I feel like lip gloss is one of the forgotten lip products on the market. Liquid lipsticks get all the attention, but in my day-to-day life, I find myself reaching for glosses over matte lips. Especially during the dry, winter season, glosses are a fun and colorful way to keep my lips hydrated.
Of course, lip glosses are not going to be transfer proof and will need to be reapplied throughout the day. Glosses work on a variety of lip sizes, and are particularly flattering on smaller lips because they reflect light,making the lip look larger. Below is a breakdown of some of my favorite lip gloss formulas on the market.
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss: ($16 each)
- Pigment: Highly pigmented full coverage with moderate shine.
- Texture: Smooth and creamy. NOT sticky. Feels hydrating on the lips.
- Scent/Taste: Soft scent. Like a vanilla birthday cake. Has a sweet taste.
- Finish: Opaque. Cream. Not sheer.
- Wand: Flat longer doe foot. Soft texture.
- Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie ($18)
- Pigment: Pigment varies and ranges from sheer washes of color to more pigmented tints. Boasts a lot of shine on the lips.
- Texture: Smooth and hydrating. Mildly sticky on the lips but nothing major. (Common for glosses).
- Scent: Minty sweetness.
- Finish: Most of the formulas are sheer with shimmer or sheer washes of color. There is a minty tingling on the lips after application as this formula works to plump the lips. I love how the minty feeling is fresh and tingly. It is not painful to me what-so-ever.
- Wand: Long, soft, slanted doe foot.
- Butter London Lippy Lip Gloss: ($20)
- Pigment: Richly pigmented cream finish. Moderately opaque.
- Texture: Smooth and rich.
- Scent: Mild makeup scent. Nothing major and doesn’t smell like chemicals.
- Finish: Rich on the lips. Mildly sticky. Again, nothing that is a deal breaker.
- Wand: Medium length brush wand. Brushe bristles are very soft and are not frayed.
- Buxom Full Bodied Lip Gloss: ($20)
- Pigment: Sheer tinted pigmentation.
- Texture: Hydrating, smooth.
- Scent: Mild, clean, slightly perfumed scent. Nothing overpowering.
- Finish: Smooth, hydrating. Mildly sticky.
- Wand: Flat doe foot. Soft applicator.
- Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lip (creme finish): ($6)
- Pigment: Full coverage pigmentation.
- Texture: Smooth, light, not sticky.
- Scent: None.
- Finish: Glossy, creamy pigment. One of the thinner gloss formulas on this list.
- Wand: Small, classic doe foot.
- Kylie Cosmetics Lip Gloss: ($15)
- Pigment: Highly pigmented. Full coverage.
- Texture: Thick, smooth, richly hydrating. Not sticky.
- Scent: Sweet with hints of vanilla cupcake and licorice.
- Finish: Opaque, cream finish, full coverage gloss.
- Wand: Short, soft brush bristles. Can fray slightly over time.
- Lorac Lip Lustre Gloss: ($16)
- Pigment: Medium sheer pigmentation with shimmer and shine.
- Texture: Smooth, light, not sticky.
- Scent: Perfumed sugary scent
- Finish: Glossy sheen with a medium coverage wash of color.
- Wand: Very short, soft brush bristles.
- Nars Lip Gloss: ($26)
- Pigment: Full coverage, highly pigmented.
- Texture: Smooth and sleek. Light and hydrating. Not sticky.
- Scent: None.
- Finish: High shine. Rich pigment.
- Wand: Classic angled doe foot.
- NYX Butter Gloss: ($4.99)
- Pigment: Moderate to full coverage. Highly pigmented.
- Texture: Smooth, hydrating, mildly sticky.
- Scent: None.
- Finish: Smooth and glossy.
- Wand: Medium sized, classic doe foot applicator.
- Tarte Lip Surgence Lip Gloss ($12 -on sale on Tarte.com)
- Pigment: Full coverage. Rich pigmentation.
- Texture: Tacky (sticks on the lips). Moderately sticky. Not a deal breaker but it is the stickiest formula on this list.
- Scent: Sweet mint.
- Finish: Thick and hydrating with a minty tingle and glossy finish.
- Wand: Classic moderate size doe foot applicator.
- Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss: ($19)
- Pigment: Moderate to full coverage pigment.
- Texture: Exceptionally smooth on the lips. Hydrating. Not sticky.
- Scent: Strongly scented of sweet peach with a sweet aftertaste.
- Finish: Glossy and very shiny finish.
- Wand: Large, soft slanted doe foot applicator.
- Urban Decay Revolution High-Color Lipgloss ($11- on sale Sephora.com and Ulta.com)
- Pigment: Moderate to full coverage pigment.
- Texture: Smooth, mildly sticky. Hydrating.
- Scent: None.
- Finish: Smooth and glossy.
- Wand: Large, soft, tapered tip sponge applicator.
Swatches of Each Formula
Top Row: (Left to Right)
- Anastasia Beverly Hills in Blushing
- Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie in Birthday Babe
- Butter London in Hot Toddy
- Buxom Full Bodied Lip Gloss in Yes You
Middle Row: (Left to Right)
- Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lip (Creme Finish) in Sookie
- Kylie Cosmetics Lip Gloss in Exposed
- Lorac Lustre Gloss in Peach Lustre
- Nars Lip Gloss in Priscilla
Bottom Row: (Left to Right)
- NYX Butter Gloss in Strawberry Cheesecake
- Tarte Lip Surgence Lip Gloss in Indulging
- Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss in Papa Don’t Peach
- Urban Decay High Color Lip Gloss in Failbait
I recommend all of these glosses. They perform well, come in tons of colors and are high quality.
My top 3 favorite formulas are:
- Anastasia Beverly Hills. (Such a richly pigmented cream finish).
- Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie (love the mint tingle)
- Too Faced Sweet Peach Lip Oil (so smooth and hydrating and the scent is fun).
What are your favorite lip glosses? Sound off in the comments.
Lots of Love,
Elizabeth