Bargain vs Bougie: 5 Lip Glosses We're Adding to Cart

There are two types of people in this world...

Those who love lip gloss and those who hate it.

Having started my affair with lip gloss at the ripe age of 10, I'm firmly pro lip gloss.

*And pro Laneige lip sleeping mask, but you can read more about that here.

Primary school-aged me wouldn't have been caught dead without a couple of Lancôme Juicy Tubes rolling around my oversized pink Country Road tote. Oh, the nostalgia!

Thankfully, lip glosses have come a long way since the 2000s.

Gone are the thick, sticky formulas that picked up lint, hair and random bits of debris on a windy day. Same goes for the sickly sweet taste some left in your mouth for hours.

If the idea of wearing lip gloss is triggering, I urge you to give them another go, especially if you're after juicy, soft, plump, highly-kissable lips.

Lip gloss is a huge part of my everyday makeup look, and I like to think I can tell an epic lip gloss from a bad one the moment it touches my lips.

Not all lip glosses are created equal, though.

And there's nothing worse than buying a bougie lip gloss, only to slick it on and realise it's... average.

So, I volunteered to wade through All The Lip Glosses to find the best of the best.

Types of Lip Glosses.

Like everything made cool by Cher in Clueless, lip glosses are officially back.

Everyone from celebrities and influencers to makeup artists and your mum is putting down their matte lippies and slicking on a lip plumping gloss.

Being the gloss connoisseur I am, I’ve broken down the best lip gloss options into four categories to help you find your perfect match.

1. Clear Lip Gloss.

A clear lip gloss is the beauty equivalent of a little black dress.

Wear clear lip gloss on its own to enhance your natural lip colour and shape, or layer over your favourite lip liner or matte lipstick.

Find out which lip products a makeup artist rates in our best lip products YouTube video below.

2. Tinted Lip Gloss & Sparkly Lip Gloss.

If you want MTV music video vibes, then tinted gloss and sparkly lip gloss will be your jam. 

You can get tinted lip glosses that provide just a hint of colour, or red lip gloss or pink lip gloss options that deliver the same colour as a bright lipstick.

Sparkly lip gloss is also no longer super glittery. The right amount of shimmer can make lips appear fuller and plumper.

3. Lip Plumper Lip Gloss.

Speaking of plumper-looking lips, a dedicated lip plumper gloss or a gloss with plumping abilities is a game-changer.

Lip plumper gloss often contains ingredients like peppermint, caffeine or cinnamon to deliver a rush of blood to your lips, creating an instant, temporary, slightly swollen effect.

If the look of thin lips bothers you, this faux-filler effect will help.

4. Nourishing Lip Oil Glosses.

If you're still not sold on lip gloss but have made it this far, then I must ask: have you tried a lip oil? 

Lip oils are a lip balm, lip gloss, lip stain hybrid that add hydration and shine, without any stickiness.

They might just be the best lip gloss for daily use.

The Best Lip Gloss For You (& Your Budget).

Now it’s time for the fun part.

I put my lips on the line to road-test Adore Beauty's 5 best-selling lip glosses.

Why? Because if it doesn’t pass my test, you don’t want it in your makeup bag.

From $19 to $40, these lip gloss picks from brands like MAC, Bobbi Brown, Nude By Nature, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Eye of Horus and Maybelline are winners.

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss.

What:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss

• A high performing, high shine lip gloss with metallic finishes. 

• Available in 10 shades ranging from clear lip gloss, pinks, nudes and shimmers.

• I chose the shade Venus, which is described as a ‘dazzling gold and pink gloss with reflective sparkle’. 

My review:

After a single swipe, I was immediately transported back to being 13. Maybe it was the strangely nostalgic vanilla scent, the glitter, or a combination of both. 

If you want a gloss that delivers high shine, shimmer and hydration, this is it. 

As for comfort, I’d give it a 6/10. I could feel some of the shimmer as I smacked my lips together, which personally didn’t bother me. 

2. Nude by Nature Moisture Infusion Lipgloss.

What:

Nude by Nature Moisture Infusion Lipgloss

• A tinted lip gloss that helps to repair and plump your lips for a naturally voluminous look.

• Available in 14 shades with three glitter finishes.

• At $22, this is one of the best affordable lip glosses I've tried.

