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The 11 Best Drugstore Lip Glosses, Tested & Reviewed by Editors

These under-$15 formulas deliver high-shine hydration.

By

Olivia Cigliano, Claire Sullivan

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May 8, 2025, 5:07pm

pink drugstore lip gloss

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Lip gloss has always been a reliable beauty staple at the drugstore. Not only is it one of the most forgiving makeup products money can buy (usually no mirror is necessary), but the best drugstore lip glosses have evolved to compete with prestige formulas in lip-loving hydration, non-sticky comfort, and high-shine finishes. Still, the infinite assortment of affordable options can be hit or miss.

The sole objective of a lip gloss is to deliver a juicy finish to the lips, creating the illusion of a fuller pout — but beyond that, you’ve got options. Hydration is the most important factor in any lip gloss formula because otherwise, you’d be drawing attention to a dry and flaky smile (not so cute!). The increasing demand for lip care products on TikTok, like moisturizing lip balms and lip oils, has pushed drugstore brands to develop formulas with high-shine finishes and nourishing skin care ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, peptides, shea butter, or collagen, which allows affordable lip treatments to double as comfortable-wearing gloss. These days, glosses are seemingly more like balms, while lip oils are more like glosses. So, where to start? Consider your go-to lip combo.

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Top Drugstore Lip Glosses of 2025

pink drugstore lip gloss

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Maybelline Lifter Lip Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid

Buy Now at amazon $8.98 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

EDITOR’s CHOICE

Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lipgloss

Buy Now at amazon $10.40 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Nooni Appleberry Lip Oil

Buy Now at amazon $9.50 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

E.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil

Buy Now at amazon $8 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Gloss

Buy Now at amazon $3 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

Naturium Phyto Glow Lip Balm

Buy Now at ulta $9.99 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Diamond Plumper Gloss

Buy Now at amazon $5.39 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

E.l.f. Pout Cloud Lip Plumping Pen

Buy Now at amazon $8 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

Nyx Butter Gloss

Buy Now at amazon $5.97 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm

Buy Now at sephora $13 Jump to Details

pink drugstore lip gloss

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss

Buy Now at ulta $10.49 Jump to Details

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If you’re a lipstick lover, a smooth and moisturizing gloss like the Maybelline Lifter Gloss or Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss is your best bet. These easy-to-layer glazes keep your lips from drying under the lipstick while enhancing the shade you’ve already applied. For added volume on bare or lined lips, the best plumping lip glosses from The Inkey List or E.l.f. softly boost and tint the lips — whereas reflective glosses from brands like Wet n Wild and Physicians Formula utilize fine shimmers for maximum shine. And, if you prefer to stick to a one-and-done lip product, you can’t go wrong with pigmented options from Nyx or Naturium that deposit a fuss-free wash of color with lasting moisture.

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To curate our list of the best lip gloss formulas to shop at the drugstore, a team of four WWD Shop product testers closely evaluated 27 formulas during two testing periods that spanned 11 months total. We went shopping at local drugstores, placed countless online orders, and invoked our extensive repertoire of lip care product formulas to narrow down the 11 best drugstore lip glosses money can buy.

Sign up for WWD Shop’s newsletter to get the scoop on the best in beauty and style with in-depth reviews of exciting new releases and buyer’s guides to find the products you need to try ASAP.

Editor’s Choice: Top 3 Drugstore Lip Glosses, Tested & Reviewed

In the realm of makeup, the perfect lip gloss formula is as subjective as it gets. So, it’s important to select a lip gloss based on your desired finish and comfort, like whether you want the appearance of fuller lips, sheer or full color, or a two-in-one hydrator. For that reason, we selected the top three options for different preferences based on 11 months of extensive editor testing. Below, the best drugstore lip glosses that outshine the lot:

WWD Shop editors test and review three of our favorite drugstore lip glosses

WWD/ Claire Sullivan

pink lip gloss tube with swatch

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Maybelline Lifter Lip Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid

Formula type: Plumping, shimmer
Shade range: 15 shades available
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid

$8.98 $10.99 18% off

Buy Now at amazon

$10.99

Buy Now at ulta

Maybelline’s Lifter Lip Gloss has maintained its bestseller status in the drugstore for years — over 36,000 Amazon reviewers rave about its long-lasting wear, non-sticky texture, and flattering shade options for every skin tone. It offers buildable color payoff, making it a versatile choice for wearing on its own or layering with lipstick, and is formulated with hyaluronic acid for impactful hydration and shine.

The chubby doe foot applicator aptly addresses both lips in one swipe and deposits a smooth, visibly enhancing wash of color. You’ll get a subtle plumping effect with this gloss, but, if you prefer more fullness, it’s also available in a chili pepper-infused plumping formula.

