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From the glam-est of the glam to the barest of the bare, no matter your makeup vibe, we bet there’s some sort of lip product stashed in your bag. Maybe it’s a basic balm, or a classic lipstick with the bullet worn down to a nub. Perhaps it’s the latest lip oil or the liner-gloss combo that’s taken ages to perfect. Whatever lip product you like to keep on you at all times, our editors have spent months swiping on hundreds of them to get to the 18 superstars in this year’s Best of Beauty Awards Lips category.
“Lips” is probably the easiest beauty category to test. Unlike shampoos or body washes or a bikini-line trimmer, you can try them anytime, anywhere. And unlike eye makeup or hot tools, you don’t need a blank canvas or a ton of concentration to do so. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to whittle the list down. Oh, no. To earn Allure’s famous lipstick-red seal, a product has to be truly exceptional, so it took months of applying lip products at our desks (and everywhere else, basically) to identify 18 that stand out among the rest.
There’s the $10 lipstick with hundreds of thousands of TikTok devotees (for good reason); the crayon that gives you the control of a professional makeup artist; the balm that’s like a barrier cream for your mouth; the plumping gloss that will have friends asking for your dermatologist’s phone number. These formulas check all of our boxes—and then add boxes we didn’t know we needed. So prepare to be impressed—and to make room in your purse for the best lip products of the year.
Best of Beauty Awards 2025: Lips
Shop your favorite category or keep scrolling for the year's best lip glosses, oils, and balms.
See our winners:LargeChevron
Best Lipsticks
Best Sheer Lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine Balm
Best Sheer Lipstick
Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine Balm
Amazon
Why It Won: Revlon reintroduced its viral Super Lustrous Glass Shine Balm this year with a sleek new look but the same impressive formula that’s won over hundreds of thousands on TikTok—and now, earned a stamp of approval from our editors. One swipe and you’ll immediately understand the obsession. This drugstore find offers audacious shine, unmatched hydration, and 10 buildable shades (and not just the can’t-keep-in-stock Rum Raisin) that work across a very wide variety of complexions.
Tester feedback from commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann
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“This lipstick punches well above its price point. I won't name names, but it does remind me quite a bit of a much fancier glossy balm that I also love dearly. Revlon is always on it when it comes to their range of lip shades too—consistently nuanced and chic, which is what the drugstore girlies deserve!” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer
Best Sheer Lipstick: Dior Rouge Dior On Stage
Best Sheer Lipstick
Dior Rouge Dior On Stage
Dior
Why It Won: The formulators over at Dior Beauty deserve a round of applause for the Rouge Dior On Stage, a high-shine lipstick that performs like a liquid but looks and feels like the most comfortable balm you’ve ever put on your lips. With a flick of the wrist, the slim bullet deposits intense, opaque color in 10 shades that are so flattering, they’re owed a standing ovation of their own.
Tester feedback from contributing writer Sophia Panych
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“Look, I love lipstick, but I can’t say I always look forward to wearing it, knowing how it’s going to look and feel a few hours after I apply it. This is especially the case for satin formulas, which move around more than most. That’s not the case with this unbelievable formula. It feels so plush and hydrating, I actually can’t wait to put it on. And because it’s inspired by liquid lipstick formulas, you don't have to worry about it sliding off your lips every time you take a sip of water or have a snack.” —Sophia Panych, contributing writer
Best Cream Lipstick: Valentino Beauty Spike Valentino Buttery Matte Lip Color
Best Cream Lipstick
Valentino Beauty Spike Valentino Buttery Matte Lip Color
Nordstrom
Sephora
Why It Won: Bold in packaging and in pigment, the Valentino Beauty Spike Valentino Buttery Matte Lip Color is as statement-making as a pair of rockstud stilettos. The slimline bullet allows for less wax and higher pigment load, while cottonseed oil extract gives butter-like spreadability. Light-reflecting pearls keep the color from looking flat, and the gold-studded case gets us compliments every time we whip it out of our purse (which it fits into nicely).
