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Lip Gloss: Application, Looks, and More!
Raise your hand if you remember wearing the thickest, goopiest, glossiest lip gloss the early 2000s had to offer. That famed brand of wet-looking gloss took the beauty industry by storm, and we all spent a few years pulling stray hairs off of our incredibly adhesive lips just so we could achieve the perfect glassy finish.
Thankfully, lip gloss has evolved. Today’s glosses are less high-shine, and more lip-nourishing. You can still get a great, juicy-looking lip without using an uncomfortable product with questionable ingredients.
At RMS Beauty, we love lip gloss but hate sticky, irritating ingredients. Here’s the scoop on how to get a glossy lip the right way.
Why Lip Gloss?
If you haven’t worn lip gloss since you were a preteen, it’s time to revisit this iconic beauty standard. Fortunately, glitter lip gloss isn’t the only option you’ve got in terms of product choices. Easy wearing lip balms and glosses provide sheer color without the glitter.
Lip gloss is a multifunctional lip tool. Once you learn to use it correctly, it will quickly become a staple in your makeup bag. Here are three ways you can use lip gloss in your daily routine.
- By itself. Sheer-tinted lip gloss looks great on its own and is an easy way to get a polished lip without a lot of effort. Minimalists rejoice.
- Layered on top. Love the look of your favorite matte lipstick but hate the dry feel? Add a clear lip gloss on top to change the texture of the product without affecting the pigment. If you have lip shades that are just so-so, try adding a tinted lip gloss on top to change the texture and pigment to create a completely new (customized) shade.
- Just every day to nourish your lips! If you choose the right lip gloss, the ingredients can be incredibly beneficial and hydrating for your lips, which makes it a great go-to choice for daily wear.
Not all lip glosses are created equally. In fact, some of them contain some unsafe ingredients you wouldn’t want anywhere near your mouth. Here’s how to make sure you don’t buy toxic lip gloss.
Lip Gloss Shopping: How To Purchase the Safest and Best
It’s no secret that the cosmetics industry has some pretty loose regulations. Toxic ingredients in our makeup are rampant, and it’s up to the consumer to make sure they aren’t buying products that contain harmful ingredients. It’s a daunting task.
The easiest way to buy safe, non-toxic lip gloss is to shop from brands you trust to always provide you the cleanest, greenest, cruelty-free products available.
RMS Beauty has some of the strictest ingredients standards in the industry.
Additionally, you always want to avoid sticky, thick formulas. The wrong lip gloss formulas can result in uncomfortable wear that you’ll immediately want to wipe off as soon as you apply it.
Here are three ingredients commonly found in lip gloss that you’ll never find in any RMS product.
- Parabens. Parabens are added to numerous products as preservatives. Parabens help decrease the growth of bacteria and extend a product’s shelf life. The problem is, they’re known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. There’s also research that links them to reproductive harm.
The bottom line, they aren’t needed. Natural ingredients like coconut oil and beeswax also offer antimicrobial benefits and are actually beneficial to your skin and lips. They’re also packed with vitamin E and other essential lip hydrating compounds.
- Polybutene. This is a polymer used to increase the viscosity of lip gloss. It’s used to thicken it, and help give it more shine. This ingredient is a skin irritant and potential toxin that is banned from inclusion in cosmetics in other countries.
Not to mention, polybutene is a sticky substance by nature, so it’s not doing your lip gloss any favors.
- Synthetic fragrance. We love a great smelling lip color, especially if it resembles something edible (vanilla gloss, anyone?). The problem is, fragrance in the U.S. is proprietary. That means a company doesn’t have to disclose the ingredients that make their products smell the way they do.
RMS Beauty sources all our fragrance ingredients from natural, essential oil blends that are safe, sustainable, and responsibly sourced.
If you want to be certain you’re not smearing unhealthy ingredients on your lips, stay away from brands that aren’t clear about their ingredients.
How To Apply Lip Gloss Like a Pro
If you want lip gloss that looks amazing, feels great, and actually lasts more than five minutes, you need to apply it correctly (yes, there’s a right way). Here’s how to get great, glossy lips in three simple steps.
- Prep your lips. Chapped, dry lips will absorb lip gloss, and create sticky flakes of dead skin that are uncomfortable and unattractive. Avoid this by gently exfoliating your lips. Our favorite way to soften lips, remove any residue, and hydrate is by using an all-natural cleansing wipe.
Using the wipe, gently wipe lips (don’t scrub) and let them dry completely. Now you’re ready to get glossy.
- Apply your gloss. Depending on the texture of your gloss, apply only a small amount to your lips. This helps you avoid getting sticky, goopy lips that catch every stray hair and speck of dust they come in contact with.
For lower shine, apply a dab of lip gloss in the center of your bottom lip and press your lips together to distribute. If your lip gloss is less sticky, you can sweep it across the entire lip.
If you’re layering your gloss over your lipstick, dab the lip gloss on your lip with your finger or use a brush to sweep color over the original lipstick.
- Get long-lasting wear. Most lip gloss doesn’t last very long; it’s the nature of the product. If you want a glossy finish that lasts, try a hybrid product. RMS Beauty’s Tinted Daily Lip Balm provides 12 hours of hydration and sheer color with zero sticky residue. It’s the easiest way to upgrade your daily lip balm routine.
Formulated with jojoba oil, a natural plant-based oil that is closest to the oil your skin naturally makes, our daily lip balm is designed to increase total lip hydration.
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Manage high gloss. For occasions when you want a glossier look, choose a gloss that is nourishing and non-sticky. RMS Beauty’s Lip Shine is crafted with buriti oil, coconut oil, and castor seed oil to help keep lips hydrated, healthy, and non-sticky while still maintaining high shine.
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Don’t forget to take it off. Leaving your lip gloss isn’t a good idea. If you wear it to bed, it could rub off on your pillow and end up on your skin.
Get Glossy!
No, lip gloss is not just for preteens. Lip gloss (done correctly) is a great product that can be used by every age and for virtually every occasion. Your lip gloss can even become your favorite lip care product if you buy the right kind and use it properly.
Avoid bad ingredients and you’ll keep your lips hydrated, healthy, and eliminate any chance of them becoming magnets for food particles and wisps of hair.
Don’t settle for goopy gloss. Trust RMS Beauty to give you the essential cruelty-free, cleanest lip glosses in gorgeous shades that help create the lip looks you love.
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