor night, and lip balms with SPF for protection during the day.

• Lip Plumping Products: Similarly, consumers seek fuller-looking lips without cosmetic procedures, leading brands to introduce lip plumping products within the lip care range.

Methodology:

The insights covered in this report are drawn from GVR’s ‘Voice of Consumer Survey’ and its periodic updates. The latest survey represents 75,000+ consumer interviews conducted across 20 countries for 100+ product categories. These insights are specifically catered to the brands operating in the lip care industry to guide them in their strategic decision-making process. This report provides insights covering category usage & attitude, buying behavior, brand performance metrics, and brand health indicators for leading players in the U.S. lip care market.

Chapter 1: Usage and attitude

U.S. consumers display a growing awareness of lip health and the importance of hydration, suggesting that consumers are increasingly prioritizing self-care routines that include nourishing or protecting their lips, as 62% of consumers say they use lip care multiple times a day, out of the people who use lip care more than once a day. Additionally, consumers prefer to use lip care products exclusively for themselves and sometimes share them with others.

Lip care products are mostly used throughout the day as needed, as mentioned by about 54 out of 10 consumers; however, there is an opportunity to enhance consumption of lip care products by encouraging product usage on other occasions like before special events or outings (Current usage 16%), evening routine (current usage 10%), and post physical activity (current usage 7%). And some of the positive associations consumers link with Lip care products include self-care and relaxation, as part of a skincare routine, and self-confidence due to enhanced appearance. Having said that, the rise in prices due to higher demand and consumer awareness, and the inclusion of harmful chemicals that could lead to allergies, raise serious concerns among consumers about the use of these products. As more consumers opt for clean, sustainable products, companies must address these gaps.

When it comes to reasons for using lip care products, personal grooming and hygiene are the most important for both males and females. However, it is interesting to note that among females, maintaining skin health is also equally important, whilst among male consumers, personal relaxation and maintaining skin health compete for the second position.

The reason consumers continue with the usage or even purchase of any product is due to the ease of application and any notable improvements from usage. Thus, it is important for brands to clearly communicate which specific lip concerns they target and how long it will take to see visible results. It is also important to keep the product simple and easy to use. There is a significant opportunity for brands to offer products marketed as both budget-friendly and luxury, so they can cater to both price-sensitive and brand-loyal consumers.

Buying Behavior

Consumers usually seek information on certain aspects before going to purchase, such as the pricing details, quality of the product, and its effectiveness, followed by the brand’s reputation. And they restock the product once a month or even less, i.e., once in 1-3 months, depending on the size of the SKU purchased last. Having said that, online retailers are the most common way to purchase lip care products among Millennials and Gen Z. Also, Millennials and Gen Z exhibit similar trends in their purchase preferences for lip care products; however, Millennials are more open to buying lip care products from drug stores/pharmacies.

Almost half of the U.S. consumers, i.e., 45 out of 10 people, say their purchase is always planned, while close to 30% of consumers quote that it is mostly planned. Only about 10% of the population has displayed spontaneity in their purchase behavior. What drives this small section of people to make an unplanned purchase is the availability of discounts, given that price is one of the key factors in the purchase of a product. Since various e-commerce platforms offer huge discounts via seasonal sales such as Black Friday sale, Labor Day sale, holiday sales where products are offered at very low prices, it encourages consumers to make a purchase regardless of their needs at that time, which brands can leverage to drive more spontaneous purchases for Lip care products.

Similarly, the key influencing factors that act as immediate triggers for lip care purchases are price/discounts and brand reputation/trust, as more than 6 out of 10 people have selected them as the main drivers. Also, while celebrity endorsements do help increase the awareness of the brand, they play a lesser role in actual product purchase. And the major challenges faced by consumers are identifying products without harmful chemicals, since many lip care products, especially lip balms, contain drying agents that can make your lips drier without application, or harsh ingredients in lip scrubs that can damage the sensitive lip layer, and much more. The second challenge is finding the right product for specific concerns or types, such as pigmented lips, chapped lips, etc. With lip care, we also see an emerging hurdle among consumers choosing the right shade, as many lip care products offer a pigmented range, thus choosing the right color according to the skin tone becomes challenging.

Brand Power Play (Brand Health and Performance)

Some of the popular lip care brands in the U.S. include Burt's Bees, ChapStick, Carmex, Vaseline, Maybelline, Blistex, and Neutrogena. Although the lip care industry is saturated, the top 3 brands, Burt’s Bees, ChapStick, and Vaseline, dominate the market with a higher share. Some of the other notable brands competing are Aquaphor and EOS.

Purchase Funnel

While many lip care brands enjoy high awareness in the U.S., few reach higher consideration and preference levels among consumers. Burt’s Bees is one of the prominent brands that exhibits a strong purchase funnel despite having significant drops at each step of the funnel. It is worth noting that Carmex and Chapstick compete head-to-head with Burt’s Bees, as they share the same consideration levels, significant preference levels, and closely followed purchase intent. In this competition, Vaseline also stands strong; however, it is sitting in the third position due to a lower purchase intent. Also, these competing brands have the same usage levels. Lastly, these brands have a stronger purchase funnel as they leverage brand loyalty, i.e., higher repeat purchase likelihood among consumers due to higher satisfaction levels.

While the overall NPS score of the leading brands ranges from 29 to 76, some brands like Vaseline have a higher NPS score (76) than other lip care products in the market, due to its long-standing brand reputation, which builds better trust and loyalty.