Tester feedback from senior copy manager Leslie Lipton
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“The rich creaminess and intense color payoff are just so damn sexy. I can't afford Valentino fashion, but this lipstick in its studded golden case is a little luxury.” —Leslie Lipton, senior copy manager
Best Matte Lipstick: Essence Makeup The Slim Stick
Best Matte Lipstick
Essence Makeup The Slim Stick
Ulta Beauty
Why It Won: A single swipe of the extra-slender Essence Makeup The Slim Stick bullet is jam-packed with pigment, saturating lips in velvety, matte color. Packed with nourishing oils (jojoba, coconut, and macadamia) means this formula still feels light as air, but you don’t have to worry about it fading away—our testers loved that this nondrying drugstore buy has some serious staying power.
Tester feedback from senior copy manager Leslie Lipton
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“For literally pennies—well, 499 of them—this lipstick has a creamy, matte finish with the staying power of others that cost 10 times more.” —Leslie Lipton, senior copy manager
Best Lip Stain
Best Lip Stain: Violette_FR Lip Nectar
Best Lip Stain
Violette_FR Lip Nectar
Sephora
Violette_FR
Why It Won: We understand why makeup artist Violette Serrat chose the name Lip Nectar—this stain has the juiciest of finishes and the sweetest of shades. What’s harder to grasp is how Violette_FR Lip Nectar is, in fact, a stain. It’s as shiny and slick as a gloss but as pigmented as a liquid lipstick. And even after a couple of hours, you’ll be shocked to find that both the tint and the divinely dewy sheen remain.
Tester feedback from content director Kara McGrath
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“I haven't stopped talking about this product with the rest of the Allure team since it launched earlier this year. The shade Bêtise, a medium red, has become my go-to lip color for the summer. A lot of lip oil-stain hybrids either vanish or start to feel dry pretty quickly, but this one makes my lips feel soft and hydrated, and the color sticks around for hours.” —Kara McGrath, content director
Best Lip Oil
Best Lip Oil: E.L.F. Cosmetics Glow Reviver Lip Oil
Best Lip Oil
E.L.F. Cosmetics Glow Reviver Lip Oil
Amazon
Why It Won: So many new lip oils crossed our desks this year, we lost count back in February. But the formula that stood out among the sea of these slick, tinted treatments? The E.L.F. Cosmetics Glow Reviver Lip Oil. This ultra-nourishing formula brings lips back to life, not just with luscious apricot, avocado, jojoba, and pomegranate oils, but also with its dewy, lip-enhancing hues, from the succulent Red Delicious, a sheer watermelon shade, to the sexy Jam Session, a transparent Black Cherry hue.
Tester feedback from associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen
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“The number of E.L.F. products in my makeup stash is overwhelming, but the Glow Reviver Lip Oil is a standout for its simplicity, super-shiny finish, and neutral-yet-flattering shades. My go-to is Crystal Clear, but when I’m feeling bold, I’ll reach for Pink Quartz (light pink) or It’s Giving Guava (peachy pink) for a subtle, sheer tint.” —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
Best Lip Oil: Clinique Pop Lip + Cheek Oil
Best Lip Oil
Clinique Pop Lip + Cheek Oil
Amazon
Why It Won: The Black Honey hue may be why Clinique Pop Lip + Cheek Oil is immensely popular, but that’s not what makes it award-winning. That would be the ultra-plush, ultra-glassy, ultra-nourishing formula with oils like safflower, jojoba, olive, sunflower seed, and castor, as well as two additional, ridiculously flattering shades. Pink Honey (a soft sheer pink) and Nude Honey (an apricot-like color that’s not too warm or too pink) are just as adaptable across a wide range of skin tones as the viral aubergine tone we all know and love.
Tester feedback from associate content manager Hannah Brower
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“Black Honey as a lip oil? Immediately, yes. It’s juicy, nourishing, and gives just the right sheer wash of that iconic shade—without any stickiness." —Hannah Brower, associate content manager
Best Lip Glosses
Best Clear Lip Gloss: Ortega Liquid Icon Hyper Gloss
Best Clear Lip Gloss
Ortega Liquid Icon Hyper Gloss
Amazon
Why It Won: It’s hard to settle on just one adjective to describe the intense levels of shine the Ortega Liquid Icon Hyper Gloss offers: glassy, glossy, brilliant, vinyl, mirror-like. One word we’d never used to describe it? Sticky. This clear gloss glides right on and leaves lips feeling slick and looking plump, adding dimension and latex levels of shine to anything you layer it over.
