LIP GLOSS
Lip glosses are increasingly popular and some formulations now so sophisticated and high tech, with more and more fringe benefits, that the blurb sounds a bit like rocket science. Lip gloss used to be a gloopy short cut to sticking hair to lips and that is still a bit of an issue with the glossiest glosses below. By their nature these products don't have a lot of staying power on the lips; our testers found that while most will get through a cup of coffee, they’re likely to disappear by the end of a meal, with the non-natural ones more likely to stay the course.
GOLD AWARD delilah Colour Gloss (Minx)
The brand calls this the Ultimate Shine Lip Gloss, and our testers were simply wowed! Not only is it super glossy but also it’s very moisturising – down to vitamin E and emollient oils (jojoba and olive) - and manages to stay longer than most others without being sticky. The formula is mostly lab made ingredients but also include a botanical ‘cellular activator’ to help lips regenerate and look younger, they say. It’s vegan and PETA certified, so animal lovers can be reassured. Several testers felt it made lips look plumper and fuller. Three testers gave it top marks, and only one panel member was a bit meh about it, but she didn't really like lip glosses. Six shades to choose from, of which our testers received Minx, which they all liked. Just to say also, that delilah has two more lip product Awards in Lipsticks and Lip Liner.
£23 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I wear every lip gloss on the planet. Never lipstick as they dry my lips. Without appearing over the top, this is THE BEST lip gloss I have ever owned. A thick gloss with solid colour coverage, which gives an instant colour pop on my first application I thought there was a slight tingling feeling, which went away very quickly. I can feel the soothing benefits of the Vitamin E, olive and jojoba oils. You can decide how much to apply on your lips. I've gone for the full amount this morning but you can dab a small amount on and spread with your finger. You get a lighter application of colour and shine but the softening effect on your lips is still evident. My hair isn't long enough to stretch to my lips so no problem there but I know I don't feel the tackiness that some thick lip glosses have’ • ‘I've thoroughly tested this lip gloss and it is phenomenal. Applied before my Aquafit class, and the colour and gloss were still there 45 wet minutes later. Coffee or food tends to take the gloss off but leave a buttery sheen on my lips. I have amazingly gone for 4 hours between applications and my lips are still soft’ • ‘ I get kissed more. My husband hates tacky "lippy" but doesn't shy away from delilah. Happy days!’ • ‘Absolutely essential for your life. They always say when the economy bombs women resort to lipsticks as an affordable boost. I think Delilah lip gloss should be available on the NHS’ • ‘Beautiful. Build in applicator, very easy to apply and not sticky at all. Lips felt soft and plump. Would last with a cuppa but not food. Fab product, easy to use and can go from day to night’ • ‘I love this product; I cannot say enough wonderful things about it. I will certainly replace it once this one is used and I will continue to recommend this to everyone I know! It's so difficult to find a product with a good amount of shine and pigment without any stickiness but this ticks all of the boxes. I have worn this gloss almost constantly since receiving it and have received so many compliments from friends and co-workers on how the gloss looks’ • ‘I found the gloss to be very moisturising during wear due to its balm-like properties. The moisturisation remained once the product had worn off, which is unusual with this kind of product’ • ‘My lips looked full and healthy when using the gloss. Any dry patches were smoothed over and masked effectively, which is very positive as I have previously found lip products of this type can highlight the situation and even exacerbate it. A friend, who I met for coffee, did say how lovely my make up looked and asked what the lip product was.’
£23 - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Tropic Lip Glaze (Pink Champagne)
Another Award for this super-sustainable British company’s lip glaze, as they call it. The formula is, they promise, non-sticky and ‘bursting with hydrating ingredients, creating that enviable 3D effect’. Ingredients include nourishing and hydrating vitamin E for that mwah! Mwah! pout. Rapeseed polymers form a protective layer, they explain, to fight pollutants and damaging free radicals. And then, guess what? Strawberry extract, which not only smells delish but helps keep, lips silky soft and stimulates collagen production (who knew?!). The shade Pink Champagne is a suits-all-skin tones dusty pink and there are eight others to choose from pale Iced Rose to deep winey Scarlet Shimmer.
£14 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Lovely glossy looking lip glaze. Who doesn’t love a nice lip gloss that isn't overly sticky and gives a nice moisturising effect to the lips? Easy to apply with the applicator and it has good staying power. Even when wearing off, still leaves an nice effect on the lips’ • ‘I'm sure this has a little sparkle added to it too for extra gorgeousness. Bonus points for being vegan friendly too’ • ‘Pleasantly surprised by this! Formula is gorgeous. It’s not at all like regular lip glosses- no stickiness in the slightest. More like a light, creamy, balmy texture that it left lips moisturised. The colour is lovely and shimmery. It disappeared pretty quickly after I had my tea but I absolutely love it and will definitely order again! ’ • ‘It wasn’t has sticky as other lip glosses which I really liked, my hair didn’t really stick to my lips which was a bonus. this felt better moisturisiing then other products I have used, my lips never felt dry and really enjoyed topping it up every hour throughout the day. I like wearing lip gloss as I don’t like wearing lipstick and I really liked the colour and texture of this product. I also really like the tube it comes in’ • ‘It's a plant based lip glaze/crème. It is moisturising/plumping, shiny and fairly long lasting. Easy to apply/reapply and smells nice. A little sticky but not to the extent my hair was over my face all day. It is quite moisturising. I normally apply lip balm first but could have gone with this straight. Without eating or drinking it lasts the most part of an afternoon’ • ‘Easy to swipe over my lips and quite glossy. Didn't dry my lips and lasted a few hours. Fine for the price’ • ‘It's glossy but not obvious, just a nice sheen. A friend said she liked the colour that day and had noticed the sheen’ • ‘I did like this pleasant product and the natural effect, with a nice sheen.’
