At a glance
- Product Types: Easy, swipe-and-go lip products are trending, moving away from precision lipsticks.
- Key Benefits: These products offer hydration, color, and convenience without the need for a mirror.
- Availability: The featured lip products are easily accessible at drug and mass retailers across Canada.
- Eco-Friendly Options: Some products are vegan and come in recyclable packaging, promoting sustainability.
Even when I’m just bumming around the house with zero intention of seeing another human being, I always do something with my lips – just a little swipe of something hydrating and pretty. It’s the easiest way to look slightly more alive, with approximately the same amount of effort it takes to make a piece of toast.
The good news? Perfectly lined lips and precision lipsticks are out – easy, swipe-and-go lip products are very in.
Here are three that are permanently living in my pocket, purse, car cup holder and probably the dryer…
Nivea 24h Moisture Tinted Lip Balm in Strawberry Shine – 2 x 4.8g – $6.99 – meet your “no mirror required” BFF. This is lip care disguised as a cute pop of colour – think juicy, just-bitten lips that also happen to be protected from wind, cold and dry air. It smells like fresh strawberries, adds a subtle glossy shine and keeps your lips soft for 24 hours. Plus, it’s vegan, made with ethically sourced shea butter, and comes in a recyclable stick – so you can look good and feel smugly eco-friendly. It also comes in Watermelon Shine or Pearly Shine if you just want a bit of shimmer and no colour.
Available at drug and mass retailers across Canada.
e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil – 7.6ml – $10.99 – if a lip gloss and a serum had a very chic baby, this would be it. The giant plush applicator makes you feel like a glamorous 1950s movie star every time you swipe it on and the minty scent is fresh without being toothpaste-y. It’s non-sticky (praise be), super hydrating and gives just the right amount of sheer colour. Wear it solo for a “my lips but dewier” look or layer it over lipstick when you’re feeling extra – it comes in 16 shades – I’m partial to Princess Cut (shown) – a nude-y, rosy shade with a glimmer finish.
Maybelline Superstay Teddy Tint – 5ml – $20.99 – it’s your lips but in soft-focus and slightly flirtier. It offers a blurred matte finish that somehow lasts through snacks, coffee and mild emotional crises (12 hours of wear, no transfer, no smudge). The formula is light and comfortable – not that cakey, dry matte situation we’ve all regretted – and comes in 10 buildable shades you can wear as a whispery stain or full-on bold moment. Bonus: you can dab it on your cheeks for a quick “I woke up like this” flush – shade 55 Kneehigh (shown) is absolutely perfect for doing double duty!
The morale of the story is: even if you’re rocking pajamas and a three-day-old messy bun, a quick swipe of any of these will convince the world you’ve got your life together – or at least your lips do!
– Lisamarie –