Tester feedback from editorial Jennet Jusu
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“Ortega’s clear gloss is my go-to for ‘barely trying-but-still-glowing’ looks. It’s perfect for the no-makeup makeup girlies—it’s smooth, stays put, and adds just enough shimmer to make any look stand out.” —Jennet Jusu, editorial assistant
Best Tinted Lip Gloss: Make Up For Ever Super Boost Lip Gloss
Best Tinted Lip Gloss
Make Up For Ever Super Boost Lip Gloss
Sephora
Make Up For Ever
Content director Kara McGrath applies the Make Up For Ever Super Boost Lip Gloss.
Why It Won: The Make Up For Ever Super Boost Lip Gloss not only made it from our testers’ desks to their bags, it’s now the formula they dig around in their purse for over the (many) other tubes. It aces all our lip gloss requirements: super moisturizing (thanks to hyaluronic acid), comfortable to wear (that’s down to the trio of seed oils—camellia, cotton, and meadowfoam flowers), easy to apply (the wave-shaped, doe-foot applicator hugs the curves of your lips exactly), and available in lots of flattering shades (Fiery Love, a warm red, and Wherever Walnut, a taupe rose, were a couple of tester faves). The formula gets bonus points for not feeling sticky, not traveling or feathering, and smoothing out lip lines for a plump, pouty effect.
Tester feedback from content director Kara McGrath
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“This gloss is super shiny and not at all sticky, but the real reason I love it is that it comes in several shades that make for my perfect nude. I wear Wherever Walnut (my exact natural lip color) on days when I just want to even out the tone and texture of my lips, but reach for Anywhere Caffeine (a slightly darker rosy brown) if I want to add more color to my makeup look. Regardless of the shade I pick, my lips look nice and plump and hydrated.” —Kara McGrath, content director
Best Plumping Lip Gloss: YSL Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss
Best Plumping Lip Gloss
YSL Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss
Sephora
Nordstrom
Why It Won: It’s a gloss! It’s an oil! It’s a lip plumper! It’s all of the above, actually. Our testers were struck by everything the YSL Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss can do—in addition to drenching lips in an unbelievable amount of shine, that is. Panthenol and hyaluronic acid soften and hydrate the lips, while spicy ginger and pepper oils plump them up with the meagerest, most manageable amount of tingling. In fact, lips look so full, your partner/kids/coworkers might feel compelled to ask if you “got a little something done” when you’re wearing it.
Tester feedback from social media manager Bianca Richards
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“This plumping gloss gives a subtle tingle that's not overwhelming. It has just the right amount of spice to make lips look fuller and more defined while delivering that signature high-shine payoff. My go-to shade is 44 Nude Lavallière, which is the perfect sheer pink for pairing with any lip combo." —Bianca Richards, social media manager
Best Liquid Lipstick: Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLust: Legendary Wear Lipstick
Best Liquid Lipstick
Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLust: Legendary Wear Lipstick
Sephora
Revolve
Why It Won: We promise our testers weren’t swayed by the fact that Taylor Swift wore the Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLust: Legendary Wear Lipstick throughout her Eras Tour. They were, however, swayed—all the way to a win—by the formula’s weightless texture, one-stroke opacity, and comfortable feel, as well as its ability to last through an entire workday without moving. Swift wore Elson 4, the brand’s best-selling blue-red, but the bullet-proof formula comes in 12 beautiful hues ranging from a soft beige peach (Nude Cabaret) to a deep bronzed rose (Flesh 3).
Tester feedback from senior copy manager Leslie Lipton
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“This liquid lipstick gives intensely saturated color that lasts through a dinner date—and beyond.” —Leslie Lipton, senior copy manager
Best Lip Balms
Best Daytime Lip Balm: Nécessaire The Lip Balm
Best Daytime Lip Balm
Nécessaire The Lip Balm
Amazon
Associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen applies the Nécessaire The Lip Balm.
Why It Won: It’s not the quantity of lip balms hiding at the bottom of your bag; it’s about the quality of the ones you find there. Nécessaire The Lip Balm is in a league all its own. The ultra-nourishing formula transforms parched lips with ceramides (to restore), hyaluronic acid (to hydrate), and niacinamide (to soothe and smooth), with a texture that’s thick enough to make lips look and feel plumped. Plus, the cooling metal tip and zingy minty flavor give an invigorating little jolt every time you apply.
