Short answer: A natural lip tint gives a sheer wash of colour from plant pigments, set in a soft balm, instead of from coal-tar dyes. Ours takes its rosy shade from beetroot-infused sesame oil, in a base of shea and avocado butters. Dab it on, press your lips together, and reapply after meals. It is not vegan, because it contains beeswax.
Key takeaways
- A natural lip tint is a sheer, balm-soft colour from plant pigments such as beetroot, not a long-wear lipstick.
- Our Lip Tint is plant and bee derived. It contains beeswax, so it is not vegan.
- The colour shifts with your own lip tone. On darker lips it gives a soft flush, and a second layer builds it up.
- Many people dab a little on the cheeks. Use very little, and skip it on oily or acne-prone cheeks.
- Expect to reapply after eating and drinking. A balm tint wears off gently, without drying the lips.
What is a natural lip tint?
A natural lip tint is a lightly coloured lip balm that takes its colour from plants instead of synthetic dyes. It gives your lips a hint of colour and some softness at the same time. Most tints are sheerer than a lipstick, so they look like your own lips, only a little rosier.
We make ours with sesame oil infused with beetroot. Beetroot's natural pigments settle into a soft flush. Shea and avocado butters melt on contact, coconut oil works into dry patches, and beeswax holds the tint in place. Rose geranium and strawberry oil give a faint, sweet finish. We leave out petroleum jelly, parabens, synthetic parfum, phthalates and coal-tar dyes. Since you swallow a little of anything you wear on your lips, a short list of food-familiar ingredients makes sense to us.
Lip Tint
10 gm · ₹290
Beetroot-infused sesame oil in shea and avocado butters, with coconut oil, strawberry oil, rose geranium and beeswax. Balm-soft, sheer and buildable.
Why it suits you: If you want a hint of colour you can wear every day without a long ingredient list, this tint gives a soft flush that adapts to your own lip tone, and it doubles as a lip balm.
How it fits your routine: Apply to clean lips, press them together to set the tint, and reapply through the day as needed. Use it on its own, or over a little lip balm on very dry days.
Not for you if you follow a vegan routine, since it contains beeswax, or you want strong, long-wearing colour. This is a sheer tint.
Is a beetroot lip tint vegan?
Ours is not, and we would rather say so plainly. Our Lip Tint contains beeswax, which helps hold the tint in place and keeps it soft on the lips. Everything else in it comes from plants. The same is true of our Lip Balm and Lip Scrub: all three contain beeswax, so none of our lip products are vegan.
If you are looking for a vegan lip tint, check the ingredient list for two things. First, the wax: vegan tints usually use plant waxes such as candelilla or carnauba in place of beeswax. Second, the colour: carmine, also listed as cochineal or CI 75470, is a red made from insects. A beetroot colour avoids carmine, but the base still needs to be free of beeswax, lanolin and honey to be vegan.
How do I apply a natural lip tint?
- Start with clean, dry lips. If they are flaky, use a lip scrub first (see below) and wipe off the excess.
- Warm the tint with a fingertip for a second. It melts at skin temperature.
- Dab it onto the centre of your lips and press outwards. A fingertip gives a softer, more blended look than applying straight from the pot.
- Press your lips together to set the colour.
- Build a second layer if you want more colour, especially on naturally darker lips.
Can I use a lip tint as a cheek tint?
Many people do, and a beetroot tint can give a soft, natural-looking flush on the cheeks. We make it as a lip product, so think of cheek use as an extra and go slowly. Because it is a balm made of butters and oils, use very little, far less than you would on your lips.
- Take a tiny amount on your fingertip and warm it.
- Dot it on the apples of your cheeks, the rounded part when you smile.
- Tap and blend outwards towards your temples with your fingertips. Tapping blends a balm tint better than rubbing.
- Add a second dot only if you want more colour.
A balm tint suits normal and dry cheeks best. On oily or acne-prone skin, butters and coconut oil can feel heavy and may not agree with you, so skip cheek use or try it on a small patch along the jaw first. Keep it away from the eyes, and do not use it on broken or irritated skin.
How long does a natural lip tint last?
