We're Beauty Editors—Of Course We Created a Master List of Beloved Lip Oils

Two women reapplying makeup in the bathroom

(Image credit: @maryljean)

As beauty editors, we're more than happy to test every product under the sun in order to give you, dear readers, the most informed shopping recommendations. That being said, we do get extra jazzed about some special categories at Who What Wear. Take fragrance, for example. We can go on and on about the best vanilla scents, the designer perfumes worth trying and the niche elixirs that deserve a permanent spot on your vanity.

Lip products receive that same level of verve. Let it be known: We WWW editors take our lip combos *very* seriously. So when I asked my fellow teammates which lip oils they hold dear, I was immediately flooded with formulas I absolutely had to include in this list. It was difficult to whittle them all down, but I managed to compile them into a clean list of 12. (Although, if you're curious about our other favorites, please feel free to reach out; we'd be more than happy to wax poetic via DM!) Here, browse our beloved options.

The Best Lip Oils of 2024, Listed

  1. Best Tinted: Saie Glossybounce
  2. Best Non-Tinted: Gisou Honey Infused Hydrating Lip Oil
  3. Best Sheer: Merit Shade Slick
  4. Best Splurge: Dior Lip Glow Oil
  5. Best Budget: SheGlam Jelly Wow Hydrating Lip Oil
  6. Best Long-Lasting: Ami Colé Hydrating Lip Treatment Oil
  7. Best Shine: Guerlain Kiss Kiss Bee Glow Lip Oil
  8. Best Color Payoff: Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil
  9. Best Plumping: Haus Labs PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss
  10. Best Natural: Typology Paris Tinted Lip Oil
  11. Best Hydrating: Osea Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster
  12. Best Color-Changing: InnBeauty Project Glaze Lip Oil

The All-Time Best Lip Oils of 2024

Best Tinted: Saie Glossybounce

Jamie testing Saie lip oil

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Non-Tinted: Gisou Honey Infused Hydrating Lip Oil

Best Sheer: Merit Shade Slick

Best Splurge: Dior Lip Glow Oil

Best Budget: SheGlam Jelly Wow Hydrating Lip Oil

Best Long-Lasting: Ami Colé Hydrating Lip Treatment Oil

Shawna wearing Ami Colé lip oil

(Image credit: @shawnasimonee)

Best Shine: Guerlain Kiss Kiss Bee Glow Lip Oil

Best Color Payoff: Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil

Jamie testing summer fridays lip balm

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Plumping: Haus Labs PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss

Best Natural: Typology Paris Tinted Lip Oil

Best Hydrating: Osea Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster

Jamie testing Osea lip oil

(Image credit: @jamieeschneider)

Best Color-Changing: InnBeauty Project Glaze Lip Oil

Is lip oil better than balm?

It depends what you're looking for in a lip product! Lip oils are great for providing moisture, shine, and subtle tint (assuming you choose a pigmented option), but if you'd like to treat your pout to more skincare ingredients and hydration, you should probably opt for a balm. Balms are typically wax-based, so they can provide a moisturizing seal over the lips that keeps water locked inside. They also tend to feature more cushiony emollients, like shea butter, to soften and smooth the delicate skin.

Lip oils, on the other hand, are great at providing a healthy dose of shine. They're more lightweight than balms and leave behind a glossy sheen. So one isn't necessarily "better" than the other; it's really up to personal preference.

Joanna Murray car selfie with glossy lips

(Image credit: @joannacoops)

Do you put on lip balm or lip oil first?

If you're going to layer them both, I'd apply lip balm first before slicking on a light layer of oil. That way, the balm's nourishing ingredients can penetrate the lip skin, and you'll still wind up with a glossy, tinted layer of shine. Practically speaking, trying to swipe a balm over a glossy product just sounds messy.

How should you choose a lip oil?

First, it helps to consider the type of payoff you're looking for. Do you want a tinted or non-tinted option? If you would like some pigment, what shade(s) do you prefer? How sheer or opaque would you like your lip oil? These visual details can help you decide which lippie to apply (and reapply) throughout the day.

From an ingredient standpoint, you can choose a lip oil based on its key hydrators. If you're hoping for a plumping effect, look for lip oils with hyaluronic acid or peptides. If smoothing lip lines is your main focus, perhaps grab an oil with gentle AHAs or enzymes to lightly exfoliate the skin. Regardless, be sure to select one with loads of nourishing oils, as those give the product its juicy shine.

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Jamie Schneider
Senior Beauty Editor

Jamie Schneider is Who What Wear’s senior beauty editor based in New York City. She has a penchant for trend forecasting, covering everything from innovative skincare launches to celebrity profiles, and her work has appeared in mindbodygreen, Coveteur, and more. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English before moving to NYC, and she's been there ever since. When she’s not writing or testing the latest beauty finds, Jamie loves exploring vintage boutiques, reading mystery books (bonus points for an unexpected twist), and she’s always down for a park picnic in Brooklyn.