£14 - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Urban Retreat Lip Gloss (Obsessed)
Unlike most similar products, this comes in a very glam rose gold airless pump dispenser, with an easy to clean metal applicator. And, while some testers called it ‘sparkly’, the brand calls the six shades shimmering and iridescent. The moisturising formula contains super nourishing shea butter, vitamin rich avocado oil for smoothness and suppleness and extract of the ‘Kiss Me Quick’ flower (Portuluca pilosa) to help improve the appearance and elasticity of lips and their contours.
£7.60 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘This is an excellent lip gloss to have in your handbag as it is very moisturising and the colour goes with everything. The initial appearance is that of subtle gloss, which is great as many, can appear too thick. I found the lip gloss to be moisturising. The gloss does stay on the lips after drinking coffee, with a little transferring to the cup. Often I would apply the gloss without looking in a mirror and you always got a sense that your lips were plumper’ • ‘Pretty and glam - glossy and rich looking. No sticking hair issues. Created an illusion of fullness due to the high shine’ • ‘I used the lip gloss straight from the built in applicator throughout the summer and it was an excellent product. In the heat of summer the applicator also has a cooling effect on the lips, which was welcome’ • ‘After the first application I thought this is not for me. But then I noticed how glossy and lovely my lips looked and I totally changed my mind. The more I used this lip gloss the more I loved it. The colour was great with a touch of sparkle. It feels rich on the lips and I was surprised how long the colour lasted’ • ‘Hair sticking to lip gloss has been the main reason for not using gloss, but with my newer shorter hair that's no longer an issue. However, with this non sticky product, I forgot I actually had gloss on. Nice container. I was pleasantly surprised that I quite liked the look and felt I looked younger with it. Feel it's better over lipstick. I may become a convert!’ • ‘I don't usually wear lip gloss, but as this one was so moisturising, I'd give it a try if I could get a colour without the sparkles. It lasted a lot longer than others I've tried’ • ‘Compliments on the colour of the gloss, which was glittery rose gold……the colour was a winner for me and it goes on nice and smoothly.’
£7.60 - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD & Other Stories Sheer Plumping Lip Gloss (Graceful Blush)
This cool Scandi brand, with a must visit store in London’s Covent Garden, is a one stop shop for clothes, accessories and also beauty products, as in this plumping lip gloss – and plump it did, according to our testers. The brand explains that actually it’s the smooth coat of colour combined with a brilliant high shine that creates the illusion of a fuller lip. Testers thought there might be a plumping ingredient, signified by the ‘little sting/tingle’ on application, and there is a cooling menthol derivative, which might contribute. (NB one tester found it was much more than a tingle, as she had an immediate sensitivity reaction each of the three times she tried it.) This divided testers right down the middle with half really, really loving it and the other testers not so much at all. It is sticky, they all said – but as one put it ‘smooth sticky...’ Three shades: Excellent Ruby, Buff Pink and Graceful Blush – the hint of a pink tint which our testers trialled. Very little natural about this that we could see from the long ingredient list – it is very nearly a Beauty Steal pricewise.
£13 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
’ • ‘I love this product - it’s easy to apply and made my lips look pouty and fuller. My lips are thin but with this product they had volume and looked even in texture and appearance, lips felt more moisturised and I feel happy using the product! Thank you’ • ‘I love this product - very easy to apply: I used straight from the tube and applied with the applicator, which was very easy to use; it gave a glossy appearance and pinky tone; it’s not very sticky so hair did not stick to it. Sank in quickly but left my lips moisturised; lips appeared fuller and plumper; my daughter said my lips looked fuller. The best lip plump ever!’ • ‘I now consider this a staple in my make up bag. I'm converted. If I put it on in the morning and don’t eat til lunch, I only reapply then. It did disappear, but didn’t feel dry. It tingles as soon as you put on your lips. It enhanced my own fullness and didn't look too fake. Instant wake up your face! ’ • ‘This is an easy to use, easy to wear, sheer light pink gloss. I would buy it because it is pretty and wearable rather than for lip plumping’ • ‘It would be great product for very hot country if you want to keep your lips ''cool''. Just tie up long hair though...’
£13 - click to buy