Unfortunately, like many teenage girls, I spend a decent amount of time and money at Sephora. However, I do not feel anywhere near qualified to give advice on what makeup or skincare products are the best, or are worth the money. I have an ever-growing collection of makeup and skincare, most of it unused, that I purchase due to being influenced on social media.
The majority of my collection is made up of the one category that I do feel qualified enough to recommend and talk about forever: lip-products.
I have upwards of 40 lip products, some of which I use on the daily, and some of which I rarely use. But all of them I have tried at least once. So, here is my personal take on which lippies are worth the money, which are more worth buying as a drugstore brand, and which I would never repurchase.
Summer Fridays
Summer Fridays has possibly the most talked-about lip products right now. Their products are raved about on TikTok and are constantly running low in stores. I own four of their full-sized Lip Butter Balms and five of the miniature ones. All but two of those were gifted to me, which is the reason that I have so many. As an unpopular opinion, I wouldn’t spend my money on this product. For the amount that it costs, I don’t think that it is anything spectacular. I love the flavor options, and I think that the gloss is nicely pigmented and not too sticky, but I also know that I can get lip glosses that are exactly the same for less than half the cost. That being said, I do think that this product is moisturizing, and the ones that have color are pigmented and stay on for a while. But I don’t think that I would be willing to spend $24.
In addition to the Lip Butter Balm, their Dream Lip Oil is all the rage right now. I personally don’t own this product, but my mom recently bought one that I have used several times. I have tried several other lip oils, and I think that this is the least oily lip oil. I would classify it as a gloss that comes in an oil container. It is not sticky, like many lip oils; it stays on the lips for several hours, even as I drink through a straw or eat a meal. However, for the price of $26, I don’t think it is worth it. Although the pigmentation is nice, and I know that my lips are staying hydrated, I don’t need a 26-dollar product to do that.
Although Summer Fridays is very popular right now, if you are trying to cut back on how much you spend on makeup, especially lip products, this isn’t the brand for you. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the money.
Elf
Elf is a very popular drugstore brand known for its cheap prices and dupes of high-end makeup. I haven’t tried many of their makeup products, but I swear by their lip products. I have five of their Squeeze Me lip balms in my lippie bin and at least three more in bags, purses, and my car. For $4, this lipgloss is one that I will never stop recommending. Anytime I am getting a gift for someone, I always give them one of these glosses, as it is affordable, and most people could always use another lipgloss in their life. Although they do not hold any color, they are flavored and are very moisturizing. I have at least one of every flavor they have, and the watermelon is my favorite, but they are all very good. I think that these are better than the Laneige Lip Glowy Balm for the price, and I will continue to use them daily.
Elf also carries Glow Reviver Lip Oil, which is another product that I swear by. For $8, this oil is very moisturizing, and although it is a little sticky, it stays on my lips for hours, no matter what I am doing. I have this product in several of their colors, and I keep one in my backpack and one in my car at all times. If you are looking for a good lip oil, I would skip over all of the expensive, high-end options and go straight to Elf.
Laneige
Personally, I never got aboard the Laneige craze. I didn’t see the point in buying an overnight lip mask, and I like my Elf lip balm enough to not need a more expensive one. But, I saw a set of five mini Laneige Lip Sleeping Masks online for only $20, so I figured I would see what all the hype was about. First off, if you are looking for a fun gift for a teenage girl, breaking up this set and gifting a few of the masks is a great idea and something I have done. But for the masks that I have kept for myself, I would not say that they are worth all of the hype. I love the product, and it helps keep my lips hydrated. I wake up with them more repaired than they were when I went to sleep, but I would never pay for a full-sized one. I think that the miniature set is more fun than having one full-sized mask, and I like the option to try multiple flavors. If you are looking for a sleeping mask, I would get the miniature set, but I don’t think a full-sized one is worth the price.
Bath and Body Works
An alternative to the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is the Bath and Body Works lip mask. I have it in the Vanilla flavor, and dabbing a bit on before bed when my lips are especially dry does wonders. This product only costs $10.95, and I would recommend it over any more expensive option. Although the vanilla flavor that I have tried is not as nice as the watermelon or grape options that Laneige offers, I would still rather spend 10 dollars than $24. And there are a lot of flavors to choose from, including seasonal ones like pumpkin and hot cocoa.
In addition to the lip mask, Bath and Body Works carries a selection of lip glosses. I have both the flavored one and the vanilla one. Although they aren’t very expensive, at only $8.95, I think that for someone who is just looking to keep their lips glossy on a budget, it is a great option. They have many different flavors to choose from, and they do keep the lips moisturized.
Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez is one of my idols, and I will always think that anything she does is amazing—including her makeup brand. I own so many Rare Beauty blushes, but haven’t quite gotten into their lip products. That being said, I do own the Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil in the full-sized and mini. This product is very pigmented and has a nice glossy shine to it. If I am looking for something with more color, this is the product I would reach for. However, if I am looking for something to keep my lips hydrated, I would steer clear. Although I love Rare Beauty, this lip oil is very drying. I would not use it in winter, as my lips are already dry enough. I would, however, use it in the summer as a pop of color. I love this product, but for people who have naturally dry lips, it definitely isn’t the right call.
Although this does not even create a dent in my lippie collection, these are the products that I definitely would and would not spend the money on. I love to try new lip products, and my collection will continue to grow, but these products are the ones that I have the most of, and while most are definitely worth the hype, some very much are not.
