Love for the Lip Oils︱Lip Oil Product Review

First appearing in the limelight in 2020 with Dior's elusive Addict Lip Glow, lip oils are the trend of the summer with effortless hydration and shine.

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(Photo by Retha Ferguson / Pexels)

First appearing in the limelight in 2020 with Dior's elusive Addict Lip Glow and reincarnating as a sell-out Elf dupe, lip oils have staked their claims as the trend of the summer. Brands continue to debut their take on effortless hydration and shine, boasting je ne sais quoi for the perfect addition to your routine.

Whether I'm dressing up nice for church on Sundays or doing chores bare-faced around my apartment, lip oils are the elevated take of lip balms, and I love them. I'll layer a cherry red on before I leave for work and a sheer pink before hanging out with friends. I've even swiped on some before working out!

I've compiled a list of eight incarnations of lip oils and given my honest review of each.  I'll reveal my favorite at the end.

Clarins

Clarins Lip Comfort Lip Oils debuted in February 2015, five years before Dior's viral version dropped. Formulated with organic sweetbriar rose oil, organic jojoba oil, and hazelnut oil, the lip oil hydrates and plumps lips sans any tingling sensations. The slippy, not sticky product layers for a subtle shine or drippy lip with the oversized doe-foot applicator. Some shades,  like 02 Raspberry, apply more sheer, while others, like 05 Cherry, have a heavier tint. I've owned my bottle since the end of April, and with my near-daily applications, it's only half gone.

Clarins Lip Comfort Lip Oil is available in 10 shades (with varying levels of color payoff) at $30 per 0.2 oz. This product won Allure Best of Beauty (2023) and Modern Luxury Best Hydrating Lip Oil (2024). Purchase from Clarins USA.

E.L.F.

E.L.F. Glow Reviver Lip Oils debuted at Ulta Beauty last winter and quickly sold out across stores. Formulated with squalane, apricot oil, jojoba oil, and pomegranate oil, the product is slippy, not sticky. With a thick texture and artificial minty smell that disappears swiftly after application, E.L.F.'s lip oil has a slight cooling sensation. E.L.F. Glow Reviver Lip Oils feature a standard doe-foot applicator.

E.L.F. Glow Reviver Lip Oil is available in seven shades at $8 per .25 oz. Purchase from E.L.F. Cosmetics.

Fenty

Fenty Gloss Bomb Oil Luminizing Lip Oil 'N Gloss is a new product from Fenty's limited-edition summer line. Infused with shea butter, vitamin E, and hyaluronic filling spheres, this formula hydrates and plumps lips with no tingles. Slippy, not sticky, the lip oils feature a flattened applicator in contrast to the traditional doe-foot applicators found in other brands. The three shades have glitter add-ins with inconsistent texture. Fro$ted Bunz has a smooth, glossy texture, while $uperfine $uga has a gritty feel.

Fenty Gloss Bomb Oil Luminizing Lip Oil ‘N Gloss is available in three limited-edition shades at $26 per 0.3 oz bottle. Purchase from Fenty Beauty.

Kylie Cosmetics

Kylie Cosmetics Lip Oils joined the brand’s other lip option in October 2023 and never gained much traction. Formulated coconut oil and a lip-plump complex, this product works double-time to hydrate and plump lips with a soft tingling sensation. Each of the five shades features a strong artificial corresponding scent that fades after application. Still slippy, and not sticky, the oversized doe foot applicator does a disservice to the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Oils. The applicator-size-to-bottle-neck ratio leaves you struggling to remove it from the bottle and only dispenses a little product on the applicator’s tip. It is a struggle getting product out for a thick application.

Kylie Cosmetics Lip Oils are available in five scented shades at $25 per 0.2 oz. Purchase from Kylie Cosmetics.

R.E.M. Beauty

R.E.M. Beauty Essential Lip Drip Oils debuted with Ariana Grande’s cosmetic line in November 2021. One of the most swift successors of Dior’s lip oil, the Essential Lip Drip is a standard, if not slightly uninspired, version of this staple. Infused with coconut oil, these slippy, not sticky oils hydrate and soften lip lines with zero color payoff. Mint Condition has a minty scent, but the other three shades are scentless. The crowning jewel of the Essential Lip Drip is its unique applicator, equipped with a metal ball at its center that offers a refreshing cooling sensation during application and a pointed tip perfect for applying the product on Cupid’s bows. The applicator-size-to-bottle-neck ratio allows you to layer from a sheer shine to a drippy lip.

