Recent beauty trends have proven that a shiny finish has never been more in vogue. From glass skin and hair to gel-polished manicures, the sentiment around sporting a glistening look is pretty unanimous. But before the rise of dewy skin and patent leather lids, there was lip gloss. Slick, thick, and never ceasing to deliver maximum shine, lip glosses were the ultimate beauty accessory—and they’re making a major comeback. In their 2.0 era, today’s lip glosses are leaning into nostalgic elements while embracing modern formulations.
Forget roller balls and squeeze tubes—these glosses deliver more than just shine. Whether they’re incorporating plumping ingredients or skincare staples to moisturize and hydrate, the new crop brings something new to the category. No longer sticky or heavy, they have lightweight formulas that work just as well over lipsticks as on bare lips. But their best feature is also their oldest. Like the tubes from your youth, they provide mirror-like shine and a lustrous finish that lasts for hours.
Ahead, see the best grown-up lip glosses to add to your collection ASAP.
01
01
Pat McGrath Labs Lust: Lip Gloss
Reach for this gloss when you’re looking for an editorial-like shine —think patent leather or vinyl lips—and a rich color payoff. In each of these sleek tubes, you’ll find a formula saturated with color that leaves your lips looking softly diffused and glassy. Wear it alone or layer on a matte lip for a statement-making look.
Available at patmcgrath.com
This formula feels like a creamy balm but delivers shine like the glosses from your teenage years. Made with avocado, jojoba, and sunflower oils, it gives you a boost of hydration and seals it in to moisturize the lips all day. It also comes in nine glossy shades that strike the perfect balance between semi-sheer and full-coverage color.
Available at weareneen.com
This gloss is perfect for people who love lip oils and are new to traditional glosses. The formula includes an oil complex and hyaluronic acid, making it lightweight and comfortable for everyday wear. It has a glossy finish for a nice amount of sheen without feeling too shiny.Available at makeupforever.com
Think of this as a gloss for nostalgic makeup lovers. With just a hint of color and juicy shine, it’s the perfect gloss to pair with your favorite lip liner or on top of a complementing lipstick. The colors range from sheer pinks and peaches to subtle nudes and leave you with a creamy sheen.
Available at makeupbymario.com
Rich and moisturizing ingredients combine with equally rich color in this high-tech gloss. The formula, which includes castor oil, passion fruit extract and vitamin E, helps the lips retain moisture while softening fine lines. But the shades are just as intentional, offering intense color in one swipe and a glossy satin finish.
Available at basmabeauty.com
Morphe’s Dripglass offers two unique finishes: a glazed look and a lustrous shine. Each formula glides on smoothly and is buildable for customized color payoff. Plus, it’s deeply hydrating thanks to plant-derived squalane and vitamin E.Available at morphe.com
The Lip Bar is known for their ultra-pigmented lipsticks, and their collection of glosses is no different. Each shade, from the cherry red Bawse Glawse to the shimmery Dream Chaser, has just as much color payoff as it does shine. Even the formula goes the extra mile with moisturizing ingredients like coconut and argan oil and nourishing vitamin E.
Available at thelipbar.com
Like glosses, lip plumpers are also having a renaissance. Valentino’s formula is designed to give you a subtle plumping effect and help your lips retain moisture with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides. The result? Moisturized, plump lips with a high-shine finish and kiss of color.
Available at Valentino-beauty.us
This gloss is designed to improve the look and feel of your lips in just one swipe. It’s packed with natural ingredients like vegan collagen to blur fine lines and moisturize the lips while covering them with gorgeous color and shine. The brand even offers a guide of liner pairings for each shade, making it easy to create the perfect lip combo.
Available at hudebeauty.com
There’s a reason Fenty’s Gloss Bomb has remained a bestseller since its debut. Each of the 11 shades features a hint of sparkle to illuminate the lips and enhance shine. The formula is also conditioning, thanks to shea butter, non-sticky, and has a delicious sweet scent.
Available at fentybeauty.com