Tester Feedback from associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen
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“The way I screamed when I received this during testing…I’ve been waiting for a Nécessaire lip balm, and it definitely didn’t disappoint! I love that it’s slippery like a gloss and minty like a balm, but glides on like my favorite eye cream with its cooling-to-the-touch metal applicator.” —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
Best Overnight Lip Balm: Laneige Bouncy & Firm Lip Treatment
Best Overnight Lip Balm
Laneige Bouncy & Firm Lip Treatment
Amazon
Why It Won: Technically, you can use the Laneige Bouncy & Firm Lip Treatment any time of the day, but the jelly is so rich that our testers loved it most as an overnight mask. (And the tiny, spatula-shaped applicator tucked inside the cap lets you turn slathering it on into a chic little pre-bed ritual.) And while you might not always jump right out of bed in the morning, we’ve found that using this at night means at least your lips have bounce in the a.m. because the peptides, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid make dryness a thing of the past.
Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
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“For someone with dry lips (and cheeks, and hair, and cuticles…you get the point), I’m always in pursuit of something thick and emollient. This treatment is exactly that. It’s creamy and balmy as you smack your lips together, but not at all sticky. It makes my lips look smoother and less cracked in the winter and leaves them pillowy soft after it absorbs completely.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
Best Tinted Lip Balm: Glow Recipe Glass Balm Lip Treatment
Best Tinted Lip Balm
Glow Recipe Glass Balm Lip Treatment
Amazon
Commerce editor Sarah Han applies the Glow Recipe Glass Balm Lip Treatment.
Why It Won: The four shades of the Glow Recipe Glass Balm Lip Treatment are inspired by Bingsoo, a popular South Korean dessert made from shaved ice and topped with fruit or sweetened red beans. But you know what’s even sweeter? The fact that this balm’s blend of hyaluronic microspheres, glycerin, and fruit extracts treats lips to long-lasting, intense levels of moisture.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
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“Lip color inspired by dessert? Say less. My lip lines are annoyingly noticeable, and one swipe of this rich formula evens them out. Strawberry Bingsoo, a sheer pinky-red that is the least natural-lip-leaning, is my favorite. She’s too cute, like a lighter, glossier version of my favorite lip tints. If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll apply a lip liner first for some added definition.” —Sarah Han, commerce producer
Best Lip Scrub
Best Lip Scrub: Poppy & Pout Sweet Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub
Best Lip Scrub
Poppy & Pout Sweet Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub
Amazon
Why It Won: With its pepperminty sweetness and minimal ingredient list, the Poppy & Pout Sweet Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub remains on our nightstand and on our winner’s list. For the second year in a row, this gritty paste has kept our lips softer, smoother, and flake-freer than any of its peers. And its gentle formula of exfoliating sugars and nourishing coconut and sunflower oils is made in small batches in the US.
Tester feedback from news editor Nicola Dall’Asen
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“I like a lip scrub that actually, well, scrubs—nothing too oily or overly hydrating while I'm trying to exfoliate, please! Poppy & Pout's formula is just that: a gritty (but not irritating) sugar scrub that takes dead skin off like nobody's business." —Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
Best Lip Crayon
Best Lip Crayon: Pat McGrath Labs Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil
Best Lip Crayon
Pat McGrath Labs Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Why It Won: If you’ve ever been lucky enough to watch makeup artist Pat McGrath apply lipstick IRL, it’s like experiencing the eighth wonder of the world. In mere seconds, she’s painted on a perfectly pigmented mouth that looks like it was put on with a stamp. With the Pat McGrath Labs Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil, she’s given us all the ability to do the same. The creamy texture spreads beautifully, the tapered point defines effortlessly, and the shade range has “dramatic” written all over it (no, literally, it does…in French). And while the formula has a few minutes of playtime (the better to unleash our inner artist), once it sets, you’ll need a washcloth and makeup remover to take it off.
Tester feedback from senior art director Ingrid Fowler
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“I love these lip pencils, which are more crayon than pencil, by my definition. The tip is large and round enough to easily fill in lips, but pointed enough to be precise around the edges. The texture is super creamy and weightless—a perfect formula for everyday wear.” —Ingrid Fowler, senior art director
Best Lip Liner
Best Lip Liner Pen: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner
Best Lip Liner Pen
Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner
Amazon
Head of video Natalie Campbell applies the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner.
