Balms & Glosses for Plump, Nourished Lips

Let me set the stage: I hate lip glosses that don’t actually do anything to improve the hydration of your lips. You know the type I’m talking about. After applying it, your lips feel even drier somehow?

I’m all for a good-looking lip! Don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think you have to sacrifice appearance for hydration and vice versa.

I’ve tried a wide-range of lip balms and glosses, and these three are consistently in my rotation. They’re my daily drivers that I choose based on various factors of the day: outfit tones, space in my pocket, and ability to use a applicator.

And yes, men can (and should) wear glossy lip products. Because it adds some visual interest to your face! And no, you don’t have to do a full face of makeup to enjoy the benefits of a gloss!

And most importantly, these can all be found at Sephora, so they’ll be 20% off (if you’re Rouge) during their spring sale.

Summer Fridays: Lip Butter Balm (Brown Sugar)

This has been a staple for so many people’s routines. And for good reason.

Why is it good?

It’s no secret that I am a Summer Fridays stan, from the ShadeDrops SPF I use daily to the Dream Oasis Hydration Serum to the Lip Butter Balm. The Lip Butter Balm definitely did not disappoint.

Texture

It’s a pretty thick balm, which makes it really nourishing, especially when you apply it in the morning. I often find that even when I bring a gloss with me throughout the day, I like to start the day off with a layer of this lip balm first.

shade range

There are so many available shades (and corresponding scents). I love how fun it is to give a sheer wash of color to your lips. And it’s always actually visible on the lips too! There’s truly something in the lineup for everyone. Even if you don’t like color, there’s vanilla (which is basically white/beige) and mint (which has no pigment).

ingredients

Shea butter and murumuru butter are going to help moisturize your lips (which is so crucial!). For an extra bit of hydration, there’s sodium hyaluronate in it too. And it also has tocopherol to help soothe your lips. The rest of the ingredients are mostly functional to give some structure and body to the balm. But of course, waxes and oils also contribute to moisturizing the lips too!

Also worth mentioning here that a lot of people talk about the silicone applicator getting mushy after using the product for a while. I haven’t noticed a significant change in the rigidity of the applicator. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t changed… It just means it’s nothing that I would actively call out.

When do you use it?

The shade of brown sugar really matches the color of my natural lips pretty well. I feel like it helps add a little more dimension to them and gives it a subtle wine color. I’ll bring this around with me when I have a more “elegant” styled outfit. Or when I am wearing more dark colors/all black.

I’ll also choose to bring the Lip Butter Balm with me when I know I won’t be able to apply my lip product with two hands (to hold the applicator etc). It’s also much easier for me to apply lip balm from a tube without a mirror/phone camera, so I keep that in mind too!

Who wouldn’t like it?

If you like a smaller form factor, this is not for you. The tube is really rather large.

If you don’t like any fragrance, this is not for you. I believe that each of the shades are fragranced, so if your lips are super sensitive or you just don’t like to have scents close to your nose, this probably is not for you.

If you don’t like applying products from a tube, this is not for you.

Where to buy it

It’s available at Sephora as well as the Summer Fridays website ($24 for 15g). Side note: the Summer Fridays website has a subscribe and save option for 15% off. But this is the most expensive product of the three on this list.

Tower28: ShineOn Lip Jelly (Oat)

I always need to support Asian-woman-owned brands and Tower28 really does the damn trick for multiple products in my routine.

Why is it good?

Initially, I was sold on this because almost all of my friends have said such great things about it. So I knew I had to try it. And I also liked using it!

texture

This lip gloss is a little on the stickier side than the other two in the list. But it is also very sheer, as it works down to a very thin layer on the lips. And just a heads up that if you store this product in your pocket, it will get a little bit more liquidy than it would at room temperature. And when you take the wand out of the tube, it does have “strings” of product that get pulled off onto the wiper.

Application is super easy and it glides over your lips. However, since it is a pretty thin product, you do see the pigments emphasize the lip lines that everyone naturally has. So it visually emphasizes the texture of your lips.

I did find that when you drink water with this lip gloss on, it does make a white film on the glass. Not ideal, but it’s also not the end of the world.

shade range

I appreciate that there’s a “milky” and “glossy” range. Oat technically falls within the “milky” lineup, but I found that it is also pretty glossy too. I think the designation is more about the opacity when you see it in tube, more than the actual finish of the product on your lips.

Oat, which is lighter than my natural lip color, does have enough pigment in it to lighten your lips akin to a lipstick. But I actually appreciate the lighter wash of color.

