buuk.top / Lecia Landis
Lip gloss has only recently returned from a years-long departure that was initiated by the matte trend. For a while there, we were seeing matte everything—matte lipstick, blush, foundation, and eyeshadow, all of which were accented by a blinding Instagram-ready highlight. Nowadays, the love is shared a little more equally, thanks to the radiant and light-reflecting look being back in the mainstream, and that applies to lip gloss too.
These lip glosses arent the old-school Lip Smacker types of the early 2000s, though. Instead of goopy glosses that smell like a jar of strawberry jelly, these grown-up versions are smooth and luxurious—understated, even. Some have even been updated or reformulated sans synthetic chemicals, fragrances, and the like. (Some of our favorite formulas are organic.) Hows that for a modern update on old-school beauty?
Read on for our picks of the best organic lip glosses with zero sketchy ingredients.
W3ll People Bio Extreme Lipgloss at Amazon
Hush + Dotti Organic Lip Gloss at Amazon
Vapour Elixir Gloss at Credo Beauty
Kjaer Weis Lip Gloss at Amazon
Ilia Lip Gloss at Amazon
H Is for Love Lip Glacé at Hforlove.com
Au Naturale High Lustre Lip Gloss at Amazon
Juice Beauty Organic Lip Moisturizer at Amazon
Best Overall
W3ll People Bio Extreme Lipgloss
Courtesy of W3II People
View On Credo Beauty
Vegan
Hydrating
Non-sticky
Some may find the plumping tingling uncomfortable
W3ll People is one of our favorite natural beauty brands. If you havent yet, try their mineral makeup and bronzer sticks—theyre amazing. The same goes for this clear lip gloss thats vegan, and certified organic. And the formula utilizes peptides, liquid crystals, aloe, and shea butter.
Price at time of publish: $15
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, jojoba oil | Shades: 6 | Size: 0.16 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Sheer
Hush + Dotti Organic Lip Gloss
Courtesy of Hush + Dotti
Hydrating
Non-sticky
Great for no makeup makeup
Some may prefer something more opaque
This organic lip gloss from Hush + Dotti is a little bit under-the-radar compared to other brands out there. We like it for its sheer color and non-sticky finish. Its also supremely hydrating thanks to coconut, jojoba, and grape-seed oils. (Seriously, its one of the only lip glosses that makes our lips feel as hydrated as they would while wearing a traditional lip balm.)
Shades: 4 | Size: 0.24 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Plumping
Vapour Elixir Lip Plumping Gloss
Courtesy of Credo
Provides antioxidant protection
Hydrating
Long-lasting
Some may find the plumping tingling uncomfortable
Vapour Beautys lip glosses are organic and plumping, which is a combination that you dont come across very often. Theyre able to fake fuller lips thanks to natural liposomes, jojoba oil, vitamin E, and green tea extracts. The latter two ingredients are antioxidant-rich, meaning they protect the lips from environmental aggressors and signs of aging.
Key Ingredients:Jojoba oil, green tea, lemon, Iceland moss |Shades: 5 | Size: 0.17 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Pink
Kjaer Weis Lip Gloss in Fascination
Courtesy of Neiman Marcus
View On Bluemercury.com
Lightweight
Non-sticky
Refillable packaging
Not as long-lasting as other options
Kjaer Weis is a high-end organic makeup brand that we count on for a number of products, including clean lip gloss. The formula is super silky and soft, the packaging is chic, and were just generally obsessed. This shade is called Fascination, and its a soft petal-pink color we wear over bare lips or our favorite nude lipstick.
Price at time of publish: $30
Key Ingredients: Sunflower seed oil, vanilla planifolia, rosehip seed oil | Shades: 9 | Size: 0.14 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Peach
Ilia Lip Gloss in The Butterfly and I
Courtesy of Goop
View On Sephora
View On Nordstrom
Works for a variety of skin tones
Non-sticky
Some may prefer something more opaque
Ilia is a must-have brand if youre passionate about clean beauty. These lip glosses are 68% organic, but even so, they get an honorable mention on this list for being available in a number of universally flattering shades, like this peachy-pink one called The Butterfly and I. Well be reaching for this one to complement beachy and bronzey makeup looks.
Size: 0.11 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Berry
H Is for Love Lip Glacé
Courtesy of H Is for Love
Doubles as a lip balm
Lightweight
Unhygienic packaging
This lip balm/gloss hybrid appears to be matte when its in the packaging, but as soon as you dip your finger in and smooth it across your lips, it transforms into a brilliant shine. Its made with root and berry extracts, so consequently, the tint is berry-colored. It reads somewhere between a raspberry and a blackberry shade. Every ingredient is organic (except beeswax, which cant be certified).
Price at time of publish: $28
Key Ingredients: Berries, sea buckthorn | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.17 oz.
Best Shimmer
Au Naturale High Lustre Lip Gloss in Passionfruit
Courtesy of Neiman Marcus
View On Walmart
View On Neiman Marcus
Vegan
Great color payoff
Long-lasting
Strong smell
Au Naturale produces cosmetics that are organic and vegan. The brands lip glosses come in a range of shades, from neutral to vibrant, and theyre more pigmented than traditional lip glosses. To us, they look like a hybrid between lip gloss and liquid lipstick.
Key Ingredients:Castor oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E |Shades: 9 | Size: 0.13 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Hydrating
Juice Beauty USDA Organic Lip Moisturizer
Courtesy of Blue Mercury
Hydrating
Smells good
Sustainable packaging
Strong smell
So this one is technically a lip moisturizer, but the combination of shea butter, vitamin E imparts a strong shine thats worthy of being called a gloss. Its organic, hydrating, convenient, and lightly fragrant (thanks to orange and vanilla extracts), which is why its been a mainstay in our makeup bags ever since its launch.
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, cocoa butter, orange | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes
What to Look For in Organic Lip Glosses
Consistency
How light do you want your gloss to feel on your lips once applied? Are you seeking a non-sticky finish? Organic lip glosses have different consistencies based on individual formulas. Be sure to look at a gloss’ consistency before making a final decision if the texture is something that makes or breaks lip products for you.
Coloring
Organic lip glosses can be sheer or come in a wide range of shades with different opacities. You should choose color based on occasion, what look you’re trying to achieve, and what compliments your features. You might want a vibrant, stand-out lip gloss for a nice dinner but a lighter, more subtle lip gloss for everyday use. Organic lip glosses will vary in transparency and the colors that they come in, so remember to consider this before making a purchase.
Method of Application
Organic lip glosses traditionally come in tubes with doe foot applicators, which look like sponge-tipped, angled wands. However, other glosses can be applied with a fingertip or squeezed directly onto your lips from the tube. For a cleaner application, opt for glosses with doe foot applicators or glosses that can be squeezed on so you don’t find yourself with sticky or stained hands. Regardless of the method you prefer, it’s important to keep your applicator, tube, or fingertips clean to prevent bacterial growth.
It depends on the applicator that your organic lip gloss comes (or doesn’t come) with. Check the product’s packaging for product-specific instructions or tips. Typically, you’ll want to evenly coat your top and bottom lips with a thin layer of gloss.
It’s difficult to predict how long each organic lip gloss will last once applied as there are many factors at play, including the properties of your lips individually. Of course, the activity or activities you’re participating in while wearing the gloss will also affect how long it stays intact. Eating or drinking, for instance, will cause the effects of the gloss to disappear quicker.
Yes, organic lip glosses do expire. Many organic brands will list a general timeline of when their products may expire on their website. This can be anywhere between a few months to a year. If your lip gloss has a change in color, smell, or texture, its best to toss it and buy a new one.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
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