Why It Won: You really have to experience the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner to understand how extraordinarily long-lasting this formula is. Like a felt-tip eyeliner for your lips, it defines and shapes your mouth while laying down a steadfast base that won’t move until you break out the makeup remover. Scorching temperatures? Networking session? Cocktail hour at a wedding? They’re no match. And because it doesn’t add any additional texture to your lips, you can layer whatever you want on top and feel confident that it will. not. move.
Tester feedback from head of video Natalie Campbell
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“This lip liner really does last! I’m partial to low-maintenance lip products, and this liner wears and blends so nicely without causing harsh lines. The felt tip makes it easy to trace over your natural lip line, and the range ensures there’s a color that matches any type of look." —Natalie Campbell, head of video
Best Lip Liner Pencil: MAC Lip Pencil
Best Lip Liner Pencil
MAC Lip Pencil
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Social media manager Bianca Richards applies the MAC Lip Pencil.
Bianca Richards
Why It Won: MAC’s splashy, celebrity-studded “I Only Wear MAC” campaign this year introduced a new generation of makeup lovers to the brand’s classic Lip Pencil—and reminded us just how excellent this formula is. There’s a reason it’s been a staple in nearly every makeup artist’s kit since the ’90s. It sharpens easily to a superfine point and then glides on effortlessly with not so much as a skip or a drag. But it’s the shade range that’s truly staggering. Among the 35 hues are trendy cool tones, conventional nudes, vibrant reds, and bold, creative colors like magenta and blackish-purple.
Tester feedback from social media manager Bianca Richards
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“Ask anyone at the Allure office, and they’ll tell you I’m never without my MAC Lip Pencil in Cork. It’s the perfect shade that naturally defines my lip and adds just the right amount of depth to any look. Whether I’m layering it with a colored gloss, lipstick, or even just a balm, it always pulls a lip look together effortlessly.” —Bianca Richards, social media manager
Written by Sophia Panych
How does Allure test lipsticks, glosses, oils, and balms for Best of Beauty?
For our Best of Beauty Lips winners, we consider each product's performance across the following categories: ingredients and efficacy, inclusivity, packaging, and user experience (including texture and wear). We test hundreds of lip products on a wide range of skin tones and types, makeup preferences, and personal routines. Our large group of testers—editors, top industry professionals, and other experts—wear the products through real-world conditions like long days, late dinners, important meetings, and intense weather to evaluate performance, pigment payoff, longevity, and how easy the products are to both apply and remove.
Are there long-wear or transfer-proof lipsticks in the Best of Beauty winners?
Yes. Many of the Best of Beauty Lips winners are designed to be long-lasting. This includes traditional lipsticks, like the Dior Rouge Dior On Stage lipstick, chubby lip crayons like the Pat McGrath Labs Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil, stains such as Violette_FR Lip Nectar, and lip liners like the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner. When awarding long-wear formulas, we look for products that stay put without cracking, drying, or fading unevenly.
Do the winning lip products work for dry lips?
Absolutely. Many of the Best of Beauty Lips winners are infused with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter, vitamin E, and nourishing plant extract oils. You'll find soothing lip balms, tinted treatments, and moisturizing glosses that offer both comfort and color. If your skin is very sensitive or reactive, we suggest checking out our Best of Beauty Sensitive Skin category, which is full of options for prickly complexions.
What kinds of lip products are included in the Best of Beauty Awards?
The Best of Beauty Lips category is composed of almost any kind of lip product you can imagine. We have classic lipsticks (matte, sheer, and cream), glosses, stains, liners, and oils, plus balms and scrubs that help care for your lips. Whether you want a statement-red lip that lasts all night or a sheer tinted gloss that doubles as a treatment, you’ll find exceptional, high-performing products in all formats and finishes.
Are there lip products that work for deeper skin tones or neutral undertones?
Yes. Inclusivity is a key criterion for our Best of Beauty Lips category. Before reviewing any makeup product at Allure, we make sure the brand offers a wide shade range that represents consumers of all skin tones and undertones. Our large base of Best of Beauty testers ensures that we cover different skin tones, genders, and ages, so you can be confident that each winner in this category offers something for everyone.
Like what you see from Allure's Best of Beauty Awards?
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