BEAUTY

Why Lip Oils Have Replaced Lipsticks in Our Handbags

Justine Feutry - Madame Figaro

4-December-2023

Why Lip Oils Have Replaced Lipsticks in Our Handbags

It has become an almost everyday habit for women. Dressing one's lips with a touch of lip oil, whether colored or not, has become one of the most essential makeup routines of the past five years. A rapid success that has placed this new makeup ally among the best-selling products of many brands. Starting with Clarins with its Lip Comfort Oil, or Typology with its tinted oils. In pharmacies, the success of Nuxe's Rêve de Miel lip oil treatment shows no signs of fading either.

But how can we explain that this hybrid product, blending makeup and skincare, has become a must-have for everyone? "Precisely because it has this dual dimension. Yes, our lip oils enhance the lips with their pigments, but it remains primarily a skincare product at a time when this need takes precedence. Compared to a traditional balm, it has a stronger makeup aspect with a more visible result. This is also why it has been so successful on social media," explains Nassim Hamek, Director of Product Development at Typology.

Pump Up the Volume

With lockdowns and, especially, the mandatory mask-wearing, "women have learned to wear less makeup but have taken more time to take care of their skin. There has been a real awakening," he continues. As a result, lipstick sales have plummeted. According to Nassim Hamek, today, women may not necessarily want to go back to using lipstick, which can be drying in the long run, but rather enjoy the sensation of applying lip oil. "The latter, with its cocooning applicator, will soften the lips. It proves very comfortable to wear: the more you apply, the more you hydrate. The lips become more nourished, appear fuller, so you gain in volume," adds Magali Marx, makeup expert at Clarins. In fact, both experts emphasize that one does not exclude the other. On the contrary, lip oil can be used in addition to matte lipstick, for example, to prevent drying effects. "You can definitely apply a touch of oil over your lipstick to give it more comfort as well as shine, a bit in a 'candy apple' spirit, really indulgent," says the makeup artist.

When used solo, "the shade appears much lighter. You can reapply it several times a day," adds the Typology expert. And the convenience of this gesture (you don't even need a mirror to apply it because you're less concerned about a clumsy stroke) is perhaps what makes it a product for all generations. "Lip oil can be bought at any age. Everyone loves it because it's easy to use," explains Magali Marx. While the return of gloss was announced, especially among younger individuals, lip oil has ultimately established itself in grandeur. "Gloss has a very sticky finish, which can be quite unpleasant, especially when hair accidentally gets on the mouth. Lip oil, on the other hand, penetrates immediately," also points out the Clarins makeup artist. Less sticky but equally shiny, it also presents a weighty argument: its composition is generally much cleaner than its glossy counterpart. "We must not forget that the products we apply to our lips are the ones most likely to be ingested. Hence the importance of an impeccable formula with vegetable oils (avoiding mineral oils) and, above all, no nanoparticles," emphasizes Nassim Hamek. "At Clarins, for example, we use vegetable oils with 93% of natural origin ingredients," adds Magali Marx. At Les Filles en Rouje, the oil launched this year relies on avocado, argan, and apricot oils. At Le Rouge Français, softening and antioxidant coconut oil has been chosen.

Heal, Enhance, and Color

Available in clear or colored versions, lip oil still has more success in its tinted variations. "With us, it's no surprise that pink and red are the top sellers," says the Director of Product Development at Typology. The same observation is made at Clarins. "There's also the Pitaya shade that's very popular because it's a very natural pink that reacts to the pH of the lips." And thus personalizes itself. In line with this concept, the brand has even launched its Lip Oil Factory, a lip oil bar that concentrates seven different pigments allowing for 64 possible shades ranging from blue and green to yellow and orange. "Some shades, like blue, can add a cool tone that will create a raspberry-like color with the pink of the lips." But the clear version also has its advantages. Particularly the ability to be used as an overnight mask. "With its highly nourishing properties, it offers a deep hydration bath for the lips during the night when regeneration occurs," concludes Magali Marx. So, whether day or night, lip oil is a win-win.