The Hydrating Glosses

May 29, 2014

Up until a few months ago, I was convinced that I hated lipgloss. The stickiness and that dry feeling left behind by some formulas (I’m looking at you, MAC Lip Glass) were my major complaints. If you’re in the same boat, I’ve got news for you: I’ve tracked down the most non-sticky, velvety smooth, moisturizing glosses at a variety of price points.

Tanya Burr Lipglosses // I was super excited when Tanya launched her line. There’s something comforting about someone who knows and uses makeup designing her own formulas and shades – Tanya knows what she likes in a gloss and was able to channel that into hers. The results are amazing. The packaging is sleek and cute, the brush is precise but comfortable, and the glosses are pigmented. The best part is, of course, that they are very moisturizing and not sticky at all. All that combined with a reasonable price-point and a ton of shades means that I wear these most of the time I wear lip gloss. Chic is a pretty nude; Picnic in the Park is a fairly universal pink; Aurora is a pinkish brown that sits between the two.

NYX Butter Glosses // These little jerks are so hard to acquire in Canada. I picked up two from an overpriced “makeup outlet” in Bramalea City Centre, and the third at an Ulta in Buffalo. They most certainly are worth the hype, though. They are surprisingly pigmented and offer a great selection of shades. The packaging is cute, I think, and I love the baked-goods-inspired names. Of all the glosses in this post, these are the stickiest (at least once they wear for a while) but they’re still far from MAC-lipglass-sticky. Hopefully they migrate north sometime soon!

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors // I don’t really own anything Clarins other than this – they seem to specialize in fake tanning and anti-aging, neither of which I particularly need as a 21-year-old NC45. But These bad boys are the bomb. They’re so comfortable to wear and moisturizing once on. They don’t come in outrageous colours like the NYX or Tanya Burr glosses; they seem to focus on naturally pretty colours – hence the lip perfecting claims. They’re a bit pricey, but definitely worth the money for one or two.

Urban Decay Naked Ultra-Nourishing Lipgloss // This is quite possibly my favourite of the bunch. It looks gorgeous on the lips. They’re so hydrating that if it came in clear and I could wear it as a nighttime lip balm, I would. Why, then, do I only have one of them? I’ll tell you why. Because they’re so sheer that I find having more than one redundant! There’s very little difference between the shades, so for the price, I think choosing your favourite and just going with that is best. If they brought out some different shades – perhaps with different undertones or a little more pigment – I’d definitely pick up some more because the formula is amazeballs.