The 5 Best Lip Glosses and Oils of 2026

Glossy balms
Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm’s cool metal applicator feels deluxe and refreshing, but the formula goes on too wet and thick. Likewise, panelists found the E.L.F. Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm messy to apply, with an applicator that spread the formula beyond the lips.

Mario Badescu’s Lip Balm failed to deliver a high-shine finish. And while Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm provided a rich color payoff, the large plastic tube applicator can be difficult to control.

Testers loved the Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment’s gorgeous shades. But it had an off-putting, candy-like scent that didn’t dissipate.

Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Gloss Balm didn’t provide enough moisture, and the tube can be difficult to squeeze.

Panelists swooned over our Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment pick, but the brand’s Lip Tint fell short by failing to impart noticeable pigment.

The Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm created a gorgeous lacquered finish, but it faded within an hour. Similarly, the lightweight Well People Poutlove Peptide Lip Balm drew praise for its nourishing feel, but it wore off in less than 30 minutes.

Oils
The Clarins Lip Comfort Oil may have kicked off this category back in 2015, but we ruled it out because the large applicator made application messy.

Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil’s big plush applicator drew praise from testers, and it was a close runner-up to our lip-oil pick. However, it felt just a tad too heavy and tacky.

E.L.F. Glow Reviver Lip Oil’s doe-foot applicator was too large, spreading oil beyond testers’ lips. By contrast, the Glossier Lip Glaze’s applicator hugged lips, but the formula made at least one tester’s lips tingly and irritated.

Despite its name, Kosas Wet Lip Oil Gloss didn’t glaze the lips in a juicy sheen. The applicator also felt unreasonably small and required making multiple swipes.

Folks raved about the Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil’s sheer texture and subtle sheen, but ultimately they wished it had been more hydrating.

While the Milani Fruit Fetish Lip Oil coated testers’ lips with a delightful luster, the overpowering, cloying fruit fragrance detracted from the experience.

Nyx Professional Makeup Fat Oil Lip Drip required several coats to create an even wash of color, and the stubby wand was uncomfortable to hold.

Glosses
Even though Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss is available in 21 shades, there is minimal meaningful variation among the colors, with many appearing the same once they were swiped on.

The Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss iced the lips in a gorgeous wash of color. However, it faded quickly and needed frequent touch-ups. Dior’s Addict Lip Maximizer also required several passes to evenly coat the lips, which felt wasteful.

The Make Up For Ever Super Boost Lip Gloss created a high-shine finish. Yet the gloss was very tacky and tended to cause a stringy, web-like effect when testers opened and closed their mouths.

The Nars Afterglow Lip Shine imparted a comfortable, lightweight veil. But ultimately the results were lackluster, leaving a tester wanting more shine and pigment.

The NovaBeauty Moisturizing Rich Glow Lip Gloss frosted the lips in a rich, lacquer-like finish. However, after it dissipated, it left lips very dry.

Testers disliked how the Nyx Professional Makeup Butter Gloss’s small applicator required multiple coats to achieve intensity and gleam. Similarly, the Jelly Job Gloss’s plastic spatula applicator was uncomfortable and applied in patches.

The high-shine, shimmer-and-glitter–infused Pat McGrath Labs Lust: Gloss provided intense color payoff, but the formula felt overly sticky.

Rimmel London’s Stay Glossy Lip Gloss received mixed reviews, with some testers describing the formula as creamy and seamless and others finding it slightly gritty.

We ruled out a number of other glosses, oils, and glossy balms from Almay, Clarins, Clinique, E.L.F. Cosmetics, Essence, Kiko, Kulfi, Laneige, M2Ü NYC, MAC, Naked Sundays, Nars, Neutrogena, No.7, Nyx Professional Makeup, Ogee, Rare Beauty, Revlon, Rimmel London, Patrick Ta Beauty, RMS, Saie, Saltair, Tower28, Typology, Wet n Wild, and Yse Beauty. We chose not to panel-test them for a variety of reasons, including insufficient or unfavorable reviews, limited shade ranges, and concerns relating to value.

This article was edited by Rory Evans and Jennifer G. Sullivan.