If TikTok and Instagram are anything to go by, matte lips have completely disappeared off our feeds, replaced by a shiny new phenomenon: glossy lips. From the cult of Hailey Bieber who’ll hail the holy grail of glazed lips, to the k-beauty girlies with their glass skin and glassy pouts alike, plumped-up puckers seem to be the way to go these days. Granted, we did talk about the 90s resurgence of lip gloss all the way back in 2019, and how formulas then already promised deep hydration without icky stickiness — though we have to say, the class of 2024 seems to be doing all this and better.
Here’s the update. First off, new-generation formulas seem to have borrowed a thing or two from aesthetic procedures, giving rise to a new category of lip-plumping formulas that promise fuller pouts without the need for lip fillers; these often feel minty when on the lips, and may contain ingredients such as peppermint oil, capsaicin, proprietary technology, or even simply hyaluronic acid to create a smooth, filled-in appearance.
At the same time, it seems we’re no longer satisfied with last decade’s obsession with nude lip colours, preferring to, instead, play up the lips with tinted formulas. These go from weightless lip tints, no doubt a product of the k-beauty world, that give us a beautiful sheer wash of colour, to ultra-nourishing lip oils, new and improved lip glosses, and buttery lip balms that promise all glory and all shine. Ahead, we’re put together some of our favourite lipsticks, tints and balms — all in a bid to juice up ’em lips.
The Glowy Lip Plumpers
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm, $55 | Amuse Lip Fuller, $27 | Dior Addict Lip Maximizer, $61 | Kosas Wet Lip Oil, $35 | Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump Shimmer Glass, $42 | Fenty Gloss Bomb Heat Lip Luminizer + Plumper, $40 | Bobbi Brown Extra Plump Lip Serum, $38 | Dr Dennis Gross Plump + Repair Lip Treatment, $72.
The High-Shine Lip Glosses & Balms
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm, $28 | Ultra Violette Ultra Violette Sheen Screen™ SPF50 Lip Balm, $29 | GLINT Glow Lip Balm, $30 | Sisley Phyto-Lip Balm, $68 | Sulwhasoo Glowing Lip Balm, $52 | YSL Loveshine Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick, $63.
The Juicy Lip Tints & Tinted Lip Oils
rom&nd Glasting Color Gloss, USD18 | Clarins Lip Comfort Oil, $48 | Benefit Cosmetics Splashtint Dewy Lip Tint, $42 | Dasique Juicy Dewy Tint, $20.10 | Guerlain Kiss Kiss Bee Glow Oil, $64 | Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil, $33.
