Attention to Details: the most important thing about lip gloss

17.04.2021

Matte and glossy, glitter and shimmer, cushions and plumpers - getting lost in lip glosses is easy. How to choose the right one?

It is believed that the first lip gloss (like many other familiar makeup products) was created by Max Factor in the 1930s. Initially, they were released for actresses in black and white cinema, but today lip glosses are in cosmetics bags for millions of women around the world. We understand what they are, how to apply them correctly, and how much to store.

As the name of our article shows, the main task of lip glosses is to give lips a beautiful glossy gloss. But today, lip glosses are produced with a matte texture and a satin finish, they can be colored or transparent. Lip gloss, as a rule, has a liquid or cream texture, is sold in bottles with a soft applicator or in tubes, less often in palettes or jars.

HOW TO CHOOSE A LIP GLOSS?

Fenty Beauty lip glosses

There are no strict rules when choosing lip gloss, it all depends on your personal preferences. Four factors are most important.

1) Texture

Lip glosses often leave a sticky film on your lips that makes you uncomfortable. Test the gloss before buying to make sure it is not sticky.

2) Lip skin condition

If the skin of the lips is not in perfect condition, peeling and cracking, give preference to a caring lip gloss. Look for nutritious oils (shea, avocado, cocoa, grape seed), vitamins A and E. As a part, give up matte lip glosses: they often dry lips even more.

3) Purpose

Determine why you need a lip gloss. Do you want to add some gloss or color to your lips? Or do they just need care (by the way, in this case, lip balm is more suitable for you)? Or maybe you just liked the fragrance? Any of these items may be the main reason for the purchase.

Please note that many lip glosses do not look as bright as in the package.

4) Packaging

Decide for yourself how it is more convenient for you to apply the product - with your finger, brush, or using a special applicator? Also, keep in mind that tube products typically provide a denser coating.

Lip Gloss Ingredients

lip gloss swatches

Like lipstick, lip gloss often contains wax, oils, coloring pigments, and aromatic additives. The remaining ingredients that make up the lip gloss may vary depending on the manufacturer and the purpose of the product. For example, in lip glosses for enlargement of the lips, menthol, and collagen may be in the contents, in moisturizers - vitamins and hyaluronic acid, and shining ones - particles of nacre.

HOW TO APPLY A LIP GLOSS CORRECTLY?

One of the reasons why many women prefer lip glosses is the ease of use. No special skills are required.

how to apply lip gloss

1) The easiest way to rouge your lips is a lip gloss with an applicator. Just apply evenly on the lips. If you accidentally go beyond the contours, correct your makeup with a cotton swab dipped in micellar water. If the lip gloss is very bright, you can also mask the "errors" with a concealer.

2) If you use lip gloss in a tube, apply a little to the center of the lower lip and spread it with your finger or the tip of the tube. Pry and open your lips to finish your makeup.

3) It is better to distribute the product with your fingers with patting, “stamping” movements.

4) Some will find it more convenient to apply lip gloss with an artificial pile brush. Move from the center of the lips to the edges.

5) Problems can arise when applying a matte lip gloss since in this case extreme precision is needed. First, use a lip liner to match the outline of the lips.

6) If you are not 100% satisfied with your lips, prepare your skin before applying a lip gloss. Use a scrub or lightly massage your lips with a toothbrush. Then apply lip balm and let it soak in properly. Blot the remains with a napkin. You can also apply a little powder or foundation on the lips to even out their surface.

7) Another way is first to make up your lips with your favorite lipstick, and then apply a drop of liquid gloss in the center of both the lower and upper lips. This will help visually make the lips more voluminous.

14 TYPES OF LIP GLOSSES

The times when lip gloss could be either transparent or pearly are long behind. Today, dozens of types of lip glosses are on sale; they vary in texture, release form, composition, and purpose. Let's analyze the most popular formats.

types lip glosses

Satined

The ancestors of the genre, these lip glosses still occupy a major place in our hearts and cosmetics bags. The classic lip gloss with a mirror effect can be used as an independent tool or applied over lipsticks (transparent glosses are great for this).

Matte

A hit of recent years - lip products with a matte texture. Neither beauty gurus nor cosmetics manufacturers are embarrassed that such an effect "argues" with the basic function of lip glosses. Matte lipsticks and glosses look very impressive but require compliance with certain rules. Pay attention to that matte shine that contains nourishing and moisturizing ingredients - for example, NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie boasts vitamin E and sunflower seed oil in the contents.

NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie

Moisturizing

Any lip gloss with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients in the contents. This performs three functions at once - it gives the lips a shade and a noticeable gloss, and also cares for them. For example, L’Oréal Paris’s Infaillible Lipgloss contains hyaluronic acid.

