How Do I Choose the Best Lip Gloss?

Choosing the best lip gloss mainly depends on your skin tone, which determines the shade undertones that will look best, and the darkness of your complexion. If you’re fashion-forward, you might risk neon hues or glitter-packed glosses. Testing a wide range of lip gloss formulations can help you to determine whether you prefer a gloss that is lightweight or sticky.

If your skin tone is cool, your best option is to choose pastel or blue-based glosses. Light pink or plum tones are the best lip gloss for a neutral daytime look, while blue-based reds or berry shades will work for nighttime or dramatic looks. The darker your complexion, the darker the lip gloss can be without looking too harsh.

For warmer undertones, golden brown, medium peach, and orange-based shades such as coral will be the best lip gloss shades for you. Yellow-based reds are suitable for nighttime looks. The only issue with using a yellow-based gloss is that it can make already slightly-stained teeth appear to be a lot more yellow than they really are.

Neutral skin tones mean that you can wear whatever shade you’d like. The term neutral, however, can also refer to hues of gloss that will suit any skin tone. Soft peach and medium plum are examples of neutral shades. A quick tip for finding a good neutral shade for you is to choose a color that is a tone or two darker than the natural color of your lips.

If you’re fashion-forward, you can be more daring and wear neon shades that don’t particularly flatter one skin tone over another. Shades could include hot pink, bold blue, and lime green. You will need to apply these colors using a lip brush, and take caution, as mistakes are much more obvious than with natural tones.

Glitter glosses have small particles of glitter suspended in the gloss formula that are available in traditional and fashionable shades. When shopping for products with glitter, the best lip gloss has fine enough glitter that the product won’t feel gritty on lips. It may be necessary to apply this gloss with a lip brush for accuracy.

It’s best to test out glosses before you make the purchase. Visit a makeup counter and swatch the product on your hand to check the formula. Glosses can be lightweight and fluid, or thick and somewhat sticky. Your personal preference will decide the best lip gloss formula for you.