Nivea cherry shine lip balm was not on my beauty bingo for 2024, but when TikTok recommends something – I listen.

There are more than 20 million videos on the platform surrounding the budget product, all attesting to its versatility, good enough-to-eat scent and vitamin-rich formula.

Of course, Nivea isn’t an under-the-radar brand that you stumble upon like TIRTIR or Beauty of Joseon, but it is perhaps one I’ve overlooked in my pursuit of the latest trends, be it Korean or French pharmaceutical skincare.

Now, I’m paying attention, especially after a video from @_alyssa_lorraine_ compared the Nivea cherry shine lip balm (£2.35, Amazon.co.uk) directly with the Clinique black honey almost lipstick (£22.82, Lookfantastic.com) – and the results were almost identical.

Immediately, I knew I had to put the £2 formula – which boasts shea butter and exfoliating canola oil among its ingredients – to the test. Keep reading to see how I got on.

How I tested

Clinique black honey almost lipstick (left) and Nivea cherry shine lip balm (right) (Lucy Smith)

Testing both products on bare lips, I paid attention to the feel of the balms, how they wore throughout the day and, as is the appeal of the black honey, their suitability as your-lips-but-better natural tints. I swatched both tints on the back of my hand, too, for a more accurate review of the actual shades without my lips’ undertones.

(Top) Nivea cherry shine lip balm and (bottom) Clinique black honey almost lipstick (Lucy Smith)

As I’ve used Clinique’s black honey almost lipstick countless times before (and can wax lyrical about its comfort and lip nourishing abilities, plus how long-lasting it is), I took more notice of the Nivea cherry shine’s staying power, testing it over the course of an eight-hour work day.

Compared to the cherry shine below, you can see that the shade difference between black honey and my natural lip is slightly more contrasting (bottom left) (Lucy Smith)

NIVEA cherry shine lip balm

clinique black honey dupe nivea cherry shine indybest

Size: 4.8g

Key ingredients: Shea butter, canola oil, sunflower oil, vitamin C and vitamin E

Cruelty-free: No

Fragranced: Yes

Why we love it

Colour is flattering and natural

Feels hydrating and rich

Take note

Cheap packaging

Tastes bitter when seeps onto your tastebud

In a packaging that’s basic, but ever-familiar (and the sort you’d pick up for your school bag back in the day), Nivea’s cherry shine lip balm smells exactly like Haribo sour cherries and applies in a colour that’s not entirely different either, minus the green stems. The colour, compared to black honey, is pinkier and leaves a more youthful-looking tint. Less “just bitten”, more “just kissed” and, dare I say it, the more moisturising formula leaves the lips looking plumper, too.

The flavour, much like black honey’s, is not there; however, I do think the Nivea balm leaves somewhat of an unpleasant taste in your mouth once it seeps in post-eating and drinking. Along that vein, both products do require topping up after eating and drinking – as is the sad reality of a balm – but the Nivea does leave the lips comfortably hydrated for longer, even if the slip and gloss of the formula doesn’t stick around.

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The verdict: Nivea cherry shine lip balm

The Nivea cherry shine lip balm strikes a perfect balance between tint and treatment and, for me, offers a wonderful yet subtle upgrade to the natural colour of my lips. Is it an exact match for Clinique’s black honey? No, the shade has more blue undertones. That said, I think it might be better. It offers the same, if not longer staying power; it’s more hydrating, especially around fine lines; and for £2.35, it’ll save you £15 on the Clinique. It’s a no-brainer.

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This £2 lip balm is better than Clinique’s £22 black honey

Making the switch will save you more than £15

How I tested

NIVEA cherry shine lip balm

The verdict: Nivea cherry shine lip balm

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