By Aniyah Morinia
last updated
in Buying Guides
If I had to choose only one makeup product to wear for the rest of my life, it would be lip gloss, hands down. I've always been a gloss girl, and I can say with the utmost confidence that this part of my identity will never change. This means that I have three or more lip glosses in my purse at all times, and I can count how many times I've worn a matte formula on one hand. If you couldn't already tell, the obsession is real—so real that I often message my co-workers about my latest purchases, turning our Slack channel into a hub for product links and comments like, "OMG. You need to try this." (I swearswapping beauty notes is a bullet on my job description. It's just written in invisible ink.)
Whenever I receive a makeup product in the mail, Caitie Schlisserman, our beauty director and my manager, is the first person I message. I know that I can count on her for an honest review and top-tier product recommendations. Our latest Slack conversation was on the topic of lip gloss (shocking, I know), and we bonded over our hatred for sticky glosses. We love the look of a shiny and hydrating formula, but we hate the feeling of our hair getting stuck to our lips or the glue-like sensation when our lips rub together. We've made the executive decision to ditch these glosses in 2022 and replace them with our top 20 non-sticky lip glosses below.
Caitie Schlisserman, Beauty Director
Lime Crime
Wet Cherry Lip Gloss
If you want next-level shine, this is the gloss for you. It's one of my favorites when I want to add a pop of shine that's easy and feels lightweight. The oversize doe-foot applicator is also a total game changer. Bonus: It smells like a cherry.
Merit Beauty
Shade Slick
Honestly, I'm not a huge berry-lip person, but this actually gives the perfect just-bitten color. It's formulated with rose-hip oil and shea butter, so not only will it give your lips some shine, but it'll keep them healthy and hydrated all day.
Lawless
Forget The Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss
This is a seriously shiny and plumping gloss that not only helps smooth lines but makes lips feel pillowy soft. It comes in many swoon-worthy shades, but I have a soft spot for "George," which is a warm honey nude that's rich and satisfying. The best part? There are instant and long-term benefits to the formula: Use it regularly, and the gloss is shown to visibly increase lip volume and decrease lines over time.
Caliray
Glazed & Infused Lip Plumper Gloss
This has five stars on Sephora for a reason—it's that good. It feels like an oil but keeps your lips hydrated like a balm, and it's infused with a biomimetic peptide to help plump lips. It's a true star.
Chanel
N°1 De Chanel Lip and Cheek Balm
Don't let the word "balm" fool you—this stuff packs a serious color punch. The formula is super buttery and can easily be layered to achieve an even bolder color. I just use my fingers to dab it onto my lips. It's perfect to wear on days when I want to feel a little fancier while working at home.
Nyx Professional Makeup
Butter Gloss Non-Sticky Lip Gloss
You're not going to find a better $5 gloss, I promise. I have this in multiple colors but always come back to "Eclair." It's the perfect pinky nude that looks just as good on its own as it does layered over lipstick. It glides on smoothly, isn't sticky, and conditions lips while giving them a hint of color and shine.
Colourpop
Lux Lip Oil
Colourpop always kills it in the lip department, so it should come as no surprise that this made the list. It's a lightweight gel-oil formula that's infused with a blend of chamomile and calendula oils, meaning it leaves lips seriously soft. Plus, it's loaded with shimmer, so when the light hits, it's really good.
Kosas Cosmetics
Wet Lip Oil Gloss
When it comes to how deep my love runs for this gloss, obsessed is an understatement. It's super hydrating and plumping because it's formulated with tons of good-for-skin ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, avocado oil, shea butter, konjac root… You get the idea. If your idea of fun is swiping on a juicy slick of color, this is the jackpot.
Roen Beauty
Kiss My. Liquid Lip Balm
Think of this as a liquid lip balm—a tube that provides the shine of a gloss but the nourishment of a balm. It's formulated with mango and grape-seed oils, which help nourish, regenerate, and repair lips. There isn't a shade of this that I don't like, but "Charlie" hits different. It's the prettiest dusty-rose color ever. There are also some shimmer options that are equally as pretty.
