As much as I love makeup, I rarely wear anything on my lips. You see, my lips get very dry and I’ve found that most lipsticks and glosses just make it worse. Plus, I like my natural lip color more than most lip colors that I’ve tried. Recently, however, I decided that it might be time to change my tune.
Splurge. For nearly an hour, my Mother and I wandered around the beauty department at Nordstrom. I tried lipsticks, lip balms, lip glosses, lip stains and lip glasses. And as we made our way toward the door, my dry, irritated lips were just about to give up when the salesperson convinced me to try Trish McEvoy’s Beauty Booster Lip Gloss ($25).
Unlike many glosses which are drying and sticky, wearing this gloss doesn’t make you feel like you have cotton candy melted to your lips. The colors are sheer but well-pigmented. I purchased the Brightening Pink which has a vibrant pink hue. It’s just bright enough, but not neon, making it perfect for summer.
I am surprised how much I like the gloss, but I find myself wearing it almost every day. It adds the right amount of color without being overpowering. I want to see you, not just your lip color.
Save. When I told a friend that I spent $25 on a lip gloss, she plotzed. So I asked what product she uses. When she said Wet ‘n Wild, I almost fell off my chair. I didn’t even realize you could buy Wet ‘n Wild unless you showed school ID. So I asked her to contribute a review of Glassy Gloss ($3) for this post.
“The clear Glassy Gloss is my favorite gloss. I add it to the top of all of my other lipsticks for a slick, wet look. The consistency is thick, but not too sticky, and it lasts a long time. I also own Mow the Glass, a pinky-coral shade. I’ll never buy M.A.C. Lipglass again when I can pick up a tube of this gloss for the price of a cup of coffee.”
So, ladies, which lip glosses do you like?
Yikes! Glosses without sunscreen are like rubbing baby oil on your skin. They seem summery, but if you're going to spend more time in the sun during the summer, don't leave your lips unprotected!
I try to avoid the overly glassy, real housewives of OC look, so I was happy to recently find Loreal Colour Riche Balm with spf 15. It gives moisture, and a tiny bit of color and shine for less than $10.
You can be such a snob about things… Wet N Wild offers some of the highest quality eyeshadows at the drugstore! I don't get why you become so judgy and sanctimonious over things as petty as lipgloss.
Emily: I wasn't trying to be sanctimonious. I hadn't used their products since I was a teen, and so I didn't know that they were good, because most drugstore products are not. My friend set me straight, and if she hadn't changed my mind, I wouldn't have recommended it on the site as a good, inexpensive alternative.
I normally wear Revlon because I like the color/price/consistency but I also like true lip protection in the sunny summer months so right now I'm wearing Neutrogena's that contains SPF 20.
I love WnW eyeliners. They're great. It's too bad that a lot of women feel like Belle does that it's “teen makeup.”
And, Emily, chill out. I think Belle was just making a joke.
SPF Lovers: The McEvoy has SPF 15, unsure about the Wet n' Wild. But if you find a gloss you like that has no SPF, you could layer an SPF 45 chapstick (like the one I use from Banana Boat) under it.
I got Korres lip glosses in a favor bag for a charity event last summer and have not looked back. The cherry oil (who knew?) in them provides a moisturizing base without being too sticky. They have a ton of great colors too! HIGHLY recommended.
https://www.korresusa.com/product/4602/lipgloss/color/category/lips
(can also be found at Sephora)
Whoa Emily! I though Belle's comment was funny (i too havent bougt anything Wet N Wild since i got out of hig school-but after the review I may have to check it put!). I dont think Belle was actually judging her friend, just suprised that she used Wet N Wild makeup.
Will check out both lip glosses, but just wanted to add that WnW powder eyeshadows are the only drug store eyeshadows I buy– they're comparable to Urban Decay's old formulation (haven't tried the new UD yet).
The thing that I worry about with cheap cosmetics is where are they made and are the ingrredients that they use unsafe. Esp with anything that goes on the lips. But that's not to say that expensive products don't also use unsafe ingredients too but in my mind its morel likely with cheap brands like W&W.