Editor testing and review notes: “Maybelline’s Lifter Gloss in shades Ice (shown) and Moon are, hands-down, my favorite tinted lip glosses in my extensive collection. Moon is a nude pink that gives my smile some oomph, while Ice delivers that perfect Y2K frosted lip look when you swipe it over liner. The chubby doe foot makes it easy to apply without a mirror, and the chunky tube makes it easy to find in my cluttered bag. Compared to similar inexpensive glosses, this one feels soft on the lips rather than sticky.” — WWD Shop contributor Claire Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $8.98

WWD Shop editors test Maybellines lifter gloss

WWD/ Claire Sullivan

tube of pink lip gloss

EDITOR’s CHOICE

Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lipgloss

Formula type: Hydrating shine
Shade range: 34 shades available
Key ingredients: Flax seed oil and bidens pilosa extract

$10.40 $13 20% off

Buy Now at amazon

$13

Buy Now at ulta

This Italian-made lip gloss is mega-viral in Europe and has amassed over 10,000 five-star Amazon reviews for its uniquely nourishing formula. Bidens pilosa extract works similar to retinol, smoothing and naturally creating a plumper look to the lips, while flax seed oil brings all the hydration and shine. But the real wow factor comes with the shade range (there are 34), which includes earthy neutrals for a nude lip look as well as bright hues that bring the drama. The Chestnut shade (shown) enhances your natural lip color without overpowering it.

Editor testing and review notes: “Ok, I’m obsessed. This gloss has a tiny bit of iridescent sparkle that gives the lips an extra pop. It glides on silky smooth and does not feel sticky at all. It’s great by itself or layered with other products. The moisture lingers throughout the day, too. Chef’s kiss.” — Former Commerce Writer & Producer Olivia Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this article: $13

WWD Shop editors test Kiko Milano's lip gloss

WWD/ Claire Sullivan

pink lip stain oil

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Nooni Appleberry Lip Oil

Formula type: Glossy lip oil stain
Shade range: 13
Key ingredients: Appleseed oil, ginseng extract

$9.50 $12 21% off

Buy Now at amazon

A runaway hit on TikTok, this Nooni lip treatment wears many hats. Though it’s technically a lip oil, it offers the high-shine finish our editors look for in a gloss, plus pigments that stain the lips for hours of wear time. Our testers were particularly impressed by how evenly it stains the lips and its texture, which felt more silky and luxurious than other similarly priced options. We recommend the Appleberry shade, which reads as a cool pink.

Editor testing and review notes: “I was blown away by the quality of this lip gloss, given its price. It’s intensely pigmented, so you only need one coat to tint your lips — and it leaves behind a gorgeous stain when it fades. I find that it gives me about an hour of moisture; after that, I follow up with a lip balm as needed, since the stain stays put for about four hours. Just note that the proportions of the product are small, including both the amount of product in the tube as well as the size of the wand. ” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $9.50

WWD Shop editors test and review Nooni's lip oil gloss

WWD/ Claire Sullivan

orange lip oil gloss

E.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil

Formula type: Hydrating
Shade range: 7 shades available
Key ingredients: Squalane, apricot oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, and pomegranate oil

$8

Buy Now at amazon

$8

Buy Now at ulta

The E.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil has millions of views and searches on TikTok, and we’re happy to report that it’s worth its hype in every swipe. Like dozens of prestige lip oils we’ve tested (that are quadruple its price), this best drugstore lip oil applies incredibly smoothly. You won’t get much color from this one, but this best non-sticky lip gloss offers a slight glow that pairs well with its naturally glossy, hydrating formula.

Editor testing and review notes: “The Glow Reviver Lip Oil offers a very sheer tint, which is nice for a subtle wash of color, and deposits beautiful shine. I noticed my lips continued to soften with wear. It has a minty fragrance that most other E.l.f. lip products have, though it’s not overwhelming or plumping, but rather refreshing. It gives similar lip oils from designer beauty brands a run for their money. My only criticism is that I often have to double-dip into the tube for full coverage on my medium-size lips.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this article: $8

Editor tests and reviews Elf lip oil gloss

WWD Shop editor Claire Sullivan tests E.l.f.’s tinted lip oil in our New York City office. WWD/ Adam Mansuroglu

shimmery brown drugstore lip gloss

Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Gloss

Formula type: Shimmer
Shade range: 9 shades available
Key ingredients: Jojoba glaze, maxi lip peptides, yaluronic acid, collagen, sunflower oil, vitamin E

$3

Buy Now at amazon

The Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Gloss offers shimmer and shine galore. It’s the most affordable drugstore lip gloss on our all-star list, but it doesn’t skimp on prestige-level ingredients like hyaluronic acid, collagen, peptides, and vitamin E. It’s an ideal formula to apply over carefully lined lips or lipstick, as it applies a subtle wash of color and intense wet-looking shine. Consider this the highlighter of your lip rotation that boosts glow and enhances contours.