Dr. Lara Devgan Scientific Beauty
Platinum Lip Plump SPF 30
This stuff is no joke—it's one of my all-time favorites and definitely lives up to the hype (and is worth the hefty price tag). It's made with an innovative peptide complex consisting of hyaluronate, niacin, ceramides, and palmitoyl tripeptide, all of which help hydrate and visibly plump lips. I love how lightweight the formula feels, and my lips always look and feel super juicy after using it. It's a no-brainer.
Aniyah Morinia, Associate Branded Content Editor
Maybelline
Lifter Gloss With Hyaluronic Acid
I often wear lip gloss under my mask just to feel something, but only some glosses are worthy. I've been wearing this lifter gloss nonstop since I got it. I love the applicator and natural sheen it gives me.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer
The Fenty Gloss Bombis always my first recommendation when someone is in the market for a new gloss. I own almost every shade, and I love them all. The touch of shimmer is just enough to make your lips stand out in a dimly lit room without feeling uncomfortable or sticky.
Ilia Beauty
Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil in Saint
Most days, I stick to my nude and brown shades, but every now and then, I go for a pop of color. Balmy gloss isthe perfect way to describe this Ilia lip oil. It glides like a balm but builds up to a high-shine gloss with every swipe, and the color payoff is incredible.
Summer Fridays
Lip Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige
I'd like to thank the TikTok algorithm for introducing me to my new everyday lip product. Despite being named a butter balm, this product has the shine of a lip gloss and thrives without the help of a top layer. I find myself applying this multiple times a day during the winter for extra hydration.
Tower 28 Beauty
ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly Gloss
Five-star reviews are hard to come by, so I take them as a sign to head to checkout. This lip-jelly gloss is buildable,moisturizing, and pigmented. The almond shade is the ultimate nude for deeper complexions.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Lip Gloss
If you're looking for an opaque gloss, this one is for you. It's long-lasting, it applies smoothly, and it doesn't leave any sticky residue. There's also a hint of glitter if you're going for a glam look.
Pat McGrath Labs
Lust Lip Gloss
This may be controversial, but I prefer a red gloss to a red lipstick. There's something so powerful about a bold and shiny look at an evening event. I can rely on this gloss for a full glam moment without the stress of having to constantly reapply or check my lips in the mirror.
Colourpop
So Juicy Plumping Gloss
They don't call this gloss "So Juicy" for nothing. My lips feel so plump and juicy after a quick application. I rarely use plumping glosses because they're often uncomfortable, but this cooling sensationis painless.
Nyx Professional Makeup
Butter Gloss in Madeleine
Caitie's review of this butter gloss is spot-on. You won't find a better gloss at this price point. "Ginger Snap" is my go-to shade for the fall and winter when I opt for darker makeup looks, but I turn to "Madeleine" in all seasons. Glide this over a brown lip liner, and you have the perfect nude lip.
K.Elizabeth
Icy Gloss
Are we surprised that TikTokinfluenced my beauty purchases once again? I stumbled upon this small biz andended up findingmy favorite clear lip gloss.It feels like a nourishing lip oil but looks like a juicy gloss, and it can be worn as the first and only or final step in my lip combo for the day.
PS: It smells amazing.
Next:Wait, Did I Just Solve the Lipstick + Mask Equation? Do This for Less Transfer
Aniyah Morinia
Associate Branded Content Editor
Aniyah Morinia is an NYC-based associate beauty and fashion editor at Who What Wear. She has worked in fashion media since 2018 and joined WWW's branded content team, where she not only writes for some of her favorite brands but also creates content for them. Aniyah will find any excuse to get a photo of her outfit and absolutely loves taking photos. She graduated from the University of Florida in 2020 with a bachlor's degree in public relations and started post-grad life freelancing for EveryStylishGirl, Riot Swim, and Baby Tress. Since starting at Who What Wear, Aniyah has developed a passion for hosting livestreams, working red carpets, and creating TikToks in addition to writing fashion and beauty stories. When Aniyah's not writing or creating content, you can find her exploring Brooklyn and eating her way through the city. She'll never pass up the opportunity to uncover an NYC hidden gem or mix and mingle with her friends (all while swapping holy-grail products, of course).
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