When you think back to what your first makeup product was, you would probably think of a tinted lip balm or clear gloss. They were usually subtle enough to pass your school’s dress code but noticeable enough to make you see and feel a difference. They stopped your lips from getting dry, and you didn’t even need a mirror to reapply them.
With the popularity of the clean girl aesthetic, the comeback of the early aughts trends, and the incorporation of skin-caring ingredients in makeup formulas, lip gloss has become both a staple product and a status symbol among every generation. Some reach for it to create the illusion of plump, juicy lips, and others use it as an accessory—letting everyone know that they’re in the know when it comes to current trends.
It was during the pandemic that skincare took the helm when it came to beauty trends. There wasn’t a need to wear makeup, and people focused on their own personal skincare journeys—pursuing clear, smooth, and youthful skin. This collective mindset around appearing more youthful allowed brands like Summer Fridays and Rhode Skin to attain ‘It Girl’ status. The Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm and the Rhode Skin Lip Peptide Treatment always needed to be restocked because of how popular they were, and even now, these brands continue to launch new shades without compromising their skincare-infused formulas.
Nowadays, it’s hard to find a lip gloss that doesn’t promise to hydrate or protect the lips in any way. Thanks to the rise of skincare trends and how skincare has been made more accessible through social media, consumers have become more discerning when it comes to what they put on their face, and they would rather have a product that can do it all than just add a sheen to the lips. Meanwhile, formulas that aren’t traditionally meant to be glossy, like tints and balms, have been innovated by different brands to make sure shine becomes a selling point in their products. The lip gloss landscape has been growing, and here, we explore what it is, formulas and trends to try, and our recommendations for your next lip gloss haul.
WHAT IS IT
As its name suggests, lip gloss is a cosmetic product that gives the lips a glossy sheen and sheer color. They’re usually formulated with emollients like waxes and oils that moisturize the lips, act as an occlusive, and give the lips shine. They’re typically packaged in squeezable tubes or wand applicator tubes. Many lip glosses are formulated with pigments, and the opacity can go from opaque to sheer depending on how each cosmetic brand formulates it. They’re more translucent than traditional lipsticks, making them easier to apply and less intimidating to use for younger consumers or for people who are just new to makeup.
Because of the ever-changing cosmetic market, brands have innovated their lip products so that it’s not just lip gloss that can make your lips glossy. Glossy balms come in tubes like your typical lip balm, but they have a high-shine formula and are packed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid or peptides. Lip oils are skincare-makeup hybrids that feel lighter than lip gloss but still provide shine and a very sheer tint. Since they’re lightweight and have more slip than lip gloss, they’re usually reapplied more often. Glossy tints are pigmented stains that add color and shine to the lips. When the gloss wears off, a light tint is left on the lips so that they stay colored. This formula is super popular in K-Beauty.
WHY YOU NEED IT
While you technically don’t need lip gloss, there are a lot of different reasons why it’s fun to give into the trend and have one with you at all times. As mentioned earlier, a lot of the lip glosses on the market now have more benefits than just a high-shine finish. Many can plump up and volumize the lips, and because of the skincare revolution, a lot of lip glosses now have skincare ingredients that can make your lips look and feel healthy.
Anti-aging products have always been around, but because of the rise of skincare becoming a prime topic on social media, younger audiences, consumers, and creators have started their anti-aging routines early. With TikTok trends like the aged filter showing you how you would look in 40 years or the “what age do you think I am?” trend where creators ask their audience to guess how old they are in the comments, Gen Z has become particularly preoccupied with the pursuit of youth. And since Gen Zers are the internet’s tastemakers and trendsetters, it’s no wonder that lip gloss, which can give the illusion of full, plump lips without the expense and invasiveness of lip fillers, is at the forefront of the beauty world at the moment.
What makes lip gloss formulas so special now is that they immediately address Gen Z’s main concerns: using skincare products that will help you look younger in the long term and using makeup products that will show off your youthfulness and natural beauty now.
