The lip gloss is an amazing invention. Not only is it capable of making our lips look irresistible under a glossy sheen, but they can also have moisturizing properties. Depending on your preference, you might want plumpers, lip luminizers, just a bit of color, or a shiny finish with the best clear lip gloss.
For some people, the idea of a lip gloss, whether it’s the best lip gloss or not, can be off-putting due to the stickiness. On a particularly windy day, it will look like you’re wearing a faux mustache with all your hair clinging to your lips. That may not be so fun. But before you turn away, there are formulas now that are non-stick!
Whether you know exactly what you want (we want universal lip luminizers) or if you are browsing for your next discovery, we’re here to help! Take a look at our lipgloss dossier to figure out which one offers the most shine, gloss, vitamin E, and moisturization.
View The Best Lip Gloss Below
1. Broadway Vita-Lip Clear Lip Gloss
Clear lip glosses are there to offer more shine and shimmer. Lip balms are known to taste good with yummy flavors all around, and the Vita-Lip clear lip gloss smells good too! The mint oil flavor gloss provides a soothing effect for chapped and cracked lips.
The fragrant rose-hip will reduce fine lines, and the coconut oil option will provide the best hydration. The different glosses also have vitamins to help heal, and not only soothe cracks. They are all non-stick. Depending on preference, they offer a thick coating and the fragrance is mild and subtle, not overpowering at all!
Pros:
+ Non-stick formula
+ Clear lip gloss with a thick consistency
+ Lip lacquer with vitamins
+ Mild scent
Why We Like It – We like how this three-pack lip gloss has three different glosses to tackle common issues such as hydration, soothing, and healing.
2. Rimmel Stay Glossy 6 Hour Lipgloss
These Rimmel lip glosses coat your smackers all day (or for at least 6 hours). There are many colors to choose from, depending on your lip tint, your skin tone, and the effect you want to achieve. The high shine and color achieved by this lip lacquer is never sticky and applies on smoothly, leaving you with a shiny pucker.
The shine extend technology keeps this moisture barrier on your lips for six hours. Go about your day and eat your food without fear. Use them alone or pair them with your favorite shade of lipstick for a unique color and a glossier lip. Remember, stay glossy!
Pros:
+ Many different colors
+ Non-sticky formula
+ Long-lasting and stays on
+ Adds color and shine
Why We Like It – Reapplication after drinking and eating can be quite annoying, but with the best 6-hour lip gloss, it stays on you through it all.
3. L.A. Colors High Shine Shea Butter Lip Gloss
If shine is what you’re looking for, then look no further than our number 3 spot. Some people are afraid that shine is only achieved due to the sacrifice of color pigments. This is not the case for this lip gloss. It gives high shine, and the formula is highly pigmented to offer you the best effect all in one tube.
No matter which color you choose, you’ll be getting moisturizing effects, thanks to the shea butter infused in the formula, and the vitamin E will heal cracks for the lip gloss to work its magic. With the slight vanilla scent, you’ll have a pleasant whiff of this life-changing lip gloss every time you unscrew the top.
Pros:
+ High shine
+ Powerful pigments
+ Available in many tints
+ Lip gloss infused with shea butter and vitamin E
Why We Like It – We purchase lip glosses for either the high shine or the patent effect. Now you get both in one tube, giving you the perfect tint with a shiny finish and glossier lip.
4. Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss
Forget a coating that makes it seem as if your lips are shiny and smooth, what about a lip gloss that helps you reach these effects? These high shine and non-sticky glosses come in a variety of colors, all ready to make your lips look irresistible. So to sum up, you get vivid color, adequate moisture, a dewy shine, and it also acts as a lip luminizer!
To achieve this amazing soothing effect for dry skin, Revlon uses agave, moringa oil, and capuacu butter! This butter gloss contains antioxidants to help reduce fine lines while moisturizing in one swipe of the lip gloss applicator stick.
Pros:
+ High shine and non-sticky
+ Comes in a wide range of colors
+ Moisturizes
+ Plumps
Why We Like It – All these exotic oils and butters do wonders for your pucker. You’ll enjoy bright, wet (but not sticky), shiny, and plump lips!
5. NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Butter Lip Gloss
How does buttery soft and silky smooth sound? The Fenty beauty gloss bomb universal lip luminizer gloss isn’t the only product on the market to achieve sumptuous lips. This butter gloss delivers maximum coverage that infuses with your lips for a very natural look. The gloss is never sticky, which means your kissable lips won’t be leaving an imprint on whoever sneaks a smooch.
