What is lip oil?
A lip oil is – you guessed it – an oil-based lip product. Packed with hydrating ingredients and natural oils, lip oils give the lips a glossy sheen and supple feel. Depending on your preference, you can get your hands on a lip oil with a clear formula, a light tint or a shimmer.
Consistency-wise, lip oils sit somewhere between a lip gloss and a lip balm. They can be worn on bare lips or over lip products to amplify shine.
A lip oil is the ideal lip choice for glowy, natural makeup looks, but it also complements more glamourous eye makeup looks since it won’t pull focus.
What does lip oil do?
Unlike the rest of our skin, our lips don’t have sebaceous glands, so keeping them moisturised can be a real struggle – especially for us dry skin girlies.
Enter: the humble lip oil.
A lip oil is a handy product to have in your beauty kit because it can help lock in moisture on the lip surface while giving you a subtle colour tint and high shine finish. This extra layer of nourishment can keep your lips feeling supple for longer – a huge win if you’re prone to flaking and dry patches.
What’s the difference between lip oil, lip gloss, and lip balm?
A lip gloss, while delivering rich pigment and impeccable shine, can often feel tacky on the lips. On the flip side, lip balm glides over the lips to protect and hydrate, but it doesn’t have the same shine or colour payoff.
So, what does lip oil do that sets it apart from a lip gloss and lip balm?
The best lip oils promote hydration while providing shine and subtle colour pigment. The L’Oreal Paris Plump Ambition Lip Oil is, for example, infused with hyaluronic acid (a star humectant and skincare-fave) alongside tripeptides to visibly smooth and plump the lips. These hydrating ingredients help care for your lips – while you enjoy a shimmery, glass-like finish.
Our top 6 lip oil benefits
We love a versatile lip product – and lip oil fits the bill. Some key lip oil benefits include:
- Offering a plumping, glass-like effect
- Softening the lip surface
- Keeping the lips hydrated with nourishing ingredients
- Feeling lightweight and non-greasy
- Giving a subtle wash of colour that’s great for everyday makeup looks
- Providing lasting shine on bare lips or layered over lipstick
Next, we unpack our favourite ways to use a lip oil to enhance your makeup routine.
How to use lip oil
The beauty of a lip oil is that it can be the ‘main attraction’ of – or the trusty sidekick to – your other lip products. In terms of how to apply lip oil, we use our lip oil in the following ways:
- On its own for shine and hydration
- On top of lipstick for a juicy finish
- On top of lightly diffused lip liner
If you need a little beauty inspo, read on for our tips on how to use lip oil.
On its own
We love a hassle-free approach to makeup, so using a lip oil on its own is perfect if you prefer minimal coverage or a natural, cleaner makeup look.
If you’re opting for a pared-back makeup look, we suggest the Plump Ambition Hyaluronic Acid Lip Oil Crystal Clear 101 for a translucent, volumising shimmer. For a pop of nude-pink colour, we recommend the Plump Ambition Hyaluronic Acid Lip Oil Worth It 601.
Over lipstick
For a high-shine finish, we love applying a lip oil on top of a matte lipstick like the Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick. Using lip oil as a finisher is a great option if you’re prone to dry patches since it imbues the lip surface with some serious hydration. However, just be mindful that a lip oil might affect the staying power of your lipstick.
Our tip for how to apply lip oil over lipstick is to let your matte product dry down for a few seconds, then apply your lip oil in the centre of your lips. This concentrated area of shine will give the appearance of fuller lips.
Over lip liner
If you prefer a precise pout, you can create an ombré lip using your lip oil and the Color Riche Classic Lip Liner. You can either rely on the lip liner for your colour and layer with a clear lip oil, or you can reach for complementary lip oil and lip liner colours.
Start by lining your lips, before gently diffusing the colour inwards to create a gradient effect. Then, apply a coat of lip oil to give you that eye-catching shine and juicy-looking finish.
We love enjoying lip oil benefits over a bold lipstick – but finding the right lip colours can take some trial and error. Next, discover how to find the best red lipstick for your skin tone.