WHAT TO USE
Plumping Gloss
These glosses have volumizing ingredients to instantly give you a fuller pout.
Good: Sunnies Face Glidegloss, P495, Lazada
We love this non-sticky gloss formulated with jojoba oil and peppermint oil to moisturize your lips nicely as well as deliver a nice, cooling effect.
Better: Dior Addict Lip Maximizer, P2,550, Rustan’s
This iconic gloss is infused with hyaluronic acid and cherry oil to subtly plump up your lips.
Best: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Lip Luminizer + Plumper, P1,880, Sephora.ph
It’s a tingle-inducing gloss that will leave you with fuller-looking lips and an intense shine.
Gloss Balm
We love gloss balms because of how easy they are to apply—exactly like your average lip balm!
Good: e.l.f. Pout Clout Lip Plumping Gloss Pen, P789, Lazada
This gloss balm comes in a non-retractable click-pen, so you can easily glide the balm on for a sheer wash of color and a high-shine finish.
Better: MAC Cosmetics Squirt Plumping Gloss Lip Balm, P1,600, Lazada
We love how these gloss balms come in fun, innovative shades so that you can wear them over another lip color to adjust its hue or wear them on their own for a unique, subtle tint.
Best: Nature Republic Honey Melting Lip, P575, Lazada
In case you missed it, this K-beauty gloss balm has been all over our TikTok For You pages. It melts into your lips to leave you with a glassy shine and sheer tint.
Glossy Tint
These products will give you the shine of a gloss with the pigment and longevity of a lip stain. Talk about the best of both worlds!
Good: GRWM Tinted Lip Glaze, P299, Lazada
One look immediately tells you that GRWM’s Tinted Lip Glaze shades were created with Filipino skin tones in mind.
Better: Issy Gelee Moisturizing Lip Tint, P349, Lazada
This glossy tint fades beautifully over time into a natural-looking stain. It’s also formulated with ingredients that help calm the skin and support its microbiome.
Best: Rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint, P740, Lazada
This OG glossy tint has served as inspiration for those that came after it. With 30 fruit-inspired shades, these tints are easily one of the most wearable K-beauty products on the market.
Lip Oil
Are you on the hunt for more nourishing glosses? These lip oils prioritize their skincare properties without compromising their makeup qualities.
Good: Colourette Colourdrip Lip Oil-Serum, P349, Lazada
Formulated with jojoba oil, hazelnut seed oil, and rose oil, this lip oil-serum hybrid nourishes the lips while leaving them with a jelly-like tint.
Better: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Plumping Lip Oil, P1,850, Sephora.ph
This lip product combines the nourishing properties of oil and the glass-like finish of gloss in one. It also comes with a unique pom-pom applicator for an easy, mess-free application.
Best: Clarins Lip Comfort Oil, P1,800, Rustan’s
This cult classic lip oil delivers shine, nourishment, and protection to the lips. It comes in eight different shades and has a jojoba oil-infused formula to both look and feel amazing.
Clear Gloss
For a no-fuss lip topper, try these dependable lip glosses.
Good: NARS After Glow Lip Shine in Triple X, P1,600, Rustan’s
This lip gloss is designed to give you 8 hours of wear and a mirror-like finish. Its applicator was custom-made to fit the contours of the lips, so you won’t have to worry about smudging.
Better: r.e.m. Beauty Utmost Importance Plumping Lip Gloss, P1,699, LookAtMe.com.ph
This gloss has recently gone viral on TikTok because of its glass-like finish. It comes in a no-fuss squeezable tube, so you can easily emulate a wet-lip look.
Best: Patrick Ta Major Volume Plumping Gloss, P1,770, Sephora.ph
This gloss is formulated with vitamin E, avocado, and jojoba oils to nourish the lips, fill in wrinkles, and give the appearance of fuller, plumper lips.