Editor testing and review notes: “I’ve never been a shimmer gloss girl, but Wet n Wild has converted me. Off the bat, I love the flat and flexible doe foot applicator. It’s surprisingly pillowy-soft and helps to blend the formula into harsh lip liner lines. The gloss itself isn’t too thick or thin, so it doesn’t feel goopy on its own or layered and I didn’t discover any feathering throughout long hours of wear.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this article: $2.28

@angelaypark

Replying to @abril_luisa 6 of my favorite shades! @wetnwildbeauty MegaSlick Lip Gloss.

♬ Bossa nova(262254) – And More Music

brown lip balm gloss

Naturium Phyto Glow Lip Balm

Formula type: Balm
Shade range: 6 shades available
Key ingredients: Phyto-derived esters, shea butter, cupuaçu butter, and plant squalane

$9.99

Buy Now at ulta

Naturium is a shining example of how a lip balm can play double-duty as a gloss. This best lip gloss for dry lips is formulated with soothing and hydrating ingredients that heal flaky skin and instantly soothe the lips, while leaving behind a tint of color and lacquer-level finish. Its squeeze-tube packaging makes it small and convenient for reapplying throughout the day — or for storing with your skin care as an overnight lip mask.

Editor testing and review notes: “This Naturium lip gloss is a great inexpensive alternative to a certain celebrity-backed peptide lip treatment. It has a serum-like consistency that melts into the lips to enhance shine in a subtle way. I love the tinted options, particularly this on-trend ’90s-inspired Spice shade that delivers a your-lips-but-better result.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $9.99

clear drugstore lip gloss

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Diamond Plumper Gloss

Formula type: Pumping, shimmer
Shade range: 5 shades available
Key ingredients: Lustrous Diamond Dust

$5.39

Buy Now at amazon

Clear lip gloss is easy to find at the drugstore, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find one as dramatic as this Physicians Formula tube at any price point. The Mineral Wear Diamond Plumper Gloss is a true hidden gem: The gloss-serum hybrid formula is plumping, hydrating, clean for sensitive skin, and blended with Lustrous Diamond Dust for a uniquely dimensional high-shine finish. Wear this top clear lip gloss alone for a simply polished pout, or layer it over your favorite lip stains for your-lips-but-way-better finish.

Editor testing and review notes: “Oh my gloss! This formula ticks every boss for those who crave the look of high-shine lips but would rather source their color from a lipstick or liner. Before I swiped it on, I was concerned that the shimmery particles would feel gritty on my lips, but I was impressed that they feel practically nonexistent, while the formula drenches my lips with smooth moisture.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this article: $6.98

berry color lip gloss balm with swatch

E.l.f. Pout Cloud Lip Plumping Pen

Formula type: Plumping gloss balm
Shade range: 8 shades available
Key ingredients: Maracuja oil, blueberry, watermelon, and pomegranate extracts

$8

Buy Now at amazon

$8

Buy Now at ulta

At the drugstore, E.l.f. beauty products are MVPs with slam-dunk formulas that are just as competitive as their price points. The E.l.f. Pout Cloud Lip Plumping Pen is a standout from the brand’s lip range, offering a multifunctional formula that serves as a lip plumper, balm, and lip color in one. Its click-pen packaging makes application clean and precise, with an easy-gliding stick formula enriched with softening maracuja oil and fruit extracts. Take your pick from neutral nudes to deep berries and even a rich red — it’s an ideal everyday lip formula you can toss in your designer handbag without the risk of gunky spills.

Editor testing and review notes: “I was not expecting this under-$10 find to perform super well after three months of testing luxury lip balmslipsticks, and lip plumpers. But, I stood corrected when I found myself sidelining the $25 plumping lip balm I had been using for a week or two; this one is, surprisingly, way better. Its cushiony texture deposits an even (not splotchy) swath of color, and rather than the spicy tingle you get from most lip plumpers, this one’s comfortably cooling.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $7.99

woman swatching elf lip pen on her arm

WWD Shop editor Claire Sullivan tests E.l.f.’s Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen in our New York City office. WWD/ Adam Mansuroglu

pink drugstore lip gloss

Nyx Butter Gloss

Formula type: Hydrating shine
Shade range: 43 shades available

$5.97

Buy Now at amazon

If you have yet to try this Nyx lip gloss, consider this your cue. This creamy formula is more like a serum-y gloss — your lips will soften and feel so supple after a single swipe of product. It’s one of the best hydrating lip glosses at the drugstore, so even after the color fades, your lips look far more hydrated than where they started. It offers the widest shade range among our top picks and has earned the stamp of approval of over 81,000 Amazon reviews who call it a “must-have” and “new favorite.”