I have no strong feelings for or against the Essential Lip Drip Oils, but a coworker expressed they “weren’t giving,” and with no shade or scent, the same effect is achievable with coconut oil.

R.E.M. Beauty Essential Lip Drip Oils are available in four shades at $27 per 0.23 oz. Purchase from R.E.M Beauty.

Stila Heaven’s Dew Gel Lip Oil

Stila Heaven’s Dew Gel Lip Oils are the brand’s newest lip makeup addition, but I honestly didn’t know Stila carried lip oil until conducting research for this piece. Formulated with Meadowfoam, Black Cumin, and Jojoba seed oils, this nourishing gel lip oil has a thicker consistency while staying slippy, not sticky. The plush applicator dispenses product focused on its tip and two flattened sides, making it easier to layer the product. The most noteworthy feature of the Heaven’s Dew Gel Lip Oils is the glitter in five of the shades. There’s no gritty feel on the lips with the shade Galaxy, and the glitter addition adds sparkle to the lip oil’s shine. However, the shade Supernova features larger glitter flecks that are noticeable upon application.

A major qualm I have with Stila Heaven’s Dew Gel Lip Oils is the wasteful packaging. The bottle was larger than that of other brands while holding less product, and the applicator has a thick plastic handle that could’ve been scaled down.

Stila Heaven’s Dew Gel Lip Oils are available in six shades (five with glitter and one without) at $24 per 0.18 oz. Purchase from Stila.

Tarte

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Plumping Lip Oils joined the brand's extended Maracuja Juicy Collection this July. Formulated with over twenty ingredients, including maracuja oil, this lip oil boosts hydration and stimulates blood flow with a mildly intense tingling sensation. The "Pom Pom Power Plumper" applicator makes this iteration of the lip oil stand out from the rest. Maracuja Juicy Plumping Lip Oils feature a button-push mechanism that saturates the pom pom tip with the product. It can get messy if you push too much product into the applicator at once, but if used correctly, the tip distributes a light coat of lip oil. For heavier applications, press the sponge tip to your lips to squeeze out excess product.

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Plumping Lip Oils is available in over twenty shades (in shimmer or high-shine), at $26 per 0.091 oz applicator.  Purchase from Tarte Cosmetics.

Too Faced

Too Faced Kissing Jelly Lip Oils appeared on social media as early as December 2023 but were reviewed by #toofacedpartners on TikTok as recently as May 2024. Formulated with sunflower and jojoba seed oils, this vegan and cruelty-free lip oil promises 12-hour moisture to soothe fine lip lines. Each of the five shades features a sweet scent that is gone after application. Slippy, not sticky, the Kissing Jelly Lip Oils feature the best traditional doe foot applicator that focuses products on its center and tip, allowing for easy layering. Three of the Kissing Jelly Lip Oil shades have glitter. The shade Pina Colada, which I tried, didn’t have a gritty feel but a subtle sparkly shine. With a barely-there color payoff, this thicker formula applies seamlessly.

The one problem with the Kissing Jelly Lip Oils is the taste. The product features an artificial sweet taste that doesn’t fade after application. No other lip oil I’ve tried had any noticeable taste, but this product does, and I found myself wiping it off my lips rather quickly.

Too Faced Kissing Jelly Lip Oils are available in six shades (three with glitter and three without) at $22 per 0.15 oz. Purchase from Too Faced.

I've tried to remain impartial, but my forever favorite is Clarins Lip Comfort Lip Oils. I received 02 Raspberry for my twenty-first birthday from a beloved co-worker, and I've been obsessed since. I bought myself 05 Cherry a month later and switched off the shades daily. The subtle luxury of the bottle, with its silver cap, lends an air of simplicity and sophistication to its owner, and I don't see it leaving my collection any time soon.

Alia

(I am a retail employee of Ulta Beauty. All opinions and ideas are my own.)