abelskin's Official Lip Oil/Gloss/Balm Rankings

It's time for me to give the people what they really want 💋

Over the weekend, my friend Maria divulged two things to me.

1) She had a dream that she saw me near my sister’s apartment building pushing a stroller with a baby that looked exactly like me inside it.

2) The only lip balm she’s ever used is Burt’s Bees, and she’s ready to explore something new and different.

I had several follow-up questions for both revelations, but Maria asked me for my expert advice for the second. I figured the best place to share my in-depth answer would be here on abelskin for all to read and take notes.

With the lip product landscape rampant with seemingly the same exact vibes across the board, allow me to help you decipher which of Sephora and Ulta’s bestsellers you’ve been seeing all over TikTok are worth being added to your beauty routine.

Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment ($16)

Full transparency: I’m a hater when it comes to Rhode’s beloved lip balm. The tube of the ~unscented I got was grainer than a poorly whisked matcha latte, and that’s a common issue for people. That’s bad news in my book!!! Then again, I’m not at all Rhode’s target demo.

To be fair, I haven’t tried the tinted shades, and several people I’ve talked to have had positive experiences. But I was underwhelmed. I don’t think I would love it even if I got a non-grainy tube. It’s a bit too on the waxy side for me, and I’m not a fan of its tiny, hard plastic applicator.

Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil ($40)

I actually bought the Mahogany shade with a Sephora gift card and hoped it would have a red-toned brown tint to it, but it’s just a high-shine lip gloss, girls!!! The shade you buy does not affect the color it imparts on your lips. It will go on clear no matter what. With that in mind, you can skippie this lippie. It’s simply not worth the splurge, especially with all the options out there these days. (See below.) Sure, Dior Lip Glow had a time and place in makeup history. I respect that. But I’ll pass.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil ($20)

I’m not the first person to say this, and I def won’t be the last: Rare Beauty’s lip oil is completely mislabeled. It’s a tint/stain with a drying gel-like consistency. Oils are almost at the bottom of its ingredient list, and it doesn’t leave lips feeling any sort of oil vibe or hydration. And what the fuck does Soft Pinch mean????

Sure, the shade range is pretty, but the doe foot applicator is unremarkable. I prefer it as a cute cheek tint.

Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil ($24)

This Merit formula is …fine. It runs on the thinner, oilier side, so it doesn’t have the best longevity. A major pro is this one comes in interesting shades. I love a brick-y red or a rich coral, so I regularly reach for the Pink Beet shade.

I prefer something with more oomph or even a gri to it tho. Plus, it comes in a pretty small tube for the price it runs at. Also, it comes with a boring, not-fluffy-at-all doe foot applicator