Offering a hit of nourishment and providing a nice shiny finish, the best lip oils have well and truly taken over – in no small part thanks to TikTok. A call to the 00s resurgence, these little tubes arguably now rival the best lip balms in terms of popularity. So, why have they become such a huge trend in 2023?
“Lip oils are a fantastic way to invest in the ‘skincare-makeup’ hybrid movement,” says makeup artist Andrew Denton of Premier Hair and Makeup. “During the pandemic, the shift towards ‘self-care’ through the use of cosmetics created a trend for our post-pandemic world in that people are now reaching for makeup products that also benefit the skin over time – and I think lip oils definitely fall into that category. There are so many oils that are infused with fantastic ingredients to improve the quality of the lip that add beautiful sheen and colour, too.”
Not only that, but these little tubes are seriously versatile and can be worn alone or layered over the best long-lasting lipstick to create a shinier finish. We’ve surely convinced you now that they’re a beauty buy that’s worth trying, so our contributing beauty editor (herself a recent lip oil convert) has reviewed the top buys in this guide to help you find your perfect formula and shade.
Andrew Denton is an established makeup artist who has worked with famous faces including Cate Blanchett, Claudia Schiffer and Lady Amelia Spencer.
Our expert tested lots of lip oils to compile this guide to the best
The best lip oils, reviewed by a beauty editor
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Don't be fooled by the pigmented appearance of these lip oils; we found that they provide a gorgeous glaze of juicy colour for a lovely look. The chic packaging houses a formula that's loaded with plant oils for a real hit of nourishment. There are 10 shades to choose from, a generous selection that ensures there's something to suit everyone (although no clear option, so look to Nyx Professional Makeup, Charlotte Tilbury, or Revolution if that's what you're after).
As for what they're like to wear? There's no stickiness here, with the formula sitting comfortably on our lips while we wore it and the hint of colour lasting fairly nicely. Our lips felt noticeably softer after just one day of using it, and it's a lip oil our tester will definitely be returning to. A great all-rounder that we're sure won't disappoint you if it's your first entry into the lip oil world!
This lip oil from Nyx Professional Makeup is a relative newcomer to the beauty market – barely a few months old, in fact – but, boy, does it deliver. The first thing that struck us was how thick the formula is; it really coated our lips in shiny moisture, no doubt contributing to the promise of 12-hour hydration with its two types of berry oils.
We tested the clear option, shade "My Main", but there are eight different inclusive options here to ensure there's something for everyone. If we are being super picky, the formula is ever so slightly sticky and will be too thick for some preferences. But you really can't argue with its value for money, and it's a great entry option for those who want a quality product that costs less than a tenner.
Ah, Dior's Lip Glow. This cult product probably needs no introduction and is easily one of TikTok's most viral beauty buys. But for those who aren't in the know, this is the lip gloss-oil answer to the brand's iconic lip balm of the same name and has a pretty, high-shine finish. In terms of its key ingredients, here cherry oil is the moisturising star of the show that imparts a lovely softness.
Our tester found it so comfortable to wear and that it felt undoubtedly luxurious both in terms of packaging and application – something that is reflected in its £32 / $40 price tag – and, looks-wise, we loved the sheer wash of colour. We tested shade 001 Pink, but there are eight flattering options to choose from, including clear, that span a broad range. Clearly, it's a luxurious icon for multiple reasons.
Beekeeping is at the heart of Gisou, a brand that you'd be forgiven for thinking has been around for longer than eight years, given how well-loved its honey-infused products are. As seen in many a social media flat lay, this is like the lip oil equivalent to the famous Honey-Infused Hair Oil – a rich formula that's packed with the brand's Mirsaleh honey and bee garden oil blend, plus hyaluronic acid for a hydrating hit.
As a result of its nourishing ingredients list, the Honey-Infused Lip Oil has a nice, thick consistency that is extremely moisturising; while it's suitable for everybody, because of this we think dry lips in particular will get on well with it, and it's one that we'll be relying on during the winter months, too. Plus, let's take a moment for the packaging...
