When it comes to picking a beauty essential, most people would probably say mascara. My ride or die is a lip sleeping mask that moonlights as an everyday balm. I carry one everywhere with me – in my work bag; jacket or coat pocket… I can’t even nod off without knowing a trusty pot is on my bedside table.
Lip masks are a relatively new K-beauty phenomenon in the UK. Designed to be slathered in a thick layer over the lips, they are packed with nourishing ingredients such as shea butter and natural oils to hydrate chronically dry lips and heal flaky skin.
As I have flare-ups of eczema underneath my bottom lip, I’m always on the lookout for a product that can keep my lips hydrated and any itchy, bumpy skin at bay. I first got switched onto lip masks when I tried the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, a product Charli XCX named as one of the beauty products she can’t live without. I couldn’t agree more on the mask front, but the £21 price tag? Ouch.
Then, all of a sudden, videos of TikTok creators waxing lyrical about the new Boots Berry Lip Sleep Mask began popping up all over my feed. I was keen to put it through its paces as an overnight repair product and an everyday lip gloss now that my lips are faced with powerful blasts of air-conditioning in the office.
Boots Berry Lip Sleep Mask: My user experience
Comparisons have obviously been drawn between the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask and the Boots Berry Lip Sleep Mask as both are berry scented, pink coloured and come in tiny pots. But the thing is, Boots stocks both products, so there really is something for both die-hard Laneige fans and people like me who are looking for a more affordable alternative.
At £4.50, the Boots Berry Lip Sleep Mask immediately ticked that box. So let’s delve into the product itself.
The Boots Berry Sleep Mask has a lovely pink hue when applied – think your lips but slightly flushed. The texture is thick as expected but not sticky. And while it feels incredibly nourishing on its own, I’ve also used it for S.O.S emergencies, lip-slugging with a gentle moisturiser first and then locking in the hydration with a big dollop of the Boots lip sleep mask.
The product genuinely doesn’t budge while you sleep, which means I’ve woken up every day to soft, luscious lips. My eczema hasn’t flared up so far either, which I’m extremely happy about.
I also really like that the Boots Berry Lip Sleep Mask comes with its very own applicator to dab the product directly onto the lips, guaranteeing a more hygienic application, even coverage and less mess. These applicators are plastic but can be washed and reused.
The only downside for me was that I couldn’t use the Boots Berry Lip Sleep Mask like a lip gloss during the day. I tried to apply it over my usual lipstick but the consistency was a little too thick for the job. But as a regular lip balm? It works like dream, even if I have mainly used it at night as instructed.