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The Best Clear Lip Glosses For Lustrous, Glazed Lips
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If you land on the former side of the “glossy vs. matte lip” debate, the best clear lip glosses deserve a spot in your repertoire. They impart a glassy, sexy sheen that make your lips look naturally juicier without drying out your lips, thanks to the addition of emollients like vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, or avocado oil; and they never feel sticky or gloopy.
Most of the clear lip glosses featured ahead are exactly that: Slick, colorless formulas that make you look like you just ate a glazed doughnut, in the chicest, freshest way possible. Some get a boost from zingy oils that offer the appearance (albeit temporarily) of slightly fuller lips, too. But for those who prefer a hint of shimmer or sparkle, you’ll also find some translucent lip glosses suffused with light-reflecting particles, a pearlescent sheen, or even holographic flakes on this list. Either way, these glosses look gorgeous worn on their own, as a topcoat to add dimension to a matte lipstick, or even patted onto your eyelids and the high points of your face as a stand-in for a dewy highlighter.
Read on to shop eight of the best clear lip glosses on the market right now, including one high-performer that costs a mere $2.
1The Fan-Favorite
With an impressive 10,000+ five-star ratings on Amazon, this Rimmel lip gloss is (literally) the clear favorite among online shoppers — and, of the line’s 29 shades, the translucent gloss gets the most love in the comments section, where customers tout its lightweight texture, staying power, and comfortable, non-drying feel. Since the consistency is thin and non-tacky, this works well as an eye gloss or highlighter, as well.
2The Best Long-Lasting Clear Lip Gloss
While it may not last the full eight hours it claims to, this L’Oreal lip gloss does hold up better than many other lip glosses on the market without transferring, and it maintains its crystal-clear, glassy sheen for as long as it’s on. Its unique, pointed-tip applicator picks up just the right amount of product so it applies in thin layers, rather than sticky globs. A touch of squalane and vitamin E in the formula help it impart a smooth glide, while also leaving your lips feeling plush.
3The Best Plumping Clear Lip Gloss
You may have had a tube of Buxom’s now-iconic plumping lip gloss in your high school makeup collection — and, like all things ’90s/early-aughts, this tingly gloss is making a resurgence. It won’t give you the appearance of filler-full lips, granted, but a hint of menthol and a peptide complex in the formula offer a temporary swelling effect, as well as its signature, love-it-or-hate-it zingy sensation. Meanwhile, vitamins A and E moisturize and keep the formula from getting sticky or gummy. For the illusion of even more fullness, overline your lips with a neutral lip liner first, then follow it up with this gloss.
4The Best Affordable Clear Lip Gloss
Lip glosses are among the more affordable beauty products you can get; but still, the $2 price tag on this e.l.f. Lip Lacquer is something of a marvel — especially considering its wildly enthusiastic reviews on Amazon. This feels surprisingly moisturizing (one customer even reaches for this gloss over balm to quench their chapped lips), and it retains its glossy finish for a couple of hours without needing to reapply. The packaging is compact enough to fit into the tiniest of purses, and the minimalist design looks cool and understated (in another early-aughts way).
5The Best Indie Brand
The Lip Bar is quickly ascending to cult status, thanks to the Black-owned, woman-owned label’s inclusive shade ranges and vegan and cruelty-free formulations. While their liquid lipsticks have earned the most attention, their lip glosses — like Minimalist, this aptly titled translucent lip gloss — are equally gorgeous. The 80% organic formula is made with nourishing botanicals like aloe, coconut oil, and olive oil for long-lasting hydration and a smooth, silky consistency, and this colorless gloss makes your lips look super-juicy. This works beautifully on its own, but the lightweight texture also layers well over matte lipsticks.
6A Drugstore Lip Gloss With A Pearlescent Shift
Finely milled, light-reflecting pearls packed into this Maybelline lip gloss offer a more dynamic and pigmented effect than a pure clear gloss, and make your lips look next-level shiny — think “frosted” rather than “glazed.” This cult-favorite drugstore gloss is also made with hyaluronic acid for lightweight hydration and an ever-so-slightly plumped appearance.
7A Shimmering, Iridescent Lip Gloss From Lady Gaga’s Beauty Brand
While Lady Gaga’s brand is certainly populated with the dramatic, high-impact products you’d expect of the artist, you’ll also find some eminently wearable (but no less dynamic) shades in the mix — like this Entranced lip gloss, a clear gloss shot through with a pinky-pearl iridescence for just a hint of warmth. Though if you prefer cooler tones, opt for Glass Slipper, a translucent gloss flecked with blue, green, and pink pigments that give it an icy, holographic effect.
8A Sparkling Clear Lip Gloss With A Plumping Effect
Here’s another clear, plumping lip gloss worth your consideration, here with the addition of iridescent sparkles. The vegan and cruelty-free formula is infused with peppermint oil for that tingling sensation and subtle swelling effect, though people with sensitive skin report that this doesn’t irritate their lips like other plumping formulas do. It helps, too, that this gloss is hypoallergenic and enriched with mango seed butter, avocado oil, and sunflower seed oil — a combo that’ll make your lips feel soft and luscious. Alternatively, you can pick this up in Skinny Dip for all the minty coolness and nourishing effects of Horoscope, minus the glitter.
