The 12 Best Lip Glosses of 2023

Best Overall

Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Jelly Gloss

5

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There’s a reason this gloss has over 215.5K likes on Sephora: It’s that good. Touted as a lip jelly, this product serves up the shine of a gloss with the richness of a balm, meaning you can have the best of both worlds. Not only is it vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free, but it’s also formulated with five moisture-rich oils (apricot kernel oil, raspberry seed oil, rosehip oil, castor seed oil, and avocado oil) that help to revive dry, parched lips. Choose between 12 gorgeous semi-sheer shades if you want to give your natural lip color a pop or opt for a clear finish if you’re looking to add extra oomph to your everyday look. Some of the more neutral shades don’t impart much color, but they add a gorgeous sheen to lips. Oh, and did we mention how cute the packaging is?

"This is the only lip gloss I've ever finished multiple tubes of,” says Mary Honkus, Commerce Editor at InStyle. “I actually reach for this instead of lip balm because it's so hydrating — plus, it adds a juicy sheen and a nice pop of color to my lips. My favorite shade is Pistachio, a pinky nude."

Price at time of publish: $15

Shades: 13 | Key Ingredients: Apricot kernel oil, raspberry seed oil, and rosehip oil | Size: 0.13 fl oz

Best Value

Maybelline New York Lip Lifter Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid

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If Gigi Hadid uses this gloss, you know it’s bound to be good. The product, which has often been dubbed as a dupe for Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb, is not only ultra-shimmery — it’s also equally hydrating. The key ingredient is hyaluronic acid, which works overtime to plump and smooth lips as well as lock in moisture to prevent dryness. Due to the nourishing formula, lips look fuller after just one application. And, if you needed another reason to add this to your cart, this gloss smells almost identical to freshly baked vanilla cupcakes.

Aside from the mouthwatering scent and juicy texture, this drugstore favorite also comes in 20 shades, meaning it can complement a range of different skin tones. Try Pearl, which is an iridescent clear gloss, for a natural look, or opt for Rust if you want to give your pout a dose of rosy red color. Complete with a large doe-foot applicator, this gloss has the power to coat lips in one swipe. Pro tip: Pair it with your favorite matte lipstick to give your look a glitter-packed punch.

Price at time of publish: $10

Shades: 20 | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and coconut oil | Size: 0.18 fl oz

Best Splurge

TOM FORD Gloss Luxe Lip Gloss

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This glamorous, lightweight gloss by Tom Ford delivers a high-shine finish without sticky residue. How does it do that, you ask? Well, this opulent product gets the majority of its glassy finish from powerhouse ingredients like avocado, jojoba, and olive oil, meaning lips are sure to be luxuriously hydrated. What’s more is the lip gloss tube is a little heavier than most, giving it an air of sophistication.

One of the best things about this product is it goes on effortlessly over lipstick, so you can add a glassy glaze to your go-to matte formula in just one swipe. (If you really want to treat yourself, snag the TOM FORD Lip Color Lipstick to create a decadent lip duo.) If you choose to forgo lipstick, the gloss steps up to the plate, offering sheer-to-medium coverage, allowing you to build out the color as much or as little as you’d like. Though the glossy effect and color tend to fade when eating and drinking, we don’t mind because reapplying it provides lips with a burst of much-needed moisture.

Price at time of publish: $58

Shades: 10 | Key Ingredients: Daikon radish oil, chamomilla flower oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin E | Size: 0.24 fl oz

Best Plumping

Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss

4.7

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Looking for a less painful alternative to lip injections? This product by Dior gives lips a needle-free plumping effect after just one use. Made with hyaluronic acid and mallow flower extract, the gloss provides lips with both long-lasting nourishment and instant volume. One thing that we especially like is that it comes in ten different shades — eight that have a high-shine finish and two that are infused with glitter. The gloss is also extremely versatile and can be worn on its own, used as a primer for lipstick, or act as a shiny top coat.

In terms of plumping, this formula is less harsh than most, so it won’t make lips tingle as much as other brands might. (But, it still has that signature peppermint scent most plumping products are known for.) And, due to its volumizing effects, the product also has the ability to smooth out lip lines. If you prefer a super juicy finish, you’ll need to apply a few coats, but that’s not a deterrent for us.

For InStyle’s Senior Commerce Editor Shannon Bauer, the gloss has an added bonus. “You can apply this a million times a day but it's super natural and pretty, plus a little minty."

