The hydrating lipsticks defining this winter, curated by Simone Antonović

Winter has always been the season when my lips demand extra care. I can’t imagine leaving the house without giving them an instant dose of comfort, something that not only adds colour, but also nourishes and protects. That’s why my bag always holds at least one rich balm, a gloss, and a go to hydrating lipstick. Even when choosing a lip liner, I check the ingredient list for hyaluronic acid, knowing how essential it is for maintaining softness and volume.

Still, finding the perfect hydrating lipstick is never straightforward. Every year, the beauty industry surprises us with new formulas. Some matte textures, dry at first glance, leave lips unexpectedly soft, smooth, and full of life. It’s exactly these kinds of products that have reshaped the way I search for the ideal hydrating lipstick.

When I’m looking for advice on lipsticks that genuinely elevate both care and beauty, I often turn to Simona Antonović. A makeup artist and frequent Vogue Adria collaborator, as well as a trusted expert for makeup education with global brands like Chanel, Simona is known for her balance of creativity and elegance. Her approach is always refined yet approachable, and her work resonates with both professionals and true beauty lovers.

In the search for the perfect hydrating lipstick, Simona shared her picks for this year with us. The result is a curated list of formulas that not only deeply care for the lips, but also elevate any look, from everyday minimalism to evening elegance, with that unmistakable sense of luxury only a truly good hydrating lipstick can deliver.

The Best Hydrating Lipsticks of 2025

1/ Chanel Rouge Coco Flash in shade 116 Easy

Why she recommends it: At first glance, ROUGE COCO FLASH reveals its rich shades through the transparent cap. It’s an exceptional lipstick that glides effortlessly onto the lips, delivering an immediate feeling of softness and comfort. Thanks to its ultra hydrating texture and glossy, oil like finish, this lipstick offers intense shine, beautifully reflecting light and enhancing the lips’ natural beauty. The Hydraboost complex, enriched with naturally derived waxes like mimosa, jojoba, and sunflower, hydrates and nourishes the lips for hours, ensuring long lasting comfort. The shine oils are carefully selected for their light reflecting properties, while the high concentration of pigments provides vibrant, luminous colour that stays visible throughout the day, leaving lips smooth, fuller looking, and irresistibly attractive.

• Key ingredients: Hydraboost complex, mimosa oil, jojoba oil
• Packaging: 3 g

2/ Laura Mercier Caviar Hydra-Crème Lipstick in shade 123 Fifth Ave

Why she recommends it: With just one swipe, it instantly hydrates the lips, delivering rich, intense, and long lasting colour that makes them look fuller and fresher. Its hydrating formula is smudge resistant, ensuring hours of comfortable wear without compromising pigment payoff. At the same time, it cares for the delicate skin of the lips, visibly reducing fine lines and dryness while helping protect the lips’ natural barrier. The result is lips that feel soft, smooth, and well nourished throughout the day.

• Key ingredients: Grapefruit seed oil, hyaluronic acid, shea butter
• Packaging: 3.3 g

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3/ M.A.C Lustreglass Lipstick

Why she recommends it: A new generation lipstick that blends modern shades with a smartly formulated texture, subtly redefining the way we experience wearing lipstick. It’s an ideal choice for anyone who loves the comfort of a balm but still wants the payoff of a true lipstick. The rich, creamy blend of jojoba, raspberry, coconut, and organic extra virgin olive oils gently nourishes the lips, while shea butter and hyaluronic acid provide deep hydration and flexibility. In essence, this is an incredibly lightweight lipstick with intense pigment that’s easy to reapply, leaves a lasting glossy finish, and makes lips look smooth, soft, and visibly fuller.

• Key ingredients: Shea butter, jojoba oil, olive oil, coconut oil, raspberry oil
• Packaging: 3 g

4/ Chanel Rouge Allure L’Extrait 854 Rouge Puissant

Why she recommends it: It combines high intensity colour with concentrated shine and skincare benefits. The formula is hydrating, comfortable, and protective thanks to the combined action of Ume flower oil complex and plant based waxes, delivering refined comfort, over ten hours of hydration, and protection. The result is lips that look smoother, fuller, and visually perfected. The iconic black and gold click case has been redesigned and is now slimmer, allowing for a smooth and precise application. It is also refillable, with all 20 satin shades available as refills. Refills are compatible exclusively with Rouge Allure L’Extrait lipsticks. Finely milled, oil coated pigments release full colour intensity for up to 7.8 hours, while a blend of powders and plant oils creates an exceptionally radiant shine.

• Key ingredients: Vitamin E, squalane, jojoba oil
• Packaging: 2 g

5/ Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

Why she recommends it:
A cult favourite hydrating lipstick with a balm like texture that truly suits everyone and remains a staple in many daily routines. Its rich formula melts onto the lips like a trusted lip balm, delivering instant softness and a comforting, cared for feel. The sheer, cherry toned Black Honey shade adds just enough colour to enhance the lips’ natural beauty, while keeping them smooth, hydrated, and visually fuller. Perfect for everyday wear, this lipstick combines comfort, a subtle glow, and long lasting hydration, leaving lips looking effortlessly polished all day long.

• Key ingredients: Vitamin E, castor oil
• Packaging: 1.9 g

6/ Bobbi Brown Luxe Hydrating Lipstick in shade Pale Mauve

Why she recommends it: A luxurious satin lipstick that nourishes and protects the lips while delivering a true sense of comfort and refinement. The formula glides on effortlessly, providing long lasting hydration, softening the appearance of fine lines, and improving overall lip texture. Floral extracts and nourishing waxes help care for the lips, while the formula remains resistant to smudging, fading, and flaking. Jasmine wax boosts moisture levels over time, leaving lips softer, smoother, fuller looking, and visibly healthier. The finish is elegant, polished, and sophisticated, lasting beautifully throughout the day.

• Key ingredients: Peptides, coconut oil, jasmine wax
• Packaging: 3.5 g

7/ Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm in shade 05 Mist

Why she recommends it: It delivers rich, intense lip colour while blending the best of a balm and a gloss, enhanced by a refreshing cooling effect and a mix of nourishing, hydrating oils that deeply care for and protect delicate lips. The result is noticeably softer, smoother, and more hydrated lips with a beautiful dewy shine. Lips look healthier, fuller, well cared for, and irresistibly appealing throughout the day.

• Key ingredients: Avocado oil, shea butter, apricot kernel oil, mango seed oil
• Packaging: 1.7 g

8/ Violette FR Bisou Jelly in shade Bonbon Caramel

Why she recommends it: Lightweight and effortless to apply, this soft nude pink lipstick is inspired by classic French rose pastilles. Its formula blends an antioxidant rich balm with a lipstick that delivers sheer colour and a natural glow. Designed with two layers, an inner pigmented core enriched with vitamin E that creates a subtle flush within the lips’ natural tone, and an outer jelly layer rich in emollients, it leaves lips looking juicy and softly bitten. The result is the iconic French bouche mordue effect, with lips that feel inviting, naturally enhanced, and delicately defined.

• Key ingredients: Vitamin E, jojoba oil
• Packaging: 2.5 g