Matte lips may be all the rage these last couple of years but not everyone loves the look. Thankfully, glossy lips are making a comeback this year – lips drenched in varying degrees of shine and shimmer. And unlike the ones of the past, today’s lip glosses give your lips shine without any stickiness. Most importantly, it helps you create a juicy pout that looks healthy and oh-so-kissable, and that goes with almost any look too.
Here are eight lippies, from tinted lip balms to high-shine lip lacquers, that you should include in your makeup kit:
If you’re looking for an ultra-glossy balm that gives lips a sheer pop of colour, this is it.
It glides really easily over the lips, giving them a nice shine. It also hydrates the lips instantly with the help of rose and cherry fruit extracts.
However, because of the emollient oils, applying too much can result in the balm migrating outside of the lips. I prefer to wear this at home because it’s subtle enough to wear anytime, any day and it keeps my lips nice and supple too.
Comes in four shades. Available at Chantecaille counters at Takashimaya D. S. and Tangs at Tangs Plaza.
A lipstick-balm hybrid, it not only promises to deliver up to eight hours of shine, but also keeps lips well-hydrated, as the formula contains aloe vera.
Its balm-like texture makes application a breeze and it feels super nourishing on the lips. There’s a decent colour payoff and because the colour isn’t too intense, it’s really easy to wear.
I prefer this for video calls because it not only conditions my lips but gives it a pop of colour to brighten my complexion.
Comes in eight new shades. Available at Dior Beauty boutique and counters.
Just one coat delivers vivid colour and an intense glassy finish because of the high level of pigments and dyes in its formula. It also contains a cellulose derivative that creates a light-reflecting film that gives a dazzling shine.
This is very comfortable on the lips, and the buildable colour allows you to give lips a medium to intense finish. With just one application, the shine isn’t very bright, but with two to three coats, the shine really comes through.
But what I like is the stain of colour it leaves behind after the shine disappears. In fact, after I’m done with my video call and heading to dinner with friends, I re-apply the lip lacquer, then lightly dab away the shine so that I can wear the lippie with my mask when I go out as it’s quite budge-proof.
Comes in 10 shades. Available at Tangs at Tangs Plaza, www.tangs.com and www.isetan.com.sg.
A tinted lip balm that comforts and nourishes lips; it contains vitamin E and moringa butter.
It gives lips a hint of colour that’s obvious enough to make you look like you’re wearing something, and there’s a soft shine. The coral hue is also really flattering on most skin tones, and it’s surprisingly ideal for wearing under your mask because the colour is rather long-lasting and doesn’t transfer easily.
Available at Chanel Beauty boutiques and counters.
Fans of the original Lip Comfort Oil will want to get their hands on this. In addition to the use of organic cranberry oil, jojoba and hazelnut extracts to nourish lips, keeping them smooth, this version comes with intense colour pigments to give lips beautiful colour.
Unlike the Lip Comfort Oil, the shine on the Intense version is toned down, although still visible. It’s a good balance of both colour and shine. My dry lips were instantly quenched and felt so soft, even after the colour and shine disappeared.
To wear it under your mask, just make sure that there’s enough space between your lips and the mask because the colour may rub off.
Comes in eight shades. Available at Clarins boutiques and selected counters.
Instead of heavy oils and waxes, this formula uses a unique Dual Gel complex, shea butter and reflective pearls to give long-lasting hydration and a mirror-like shine finish.
Worn alone, it leaves a subtle hint of colour and shimmer on the lips. But layered over your fave lip colour, it helps boost the colour and shine instantly – definitely my preferred way of using this.
More importantly, despite its ultra-glossy shine, it doesn’t bleed or migrate out of the lip line. If you want to wear this out to a dinner date, just bring it along so you can add the shine after you remove your mask.
Comes in 10 shades. Available at Shiseido counters.
A coral and gold pearl-infused gloss, it contains water-absorbing molecules to give lips a fuller pout upon application.
When applied on its own, the colour is quite sheer and comes with a subtle shimmer. So it’ll look equally pretty over your favourite lip colour.
And unlike most glosses, this doesn’t have that tacky finish. Plus, it doesn’t migrate southwards either. Since the shine isn’t very gooey, it makes it a winner for mask wear.
Available at Nars boutique and counters, and Sephora stores.
Glossy shine and high colour pay-off to give lips a bright pop of colour.
It feels like a balm with a subtle shine, yet also delivers long-lasting colour, which makes it easy to wear throughout the day. When applied in a tapping/dabbing motion, it gives lips a soft hue that can be paired with mask-wear.
Comes in three shades. Available at Shu Uemura boutique and counters.
