15 Lip Glosses That'll Take You Right Back To The Early 2000s (But Better!) (2024)

If you haven’t thought about lip gloss—let alone worn it—since your last middle school dance back in 2008, it’s probably time to revisit the long-forgotten former favorite. The glosses that graced the days of our youth were sticky, tacky, and so heavily scented that they were an affront to our noses.

But lip gloss has come a long way in the years since, and today’s formulations are nothing like the ones we banished from our makeup bags more than a decade ago. “Lip gloss can instantly freshen up a look because of the light-reflecting properties in the shine, and if you find a lip gloss that’s pigmented, you can get color payoff with the shine built in,” explains celebrity makeup artist Neil Scibelli.

Many of the most popular glosses today not only look great but also feel great on your skin, and are filled with beneficial ingredients to leave your lips plumped and hydrated, even when the gloss is off, so that your lips don't feel stripped of moisture afterward. “There’s a great range of glosses with lipstick-like colors and even textures,” Scibelli says. “If you’re less concerned with color and more on formula, I always suggest going for glosses that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, fruit oils, shea butter or any humectants, as these will both plump and hydrate the lips.”

For these qualities and more, check out the 15 lip glosses that we’re loving right now, from affordable drugstore finds to indulgent splurges.

If you’re a newbie to lip gloss and want to do a trial run without breaking the bank, look no further than Maybelline’s Lip Lifter Gloss. The affordable gloss is unbelievably moisturizing (thanks to hyaluronic acid) without being sticky, and it visibly smoothes lips’ surface. Lifter Gloss’s angled applicator gives you color in just one swipe, and you can choose from 15 wide-ranging shades.

Lip gloss may be the one product in our makeup bags that’s truly capable of delivering shine, but often, that shine comes at a sticky price. With The Lip Bar’s Lip Gloss, though, you’ll get all the shine with none of the hassle. Lightweight and nourishing, this gloss will cover your lips with silkiness and bold color in one of 17 gorgeous shades.

If you hadn’t guessed already, radiance is the name of the game with this Clé de Peau lip gloss. With a smooth, non-sticky finish, the gloss offers medium coverage with a reflective shimmer that’s halfway between an added sparkle and a natural sheen. The twisted applicator lets you apply a generous amount of gloss to the center of your lips and use the tip for precision along the outer edges, and you can choose from eight colors to find the perfect shade.

The Ecstasy Lip Lacquer is the best blend of every great lip product: It has the color and comfort of a lipstick, the hold of a stain, and the shine of a gloss. The lacquer is formulated with the highest possible concentration of water-soluble pigments, meaning you’ll get vivid color and maximum longevity. The Armani gloss is available in 30 shades and two different finishes: pure, intense color or high-impact metallic.

Inspired by powerful working women, AJ Crimson’s Office Politics collection of lip glosses brings a little humor, and a whole lot of shine, to your pout. From “Per My Last Email” to “Reply All,” these five shades work hard to bring a glistening, dewy shine to your lips, lips, cheeks, or wherever you choose to use them. The creamy gloss moisturizes lips with the help of vitamin E, and the plush doe-foot applicator makes swiping itacross your lips smooth and easy.

With a super soft formulation that melts into your lips, this gloss from NYX really does live up to its name. Supple and not sticky, the Butter Gloss comes in 21 shades, from pale pink to berry blue, and it delivers the ideal dose of long-lasting color and shine to any set of lips.

Made with jojoba and avocado oils, aloe extract, and vitamins C and E, Bobbi Brown’s signature lip gloss is as hydrating and practical as it is lustrous. The high-shine gloss gives lips a sultry but subtle sheen and can be worn on its own or over your favorite lipstick. Choose from six beautiful shades, including a sheer, bright rose and a deep scarlet red, all of which go on smooth as can be.

Pat McGrath’s eponymous makeup line is known for its sexy colors and mindful formulations, and her Lust Lip Gloss is no exception. A blend of nourishing oils soothes and smoothes lips, but the real star of this gloss is its color range. Available in 32 scintillating hues in four collections: High Shine, Shimmer, Glitter, and Divine Rose, there’s truly something for every taste and every skin tone.

This plumping gloss from bareMinerals features an ultra-creamy formula that glides on smoothly and provides medium, buildable coverage with a soft shine. With 15 pearl and non-pearl shades, there’s a nude for everyone, whether you favor a pink undertone or a deep chocolatebrown. Use the cream gloss on its own or layered on top of your fave lipstick.