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It’s been a long time since we felt the need to sing Lil Mama’s, “My lip gloss is popping, my lip gloss is cool…” But with the amount of ooey gooey lip products currently overflowing from our makeup bags, the song has never felt more relevant. That decade-defining anthem, timed with the popularity of Lancôme Juicy Tubes, was lip gloss’ peak… until now. Twenty-some years after the aughts, we’re even more obsessed with glazed lips, largely because today’s formulas do more than just add shine, and they aren’t at all sticky.
Thanks to glossy new launches from Topicals, Neutrogena, and Gucci, our lips are currently commanding an elevated level of attention. Summer Fridays (Allure’s recent One to Watch honoree) and Fenty Skin’s latest formulas both come with a jumbo applicator that makes applying them a breeze. Lip products from Saltair, U Beauty, Good Light Cosmetics, and Too Faced are also on the list of glosses that have recently entered our personal collections. Amidst all the newness, we’re still clinging to some veteran lip products like MAC Lip Glass and the Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask.
What makes these newer formulas so plush and collectible is how they feel when you glide them across your lips — plus, the high-shine glossy look and gooey texture you get. “You typically find a combination of hydrocarbon ingredients in lip oil and gloss formulas because they are excellent gelling and thickening agents for anhydrous applications,” says cosmetic chemist Amanda Lam. The ingredient blend she’s referring to includes hydrogenated polyisobutene, ethylene-propylene-styrene copolymer, and butylene-ethylene-styrene-copolymer — the combination of these ingredients gives our favorite lip products their ooey gooey, yummy texture.
No one in our office is picking just one favorite: Allure editors have plenty of ooey-gooey options on standby — on a recent Tuesday, we counted 19 different lip glosses between two editors’ desks alone. Ahead, some of the glossy balms, glosses, and oils that Allure editors love to have on their lips.
Kara McGrath, deputy digital director
Nothing rehydrates my lips quite like the Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask, even in the dead of winter. I apply it once in the morning and I’m set for the whole day. For lip glosses, the Lawless Forget The Filler Lip Gloss and About-Face Cherry Pick Lip Color Butter are among my favorites. Both are thick and shiny with just enough tint to amp up my natural lip color.
Bianca Richards, social media manager
I’m a fan of the trendy Topicals Slick Salve Glossy Lip Balm for its shiny finish and nourishing properties: It moisturizes the lips with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and rice bran wax. That said, I’m also loyal to the MAC Lip Glass. It's been a staple in my makeup kit since 2013 and I haven't found a clear gloss that compares to its thick, gooey consistency.
Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
Some lip glosses have a sugary sweet flavor to them, which is a plus depending on who you ask. I for one, am not the biggest fan of candy-flavored glosses, which is why I love Then I Met You's Honeydew Lip Mask. The healing ingredients like squalane and vitamin E come in a glossy, gooey format, plus the product has a mild fruity scent and flavor that don’t make my boyfriend go, "Ack!" every time I kiss him. It's effective, simple, and smooch-friendly enough that the aforementioned boyfriend even asked for one of his own.
Hannah Brower, Best of Beauty assistant
Everyone on BeautyTok has been obsessed with Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil since it launched in early January — and that includes me. I love the way it glides on my lips so smoothly and then leaves the perfect subtle pigment. I can’t stop rubbing my lips together when I wear it because it feels so good! Right up there next to the Dream Lip Oil are the Rhode Lip Tints. I reach for the shade Espresso when I’m looking for a bit more color on my lips but don’t want to skimp on shine and hydration.
Annie Blay, associate beauty editor
The Ami Colé Hydrating Lip Treatment Oil is almost like slathering honey on my lips, in the best way. The thick gloss adds a pretty shine and leaves them moisturized for hours. It has a pretty sticky consistency but, for me, that’s part of the appeal. When I’m not wearing Ami Colé’s lip oil, it’s because I’m swiping on the Saltair Lip Oil Balm. Cacao, a rich brown color, is perfect for when I want something slightly bolder on my lips.
Jesa Marie Calaor, senior editor
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm is deliciously gooey; so much so, that sometimes I feel tempted to just squeeze it all out of its squishy tube. Its decadent formula moisturizes dry lips without feeling too heavy. Vanilla Beige is my go-to shade because of its flattering, sheer, brownish tint. I’m also a big fan of The Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Icy Cooling Lip Luminizer. The blue goo glides on to feel balmy, never tacky. It creates a cooling sensation, thanks to its use of peppermint and menthol in the formula, and imparts a glassy shine.
Jennifer Hussein, commerce writer
The beauty of the Gucci Gloss à Lèvres Hydrating Plumping Lip Gloss is that its equal parts makeup and skin care. It treats my lips to the plumping, conditioning powers of heavy-hitting skin hydrators, like hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants as its juicy, honey-like sheen gives my already (filler) inflated lips a pillow-plush look.
Paige Stables, senior beauty editor
I am a red lipstick enthusiast through and through, but there is something so ridiculously satisfying about swiping on a luxe gloss — like Dior Lip Glow Oil and Clarins Lip Comfort Oil, both deliciously gooey, not at all sticky — and not having to look in the mirror for a flawless application...or to reapply... or feel the need to exfoliate after an hour of wear. Instead, my lips look impeccably shiny and feel softer than soft. When I want a bit more color, I reach for Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil, which has the same plush feel with a sheer rosy tint that lasts. Pretty slick, no?
Talia Gutierrez, associate manager of special projects
I haven't put the Saie Beauty Glossybounce High-Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss Oil down since I first received it in the mail. It comes in six shades but I was specifically drawn to Push, a soft, neutral brown because it looks great with my olive skin tone. The hydrating lip-gloss-oil hybrid keeps my lips chap-free without needing to reapply every hour. What could be better?
Discover more Allure editor favorites:
- Gucci's Gloss à Lèvres Made Me a Lip Gloss Convert
- Summer Fridays' New Dream Lip Oil Is Quiet Luxury for Your Lips
- This Fenty Beauty Gloss Gives You Fuller-Looking Lips Without Any Spiciness
Now, watch Jennifer Aniston react to TikTok Trends:
