Cruelty-free and affordable lip glosses!

So, I’ve been feeling a little bit badly for lip gloss lately.  With all the hype about matte and liquid lipsticks, I’ve been wondering whether the lip glosses have been feeling left out.  Just in case they have, I thought I’d throw a little light on a few of my faves!

My criteria for a seriously good lip gloss are as follows:

1. Must NOT be gloopy.  I hate it when they’re really sticky and your hair gets stuck in them and they leave that gross whitish line on your lips as they wear off.  Ick.  No, thanks.
2. Must be highly pigmented with good color payoff.  I’m spending just as much on these as I am on all my other lip products, and I want to see the results.
3. Flavored glosses need not apply.  Period.

Happily, it’s pretty easy to find glosses that fit all of these criteria!  Even better, every one of my picks costs under $10 😊

First up, Milani Brilliant Shine Lip Glosses.  These come in a dizzying array shades, of which I have a disturbingly large number.  The double-sided doe foot applicator is easy to use and the formula wears for a quite long time… for a gloss at any rate.   I do notice a scent, which I’d say is light vanilla extract, but it’s not overpowering once it’s on the lips and there’s no discernible flavor.

Next, a line of products that isn’t technically a gloss, but that really provides a lovely amount of shine along with the color.  ELF’s Luscious Liquid Lipsticks.  I’ve been obsessed with these pretty much since I discovered the brand, and they never disappoint.  I have a variety of shades, and I’m on either my third or fourth tube of the shade Ruby Slipper. 💋

Finally, a new-ish product that is definitely new to me.  The Sigma Beauty Lip Glosses.  These have a texture that manages to be pretty thick without being sticky and they have a really nice opaque color.  I wouldn’t mind if they had a doe foot, rather than brush tip, applicator, but hey, no one’s perfect 😉

Hope this has been helpful if you’re on the look out for some gloss this fall/winter. Let me know if you have any faves I need to check out!

*These are only my opinions, formed through my personal experience as a consumer.  I am not a medical doctor, an aesthetician, or a health/beauty professional.  There is no guarantee what effect, positive or negative, these products may have on anyone else.

**All products were purchased by me from brands that, to the best of my knowledge, are cruelty-free.