This lip oil really lives up to its name because we found it to be truly slick. Few others that we tested compared to the way that it glides across the lips with a wet-look finish, and, crucially, its wear is completely non-sticky. The Gelées are the more sheer option of the two Shade Slick formulas (the other being "The Classics"), with four light tints to choose from, which we found created a kind of glazed doughnut look.
As is the key to a cracking lip oil, it's loaded with nourishing ingredients like plant oils, squalane, and shea butter. But the real USP here is the "blooming pigment", which works with your natural pH to leave a subtle stain on your lips. Honestly, it's difficult for us to fault it, but if we are being super picky, it'd be great for there to be as many shade options as The Classics, which features double the number in its line-up (and that really is being picky!).
Swatch of the Merit Shade Slick Gelee Tinted Lip Oil in Jeté
The lip oil counterpart to Charlotte's Magic Crystal Elixir Serum, this little tube promises to do it all: smooth, hydrate, and moisturise, thanks to its combination of plant extracts and hyaluronic acid. It also promises to plump the lips over time and, while the results aren't quite as dramatic as using one of best lip plumpers, nor have we used it long enough to report back on the claim that it can reduce the look of lip lines, it's a nice added benefit to the formula.
There's actually a very simple way that this luxurious oil stands out from every other product featured in our guide – its roller ball applicator, which makes it even easier to use on-the-go sans mirror than the traditional doe foot. Ms Tilbury has done it again!
If fun and fruity is what you'd like from your new lip oil, high street favourite Milani delivers on that front with its aptly named Fruit Fetish collection. These juicy lip oils are available in four different colour options – Strawberry Melon, Cherry Lime, Raspberry Peach, and (the shade we tested) Passionfruit Coconut.
Sweet-smelling formula aside, we found this lip oil to be extremely comfortable, not sticky, and felt quite lightweight, all of which were pluses. It's not the most moisturising in our best lip oils guide by any means, but still delivers a nice little hit of nourishment, and our tester did think it was up there with the best given its affordable price tag. However, if you'd prefer something decidedly less scented, you'll probably get on better with a lip oil from NYX Professional Makeup or Gisou.
In our opinion, Rare Beauty, founded by Selena Gomez, is easily one of the most popular celebrity beauty brands in existence, and this is the lip oil for you if you want something that's a bit closer to a liquid lipstick in terms of colour payoff. The finish is also not at all tacky, and we loved the high-shine, almost vinyl-like look it imparted on our lips.
Like Merit, it also leaves behind a bit of a stain for a longer-lasting effect, though it is far more pigmented as you can see from our tester's image below. We recommend pairing it with your best lip liner for a defined look. Our only criticism is that, at just 3ml, it is a fairly small product, but we're willing to let that slide for such a quality buy.
Revolution's affordable beauty buys are often the talk of TikTok, so it's not hugely surprising that they also have a great lip oil in their line-up. We found this very fluid formula a dream to use, both in terms of its texture (very lightweight) and its results (very hydrating), while the tint is very, very subtle.
Our tester liked the noticeable cherry scent, too, which appears across all three shades of this lip oil – though, as with Milani and Fenty Skin's offerings, this won't appeal to those who prefer their lip products to be unfragranced. All in all, though, we deem it a nice purse-friendly option for those who don't want their new lip oil to cost the earth.
Another cherry-packed formula (we're talking cherry seed oil and extracts of two types of cherries for an antioxidant hit) this time from singer-turned-beauty mogul Rihanna's eponymous skincare brand, Fenty Skin. We found that the scent of cherries is most definitely there, too, so do bear that in mind if you're not keen on scented formulas.
As for how it performed? Our tester also noticed that some dryness was nixed after the first use, with that softness improving with wear – meaning we're confident that it'll definitely work wonders come winter, too. All in all, it's another crowd pleaser from the Fenty beauty empire.
A brand that only touched down on UK shores this year – but that's been making waves in the States since 2015 – the first thing we noticed about Kosas' much-loved Wet Lip Oil Gloss formula is that it's nice and pigmented. We really recommend it if you're looking for a formula with a significant amount of tint to it, and it works well as the finishing touch to any look with its subtle plumping effect.
