In the lip world, there are so many different product options to choose from. Do I want a gloss? A stain? A lipstick? Knowing the different attributes to the different products and what look you will achieve using those products will keep the guesswork out of which is going to give you the most use. Today, we’ll be talking about the difference between lip gloss and lipstick and which is best for you.
Finish
To me, this is one of the biggest differences between lip gloss and lipstick. Lip gloss is only going to have one finish option: glossy. Lipsticks come in all different types of finishes: matte, satin, cream, shimmer, and metallic, just to name a few. If its a glossy finish you’re looking for, go for gloss! But if you’re more into satins or mattes, lipstick is the way to go. Below is a quick guide to lipstick finishes to help you when choosing your best finish.
Lasting Power
Another key difference between lipstick and lip gloss is the lasting power. Most lip glosses aren’t going to last more than a couple of hours, if you’re lucky. On the other hand, there are some lipsticks out there that’ll last you most of the day. Take a liquid lipstick, for example. I’ve had those last me all day long. In all reality, the more matte your lipstick is, the longer its going to last. If you happen to pick a sheer formula, its probably going to last about the same amount of time as a lip gloss, so keep that in mind if lasting power is important to you.
What Look You Will Achieve
Its pretty well-known that different products will give you different looks. So, what look did you have for in mind today? Is it a flirty, I woke up like this look? Or a high-fashion, I spent decent amount of time on my makeup because I’m THAT good at it kind of look? I find that gloss is really great to just pop on and feel a little more put together. Its a perfect compliment to the “No-makeup makeup” look. Lipstick, however, will give you any look you want, really. Pick a sheer lipstick that looks like your natural lip shade? You can still achieve the “No-makeup makeup” look. Want a more dramatic look? Go for a more pigmented, brighter shade of lipstick and voila!
Ease of Application
Here’s where it is lip gloss’ time to shine! Lip gloss is literally the easiest lip product you can apply. Swipe it on and its really no fuss. You don’t even really need a mirror! True, there are some lipsticks that can also provide this for you, but they tend to be the more sheer lipsticks. When going for a more pigmented lipstick, however, you’re really going to want to set aside a bit of extra time to make sure it goes on perfectly. No one likes their lipstick smudged around their mouth. Additionally, lipstick application can look a lot better if applied on top of a lip liner. This is because the lip liner can do all the detail work and make sure your lips are perfectly outlined before lipstick comes into play. This is especially true when trying to apply a more vibrant shade.
Pigmentation
One word comes to mind when I think of lip gloss: sheer. The entire purpose of lip gloss is to provide a sleek, glossy look. It isn’t meant to pack a punch when it comes to pigmentation. On the other hand, lipstick can come in all different levels of pigmentation. I’ve had some that were also fairly sheer, while others were super pigmented. In general, lipstick is just going to provide much more pigmentation than a lip gloss will. That isn’t to be negative toward lip gloss, it just has a different purpose.
So, is lipstick or lip gloss better?
Neither! It truly all depends on what type of look you are going for. There are some weeks where I’m going low-key on my makeup and pick lip gloss every single day. Other times, my makeup trends more glam and I choose a lipstick every time. Each product has its own special place in the makeup world and truly, neither is better than the other.
Can You Wear Lip Gloss Over Lipstick?
Tip time! This is actually one of my favorite ways to wear lip gloss – over my lipstick! This way I get all the pigmentation from my lipstick with a little bit of a glossy finish. Bonus, it tends to last a really long time. In the model’s photo, you can see she is wearing a red lipstick with a gloss over top. This changes the look she’s getting from it and now it matches the glossy appearance of her eyes. Instead of a matte or satin red, she has a look that brings a lot of attention to the lips.
I hope this post was able to help you better understand the differences between these two lip products and deepen your understanding of what look each will help you achieve. Trouble wearing lipstick with your braces? Check out my post on Rocking Lipstick With Braces.
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