The best thing about Nyx cosmetics is it’s designed for everyone. Nyx produces a cruelty-free line of cosmetics as they believe in helping animals and not testing on them. This decadent butter gloss is a fantastic option for those looking for buttery color and a soft finish.
Pros:
+ Buttery finish
+ Leaves lips smooth and supple
+ Non-stick formula
+ Cruelty-free gloss
Why We Like It – Cruelty-free cosmetics will keep animals safe and won’t sacrifice them for the beauty of your lips, no matter how good you look. This is an excellent alternative to the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal lip luminizer.
6. Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Soother Glos
Neutrogena isn’t only responsible for acne reducing face wash, but they make a mean lip gloss or two. If the title of Moistureshine Lip Soother Gloss didn’t tip you off, this is a deeply and richly hydrating lip gloss that leaves a beautiful shine and also soothes your lips while it’s at it.
It doesn’t matter if your lips are chapped or dry – it will receive instant relief and protection once you glide this gloss formula over your lips. Not only does it combat dry weather, but it also adds protection against the sun with SPF 20 sunscreen!
Pros:
+ Rich hydration gloss
+ SPF 20 sunscreen
+ Soothes dry lips
+ Protects against dryness
Why We Like It – Dry or chapped lips can meet instant hydration and relief with this lip gloss. The formula offers intense moisturization and comes in 4 different shades!
7. COVERGIRL Colorlicious Gloss
Look good enough to be a Covergirl with this coloricious lip gloss. It sticks close to your pucker and lasts all day. By all day, we don’t just mean daytime, but up to 24 hours! It’s protected against any activity. Eat, drink, and even kiss at your leisure without leaving any residue or losing a hint of the gloss.
Other than making you look good, this best lip gloss also provides moisturization. The conditioning formula leaves your lips soft and silky. Smooth over the cracks and crevices with this sheer gloss that is available in different colors to complete your makeup look.
Pros:
+ Lasts up to 24 hours
+ It will not rub off
+ Comes in different shades
+ Moisturizes
Why We Like It – The long-lasting effects of this particular lip shiner are what sets it apart. Up to 24 hours of shine? You can still have a shimmer the next morning!
Lip Gloss Buyer’s Guide
See? Lip gloss is no longer the sticky mess you’re used to. They now have much more to offer than just giving you a shiny finish. Among these amazing capabilities, you can expect your lips to be adequately hydrated, plump, and protected by the best lip glosses on the market.
How do you pick the best gloss? There are a lot of things to consider, but once you have an answer for each of the categories below, you will end up with the best choice or at least a general direction the next time you head down the makeup aisle or browse online.
Price Range
This isn’t a big issue for most people, because most lip products and glosses are affordable. They can rack up the dollars if you opt for a designer branded gloss like YSL, Givenchy, Chanel, or Dior, but drugstore and popular online brands will do the trick for most of us. These reliable brands such as Rimmel, Maybelline, Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer, and L’oreal all range within the 20-30 dollar range.
Type (finish)
This is where it gets a tad more complicated. The finish refers to the effects of the lip gloss on your lips after application. Yes, you’re used to the wet, glossy, ultra-shiny finish that most glosses provide. However, that’s not all they can do.
You also have the sheer option, which is similar to the glossy finish, but it comes with a light dusting. They add to the shade of lipstick you use (if there is one) and packs a brighter punch if you will.
A pigmented lip gloss focuses on color. If you don’t feel like topping your smoocher off with two layers, ending up with that a cakey feeling, these are the way to go. They offer as much color coverage and brightness as lipstick, but many may not last as long.
Shimmer glosses, as their name suggests, offers shimmer. We saw this a lot in the 90s and early 2000s. It’s best when the light hits your lips at just the right angle. It sends sparkles dancing across your smacker.
Glitter lip glosses are similar to shimmer glosses, but the difference being the flecks of sparkle are much larger, and it creates a chunkier gloss. Not only is it thicker, but it also offers more shine and sparkle.
The last one is one of our favorites. The matte gloss adds tint to your lips. A lot of them can have as much color as lipstick and could last just as long. It gives a dry finish and is non-stick.
