Whether you’re a fan of the “clean beauty” trend made viral by TikTok, an inherent makeup minimalist, or none of the above, many of us (namely those of us living in dramatically warm environments) can agree that when it comes to makeup, we’d rather just keep it simple AF in the summer. You know – mascara, a hint of bronzer or blush, maybe a BB cream or tinted moisturizer (because who likes foundation in the heat?) – that kind of vibe. The can’t-go-without product that puts the cherry on top of that effortless summer makeup? Lip gloss, of course. After years of subjecting ourselves to flaky, moisture-sucking liquid lipsticks (what a time), we’ve made a collective return back to the beauty product that made our childhoods go ’round and dare we say – lip gloss, we’ve missed you.
It seems we all have that shared memory of keeping a squeezable tube full of clear, glossy goodness by our sides at all times in the early aughts, but these days, the world of lip gloss has much more to offer. From iterations that come complete with SPF, to fresh and edgy colors such as blue and deep purple, to shade ranges larger than we’ve ever seen before such as Pat McGrath’s 35-shade Lust: Gloss collection, to Buxom’s 67-shade Full-On Plumping Lip Gloss offering. For those of us just not willing to put in the extra effort during the summertime, lip gloss is the secret to bringing a barely-there makeup look to life, and the options are endless. For the very best of the best, however, keep scrolling ahead.