Long Lasting

As a rule, matte lip glosses such as Lip Magnet by Giorgio Armani can boast of a persistent formula. The durability of this tool is up to eight hours, so feel free to use it for makeup at an important party.

Neon

If you decide to try bold fluorescent lip gloss, keep in mind that the rest of the makeup should be fairly neutral. Neon lips are a bright self-sufficient accent of your image. 

Shimmer

Lip glosses with pearly shine were especially popular in the 1990s, but their fame has returned! Nowadays, a rare fashion show is dispensed without this product, metallic glosses are especially honored.

Gloss Balm

A caring balm that gives the lips a shade and gloss. Many modern shine-balms provide not only momentary but also cumulative effects. For example, Dior Addict Lip Glow, with regular use, smoothes fine lines on the lips.

Dior Addict Lip Glow

Cushion

Do not get tired of repeating that the cushions are the future! Initially, cushions are soft pads soaked in foundation. But today, in this convenient format, lip products are also produced. The most famous is Juicy Shaker by Lancôme. This product has a two-phase formula, it must be shaken well before use. Next, it’s the little thing: apply a lip gloss with a soft dome-shaped applicator. 

Plumper

Plumper called products to increase the volume of the lips. This effect is achieved due to the specific components in the composition. They stimulate blood circulation (for example, menthol is responsible for this) or fill in small “wrinkles” on the skin of the lips, so they look puffier. So, in the composition of the best-selling gloss Revolution High Color Lip Gloss from Urban Decay - a special Hilurlip formula that adds volume to the lips.

Lip Lacquer

This lip gloss provides a convincing effect of varnish. The true record holder in this area is the YSL brand: Vernis à Lèvres has more than 30 shades in the collection of lipsticks. There are even versions with a “vinyl” finish.

Pencil-gloss

Until recently, under the lip pencil meant exclusively contour, but today lip pencils are also used instead of lipsticks and lip glosses. Such a shine is convenient to use, besides, it certainly does not flow in the cosmetic bag. Compared with the usual gloss, it provides a more delicate color - to get a bright lip makeup, the product must be applied in several layers.

Physicians Formula Rose Kiss All Day

Lipstick-gloss

If earlier in the division of lipsticks and glosses into two different categories there was a sense (lipsticks - with a solid core, glosses - with a liquid texture), but nowadays everything is mixed up. Liquid lipsticks are essentially lip glosses, so you should put an equal sign between the two.

Tint Lipstick

Tints do not give any gloss to the lips - on the contrary, they provide a light shade, keeping the lips perfectly matte. But by their consistency, they are as close to lip gloss as possible, which gave them the right to settle in this category of cosmetics. Tint, by the way, can also be used instead of blush.

Oil-gloss

Lip gloss with high oil content and, as a result, an oily texture. Such a tool will not be able to provide a truly saturated shade, but the shine guarantees a truly phenomenal (not to mention the caring effect!).

clarins lip oil

The most popular lip glosses include transparent (by the way, it can be used not only for its intended purpose), pink, orange, brown, purple, and, of course, red. But if you want, you can find lip gloss of absolutely any color - from black to bright blue. When choosing which one to stay at, consider your color type - shade of hair and skin tone.

  • If you have a warm skin tone, you should choose the “warm” shades of lip gloss, with yellow or peach undertones: coral, carrot, brick, tomato.
  • Owners of “cold” skin are suitable for raspberry (and another berry), wine, lilac colors, as well as scarlet shades.

TOP 10 LIP GLOSSES 

Ten lip glosses we are ready to vouch for.

Christian Dior Addict Lip Maximizer 

Christian Dior Addict Lip Maximizer

Lip Maximizer is a legendary hyaluronic acid-based lip plumper and a favorite among makeup artists and models. The effect of plumping lips and maximum hydration. The formula is based on hyaluronic acid and now contains even more caring ingredients, and the assortment has been replenished with new bright shades with incredible effects (glossy and holographic) for even more shine. Its molecular micro-spheres form a protective layer on the lip surface that traps moisture for a 24-hour moisturizing effect. You can use it on its own or apply it over lipstick to set the shine and add volume.

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Lip Magnet, Giorgio Armani 

Lip Magnet by Giorgio Armani

You can endlessly sing odes to the recent Giorgio Armani novelty. The brand’s specialists solved the main problem that occurs when using matte textures: this matte gloss does not dry lips! But at the same time, it provides a bright and saturated shade already from the first layer, it is practically not felt on the lips and lasts up to eight hours.