Hydration
While most of us use lip balms for hydration (although some argue that they can make it worse), the best lip glosses can provide that protection too! A lot of the options on the market are infused with different exotic oils, medication, and vitamins to help soothe your dry and chapped lips. The best ingredients that some manufacturers use include:
- Mineral oil
- Coconut oil
- Argan oil
- Beeswax
- Jojoba
- Vitamin E
- And more
Color
Most glossy lip lacquers have a tint of color, although there are completely clear ones that will give you a shiny pucker. A clear lip lacquer will work well as an added layer of gloss to your lipstick or natural lips.
Unfortunately, the right color isn’t just about your preference. Trust us, we love a good shade of nude, but it does tend to wash people out if it’s not the right shade. It depends on your skin tone and even the shade of your lips. We’ve found that with a natural rosy tint, lips can take a perfectly neutral beige and turn it orangey.
You even need to consider your make up look. A light day makeup look for work with just a light brushing of mascara might not go so well with electric blue lips, but that blue tint a neon disco party will be a huge hit. Not every color goes with your complexion, and asking the sales assistant which shade will complement your undertone will help you decide on the best hue.
Long-lasting
Reapplying the lip gloss throughout the day can be a hassle, and you might not always remember. This also means that you need to keep the tube on you at all times. Some of the options online are long-lasting and don’t smudge, but they do come off easily with makeup remover without leaving a stain on your lips.
Long-lasting lip glosses can stay anywhere from 6-24 hours! Of course, we don’t recommend leaving makeup on your skin for that long. By not having to reapply the lip gloss formula every couple of hours or so, you also make the tube go a long way.
Plumping
If you haven’t read out lip plumping article, then you might not know that some lip glosses can also volumize your lips. Lip plumpers may include ingredients such as capsaicin, methol, cinnamon and wintergreen to help give you that luscious pucker. They stimulate and swell your lips so you may feel a bit of tingling. The color tint then adds to that effect by outlining your lips. The best thing about a lot of these lip plumpers will yield instant results!
Protection
Next up on the list, you want some protection. While lip glosses are mostly used to enhance the beauty of our lips, they can be with protective properties too. We’re talking about SPF sunscreen protection, moisture-locking, and soothing ingredients for dry and chapped lips. If you’re going to be applying this makeup component anyway, why not kill two birds with one stone and have it heal your lips too?
Non-Stick
If you don’t mind the stickiness and residue your lip gloss leaves on everything, then this may not be as important. However, most people we know don’t like having dust and hair stick onto their lip, so it’s good to look for a non-stick formula.
Non-stick formula lip glosses will also last longer and not smear on any surfaces. Next time that pesky gust of wind blows through your hair, you may look like the girl in movies with the slow-motion entrance into a scene.
Ingredients
Of course, natural, safe, and cruelty-free ingredients are the best. But if you are unable to guarantee that, then here is a helpful list of what ingredients to be wary of.
- Preservatives and dyes as well as some fragrances
- Parabens, sulfate
- Artificial flavors
- Petrolatum (that’s still debated depending on how refined it is)
- BHT and BHA
Just a little bit is fine, as our bodies are pretty resilient and tend to handle a lot, but it’s the accumulative use that gets to us. All of the ingredients in the list can irritate the lips and cause a reaction.
What is the Best Lip Gloss?
If you came here for a blanket answer that covers all the above, we can’t give it to you. This is because everyone’s preferences and needs in a lip gloss are different. Also, with so many colors to choose from, it’s near impossible to determine the “best lip gloss.” However, if we could come up with an answer, it would be one that is 100% natural, organic, safe and adapts to our lip color (these do exist by the way), heals, soothes, protects, is non-stick, long-lasting and makes our lips look irresistible.
Conclusion
As far as lip enhancers go, lip gloss is the clear winner in our books. Not only does it add color, but it also helps heal and change the texture and appearance of our lips. They are an all-in-one solution to bare pouts. Finding the best one can be tough and requires a ton of trial and error, but when you settle on one that perfectly complements your complexion, it will make it all worth it.
Did You Know
Thanks to L’oreal’s awesome tip, applying lip gloss to specific areas you want to highlight on your lips could also offer a plumper look.
Expert Tip
You can create your own unique shade by layering lip gloss and lipstick. If your eyeshadow is non-toxic and lip-safe, you can even use lip gloss as a base and layer the powder on for a one-of-a-kind shade.
