Lip oil, lip gloss, lip oil gloss, lip gloss balm, lip balm, what’s the difference between all of them?

The rise of new lip products has been the same for years. It’s almost always a gloss, but in a new form. But why?

Brands have been using certain keywords to get people to buy “new” products, but they aren’t very new. For example, the Dior lip oil is sticky like a gloss would be, but is slightly hydrating, so they market it as that.

Another example of brands just using keywords is tarte. The tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm is a lip gloss in a lipstick shape marketed as a lip balm.

Though many of these products do work wonders, many are just average lip products. Renaming it more of a fancy name gives brands an excuse to make them a lot more expensive than it should be.

Knowing what exactly you’re buying is important. What exactly is the difference between these lip products, what type of finish would it give you, what effect you’re looking for, etc. It can come in handy when you come across lip products marketed as a “Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick” so you know whether or not the product is worth a buy.

Here’s some lip products that are market themselves in each category:

Lip Oil:
Fenty Treatz Hydrating + Strengthening Lip Oil
“An ultra-hydrating lip oil that goes on clear and cushions lips with decadent fruit oils and vitamin-rich Cherry extracts. Strengthens the lips’ moisture barrier for a softer, more kissable pout.” (sephora.com)

Lip Gloss:
Tower28 ShineOn Jelly Lip Gloss
“A bestselling, non-sticky, moisturizing lip gloss for soft, shiny lips.” (sephora.com)

Lip Balm:
Fenty Lux Balm Utra-Hydrating Cherry Lip Balm
“A Barbados cherry-powered lip balm—in sleek, mess-free packaging—that immediately hydrates with a blend of butters and oils for soft, smooth lips.” (sephora.com)

Lip Gloss Balm Stick:
Makeup By Mario Moistureglow On-The-Go Plumping Lip Serum
“A hydrating, melting, glossy balm—in a range of inclusive shades—that visibly plumps lips while delivering a dewy, shiny finish.” (sephora.com)

Lip Oil Balm:
NYX Fat Oil Slick Click
“Lips on slick in just a click! Our pigmented balm in click up packaging that dispenses just the right amount of formula, all you gotta do is click it to slick it! Get a fat boost of fat care for your lips with this vegan formula powered with avocado, cloudberry and raspberry oils. This lightweight, buildable balmy formula provides 12hr hydration for all day ultra-comfortable wear and care! Slick so addicting you wanna keep clickin! Available in 12 shades to click from with light as air pigments for a flush of color with a non-sticky, high-shine finish, perfect for everyday wear!” (nyxcosmetics.com)

Lip Butter Balm:
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm for Hydration & Shine
“A silky vegan balm that hydrates and soothes dry lips in seconds.” (sephora.com)

Lipstick:
Glossier Ultralip High Shine Lipstick with Hyaluronic Acid
“ A high-shine lipstick that has the rich moisture of a balm, sheen of a gloss, and buildable color of a lip tint in one step, without having to layer multiple products.” (sephora.com)

Lip Gloss Stick:
tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump
“A viral glimmer lip plump available in shimmer glass finish and high shine finish.” (sephora.com)

Lip Oil Gloss:
Saie Glossybounce High-Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss Oil
“The slip of a lip oil and the high-shine of a sheer tinted gloss meets the hydration of a balm. This non-sticky, lip gloss-oil hybrid keeps lips as nourished as they are glossy.” (sephora.com)

Lip Mask:
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Intense Hydration with Vitamin C
“A leave-on lip mask that delivers intense moisture and antioxidants while you sleep with Berry Fruit Complex™, Murumuru seed and Shea butter.” (sephora.com)

Lip Balm Mask:
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm
“A lightweight, moisture-coating lip balm for hydrated, tinted, and kissable lips throughout the day.” (sephora.com)

Lip Plumper:
Too Faced Lip Injection Maximum Plump Extra Strength Hydrating Lip Plumper
“An advanced lip plumper formula that dramatically hydrates, nourishes, and visibly volumizes lips intensely, immediately, and over time.” (sephora.com)

Lip Stain:
Benetint Liquid Lip Blush & Cheek Tint
“A collection of fan-fave lip and cheek tints that come in a range of shades—all long-wearing, non-drying, and transfer-proof.” (sephora.com)

Lip Oil Tint:
Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil
“An innovative gel-to-oil formula that starts glossy and leaves lips tinted while staying comfortable—never sticky—all day.” (sephora.com)

See how confusing it is? Every single description has the same keywords: oil, non-sticky, hydrating, nourishes, plump, moisture, tint, antioxidants, glossy, high-shine, soft, shiny, strengthen. At that point, aren’t almost all of these products the same?
Yes, they are. A lip balm and a lip balm gloss and a lip gloss stick are all going to be similar, and you have to accept that.

For example, the difference between the tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip feels almost the exact same as the tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm.

Brands market their products as whatever’s trending at that moment. So if a lip oil is trending, a lip oil will come out. If a lip mask is trending, a lip mask comes out. Then, someone has a groundbreaking idea and says, “What if we make a lip oil mask?” A person goes to buy it just to find that the lip oil mask does the same thing as the lip oil and the lip oil does the same thing as the lip mask.

As much as we love lip products, we have to understand that we’re buying the product for the brand and packaging, not what’s in it. So of course, go ahead and buy your Dior lip oil, but just know that other brands have that same product too, and that’s why it is so important to go, read the description, and feel the product.