Lip gloss is very much in vogue. While it didn’t exactly go anywhere, there’s certainly been a notable shift in people opting for a shiny finish.
Case in point, make-up artist Anna Payne has noted an increased preference for gloss, with people opting to apply high-shine formulas over matte lipstick. The reason? She attributes it to a desire for a “fresh and youthful” finish. A gloss, she says, “adds another dimension to your make-up and can make your lips look bigger, juicier and healthier”.
Thankfully, long are the days of overly sticky formulas, with brands now opting for skin-loving ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and natural oils, to create a shiny sheen, but also help to moisturise and hydrate our lips at the same time.
In a bid to find the ones that are worth your money, we tested a whole host of different lip glosses, trialling plumping formulas, those best suited to dry lips and more. Keep reading for the ones that made the cut.
How we tested
To bring you the best lip glosses, we tested a whole host of different formulas, assessing colour, shine, consistency and application.
Those that were sticky, sickly or drying did not make the cut. We wore each lip gloss throughout a busy day, seeing how well it held up against straws and coffee cups, and noted how often we had to reapply.
The best lip glosses for 2024 are:
Refy lip gloss
The cool metal applicator gives it a high-quality feel and it feels refreshing on the lips. Despite being an avid avoider of red lipstick, we were impressed with the rouge shade and found it built on our natural lip colour and didn’t look too bold on the face. The buttery, non-sticky formula is packed full of hydrating ingredients, such as jojoba oil and shea butter, which leave lips feeling nourished and healthy long after application. Owing to the slippery texture, it’s best applied with a mirror.
Buy now £16.00, Refybeauty.com
Rimmel London thrill seeker glassy gloss
The solid chunky applicator wand and non-sticky formula make this lip gloss easy to apply. The colours are not overpowering and layer well with a bold lip liner. But, we would have liked to have seen a wider variety of shades, as they do look fairly similar when applied. That being said, it’s a solid pick if you’re looking for a pocket-friendly pick.
Buy now £6.74, Lookfantastic.com
Summer Fridays lip butter balm
Summer Fridays is a brand on everyone’s lips, with the hype very much justified. While we love its skincare, this lip gloss is also a firm favourite. The shades are natural, and while not as pigmented as other glosses, each colour adapts to your colouring. A “your lips but better” look, if you will. There was no stickiness and the formula is hydrating and long-lasting, thanks to the powerhouse of ingredients (think seed butter and botanical extracts for extra nourishment).
Buy now £23.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
YSL rouge volupte candy glaze
If you’re not sold on lip gloss, this formula from YSL could be just the answer. While it looks and feels like lipstick, it is, in fact, a lip gloss. It has the strongest pigment out of all of the glosses tested and applies perfectly in two swipes. It leaves you with an elegant shiny wet sheen and still feels like lipstick on your lips, with no sticky texture. It claims to have a plumping effect, but we can’t say there were any drastic results. The only downside is the luxury price point.
Buy now £36.00, Lookfantastic.com
Glossier lip gloss
Glossier is known for aesthetically pleasing skincare and make-up, with a focus on all things clean and simple. The lip gloss is the perfect pocket-sized lippy, but considering the size of the gloss, the price is a little steeper than we would like. The gloopy formula means it’s slightly difficult to apply, but it’s this thickness that makes the lips feel sufficiently coated and ensures the gloss stays put for a long time. Our lips looked like glass, giving the perfect final touch to a clean girl aesthetic look.
Buy now £18.00, Glossier.com
Made by Mitchel beam lip gloss
This is a party gloss. This compact little lippy packs a glittery punch. The short stubby applicator took some getting used to, but the small size made it great for chucking in a bag before a night out. The glitter is fun, more than bold enough to stand on its own but also a great way to revamp your lipsticks. Our only gripe is the formula – it was on the stickier side and the glitter did leave our lips feeling gritty. But overall a fun, sparkly gloss at an affordable price point too.
Buy now £12.00, Boots.com
Nars afterglow lip shine
Arguably one of the most famous shades, this Nars lip gloss is a firm favourite. The packaging is slick and glamorous, much like the product inside. A mere two swipes and our lips were perfectly coated in a glossy pink sheen. The formula has gone through many makeovers throughout the years and we are happy to say this latest concoction is non-sticky. Thankfully, it’s lightweight and almost feels non-existent when you’re wearing it – yet, the strong pigment and sparkle still remain.
Buy now £18.75, Lookfantastic.com
Fenty Beauty gloss bomb universal lip luminizer
This lip gloss is a great example of a thick formula that’s easy to apply and doesn’t glue your mouth shut. The extra-large soft applicator wand makes applying effortless and fool-proof, so you won’t need a mirror. The sweet smell and taste are strong enough to make us nostalgic but not so much that it’s sickly. If it’s good enough for Rhianna it’s more than good enough for us.
Buy now £19.00, Boots.com
Elf sun boss gloss
We admire the unique attention to detail with this lip gloss from e.l.f. Taking that make-up-skincare hybrid one step further, this gloss actually includes broad spectrum SPF25. A perfect way to maintain a glossy pout for all your summer events or trips away, while also protecting your lips.
Formula wise this was probably the driest lip gloss we tried, and applying did take a fair few swipes. But those looking for strong pigment will appreciate the bright long-lasting colours.
