What Is A Lip Oil?

What Is a Lip Oil? 

Unlike lipstick or lip balm, which both have a solid consistency, lip oils have a silky-smooth, oil-like texture that’s similar to a face oil. Out of all the lip product categories, lip oils most resemble lip stains in their lightweight and liquid form. However, lip oils tend to provide much more moisture and nourishment than stains—making them sort of a hybrid formula between skincare and makeup. The moisture they provide sinks into your lips, plumping up fine lines and leaving your pout looking smooth and supple. (In fact, we say our Legendary Lip Oil is essentially skincare for your lips!). 

Instead of offering high-impact, long-lasting pigment, lip oils are best known for delivering a subtle wash of color. Another major benefit of lip oils? They give your lips a glossy, light-reflecting shine without any stickiness. 

When Should You Use Lip Oil? 

Whenever you want! Lip oils are year-round staples, but they’re especially valuable come fall and winter when the air is drier and you may be more susceptible to developing dry, chapped lips. Swipe on our Legendary Lip Oil—just like you would a lip mask or lip balm—to bathe your lips in soothing, plush moisture while giving your lips a wash of pretty color. 

The Best Lip Oils: What Should You Look for in a Lip Oil?

Moisturizing and Nourishing Ingredients 

Look for a lip oil loaded with moisturizing oils and nourishing ingredients that’ll plump up, smooth, and hydrate dry, chapped lips. Our new Legendary Lip Oil is formulated with lip-loving ingredients like antioxidant-rich organic jojoba oil, bitter cherry seed oil, and our signature organic RMS adaptogenic herbal blend, to deeply hydrate, condition, smooth, and revitalize the delicate skin on the lips. What’s more, it’s flavored with an aromatic hint of pure organic vanilla extract. 

Pigment 

Lip oils are offered in tinted and non-tinted formulas. Like lip gloss, you can find clear lip oils and products in stunning shades of red, orange, purple, nude, brown, and pink. Our Legendary Lip Oil is offered in eight gorgeous shades named after the legendary supermodels in Rose-Marie Swift’s life: 

Karolina: A soft bubblegum pink

Elle: A perfectly pink grapefruit

Amber: A rosy caramel

Lily: A sour cherry red

Milla: A deep sugary plum

Adrianna: A sheer crystal shimmer

Alessandra: A bright pop of boysenberry

Lucia: A sweet buttercream pink

Most of the time, lip oils deliver a sheer wash of glossy color (think popsicle-stained lips) rather than an opaque effect, making them the perfect addition to dewy, skin-focused look, a monochromatic makeup moment, and no-makeup makeup. Lip oils can be used to balance out more dramatic looks focused on the eyes, like winged eyeliner or smoky eyeshadow. 

Finish 

A quality lip oil will coat your lips in a super juicy, glass-like finish. If you’re wearing a tinted formula, your lips should still hold onto a hint of pigment once the gloss wears down a bit (which is typical over time, especially after eating and drinking). 

How to Apply a Lip Oil 

Can you wear lip oil on bare lips?

The beauty of lip oils is that they serve as both lip care and lip color. Apply a few swipes of lip oil on clean, bare lips for a pop of color with a high-shine finish. Our founder and master makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift recommends applying our Legendary Lip Oil with the jumbo doe-foot wand applicator, starting in the center of the upper lip and following the contours of the mouth. Then, glide the applicator across the entire bottom lip. 

Tip: Rose-Marie loves to apply a pop of our Legendary Lip Oil in Adrianna, a sheer crystal shimmer, to the center of the lip to catch the light and to create the appearance of a plumper lip. 

Can you wear lip oil on top of lipstick?

There's no wrong way to use this multitasking product. Layer on our Legendary Lip Oil to intensify the color of your favorite lipstick, for an extra dose of hydration, or to give your lips a high-shine, glossy finish. If you’re planning on layering lip oil over lipstick, be sure your lipstick has a moisturizing or satin finish rather than a matte finish, which may separate or wear off quicker under a silky, moisturizing lip oil.

What shade lip oil should I buy?

We made Legendary Lip Oil because your lips deserve the absolute best—and now they can have it. With clean, natural ingredients, the formula delivers some much-needed TLC to your pout and adds a pretty pop of color. Whether you’re running errands or going out to dinner, Legendary Lip Oil will keep your pout looking (and feeling) perfect. Looking for additional advice on how to level up your RMS routine with Legendary Lip Oil? Reach out to our incredible Artist Experts for a free consultation! They’ll help you with everything from shade selection to application tips.