In partnership with Harper’s BAZAAR SG
Best lip glosses in Singapore: Tried and tested
From viral picks to budget-friendly K-beauty options, here is what’s worth buying
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PHOTOS: KOSAS, ROM&ND
Nicole Ng
Glossy lips are in again and if you’re looking for the best lip gloss to get the look, you’re in the right place.
Aside from adding a little sparkle (and sometimes colour), the best lip gloss formulas also hydrate and nourish, so you get a product that does double duty in the couple of seconds you take to swipe it on.
Want to buy a lip gloss but lost on where to begin shopping for one? We’ve got you covered with this list of the seven best multitasking lip glosses that we’ve put to the test.
In this article
How the lip glosses were tested and reviewed
Our top picks for best lip gloss in Singapore
Other trending lip gloss options to check out
How the lip glosses were tested and reviewed
Whether it’s the slicked back bun-sporting clean girls in the West who live for a hint of colour and shine, or the South Korean It-girls who are currently loving muted, cool-tone lip glosses for a hip look, a tube of lip gloss is never too far from reach.
Modern options from the likes of K-beauty brand Nuse incorporate cutting-edge ingredients such as PDRN to renew and plump lips.
Meanwhile, brands such as Glow Recipe have add-ons such as a plush silicone applicator to improve your experience, because they recognise half of the fun in makeup is putting it on.
In this test, the lip glosses were assessed based on the following factors:
Shine: How much shine does the gloss have?
Hydration: Does the lip gloss moisturise lips or dry them out after awhile?
Stickiness: Do lips stick together after putting on the lip gloss? Does the lip gloss’ texture feel gooey?
Colour intensity: How much pigment is in the lip gloss and can you see the colour after one swipe?
Longevity: How long does the lip gloss stay on after application?
Our top picks for best lip glosses in Singapore
Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil in Black Cherry, $63
In shade Black Cherry
PHOTO: DIOR
Best for: Those who are looking for a luxe option that is worth the money
Rating: Shine: 3.5/5 | Hydration: 4/5 | Stickiness: 2/5 | Colour intensity: 4/5 | Longevity: 4/5
It’s been a few months since the viral Dior lip oil joined my collection, and I can definitely see the reason behind the hype.
While the price point is relatively high, I like that this basically does the job of a lip balm, gloss and tint all at once, so you get nourished, glossy lips with enough colour for a healthy look - great if you’re a one-and-done kind of person like me.
This is not a watery gloss that disappears after 10 minutes; the formula is that of a liquid lip balm and it nourishes like one as well.
You can expect a slight tint even after the glossiness disappears, especially if you have a darker shade like mine.
Online reviews often talk about the doe foot applicator, which I find deposits the perfect amount so you don’t have to re-dip.
The darkest shade, Black Cherry, is extra flattering on light to medium warm skin tones, but there are more vibrant and more muted shades too, as well as ones with sparkly finishes.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Lip Gloss in Caramel, $31.97
In shade Caramel
PHOTO: SEPHORA
Best for: Those looking for full opacity
Rating: Shine: 3.5/5 | Hydration: 2.5/5 | Stickiness: 4/5 | Colour intensity: 4.5/5 | Longevity: 4/5
If you’re here for an option that’s essentially an extra glossy lipstick, you’ve found it. This is the most opaque gloss I’ve used, and it looks amazing if you like that concealer lip look, or pair it with a darker lip liner.
It’s the thickest gloss on this list (hence the opacity), but the upside of this is that this smooths out any lip lines completely and gives your lips a vinyl-like shine.
ABH has a good range of nude shades, I like the slightly paler Caramel layered over a darker lip liner like Rimmel’s Cappucino to serve Gabbriette.
But cool-toned girlies may prefer Latte instead, which leans less peachy and more pastel pink.
Heart Percent Dote On Mood Dewy Melting Lipstick in Dewy Black, $22.46
Original price: $25 (10 per cent off) Buy here
In shade Dewy Black
PHOTO: HEART PERCENT
Best for: Those looking for a layering option
Rating: Shine: 3/5 | Hydration: 2.5/5 | Stickiness: 1/5 | Colour intensity: 3/5 | Longevity: 3/5
K-Beauty is always eating with their innovations. This was an impulse buy from Heart Percent after being influenced by TikTok.
I was fascinated by the idea of a “black” gloss that can be used alone or layered over a lip colour to make it a little more muted.
In real life, the gloss shows up slightly as a grey-ish purple, and neutralises the pink on my bare lips, but it can be layered to show up better, if a grey-ish lip is your jam.
This effect is a more obvious with saturated colours, so if you have a lipstick that’s too bright or a rich orange, red or pink, try to tone it down.
As for the formula, it’s one of those twist-up stick types, and is a very soft gel that isn’t sticky at all. Things to note are that this gloss has a chemical smell to it that disappears soon after.
The gloss also seems to have been discontinued by the brand, but it’s still in stock on their Shopee page; you can also try Heart Percent’s Dote On Mood Over Melting Gloss in Plum Noir.
