Lip oil is a lightweight lip product made mostly of plant oils such as jojoba, squalane or castor, with a sheer tint, which partly absorbs into the lips and leaves a soft shine with less stickiness than a gloss.
Also known as: tinted lip oil, lip glow oil, lip comfort oil, lipolie
A lip oil is closer to skincare than to colour. Clarins launched Lip Comfort Oil in 2015 with 98 percent skincare ingredients and 30 percent plant oils, and by 2024 the group reported one sold every 8 seconds worldwide (Clarins Group). Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil then made the format viral on TikTok (AnOther), and lip oils are now a fixture of every prestige lip range.
The difference from gloss is the base. A gloss is built on polybutene, a thick synthetic polymer that stays on the surface and gives a glassy, sometimes sticky film. A lip oil uses liquid plant oils, often argan, hazelnut, jojoba, squalane or castor, which spread thinly, absorb partly and leave a softer sheen. Some oils, such as Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Jelly, add polybutene back in small amounts for cushion while still claiming non-sticky wear (Tower 28).
Tint is sheer and sometimes pH-reactive. Many lip oils contain a dye that deepens with the moisture and acidity of the lip, so the colour looks personal and lasts longer than the shine. Colour payoff is low by design; a lip oil is a comfort product with a flush, not a lipstick.
Wear is short. Oils move, so the shine fades within an hour or two and feathers faster than a waxy product. Lip oil suits dry lips, daytime and the top layer of a lip combo. For a defined edge, line first with a waterproof pencil.