It said to be water based but I think it’s somehow in jelly form that why it can easily glide on my lips. One thing I really don’t like about lip tints is that it can make my lips so dry and chapped so I have to apply lip balm first. But this one’s different. I didn’t have to put much lip balm just to make it moist. And one thing I really like about this product is that it really didn’t made my lips so dry nor chapped.