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As a Certified Beauty Girlie™ who tests out beauty products for a living (and writes about them), lip products are the ones that excite me the most. They come in a variety of colors, they're hard to f up (srsly—no mirror usually required for application!), and there are a ton of variations available for everyone's taste.
Personally, over the years, I've bid goodbye to traditional matte bullet and liquid lipsticks in favor of their glossy sisters. Tints, stains, gloss sticks—you name it, I've tried it! However, a recent and v welcome addition to my ever-growing rotation is lip oils. Not quite a lip balm or a lip gloss, lip oils are basically the *love child* of the two products. They offer shine with no stickiness and hydration for daaays.
Ahead, I'll be breaking down the differences between the three products (bc we're all informed shoppers here!) and giving you a list of the best lip oils you can shop for RN:
OK, but what is lip oil exactly?
Lip oils are a type of *nourishing* lip products that combine the best parts of a lip balm and a lip gloss. Their formulas usually include a multitude of oils that leave your lips with the finish of a gloss but the hydrating and moisturizing benefits of a balm.
What's the difference between lip oil, lip balm, and lip gloss?
To the untrained eye (read: your boyfriend, LOL), lip oils, lip balms, and lip glosses can look the same. But, as beauty girlies would argue when faced with their growing collection of lip products from the same color family, they're all different, okay? Below, we break down the key differences between the three products:
Lip oil
It's usually packed with nourishing, MVP skincare ingredients like jojoba, grapeseed, and avocado oils that can deeply penetrate the skin of your lips to replenish moisture. It has a lightweight formula that feels like you're wearing nothing on your lips. It usually comes clear, but many beauty brands have released tinted options that can grant your pout a soft wash of color.
Lip balm
It often comes in stick form and contains wax that acts as an occlusive to prevent moisture loss. Most lip balms are lightweight, but some brands offer heavier, richer formulas for those with drier pouts. Similar to a lip oil, clear lip balm reigns supreme, but tinted versions also exist for those who don't want their puckers to stay bare.
Lip gloss
Compared to the first two, lip gloss has a thicker, stickier formula that's filled with waxes and pigments for a high-shine finish. It's usually worn on top of lipstick to make your lips look fuller and more luscious.
TL;DR: Lip oils are basically the love child of lip balms and lip glosses. You have the hydrating properties of a lip balm and the glossy—but not sticky—finish of a lip gloss. It's the best of both worlds!
SHOP: The best lip oils to try
1. Chu Chu Beauty Tinted Lip Syrup
The most affordable option on the list, the latest release from Chu Chu Beauty boasts a tinted version of their well-loved regular Lip Syrups. It has a non-sticky formula that contains jojoba seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, and Vitamin E which can soften your pout while delivering hydration. It's available in two shades: Pink Candy and Peach Sorbet.
Chu Chu Beauty Tinted Lip Syrup, P249, Shopee and Lazada
2. blk cosmetics Fresh Lip Treatment Oil
A skincare and makeup hybrid, the blk cosmetics Fresh Lip Treatment Oil nourishes your pout and minimizes the appearance of fine lines while granting it a high-shine finish sans the stickiness. And because it's tinted, it can be worn alone or on top of your favorite lippie as a topper! It's available in six shades: Coconut, Tropics, Paradise, Seashell, Island, and Wondermelon.
blk cosmetics Fresh Lip Treatment Oil, P349, Shopee and Lazada
3. Colourette Cosmetics Colourdrip Lip Oil-Serum
Colourette's Colordrip Lip Oil-Serum boasts to be the first of its kind, combining the smoothing properties of a lip oil and the comfort of a lip serum with the subtle tint of a balm and the shine of a gloss. It's available in three shades: Sugar, Nice, and Spice.
Colourette Cosmetics Colourdrip Lip Oil-Serum, P349, Shopee and Lazada
4. GRWM Cosmetics High Beam High Shine Lip Oil
Lip oils often offer a more *subtle* shine compared to lip glosses, but not this one from GRWM Cosmetics. If you still want a high-shine finish without the tackiness, add this to cart, stat! It's available in seven shades: Magic Potion, Jellyfish, Apple-o, Rylan, Baby Girl, Coral, and Charlie Cherry.
GRWM Cosmetics High Beam High Shine Lip Oil, P349, Shopee and Lazada
5. Lovely Causemetics Glossy Lip Oil
For another relatively affordable option, may I present to you the Glossy Lip Oil from Lovely Causemetics? This local brand has been killing the game lately with its releases, and this one has become a certified crowd fave. It's available in eight shades: Perfect, Super Fresh, It's Giving, Big Slay, Clean Girl, FR FR, Obviously Clear, and Please Me.
Lovely Causemetics Glossy Lip Oil, P358, Shopee and Lazada
6. Strokes Silk Kiss
If you're looking for a lip oil that is as soothing as it is nourishing, look no further than the Silk Kiss from Strokes Beauty Lab. It's a sheer but buildable lip oil that has a cooling effect. It's yet another local fave of the Internet—they have praised it for being pigmented enough to cover even two-toned lips! It's available in six shades: Natural Rosé, Sensual Sienna, my Lips But Better, Cozy Nude, Passionate Peach, and Tempting Red.
Strokes Silk Kiss, P398, Shopee and Lazada
7. Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lip Oil
If you have money to spare, I'd recommend splurging on the Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lip Oil as a treat for yourself. The Italian makeup brand's lippies are well-loved by the Internet, and its lip oil is no different! Enriched with raspberry seed oil, it can leave your lips soft and moisturized for up to 10 (!) hours. It's available in four shades: Milky Way, Atomic Orange, Glossed Glass, and Cherry Cherry.
Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lip Oil, P1,050, Shopee and Lazada
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