Buy now £7.00, Amazon.co.uk
Trinny London lip glow
This lip gloss is similar to Vaseline and applies like a regular lip balm yet produces a serious gloss. The lightweight formula imparts a super shiny finish and the colours are perfectly buildable, so you can control the level of pigment. One swipe offers a natural look, making it perfect if you prefer a no-make-up make-up look. Intrigued to see how the colour would transfer on the skin, we also applied some of the balm on our cheeks as a blush, and it worked surprisingly well – so this product is versatile.
Buy now £16.00, Trinnylondon.com
Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk big lip plumpgasm
Our tester is always a little sceptical about plumping glosses because products that promise to be just as good as lip filler tend to land ironically flat. But when you combine lip-tingling, the brand’s signature pillow talk shades and skin-loving ingredients you’re in for a good gloss.
Of all the lip-plumping glosses we’ve tried, this one certainly made the most difference. This is not to say you’ll be having a Kylie Jenner-level pout any time soon, but we certainly noticed decent growth. The tingly minty feeling from the plumping actives is instant, and the formula uses what the brand calls a “3D optical illusion glazed finish” to make lips look plumper and smoother. The pillow talk shade remains unbeaten, the perfect pinky colour for all occasions.
Our only grip is we weren’t fans of the oversized cheap-feeling packaging, but the applicator wand was big and soft, winning our approval.
Buy now £27.00, Charlottetilbury.com
Chanel rouge coco gloss
Chanel’s rouge coco gloss is the perfect classy touch of sparkle. The shade melted honey is delicate on its own and powerfully sparkly when combined with a liner. While it has a thicker formula, this means it does have long-staying power.
It may be on the pricier side but it adds a sophisticated touch of sparkle to any make-up look and works as a great way to turn your matte lipsticks glossy. And let’s be honest, it doesn’t get chic-er than Chanel.
Buy now £36.00, Chanel.com
Hourglass phantom volumising glossy balm
Certainly the cool girl of the lip gloss world, the packaging alone screams quiet luxury. With an almost buttery texture and fool-proof application, this was one of the nicest-feeling lip glosses we tried. We were expecting it to be slightly more pigmented, especially given the price point, but there are a number of different shades to choose from. The application was fool-proof and it goes on super smoothly.
The brand calls it their three-in-one lippy, as it plumps, nourishes and glosses. While it’s certainly minty in smell and taste, we didn’t notice any plumping benefits. But the balm element is an obvious one, our lips were not sticky and stayed hydrated for hours, even once the appearance of the gloss had gone.
Buy now £36.00, Spacenk.com
NYX butter gloss
Another pocket rocket gloss, this lippy from NYX surprised our tester. Despite its teeny tiny wand, applying it was surprisingly smooth and mistake-free. This is likely due to the formula, the product glides onto the lips perfectly, comfortably coating them in a thick buttery gloss. The high-shine finish is exactly what we want from our gloss, not sticky and overpowering but bold enough and glassy.
If you’re indecisive or simply prefer to have a lippy colour for every mood then the butter gloss has you covered, with a whopping 34 shades it is impossible not to find a colour you’ll love. Our tester particularly liked the brown and purple shades like cinnamon roll, perfect for autumn.
Buy now £6.50, Lookfantastic.com
Maybelline lifter gloss
Maybelline’s lifter gloss wand applicator is chunky, making applying your gloss easier. The shade topaz has been likened to Fenty’s glass bomb, but it doesn’t have quite the same depth of colour or shimmer, but it still is a great everyday gloss.
While it claims to be plumping, we did not find this to be the case, with hardly any tingle at all. But it was the most hydrating lip gloss we’d tried.
Buy now £6.95, Amazon.co.uk
Kiko Milano 3D gydra lip gloss
Kiko’s hydra gloss in shade cherry red is, in our opinion, the perfect red lip. The wand is easy to use and allows for precision application, which is exactly what you need when applying a bolder colour. There’s no need for a lip liner, no smudging or leaking in site, and it leaves lips looking full and plump. Once on, the formula feels glossy, but we were disappointed by how quickly the colour faded, requiring frequent top-ups to maintain, and we did notice a little dryness after a couple of hours of wear.
Buy now £11.99, Lookfantastic.com
Makeup Revolution juicy peptide lip balm
This may walk and talk like a lip balm, but its glossy formula makes it more than worthy of inclusion. Owing to the fact it includes nourishing ingredients such as peptides, vitamin E and squalane, the balm offers a hydration boost for the lips.
Sadly the gloss and pigment did not last very long, as it struggled to face the coffee cup test and needed frequent re-applying, but that’s to be expected from a product that has been designed to be a balm.
While the shades are definitely more on the natural and neutral side, we reached for them often, ideal for top-ups in the office when your lips just need a little something.
Buy now £5.99, Lookfantastic.com
The verdict: Lip glosses
One lip gloss will not suit all, that is a given. What our tester has found is a wide range of options, sure to have something for everyone. But a gloss that excelled in all arenas and really stood out as one to stand the test of time was Refy. Cool and modern packaging combined with carefully considered ingredients and chic mature colours means this lip gloss is one we reach for time and time again.
Rimmel and Elf offered some excellent budget options, each showing quality make-up really doesn’t need to break the bank to look classy. Speaking of classy, Hourglass, YSL and Channel showed how the classic beauty brands do it, proving gloss can be a mature and terribly chic option. Lipstick may last longer but there’s no denying that lip gloss is just way more fun.
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