There’s no question that gloss is back big time, and it’s not exclusively for the party look or editorial shot - we’re talking wearable gloss.
What does a wearable gloss need? It’s got to feel good on the lips, you can’t just have great shine, it needs to also nourish the skin below. It’s got to be able to be removed without needing two dozen makeup wipes to coax it off your mouth, and it shouldn’t catch your hair.
A lot to ask for? Maybe! But I’ve found three brands who have put out some triple-threat (shine, comfort and shade range) glosses.
1. Tower28’s Shine On Lip Jelly range is filled with avocado oil, apricot kernel oil and raspberry seed oil and they have totally nailed the shade range - these colours are fun, there’s no way you could stay in a bad mood choosing and wearing one of these shades. Thick enough to pack some colour punch, but smooth to reapply all day long. I love Spicy for a bright yet practical red.
2. Kosas Wet Lip Oil in Jellyfish adds just a hint of peachy pink and shimmer to the translucent base - it’s not overly thick and the contour of the wand hugs your lips perfectly when you apply. I love the packaging, and you’ve got some Shea butter and some peptides in there - this is the perfect gloss for a beginner, it's a no-brainer. If you dive into the other shades they are all also luminous and lip-tastic (not Kosas' phrasing, but still very true).
3. Fenty's Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer has since blossomed into a multi-shade range (we're talking seasonal colours, sheers, creams) - it's the cool gloss. I really do think the original shade Fenty Glow is the all-time winner and just fantastic for all skin tones, iy feels thick and comfortable with an indulgent vanilla scent and refined shimmer, and you can slightly overline with this kind of gloss if you want to supersize (without looking like you hit some tarmac on the way to your night out). I appreciate the jumbo feel packaging and doe-foot applicator, it feels luxe, and to me this is the gloss that heralded in the new era of glosses.
The best lip glosses work really well as a standalone lip, and all three of these fit the bill. For a glossy lip though, you want some cared-for lips as a base - it's really hard to give any product (gloss, lipstick or liner) a fair run if you're dealing with dry, chapped skin or irritated lips. Recently, Charlotte Palermino did a fantastic IGTV on "Slugging your mouth" for really unhappy lips, and this is the best method I've seen for bringing them back to life.
So, stay glossy and enjoy the buffet of options for blinged-out lips on the market right now.