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Lip Luminiser + Plumper in Fenty Glow Heat, $41
In shade Fenty Glow Heat
PHOTO: SEPHORA
Best for: A plumping effect
Rating: Shine: 4/5 | Hydration: 3/5 | Stickiness: 2/5 | Colour intensity: 2.5/5 | Longevity: 3/5
Here’s another one that needs no introduction. The glosses from Fenty Beauty have been some of the most popular in the makeup space since it was released.
It’s one that you can’t really find fault with - from the lightweight yet plush formula, shiny and non-sticky finish to the universally flattering nude colour. If you want a standard lip gloss for lots of shine and a hint of a tint, get this.
The Heat variation definitely has a kick to it as the name suggests and a slight plumping effect. If you have extra sensitive lips, go for the regular version instead.
Rom&nd Glasting Colour Gloss in Deepen Moor, $9.85
Original price: $12.94 (23 per cent off) Buy here
In shade Deepen Moor
PHOTO: ROM&ND
Best for: A popular affordable option
Rating: Shine: 2.5/5 | Hydration: 3/5 | Stickiness: 1/5 | Colour intensity: 3.5/5 | Longevity: 2.5/5
Has Rom&nd ever let us down when it comes to wallet-friendly options? Aside from their Juicy Lip Tints that we know, love and hoard, their glosses are worth a try too, if you want something glossier and more moisturising.
This is one of the more weightless and comfortable options on this list, and the narrow wand helps to apply the thin formula precisely.
Its opacity also surprised me - the amount of colour you can expect to show up is that of a sheer lipstick.
I like Deepen Moor, another TikTok viral shade, but paler and brighter shades as well as the popular new shades such as Cream Shell, a milky nude, are also available.
Glow Recipe Glass Balm in Blackberry Bingsoo, $34
In shade Blackberry Bingsoo
PHOTO: SEPHORA
Best for: Everyday use or for those with sensitive skin
Rating: Shine: 3/5 | Hydration: 4/5 | Stickiness: 2/5 | Colour intensity: 3.5/5 | Longevity: 2.5/5
If you’re looking for a hydrating balm that’s shiny enough to double as a gloss, Glow Recipe’s is a front runner for you to add to cart.
Branded as a “high-shine lip treatment” by the brand, the formula is infused with Hyaluronic Microspheres for 12 hours of hydration, is dermatologically tested and non-comedogenic.
If you’re prone to breakouts from new products like I am, this has been a safe choice for me thus far, and true to its promise, it delivers shine and hydration in an instant, plus a dose of colour.
The tint is buildable, so I could get a sheer wash of colour with one swipe, or squeeze out more via the slanted silicone applicator for an intense berry shade.
Kosas Wet Lip Oil Plumping Treatment Gloss in Unbuttoned, $33.36
In shade Unbuttoned
PHOTO: SEPHORA
Best for: A lightweight option
Rating: Shine: 3.5/5 | Hydration: 4/5 | Stickiness: 0/5 | Colour intensity: 3.5/5 | Longevity: 2/5
This Gen Z-favourite brand has been on my wishlist for a while, and I was pleasantly surprised by its performance. Kosas’ Wet Lip Oil is a lip oil and gloss hybrid that gives you the best of both worlds.
You get the lightness of an oil (sans the oiliness) plus a decent amount of shine, and it tops the list for me as the most lightweight option of the lot. Consider this if thick glosses are not your speed.
As far as colour goes, this is like the Anastasia Beverly Hills gloss where you can expect something more milky and translucent.
The shade “Unbuttoned" is a soft rose that would suit most skin tones, though it appears a bit brighter and lighter in real-life.
Other trending lip gloss options to check out
Risky Beauty Be Bold Lip Gloss, $22.83
Original price: $24.03 (5 per cent off) Buy here
In shade Chico
PHOTO: RISKY BEAUTY
Can’t resist a trending beauty item? Take it from the locals in South Korea and try the glosses from Risky Beauty.
The sleek packaging is reason enough to get a tube, and the product also features the brand’s Glazelock formulation, which ensures a smooth finish, a gentle cooling sensation and slight plumping effect, thanks to a blend of menthol and peptides.
We love the range of colours, which span from wearable pinks to edgier shades of brown and blue too.
Nuse Reju Lip Gloss, $10.31
Original price: $15 (29 per cent off) Buy here
In shade Dazzle Grape
PHOTO: YESSTYLE
With PDRN being all the rage right now, it was a matter of time before it was used in lip products.
Nuse, the sister brand of popular K-beauty brand Rom&nd, has one with an innovative jelly-like capsule formula that melts into a hydrating and plumping gloss.
All prices and deals are accurate at time of publication
FAQs: Best lip gloss
How to pick a good lip gloss?
When pikcing a good lip gloss for you, consider factors such as shine, hydration, stickiness, colour intensity and longevity. A good lip gloss should have a texture that is not goopy or gritty. It should last a long time and be in a colour that matches your skin tone.
Which lip gloss stays on the longest?
Among the lip glosses we’ve tried and liked, the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil and Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Lip Gloss had the best staying power.
What lip gloss is trending?
Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb remains a top favourite among beauty enthusiasts and a trending lip gloss.
This story was adapted from Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore.
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