Lip oil vs lip gloss vs lip balm, oh my! With so many juicy lip products, how do you know which one to choose? You’ve come to the right place. We asked the makeup experts at Lancôme to spill all the juicy details behind our newest lip products, their differences, and how to choose the right lippie or lip combo for your desired lip look. With all these new textures and finishes for the lips, get ready to enter your Ôh la la perfect pout era.
Differences: Lip Oil vs Lip Gloss vs Lip Balm
Lip oil, lip gloss, and lip balm are trending beauty products, each with a distinct purpose and unique benefits. Lip oils typically offer hydration benefits plus shine, lip glosses are loved for their aesthetic appeal and sticky texture, and lip balms are the go-to for lip protection and hydration. Learning these distinctions can help you choose which lip product will deliver your Ôh la la perfect pout.
See our detailed comparison of the differences below:
Purpose & Benefits
Lip Oil: Conditions, nourishes, and adds shine to the lips. Lip oils or lip oil gloss hybrids typically deliver a natural-looking tint or sheer color, plus moisturizing benefits for softer, juicier lips. Lancôme’s Lip Idôle JuicyTreat Lip Oil Gloss offers +70% hydration in 1 application, plus 24-hour hydrating care.
Lip Gloss: Adds bold, plush shine for lips that demand attention. Lip gloss can deliver sheer to high pigment color. On the other hand, lip gloss is often offered in clear, which can be worn alone or as a lip topper to complete your high-shine lip look. Lancôme’s Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss leaves lips feeling lusciously juicy and cushioned for up to 4 hours.
Lip Balm: Provides lips with comforting and protective hydration, while delivering a natural tint or sheer color. Lancôme’s Lip Idôle Squalane-12 Butterglow™ Hydrating Lip Balm provides up to 24-hour hydration, and over time, helps improve the skin moisture barrier with users reporting that their lips appear 27% less dry after 7 days based on expert grading after twice daily use. Butterglow lip balm is offered in 14 shades for the ideal combination of hydrating lip care and protection, plus beautiful, buildable color.
Texture & Finish
Lip Oil: Lightweight, fluid, and silky. Lip oils easily and smoothly glide onto the lips while offering a high shine finish without feeling sticky. JuicyTreat Lip Oil Gloss is an oil-in-gloss formula that feels like a skincare serum on the lips while providing a 3D juicy shine finish.
Lip Gloss: Thick, cushiony, and can be slightly sticky. Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss is a Lancôme cult-favorite due, in part, to the perfect amount of sticky texture it provides that makes it fun to apply on repeat. It also leaves lips feeling lusciously juicy and cushioned, offered in yummy nostalgic flavors and 3 finishes, from mirror-like shine to glittery sparkle.
Lip Balm: Creamy, buttery, waxy, or gel-like. Our Butterglow Lip Balm is a buttery lip balm that glides smoothly onto lips, providing instant shine and buildable color: one layer for a sheer wash of color, more layers to build up intensity. The formula is lightweight, non-sticky, and leaves a shiny, butter-smooth finish.
Ingredients
Lip Oil: Lip-loving natural oils, plus hydrating ingredients like squalane and hyaluronic acid. JuicyTreat Lip Oil Gloss is formulated with 20% Squalane, making squalane the #1 ingredient in JuicyTreat, with additional hydrating ingredients that help create its signature serum-like feel.
Lip Gloss: Emollients and humectants. Juicy Tubes is formulated with a proprietary blend of emollients, humectants, and antioxidants that give this icon its addictive texture and feel on the lips.
Lip Balm: Butters, oils, emollients, and other hydrating ingredients. Butterglow Lip Balm is made with 83% skincare ingredients, including 12% Squalane, shea butter, jojoba oil, and ceramides for smoother lips and a strong skin barrier.
Lip Idôle Squalane-12 Butterglow™ Hydrating Lip Balm
Instant Shine & Lasting Hydration
Lip Idôle JuicyTreat Lip Oil Gloss
3D Juicy Shine Oil-in-Gloss
Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss
Ultra-Shiny & Hydrating
Similarities: Lip Oil, Lip Gloss, and Lip Balm
Despite their differences, all three lip products aim to enhance the overall appearance and visible health of the lips. While lip oils soak into the lips for deep nourishment, lip glosses highlight them with a glossy finish, and lip balms ensure long-lasting hydration and protection.
What goes on first, lip oil or lip gloss?
When layering lip products, a general rule of thumb is to apply formulas from the thinnest to the thickest texture. Following this, you would apply lip oil first, then lip gloss. In addition to their thinner texture, lip oils are designed to soak into the lips, providing essential moisture and nourishment which helps create a smooth base that can enhance the longevity of your lip gloss. On the other hand, lip gloss is famous for adding an ultra-shiny finish that draws attention to the lips. When you layer the two, not only do you achieve that luscious, eye-catching shine, but you’ll also lock in moisture provided by the lip oil.
“Another layering approach is the Magic of 3,” explains Jasmine Ferreira, National Makeup Director at Lancôme, “meaning, products that layer better together. For example, layering a combination of Lip Idôle Lip Shaper, Butterglow Lip Balm, and Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss. Lip Shaper is a waterproof lip liner that adds definition, Butterglow adds hydration and care, and Juicy Tubes adds a dramatic, high-shine finish. The ‘Magic of 3’ also works with any of Lancôme’s lipsticks for one-swipe color intensity versus the buildable color of Butterglow. You can also replace Juicy Tubes and instead use JuicyTreat Lip Oil Gloss for a demure gloss and even more hydration.”
Find Your Ôh La La Perfect Pout
Now that you know the difference between lip oil vs lip gloss vs lip balm and how to layer these lip products, you are ready to stun in your new lip look.
Need help finding your best lip shades? Use our Virtual Makeup Try-On Tool or book a complimentary virtual consultation with one of Lancôme's Expert Beauty Advisors to discover your favorite lip makeup shades and finishes.
