The 13 Best Lip Glosses That Look Nothing Like Their ’90s Counterparts
Chokers are a thing again; iridescent makeup looks mostly chic; and jelly sandals no longer look like a ridiculous attempt at a double-decade regression. Yep, everything old is new again, which is especially true in the beauty world. And lip glosses—you know, those tacky, sweet-smelling hair-ruiners of the ’90s—are back with a modern twist. And by modern, we mean they won’t make your accent braid stick to your lips should the wind pick up. They finally figured out how much we hate that.
Even better: The newer iterations—and no, we’re not talking about ones that come with a $10,000 price tag on eBay, cough, Kylie, cough— have hydrating ingredients to keep your lips moisturized and slick, not sticky. Ahead, the best lip glosses that’ll update your look—not set it back 20 years.
More like a shiny lip stain, this formula from L’Oreal is majorly smooth—not sticky.
L’Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Lip Color in Plum Adagio, $9.99; at L’Oreal
Not into the tackiness of glosses? This hydrating balm offers hydration and shine without the stick.
Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose Lip Tint, $24; at The Stell
As the name suggests, this highly pigmented tastes like a fruit smoothie.
Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Ramutan, $22; at Sephora
This thick, super-shiny gloss has blue micro pearls that are supposed to make your teeth look whiter—which it does if you really look hard—but we recommend wearing it over your favorite lip color instead.
The Estée Edit by Estée Lauder Flash Photo Gloss, $20; at Sephora
Sure, Pepto pink takes a bit of confidence to pull off, but this bubblegum shade looks good on every skin tone.
Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss, Pinkissimo, $7.99; at Drugstore.com
Wear it alone or on top of any other color, this gloss is packed with coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamin E for a non-tacky finish.
Ilia Lip Gloss in White Rabbit, $24; at Credo Beauty
Yes, there’s an insane price tag attached to this light-reflecting gloss, but the packaging is so damn sexy, it just about makes up for it.
Christian Louboutin Loubalique Lip Lacquer, $85; at Sephora
The next generation of Lipglass, this moisturizing gloss is sheer and buildable.
M.A.C. Cosmetics Mineralize Glass in Fashion Perk, $23; at M.A.C. Cosmetics
Can't get your hands on Kylie's Lip Kit? This NYX pick is pretty close to Dolce K.
NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Natural, $5; at Drugstore.com
First came the freak-out-your-friends, pH-reactive green-come-pink lipstick, and now, the glossy iteration is born.
Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lip Gloss, $25; at Ulta
Fun fact: Proceeds from sales of this sheer berry tint will benefit Project Ladybug for children in need.
Ramy Beauty Lip Gloss in Luck Be a Ladybug, $21; at Beauty.com
This nondrying cult-classic is as creamy as it is shiny.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Pastel Pink, $16; at Ulta
Yep, founder Theo Kogan did indeed name this blue-red stain-like gloss after the song by Heart.
Armour Beauty Smooth Barracuda, $24; at Armour Beauty