My review:

Unfortunately, the shade ‘Peach Nude' I picked to review didn’t suit my skin tone BUT I'll be repurchasing in a different shade for sure.

This lip gloss is seriously comfortable to wear. I’d even go as far as to say it has an 8/10 comfort level.

The colour pay off was also impressive, and once I washed it off my lips at the end of the day, they felt hydrated (a pleasant surprise because a lot of lip glosses leave lips feeling dry). 

One thing to keep in mind - the gloss promises to 'plump your lips' but it isn't a true tingling lip plumping gloss.  

What is it, though, is a bargain. 

3. M.A.C COSMETICS Powerglass Plumping Lip Gloss.

What:

M.A.C COSMETICS Powerglass Plumping Lip Gloss

• A high-shine, non-sticky gloss that plumps your lips.

• Formula locks in hydration whilst creating instant fullness and plumping. 

• Available in 11 different pink, red and orange shades - my pick of the lot was Plump Up the Jam, a cherry red lacquer with reflective shimmer.

My review:

Out of all the lip glosses I reviewed, this MAC lip gloss stood out by a long shot.

Instantly hydrating my lips, the menthol and ginger formula left a cooling sensation that delivered volume and fullness. 

Not to mention, the doe-foot applicator moulded to my lips effortlessly, making it really easy to apply.

The colour gave me a ‘just bitten’ look that, in my humble opinion, left me ready to be kissed. 

100/10 from me. 

4. Eye of Horus Bio Lip Elixir.

What:

Eye of Horus Bio Lip Elixir

• This best cruelty free lip gloss with an all natural, organic gloss formula.

• Promises to add a sheer, sun kissed glow and leave your lips soft and plump. 

• It only comes in one slight pink shimmer shade - I’ve found this one suits *most* skin tones and is buildable in pigment.

My review:

After MAC Powerglass, this would be my second pick.

An excellent first date lip gloss - not too sticky, not too shiny, just right.

The subtle peppermint tingly feeling plumped my lips slightly while leaving them hydrated.

I'm obsessed with the your lips but better shade. The best lip gloss for daily use, it's the ultimate zero effort lip product you can wear on its own or layered over lip liner and lipsticks.

Another 10/10 for me.

5. Maybelline Lifter Gloss Plumping Lip Gloss.

What:

Maybelline Lifter Gloss Plumping Lip Gloss With Hyaluronic Acid

• Infused with hyaluronic acid, this lip gloss promises to leave your pout hydrated while adding a hint of colour.

• Available in 10 shades, I chose Amber – which I’d describe as a terracotta nude. 

• Adore's beauty editor Amy also loves this bargain lip gloss in the shade 004 Silk.

My review: 

I won’t lie, I had low expectations for this gloss. But was surprisingly blown away. 

It has a sweet scent that isn’t as strong as the Anastasia Beverly Hills one, and the thick traditional gloss-like texture isn't sticky at all.

A 9/10 comfort level on the lips, my only gripe is it took a couple of swipes for the colour to build up. That's me nit-picking though.

Another go-to everyday gloss that won't break the bank.

Let's do a bonus sixth lip gloss pick. An honourable mention, if you will.

Because we can't talk about the best lip glosses without the cult Bobbi Brown lip gloss.

Loved by Beauty IQ Uncensored co-host Joanna AND Adore's resident dermal therapist Yads, Bobbi Brown Crushed Oil-Infused Gloss is an excellent lip gloss if you have the budget.

Joanna's favourite shade is In The Buff, while Yads is wearing Wild Card in her Instagram post below.

But be warned, it sells out pretty quick, so if you see it in stock, JUMP.

Aside from proving I probably own waaaaaay too many lip glosses, I hope this article has shown you there's a lip gloss out there to suit your style and budget.

Finally, I'll leave you with a sentiment from poet/rapper Lil Mama:

"My lip gloss be poppin. My lip gloss be cool."

Words to live by.

Want more lip care product recommendations? Have a read through these articles below...

• The 5 Best Lip Liners for Longer Lasting Lipstick

• Our Top Picks for Lip Plumpers That Actually Work in 2024

• Here Are Our 5 Best Liquid Lipsticks (and How To Get Them To Stay On)

• After 2 Years of Dating, I've Mastered This Fast, Glowy First Date Makeup Routine