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FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer 

FB lip gloss

A gloss that everyone needs urgently and looks as good as it feels on the lips. The dazzling shine of Gloss Bomb in one versatile beige shade chosen by Rihanna: Fenty Glow. Yes, yes, this is the very Holy Grail of nude glitters that suits absolutely everyone.

One-touch of the lips with the extra-large Gloss Bomb applicator envelops them with luxury and care, while the caring shea butter nourishes them from the inside. The lips immediately look plumper and smoother, and even with their super-luminous finish, the gloss feels comfortably on the lips, exuding a pleasant peach and vanilla scent that is simply impossible to tear away from. Bathe your lips in Fenty Glow - the finishing touch that will not be superfluous.

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Glossier Lip Gloss 

Glossier Lip Gloss 

Glossier's small team makes cosmetics “for real life”, inspired by popular culture and taking into account the pace of life of like-minded women, no less than the basic needs of the skin. According to founder Emily Weiss, cosmetics should adapt to lifestyle and appearance, and not vice versa. Glossier took everything you love about lip gloss, got rid of everything you disliked, and formulated the perfect lip gloss. Glossier lip gloss gives soft, crystal clear shine - no stickiness, no burning. The tapered applicator glides over the lips, leaving a shine that will last after an hour. Vitamin E and jojoba oil leave lips feeling soft and hydrated.

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Smith & Cult Lip Gloss 

Smith & Cult Lip Gloss

Smith & Cult brings lip gloss to a whole new level. A luminous finish, soft texture, endless pleasure, and an unforgettable scent on your lips! Smith & Cult is a duality that is present in each of us throughout life. In a duet, words collide and merge in the harmony of elements: Smith - grace and refinement, Cult - rebelliousness and explosion. It is our expression of beauty in this world that reflects who we were and who we aspire to become.

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Lime Crime Wet Cherry Lip Gloss 

Lime Crime Wet Cherry Lip Gloss

Lime Crime has presented a collection of "new generation" lip glosses. The founder of the brand was inspired by the cocktail cherry to create the Wet Cherry line. There are 12 juicy berry shades in total. All of them have a light and comfortable texture that lays on the lips in a dense layer. Glitters have two finishes: one is just glossy, and the second also contains small shimmer particles. The aroma of sweet cherries deserves special attention, which you will feel immediately after you open the tube.

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss 

ABH lip gloss

Anastasia Beverly Hills mega-long lasting high-quality shine. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss is a pigmented, weightless formula with a lacquered, metallic and lustrous finish that delivers color intensity and radiant shine. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss is a combination of an incredibly beautiful shade, high quality, unreal durability, and care for your lips. The gloss is highly pigmented! Looks more like a glossy liquid lipstick than a lip gloss.

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Maybelline Lip Lifter Gloss 

Maybelline lip lifter

According to many beauty gurus, some shades from the line of this gloss are analogous to the Fenty beauty gloss bomb. Its unique formula with hyaluronic acid intensely hydrates and brightens the lips, making them visually plump. The texture of MAYBELLINE Lifter Gloss is stunning: the gloss is smooth, soft, as delicate as silk. There is a gorgeous smoothing effect, plus, the shine does not emphasize peeling, but, on the contrary, hides them under the cover of its delicate silk texture. The finish is radiant, moist, and spectacular. Such gloss visually makes lips plump and more voluminous.

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Physicians Formula Plump Potion 

Physicians Formula Plump Potion

This beautiful lip gloss is formulated with a unique and innovative blend of non-irritating ingredients to change the look, contour, size, and color of your lips. As a result, lips appear plump, smoother, and sexier. This lip gloss turns your lips plump in 60 seconds. And all this is possible thanks to hyaluronic acid in the composition, which can retain moisture. The gloss also contains a patented active tripeptide blend that increases natural collagen production. Thanks to this, a long and lasting effect is obtained. With regular use, the skin of the lips is rejuvenated.

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NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Butter Gloss 

NYX butter gloss

BUTTER LIP GLOSS is an amazingly soft lip gloss with rich color and luxurious gloss. Thanks to the highly pigmented formula, it gives the lips a rich shade and a bright glossy shine. The incredibly delicate texture melts on the lips, creating a feeling of absolute comfort. The uniquely delicate, creamy consistency of the moisturizing lip gloss is easy to apply without smudging or spreading beyond the contour. Accelerates the regeneration of damaged lip skin. Butter Lip Gloss has an insanely delicious scent and leaves your lips amazingly soft, keeping them hydrated all day long.

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And what is your favorite lip gloss? Share your opinion in the comments!