The question comes up constantly: what's the difference between lip oil and lip gloss? And does it matter which one you choose?

The short answer is yes — they feel different, wear differently and do different things. But the longer answer is more interesting, because the best result often involves both.

What Is Lip Oil?

A lip oil is, as the name suggests, an oil-based formula applied to lips. The key characteristics:

  • Texture: Lightweight and fluid — it moves with your lips rather than sitting on top of them
  • Finish: A glassy, hydrated shine that looks natural and skin-like
  • Feel: Non-sticky. It absorbs partially into the lip surface and the rest evaporates, leaving a soft, conditioning finish
  • Benefit: Conditions and nourishes over time — regular lip oil use genuinely improves lip texture
  • Longevity: Shorter wear than gloss — but because it's comfortable, reapplication is easy and pleasant

What Is Lip Gloss?

Lip gloss is typically a polymer-based formula (often polybutene) that creates a thicker, more adhesive film on the lips. The key characteristics:

  • Texture: Thicker and more viscous than oil — it creates a distinct layer on the lip surface
  • Finish: High-shine, mirror-clear — more intense shine than oil
  • Feel: Can range from non-sticky (like ours) to very sticky depending on the formula
  • Benefit: Adds immediate visible volume and intensity — the glass-lip effect
  • Longevity: Tends to last longer than oil because the film holds

Which Should You Choose?

Choose lip oil if: You want something that feels like nothing, conditions your lips and looks effortlessly done. If you hate the feeling of product on your lips, oil is your answer.

Choose lip gloss if: You want maximum shine impact — the full glass-lip look that makes people wonder what you're wearing.

Use both if: You want the best of everything. Apply lip oil first for conditioning and a hydrated base, then layer gloss over the top for intense shine that lasts longer and looks more dimensional than either alone.

Our Take

Our Glow Lip Oil is designed for everyday wear — the product that lives in your bag and gets used fifteen times a day. Our Mirror Check Lip Gloss is for when you want more — the high-shine statement that elevates a full face.

Layer them together — oil first, gloss on top — and you get a finish that looks genuinely expensive. Both are non-sticky, both are Australian made. The only question is how much shine you want today.