In our experience, another plus to this formula is that it does exactly what it says on the tin, providing a great wet-look shine, and it leaves lips feeling nice and soft – no doubt down to the hydrating hyaluronic acid and plumping peptides in the formula. As its name suggests, it is a kind of oil-gloss hybrid, which does mean that it's ever so slightly sticky, though not to an irritating degree and lip gloss fans probably won't notice it. A brilliant all-rounder.
A balmy-oil hybrid, the first thing that struck us about this lip oil before we'd even unscrewed the lid was that it's serious value for money – you'll notice that it's the largest one in our best lip oils round-up but doesn't have a particularly large price tag. (This exact product isn't available at Sephora US, though the Clean Glossy Lip Oil for $12 has comparable specs.)
When it came down to the actual testing, we were still impressed. It imparts a lovely amount of colour – we tested the reddish shade, Vibrant Poppy, below – that stays put for a good amount of time with a really nourishing feel. We did notice the slightest amount of stickiness but, all in all, there's no arguing with great value for money for a nice nourishing balm-oil. And we do love a bargain...
How we tested the best lip oils
To ensure that our curated edit truly featured the very best lip oils, our expert beauty tester ensured that she tried a range of products at all price points, from high-street buys costing less than £10 / $10 to those found at the counters of luxurious department stores. During the testing process, all of the following factors were taken into account when she assessed each lip oil:
- Packaging and applicator
- How it looked and felt upon application
- How it wore
- Number of shade options available
- How pigmented the formula was, if applicable
- Inclusion of any scent
- Price
How to choose the best lip oils
- Tint or no tint? Do you want your lip oil to simply add nourishment and shine, or to add a wash of colour or subtle stain for an understated answer to the best red lipstick? There are brilliant options on the market that tick both boxes.
- Key ingredients: Lip oils are designed to be nourishing, so expect to see at least one conditioning oil on the ingredients list, but other notable hydrating ingredients to look out for include hyaluronic acid, squalane, and vitamin E.
- Price: Have an idea of how much you'd like to spend before you start browsing. There are plenty of lovely, luxurious lip oils on the market, but if your budget doesn't stretch, there are some excellent bargain buys out there, too.
- Dispensation: It's mostly about the product inside, of course, but that doesn't mean that packaging isn't important. Consider whether you'd prefer your oil to come in a squeezy tube or classic doe foot applicator.
FAQ
Is lip oil better than lip balm?
It’s not that one is necessarily “better” than the other, but rather that these two makeup bag staples achieve different things. “Lip oils are made from natural oils that penetrate deep into the surface of the lips that enhance hydration over a longer period of time, unlike lip balm, which tends to coat the lips due to the wax properties found in most formulations,” explains Denton. They are also quite different to lip gloss: “Oils and glosses differ in the fact that, even though both products will impart a gorgeous texture to the lip, a gloss will have a thicker consistency than that of an oil without the moisturising benefits," he adds.
Can I use lip oil every day?
Just as with your best pink lipstick, the answer is a resounding yes! “You can absolutely use a lip oil every day and, due to the deep moisturising properties, you’ll find you won’t need to apply as frequently as you would a lip gloss or lip balm,” Denton confirms.
What's the best way to wear lip oil?
As well as applying it as-is from the tube, there are a couple of different ways you can use your shiny new lip oil. “You can use oils alone, under or above lipstick, too,” suggests Denton. “If you plan on using lipstick on top, apply the lip oil at the start of your makeup routine and let it soak in while you do the rest of your makeup. Before you apply the lipstick, blot any excess oil with a tissue and you are good to go. Applying oil on top of your lipstick will add a gorgeous shine, but will reduce the staying power of your lipstick.”
After weeks of testing, it's fair to say that our contributing beauty editor is thrilled about the 00s resurgence of lip oils. With a wide range of options at different price points, this is one nostalgic product that will definitely be taking up a regular spot in her handbag.
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