Waking up in bed, I scroll through a stream of curated, flashy products ubiquitous on TikTok; sorting through a multitude of advertisements that don’t live up to their packaging has become quite the struggle. However, the rainbow swirls that present the product lines Truly Beauty beautifully were not just a stunt to appeal to the eyes—this line surely meets its aesthetic standards.

With the colder weather this season in Michigan, chapped, cracking lips are inevitable. A hydrating, plumping lip care routine is vital for a healthy overall look. Truly Beauty’s GLOAT (Greatest Lips Of All Time) is a four-step lip kit that I added to my daily regime; all-natural products, luscious lips—what more could a girl ask for mid-winter?

This set retails for $48—it includes an exfoliating sugar scrub, a lip plumping serum, a hydrating lip oil, and moisturizing lip butter. Purchasing these products as a set is twenty percent cheaper than buying each product separately, not to mention Truly Beauty is an entirely vegan and cruelty-free brand.

To start, the “Sexy Soft Lip Scrub” is a sugar-based scrub made to remove the dead skin from the lips, and that’s exactly what it does. I could probably eat this beauty product; it’s minty, it smells delicious, and it’s a pretty shade of baby pink. It honestly looks like some sort of candy. This scrub is ultra gritty—which I definitely prefer in lip scrubs.  A lot of brands tend to go for a smoother scrub, but they end up just being less effective in resurfacing the skin on the lips. At first, I would grab much more product than necessary when I was using this scrub, but really only a little bit of product is needed—it goes a long way.

Next, the “Lip Plumping Serum” is marketed as a hydrating lip plumper—another true statement. This serum is pretty mild in comparison to other plumping products. I typically notice plumpers to be harsh and irritating; this one goes on smooth and adds a sort of puffiness to the lips while avoiding irritation. This product is aloe-based but also incorporates hyaluronic acid, which is a beneficial treatment in regards to anti-aging and replenishing. I’ve been applying this serum pre-gloss and pre-lipstick, and it’s a dream plumper; it’s lightweight and has been a miracle primer.

Another must-have addition to the beauty routine is the “Big Juicy Lip Oil.” This product is a coconut-oil-based lip oil. The consistency of the product took me by surprise after previously trying the notorious Clarins lip oil. The Clarins product is a much thicker oil; it has the same finish as a silkier gloss. The Truly Beauty lip oil is much runnier; this is a thin, liquidy oil, and with this product specifically, only a single drop is needed. The oil is definitely a salient addition to the set. It melts comfortably onto the skin of the lips and doubles as yet another effective primer for more drying lipsticks.

Lastly, and certainly not least, the set concludes with Truly Beauty’s “Luscious Lip Butter.” This lip butter wraps up this kit with minty moisture. The butter is thick and extremely hydrating; my lips look nourished after the application of this final product, and as I lick them, I taste candy canes. The addition of peppermint oil to this product’s formulation aids in plumping and wafts a not only natural but desirable fragrance. After using this butter for a total of maybe eight days, I felt obligated to order another.

This set motivated me to buy the “Unicorn Lip Plumping Balm,” which I’d say is probably my favorite of the two butters. The unicorn balm is beautiful at first sight. The balm is swirled up the glass pot in several different colors. I enjoy applying this balm under my favorite Buxom lip gloss because it’s plumping, long-lasting, and hydrating due to the shea butter it includes.

Soft as a pillow, my lips are happier than ever.

Michigan winters are long and hard to get through from school, driving, and a mental standpoint. A myriad of assignments left to complete? Fitness goals still left to achieve before spring break? Perhaps it’s the unknowingness of how long in-person schooling will last? Whatever it may be, don’t add dry lips to the series of seasonal stressors.