Price at time of publish: $38

Shades: 10 | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and mallow flower extract | Size: 0.2 fl oz

Best Shine

KIKO Milano Baseline 3D Hydra Lipgloss

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There’s a reason the hashtag ‘Kiko gloss’ has over 14.5 million views on TikTok, and that reason is plain and simple: The high shine of this product is undeniable. The texture of the gloss isn’t gooey or sticky, but it does have some substance to it that makes it a bit thicker than other glosses. Shade 20 (Chestnut) is a fan-favorite because it has the ability to bring out the natural color of lips while adding a subtle pink sheen, while Shade 001 (Clear) sells out quickly because of its glazed donut-like shine.

Kiko, the Italian cosmetics brand behind the gloss, prides itself on creating exceptional products with top-notch ingredients and rich formulas. And, considering this lippie clocks in at $12 a tube, we think it’s worth every penny to snag it in at least two shades. As for the icing on the cake, this gloss comes in a variety of finishes: shiny, transparent, highly pigmented, and — our personal favorite — pearly.

Price at time of publish: $12

Shades: 10 | Key Ingredients: African oil palm and cottonseed oil | Size: 0.22 fl oz

Best Natural

Glossier Lip Gloss

4.5

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Along with being one of Glossier’s top-rated products, this affordable gloss is also dermatologist-tested and boasts a slew of hydrating ingredients like vitamin E and jojoba oil. The nourishing, vegan formula leaves sticky lips in the past, meaning you can still achieve that Y2K glow without the tacky finish. What we love is that the gloss offers a low-key shine that gives lips the sort of sheen you might have after applying Vaseline, but if you opt for a colored shade, your pout will naturally pop.

The four shades (clear, holographic, red, and gold) all have unique characteristics about them, making each one just as alluring as the other. The clear is an everyday staple, which you can wear with a bare face, while the red is ideal for when you’re looking to bring out your natural lip color on a night out. The holographic hue is great for adding a little extra pizzazz to your look, while the gold shade has a shimmery shine that’s sure to bring in compliments. The best part: The gorgeous shine will last for hours.

Price at time of publish: $15

Shades: 4 | Key Ingredients: Vitamin E and jojoba oil | Size: 0.14 fl oz

Best Hydrating

Kaja Gloss Shot Hydrating Lip Gloss

4.9

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With the word “hydrating” in the name, you know it’s the real deal. Kaja, a K-beauty brand that was co-developed with Sephora in 2018, is known for creating products with high-quality formulas, ​​and when it comes to the Gloss Shot, it went above and beyond in that regard. Made with nourishing and hydrating ingredients like squalane, jojoba seed oil, and rosehip fruit oil, this gloss provides lips with long-lasting hydration and an unbeatable shine.

Oh, and did we mention the gorgeous shades? Fans can’t seem to get enough of the Milk Tea hue, which pairs well with a range of different complexions, while the Honey Dizzle is beloved for adding a dash of subtle color. We’ll end it with this: If your goal is to find a lip gloss that doubles down on hydration and shine, this product is a must.

Price at time of publish: $19

Shades: 4 | Key Ingredients: Squalane, jojoba seed oil, and rosehip fruit oil | Size: 0.14 fl oz

Best Clear

REFY Lip Gloss

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Refy – founded by model and influencer Jess Hunt – might be known for its laminating brow gel, but if you ask us, the lip gloss is a standout. Made with hyaluronic acid, this gloss feels just like a balm — due in part to its lightweight, non-stick formula. Better yet, it has a high-shine finish that glows like glass. Though it’s lightweight and can slide around lips, just a pea-size amount of the product will last all day, making reapplication a thing of the past.

Not to mention, this product also comes in recyclable packaging and offers more gloss than most other tubes. If you want to take things to the next level, try out the Refy Lip Collection, which includes the noteworthy dual-ended liner and setter (a creamy pencil on one end and a setting formula on another). Top it off with a coat of the gloss for best results.