Burts Bees has amazing lip glosses and tints and they are natural
I layer sunblock under my lipgloss, so I'm not as worried about SPF. I like the Burt's Bees tinted lip balms and I also like Revlon glosses.
I am a devout user of Maybelline’s Baby Lips. I’m very picky about the way lip glosses/sticks feel on my lips, and this is easily the best thing I have ever used! It feels just like chapstick, but actually offers just the right amount of color for my liking. The commercials are cheesy, the name is misleading, but the product itself is my singular beauty must-have.
the lip slip by Sara Happ – best lip gloss ever. It is not sticky and is the only lip gloss I've ever used that is non-drying. It is $18 at Blue Mercury though, so definitely a splurge but worth it!
I'm personally a huge fan of Bath and Body Works' Mentha Lip Shine – it's not too sticky, tinted, and tastes great. Having the menthol tingle is also nice when the weather gets unbearable.
And… they happen to be on sale: https://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4190900&cm_vc=200
I am so happy the secret about Wet and Wild is out. I have owned every brand of lip gloss from every line available – I wish I was kidding. I have over 60 lip glosses, always trying to find the perfect shade/consistency/long wear. I am always looking for a natural rosy/bronze color…not quite nude, but just a hint of color. After trying every $30 lip gloss on the market, I only use Wet N Wild Mega Slicks Lip Gloss in Berry Bronze. I keep a tube in my car, every purse, and even a kitchen drawer. I get complimented on the shade at least once a week, and when I pull out Wet N Wild out of my purse, people are always shocked. It's the best – that's all I can say.
https://www.wnwbeauty.com/product.php?cid=16&pid=56&subid=30
This is not helpful for readers who want to learn how the 2 products compare. One person should review both products, provide pros and cons for both, and make a final determination about the “winner.”
C: Typically, that is what I do. But in this case, I had only tried the one gloss, since I don't wear much lip color. So the best I could do was an endorsement of a less expensive product.
I never wear color on my lips because they're always so dry (pretty much permachapped) but once I found the Dior Addict lipsticks I've been set. They're pretty pricey ($26 – $30) but I really can wear them all day without drying out (and can even reapply without having to completely take it off and rehydrate my lips first). I have about 5 of them and that's more than enough variety to use with most of my makeup “looks.” If you're ever looking for a lipstick instead of a gloss, check them out!
https://www.sephora.com/search/brandResult.jsp?ref=900031&node=1050024&brandId=1073
I also have the dry lips problem so I don't wear lipstick. My favorite lip balms are LUSH's honey trap and Neutragena lip moisturizer spf 15.
I don't wear lip gloss because my husband thinks it makes women look like they drooled all over their lips. Now that he's pointed that out, I can't help but also think it looks gross. Sorry, ladies!
I have a problem with most lip glosses because they taste artificially super sweet and fake fruity. My favourite is the Mentha LipTint by C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries. It is actually a lip balm so it helps with the dryness. It is deliciously minty and adds a perfect hint of colour. In Canada, we can find it at Bath and Body Works.
I would totally agree about the WnW eyeliner. I've tried liquid eyeliners and solid eyeliners – but the WnW basic black wins out every time! Creamy enough to go on smoothly, yet solid enough that I'm not chasing stray eyeliner all over my face. And for 99c a pop, why not?!
YSL lip gloss – amazing. I use the nude 03.
I was perusing old posts (missed the three post day!) and came across this splurge v save. My mother is a true make up minimalist, and yet I have spent much of my life with her nagging “you need a little lip color!” On a recommendation from a friend, I finally settled on Nars lipstick in Dolce Vita (https://www.sephora.com/lipstick-P2865) a few years ago and haven't used anything else since – obviously not admitting to my mother how right she was about the power of a little lip color. Like you, I tend to prefer my own lip color to the other brighter/deeper/glittery hues out there. While I am sure it would wear differently on different women, this color perfectly enhances my natural color, gives me that polished look without competing with my preferred emphasis on cheek or eye color, and, drumroll please, moisturizes like chapstick. In fact, when I'm without my Aquaphor, I swipe this on for some soothing moisture. This will be my go-to lip color for years to come and I'm even stockpiling in case they ever decide to discontinue. An epically long post abou a lipstick, just felt in the mood to share the love!