Lipgloss Is So Back
After years of waxing and waning in popularity, lipgloss’s star is shining brighter than ever.
Ask any Gen Z or millennial makeup lover what their first beauty purchase was and they’ll probably answer “lipgloss.” The two generations (the former with their beloved collections of Bonne Bell Lip Smackers and Lancôme Juicy Tubes and the latter with their, well, plethora of options to choose from) are united by a “more is more” approach to shiny lips.
I vividly recall once swiping on so much gloss that it ran down my chin and collected in a little pool, looking disturbingly like a sparkly goatee (#corememory). But like all beauty trends, lips (literally) dripping in gloss moved out of the beauty zeitgeist while other lip textures and finishes became de rigueur.
Remember the matte-liquid-lipstick craze of 2016? Since its creation in the 1930s by Max Factor, lipgloss has intrigued us with its shine. It hit its stride in the 1970s, when icons like Cher and Donna Summer made it a must-have during their nights at Studio 54. Since then, it has experienced ebbs and flows in popularity over the past few decades, constantly battling it out with matte textures.
But over the past year, gloss has skyrocketed to its greatest heights yet. There are 209 million TikToks about lipgloss, with some creators posting regularly about it — their favourite formulas, brands and GRWM videos that focus solely on how to get the shiny look.
“Lipgloss has become a massive beauty moment on TikTok because it’s an easy and affordable item that anyone can try,” says Vanessa Craft, global head of content partnerships for TikTok. “This product has become a real focal point for content creation, making it a cultural phenomenon that transcends traditional retail boundaries.”
In the beauty landscape, glosses (along with new subcategories like oils, glazes, treatments and masks) check multiple boxes, which could help explain the category’s devoted following and viral status. It’s available in a wide range of pricepoints — drugstore brand Nyx sells its viral Fat Oil Lip Drip for $12, while more prestige offerings, like Dior’s cult-fave Lip Glow Oil, will cost you $54.
Application-wise, gloss is decidedly low maintenance and requires little skill — unlike eyeshadow palettes and contour sticks, which demand practice and patience. “It doesn’t take a makeup artist or a professional to learn how to apply gloss, and you can see results instantly so it gives you a sense of immediate gratification,” says Mae Karwowski, CEO and founder of Obviously, an influencer marketing agency and technology platform based in New York.
The lipstick index — the notion that cosmetics sales go up during times of economic downturn — could also be at play, as Gen Z and millennials grapple with the staggering (and still rising) cost of living. Treating yourself to a new lip oil is an affordable little luxury.
Our culture’s fascination with lips has been ongoing for years now, and the popularity of gloss is just another avenue to feed into that fixation, with social media playing a key role. “Trends like the ‘Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge’ and the ‘Lip Gloss Tactic’ on TikTok have gone viral and encouraged viewers to experiment with different lipgloss looks,” says Karwowski. The Lip Gloss Tactic is a hook that creators use to increase their videos’ engagement and involves simply holding or applying lipgloss at the beginning of a video to grab viewers’ attention.
It’s an approach that TikToker Sam Talu, a self-proclaimed lipgloss connoisseur based in Mississauga, Ont., has used in her beauty videos for her over two million followers. “Watching creators apply gloss is like a mini dopamine rush,” says Talu, who is known for her GRWM videos and creative makeup looks. “And pairing it with a bold liner? It’s like flipping the viral switch — instant engagement boost.”
Talu was firmly in the matte-lip camp until she borrowed a friend’s MAC lipgloss — it was nothing short of a revelation, she says. “Now, I’m a full-blown gloss addict,” says the content creator, who boasts a personal collection of over 100 lipglosses. (She lists Summer Fridays, Kiko Milano and Lawless as her favourites.)
The sharp rise of lipgloss has not only brought more eyeballs to online content but also helped some beauty brands navigate the ever-growing lip category. “Lipgloss was the most-requested product from our community,” says Laney Crowell, founder and CEO of Saie. The brand worked on its now-viral Glossybounce formula for nearly two years before its launch, and all the chatter about lip products online helped the company perfect its formula.
“Social media didn’t dictate when we launched, but the landscape did help us understand that the market was missing a perfect mix between lipgloss, lip oil and balm,” says Crowell. When Glossybounce hit shelves in August 2023, it was an instant success. “In the first month, we saw over 21 million impressions from our influencer community using the gloss, and it’s currently the highest-engaged content on our social channels,” she shares.
And it’s not just Saie that is seeing a spike in gloss sales. Kaylee Lieffers, co-founder and CEO of Blanka, a private-label customizable beauty supplier, says that 30 per cent of Blanka’s merchants sell lipgloss: “It’s been our #1 bestselling product for a while.”
And these are not your sticky glosses of the early aughts. Gone are the days of choosing between pink glitter and clear. Brands now offer a more inclusive range of colours — from deep browns to berry shades to corals—that flatter all skin tones.
“What was once a simple lip product has matured over the years to encompass a wide array of formulations and benefits, from lip oils to masks to plumping treatments and more,” says Karwowski. Most glosses now contain the same ingredients that have top billing in your morning serum, like hyaluronic acid, seed oils and squalane to hydrate, soften and lock in moisture.
But while new oil and serum formulas certainly don’t attract (and trap) long hair like the bulletproof glosses of our youth, don’t have the sickeningly sweet aroma of a mystery candy gloss found at the bottom of a backpack or leave behind a gloopy residue between our top and bottom lip (IYKYK), there’s something about swiping on a lipgloss that takes us right back to those carefree ultra-shiny days.
Shine On
These lip enhancers deliver shimmer to spare and a baby-soft, pillowy pout.
Saie Glossybounce High Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss Oil in Play
With a formula that combines coconut and castor oils for a non-sticky feel and long-lasting shine, it’s no wonder one tube of this gloss-oil hybrid sells every 90 seconds.
Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil in Rosewood Nights
Available in four neutral shades, this oil feels silky smooth on the lips while delivering moisture, shine and a hint of tint.
NYX Cosmetics Fat Oil Lip Drip in Follow Back
One of the first lip products to kick off the viral gloss trend, this oil is packed with raspberry and cloudberry oils, plus it comes with a souped up doe foot for easy application.
Armani Prisma Glass Lip Gloss in in 07 Nude Halo
Formulated with 15% plant-based squalane, this luxe lippie combines the shine of a gloss with the nourishing properties of an oil for 24-hours of moisturizing wear.
Dior Lip Glow Oil in Cherry
With over 32,000 posts devoted to this lip oil on TikTok, it’s safe to say it’s now garnered cult-like status thanks to its mirror-like shine and juicy finish.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in Fuchsia Flex
This gloss gets you hooked with its next-level shine (and just-right dose of sparkle) while its peach-vanilla scent keeps you coming back for more.
Tower 28 Beauty LipSoftie Hydrating Tinted Lip Treatment Balm in Watermelon Kiwi
Formulated with sensitive, easily irritated lips in mind, this fragrance-free mask provides a subtle tint and a heavy dose of hydration.
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