Price at time of publish: $20

Shades: 1 | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, caprylyl glycol, and jojoba oil | Size: 0.44 fl oz

Best Glitter

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

4.9

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Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer has been a fan favorite from the moment it debuted. Not only does it provide lips with a gorgeous, reflective finish, but it also conditions and hydrates dry skin. On top of that, the shea butter-infused formula is not at all sticky or tacky, but it’s concentrated enough to stay on lips for hours. One thing that separates Fenty from the rest is the Instagram-worthy packaging. The short, transparent pentagon tube is paired with a shiny silver metallic top, making the gloss look just as good in your makeup bag as the formula does on your lips. Due to the XXL doe-foot applicator, one swipe is all you need to coat lips. Another major plus: The product offers an inclusive range of shades that complement different skin tones and complexions.

As someone who owns this beauty buff-approved gloss in three shades (Fenty Glow, FU$$Y, and $weet Mouth), I can boldly declare that this gloss is the one I reach for when I want a shine that’s unlike any other. The shimmery, glitter-infused formula makes my lips stand out, and when coupled with a pink lipstick and lip liner (usually Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Kit, which just so happens to be Amal Clooney’s go-to, too), it’s easily one of my favorite beauty looks.

Price at time of publish: $20

Shades: 7 | Key Ingredient: Shea butter | Size: 0.3 fl oz

Best Shade Range

BUXOM Cosmetics Full-On Plumping Lip Polish Gloss

4.3

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Looking for a gloss with a high-shine color payoff? Well, we have just the thing for you. This best-seller from Buxom has over 60 shades that differ in both hue and opacity. For Uribe, this product is an “absolute must-have” in his beauty kit. “This lip gloss comes in a variety of colors, and also plumps your lips to give you the perfect pout,” he explains. You can choose between countless shades (our favorites: Alexis if you want a twinkling pink glow or Emma if iridescent opal is more your vibe) and different finishes including high shine, pearlescent, shimmer, metallic, and glitter.

Uribe also notes that this gloss is “known for its long-lasting durability.” We attribute its staying power to the unique peptide complex as well as vitamins A and E, all of which help to hydrate lips from the inside out. Add this to your beauty rotation if you want a pigmented gloss that’ll let your natural lip color shine, while also adding that extra oomph you were looking for. Just make sure to wear it on its own rather than layering it over lipstick, because it can sometimes pill when mixed with other formulas.

Price at time of publish: $23

Shades: 67 | Key Ingredients: Vitamins A and E | Size: 0.15 fl oz

Best Longwear

BeautyCounter Beyond Gloss

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If you want a lightweight lip gloss that stays on for hours and offers ample hydration and shine, look no further than this BeautyCounter sensation. The formula is made with a unique blend of waxes (beeswax, candelilla wax, and organic carnauba wax), which help to seal moisture into lips as well as add a glimmering, glassy sheen that’ll stay put on your pout. Each of the 14 shades offers its own unique hue that clings to lips even while eating or drinking.

“BeautyCounter by far has some of the market’s best moisturizing and [hydrating] lip products,” Riley tells InStyle. Thanks to the nourishing ingredients, this gloss is able to keep lips from getting chapped, and thus keep the formula from drying out. “What’s important as well, is the fact that [BeautyCounter’s] ingredients are derived from shea butter [and] vanilla, while also containing elements of vitamin E and seed oils,” she adds. And, thanks to responsibly sourced vanilla, this gloss has a dreamy scent that makes lips extra kissable. If you don’t like the feel of sticky glosses, though, you may want to go with another option.

Price at time of publish: $32

Shades: 14 | Key Ingredients: Castor seed oil, soybean oil, and jojoba oil | Size: 0.18 fl oz

Best Pigmented

YSL Beauty GLOSSY STAIN

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Meet the perfect blend between a lip stain and a lip gloss. This YSL Beauty masterpiece fortifies lips with a lightweight, long-lasting color that melts into skin. Choose between bright red, blush pink, and dreamy fuschia shades for a bold lip color that’ll make your complexion pop. Although some stains require multiple coats, this luxe product just needs one. Long gone are the days of dry, crumbling color, and in are the days of a glassy, gotta-have-it glow.

With the same juicy formula as a gloss, and the bold, longwear power of a stain, this product is loved by Uribe. “Not only does the color last for hours on end, but the actual product lasts so long because of how great the pigment is,” he explains. “You do not need to reapply like most other tinted lip glosses. It goes on super smooth especially with the velvet wand applicator, that's on the wider side for full coverage.”

Price at time of publish: $38

Shades: 3 | Key Ingredients: Rosemary extract and carrot root extract | Size: 0.2 fl oz