Editor testing and review notes: “This is everything a lip gloss should be: Comfortable, hydrating, and shiny. It applies as smooth as butter and I find my lips are softer hours after application. It has a slight vanilla fragrance that I enjoy and don’t find to be sickly-sweet. It doesn’t bleed, so I apply it without a mirror more times than not, and look forward to slathering on a second coat after a meal or a few hours of wear time. Plus, you can’t beat the price point or the extensive color selection. I keep it on rotation in nearly every shade.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this article: $5.85

tube of drugstore lip gloss

The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm

Formula type: Glossy balm
Shade range: 4 shades available
Key ingredients: Tripeptide complex, Ultra Filling Spheres, hyaluronic acid

$13

Buy Now at sephora

$13

Buy Now at The Inkey List

The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm has been an editor favorite for years, so you can imagine our excitement when the brand released three tinted shades last year. The affordable skin care brand formulated this balm to boost lip volume in just four weeks of regularly use, thanks to its inclusion of peptides and Ultra Filling Sphere technology. It repairs lips, naturally plumps, and satisfies with an ultra-juicy finish. Plus, it has a TikTok cult-following amounting to over 40 million views and searches, including reviews that substantiate the brand’s long-term plumping promise.

Editor testing and review notes: “Consider this a tinted lip mask to carry on-the-go. When I apply two coats, not only do my lips look plumped and refreshed, but after hours of wear they’re softer to the touch. Impressively, I notice that fine lines on my lips begin to fade within a week of consistent use.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $13

pink drugstore lip gloss

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss

Formula type: Hydrating shine
Shade range: 12 shades available
Key ingredients: Agave, moringa oil, and cupuaçu butter

$10.49

Buy Now at ulta

$12.49

Buy Now at cvs

The Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss stands out from the crowd for its glaze-like finish. On the lips, its silky moisture powered by agave, moringa oil, and cupuaçu butter conditions the skin, while a slightly thick — not sticky! — layer of color reflects a high-shine varnish. It’s one of the most pigmented drugstore lip glosses that impressed our editors, as it offers an even, medium to full coat of color that lasts for hours of wear.

Editor testing and review notes: “I love this gloss, mainly because my all-time holy grail lip color is from this line. ‘Supernatural’ is the perfect rosy nude gloss that sits right in the middle between pink and brown. I prefer this non-shimmery shade, as it is so creamy and juicy and looks like an enhanced version of my natural lips. I grab for this formula when I’m already wearing lipstick and my lips are feeling tight and dry.” — Cigliano

Price upon publish date of this article: $9.39

@sbsarahlovesmakeup

Revlon super lustrous formulas are the goat! #drugstorelipgloss #bestdrugstorelipgloss #revlon #affordablemakeup #summermakeup #bestlipgloss

♬ original sound – Sarah Basso

What to Look for in the Best Drugstore Lip Glosses

The best drugstore lip gloss for you will depend on your glam preference, but there are key elements to consider in your hunt for a standout formula.

Where to Shop Drugstore Lip Gloss Online

How We Selected & Tested the Best Drugstore Lip Glosses

To narrow down the best drugstore lip glosses that outshine other formulas, our editors lent our lips to 11 months of lip gloss testing during two testing periods. Before we rolled up our sleeves, we rounded up a testing pool of over 27 lip glosses in different finishes and formulas, referencing extensive market research, buzzy TikTok-viral formulas, and long-time bestsellers. We compared customer reviews on retailer websites, social media, and online forums like Reddit to determine the most satisfactory formulas for a variety of needs and preferences. Any lip glosses that did not provide substantial hydration, wear comfortably, achieve high-shine results, or deliver on impressive claims were cut from our list of the best drugstore lip glosses.

Throughout both testing periods, editors wore each drugstore lip gloss for as long as they stayed put on our lips. We timed how quickly they wore off throughout the day, whether they held up through eating and drinking, and whether the lips felt softer, plumper, or more hydrated than before application. We took note of other factors, like color payoff, product packaging, applicators, fragrance, and overall comfort as key criteria for nailing down the best formulas.

Our beauty test team represents a range of needs and preferences, including varying lip sizes, skin tones, lip care needs, and glam preferences. Each drugstore lip gloss was tested alone and with other lip products to narrow down the most versatile, comfortable, and flattering options.

Why Trust WWD

Since 1910, WWD — often referred to as “the fashion bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities, while also informing the consumer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for both fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors continue to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections. Learn more about us here.

Meet the Authors

Olivia Cigliano is the former Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes and edits shopping content across fashion, beauty, footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Cigliano received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She is currently based in New York City. At WWD, she regularly tests and reviews top-rated and TikTok-famous products like drugstore lip gloss. Cigliano wrote the original version of this article on the best lip glosses.

Claire Sullivan is a contributing writer for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion, and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as an editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the products that make a meaningful difference in your skin and hair. Sullivan contributed to the May 2025 update of this article with new product selections after an additional round of testing.

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