A balm tint like ours lasts until you eat, drink or press your lips together often, so plan to reapply through the day. Because it is sheer, it wears off gradually, and putting more on takes a second. Long-wear lipsticks stay put by drying down on the lips, which many people find drying. We chose softness over staying power.
Lip tint, lip balm or lip scrub: which do I need?
| Product | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Lip Tint | Sheer beetroot colour plus softness | Daily, whenever you want a little colour |
| Lip Balm | Plain moisture, no colour | Through the day as needed, and a thicker layer at bedtime |
| Lip Scrub | Lifts dry, flaky skin so colour goes on evenly | Once or twice a week, never on cracked lips |
Is a lip tint good for dry lips?
A balm-based tint is kinder to dry lips than a matte lipstick, because it is mostly butters and oils. But when lips are flaking, any colour catches on the flakes and looks patchy. The fix is to lift the flakes gently once or twice a week and keep lips moisturised in between.
Lip Scrub
10 gm · ₹290
Fine walnut shell grits in mango and shea butters, with coconut and castor oils, peppermint, patchouli and beeswax. Buttery rather than gritty.
Why it suits you: If your tint catches on dry flakes or your lips peel in winter, this scrub lifts the dull top layer so colour goes on smoothly, and peppermint gives a cool tingle.
How it fits your routine: Once or twice a week, massage a small amount over your lips in gentle circles, rinse, then follow with the balm or the tint.
Not for you if your lips are cracked, bleeding or sore, or you have a tree-nut allergy, since the grits are walnut shell. Using it more than twice a week can irritate thin lip skin.
Lip Balm
10 gm · ₹290
Avocado, shea and cocoa butters with coconut oil, almond oil, beeswax and a light note of geranium. Seven ingredients, firm in the jar, melting at lip temperature.
Why it suits you: If you like your tint for the day but want plain moisture at night, this balm nourishes lips without colour and leaves no sticky feel.
How it fits your routine: Apply evenly to clean lips through the day as needed, and layer it generously at bedtime. You can wear it under the tint on very dry days.
Not for you if you follow a vegan routine, since it contains beeswax, or you have a nut allergy, since it contains almond oil.
A simple lip routine
Add only the steps you need. Each button adds one item to your bag.
Honest note: you do not need all of these. The tint already doubles as a balm, so for most people it is enough on its own. Add the scrub only if your lips flake, and the balm if you want a plain layer at night.
What mistakes should I avoid with a lip tint?
- Putting tint over flaky lips, which makes the colour patchy.
- Using too much on the cheeks. A balm tint needs only a dot.
- Rubbing the tint into cheeks instead of tapping it, which moves it around unevenly.
- Scrubbing your lips every day to make colour sit better.
- Leaving the pot in a hot car or in direct sun. Store it in a cool, dry place.
- Sharing a lip product, especially if anyone has a cold sore.
Safety and patch test
Frequently asked questions
Is a beetroot lip tint safe for daily use?
Ours is made only of butters, plant oils, beeswax and essential oil, and it is gentle enough to wear every day. Patch test first, as with any new product.
Is your lip tint vegan?
No. It contains beeswax. Everything else in it is plant-derived, and it has no carmine.
Kya lip tint ko blush ki tarah cheeks par laga sakte hain?
Yes, many people do. Use a tiny dot, tap it outwards on the apples of your cheeks, and skip it if your skin is oily or acne-prone.
Does beetroot tint show on dark lips?
On naturally darker lips it gives a soft, sheer flush rather than bright colour. Build a second layer for more. For lips that have darkened, see our guide to caring for dark lips.
How long does a natural lip tint stay on?
Until you eat or drink, usually. It is sheer and balm-soft, so reapply through the day as needed.
Can I use a lip tint without a lip balm?
Yes. It doubles as a lip balm. On very dry days or in winter, a layer of plain balm underneath adds comfort.
In short: a beetroot lip tint gives sheer, buildable colour with the softness of a balm. Dab it on lips or tap a tiny amount on cheeks, reapply after meals, and know that ours contains beeswax, so it is not vegan.
Our motto: to make the cleanest beauty products
Lip and face care made with natural ingredients, every one listed.
Browse our face and lip care range →Related reading: how to care for dark lips naturally · how to read an ingredient label · silicones, mineral oil and PEGs, explained.
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