The shade range has your berries, your pinks, your neutrals, and your clears. So whatever you need, you’ll likely be able to find it.

ingredients

Beyond the functional ingredients, there are a lot of plant extracts and oils in it: avocado, rosemary, rice, castor, apricot. They don’t really mention what the benefits are of their specific extracts, but it’s definitely a nice addition to have. I do believe that a majority of the moisturizing from this product is going to come from the plant oils in it. There’s also tocopherol, which will help as an antioxidant and with soothing.

When do you use it?

I reach for this product when I know I’ll be able to sit down in front of my phone to apply the product. I find it hard to use this wand without a mirror/camera because it is so long. I also choose this when my outfit is more casual and skews on the lighter side: light-wash denim, white tee, beige sweater, etc. I think the lip color of Oat pairs so well with that type of styling.

Because this product packaging is pretty tall, I also will try to bring a small handbag with me when I use this lip gloss. It’s hard for me to keep it in my pockets because I’m also carrying a million other things. So a bag of some sort is usually necessary with this.

Who wouldn’t like it?

If you’re worried about your lip texture, I would not recommend this product for you. It will likely emphasize those lines.

If you don’t like even slightly sticky products on your lip, this is not for you. You can definitely feel it on your lips as you move them around.

If you prefer tube formats, this is not the product for you. The wand definitely takes more effort and coordination to get it done.

Where to buy it

It’s available at Sephora and Credo as well as the Tower28 website ($16 for 3.9 ml). Side note: the Tower28 website has a subscribe and save option for 10% off.

And if you stop by Credo, don’t forget to bring in your empties for free products!

Kaja Beauty: Juicy Glass Lip Oil (Grape Glowtini)

Kaja isn’t always an immediate winner for me with their launches. However, this lip oil won me over with its great line of fragrances and excellent feel on the lip.

Why is it good?

The main defining trait about the Kaja Beauty Lip Oil is that it helps minimize your lips’ natural texture (i.e. wrinkles, volume, etc). The formula itself has such a strong body to it that it fills in those creases and leaves a very uniform surface over your lips.

texture

This is a plumping lip oil, so it has a little bit of menthol in it. Just menthol though, so it is not the entire icy hot feeling you’d get with other lip plumpers. This lip oil also spreads really evenly and easily. I also like using this as a daily driver because reapplication does not create issues with eating, drinking, or wiping with napkins. There’s really not that much pigment on your lips so you don’t get much of a transfer.

And importantly, you do not get any “white spots” on your glass when you drink water.

shade range

I’m not going to lie here… The shade range is fun, but functionally speaking, they end up being the same shade: clear. The pigment load in this is almost nonexistent. The differences between shades is definitely noticeable in the fragrances. But beyond that, you won’t notice a difference on your lip. And that works great for some people and not for others. To each their own!

ingredients

Each of the shades/fragrances feature fruit tree oils that are specific to the scents. The Grape Glowtini has grape seed oil in it. It also has jojoba oil in it, plus a wide range of plant extracts: aloe, eggplant, turmeric, etc. It’s nice that even though this is “just a lip product,” they still included a wide range of extracts that would (presumably) have actives in it.

When do you use it?

I really like the Kaja Lip Oil with any outfit to be honest. It works with casual and dressy looks. However, it does feel kind of childish to bring it out at a nicer restaurant and reapply. The little plastic heart in the cap, while extremely cute and iconic, makes it feel like a child’s toy.

Since the color of it is essentially clear, I don’t really follow a strict guide of which outfits this will go with or not. It just simply goes with everything.

I also can carry this in my pocket or in a bag because the size of it is much more forgiving than the Tower28 ShineOn.

Who wouldn’t like it?

If you don’t like menthol in your lip products, this is not for you.

If you don’t like fragranced products, this is not for you.

If you don’t want a little plastic heart clinking in your cap, this is not for you.

Where to buy it

It’s available at Sephora as well as Amazon ($18 for 4 ml).

A Lip Product for Every Occasion

I’m a firm believer that you do not need a special reason to dress up or do your makeup. You should always do what makes you feel your best. And that can be as simple as a nice lip product everyday to elevate your look, easily.

Each of these three lip products have been winners for me, and I actively reach for them every week in a rotation of sorts.

If you’d like to shop these during the Sephora sale, you can get 10-20% off depending on your tier!





* Note that the links here may include affiliate links, which cost no money to you but help this blog stay running.