Ever since Hailey Bieber got glazed, it's been all about the shimmer and shine. From our skin to our lips, we've been loving that just-oiled, sun-catching glow for well over a season now. Does that mean it's time for a matte comeback? Well, if the discourse heating up around the much misunderstood matte lip gloss is to be believed, we just might be ready for an unconventional marriage of the two opposite trends.
Featured Experts
- Natalie Dresher is a Miami-based makeup artist
- Catt Quinn is MAC Cosmetics’ director of trends
- Terry Barber is the director of makeup artistry for MAC Cosmetics
- Lisa Aharon celebrity makeup artist
Is This For Real?
When we saw that matte lip gloss was trending on TikTok, we couldn't help but wonder, is this what we think it is?
Things take another interesting turn when you see just how many videos there are showcasing the experience of beauty store associates trying in vain to decipher what a customer thinks they mean. "So, that doesn't exist," they say almost universally, while playing viral-trend-minded customers who think they're always right.
https://www.tiktok.com/@clover_lucky._/video/7380433113794776366?q=matte%20lip%20gloss&t=1719244751621
Sure we've seen liquid lipsticks and glossy solid formulas, but we're hearing that matte lip gloss isn't any of those. That can make it pretty confusing, especially when a quick google gives you mostly solid balm formulas and matte liquid lipsticks. But like the above video contends, there are some products that mean it when they say it's a lip gloss with a matte finish.
What Is a Matte Lip Gloss?
"A matte lip gloss has the same liquid formula of a lip gloss, with the staying power of a matte lipstick," explains L'Oreal Magazine. "Instead of having a totally flat finish like a matte lipstick, this type of gloss has a satin finish that’s completely free of shimmer."
Lip glosses are usually based in wax or petroleum jelly in order to give them the soft, workable formula that we know. The goal is 'slip,' or that easy glide-on that glosses come with. While a shine factor is usually considered a must-have for a gloss to be, well, glossy, there are actually plenty of ways a gloss can dry down.
So, it follows that a matte lip gloss would start out with a shine when it goes on wet, and dries down to a matte that doesn't crack or dry out. Makeup artist Natalie Dresher explains that the formulas are very similar to matte liquid lipsticks, but with more emphasis on moisture and hydration.
And there are also liquid lipstick formulas that would technically qualify.
"An absolute staple in my makeup kit is a matte lip gloss," says Dresher. "You can also call them a matte liquid lipstick! The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur in Pillow Talk is one I reach for for a majority of my brides. The best part about these is that you don't need a lip liner, and if you find a really great moisturizing one you won't need to top it off with a gloss!"
The Matte Comeback?
As glazed and glossy looks reach their peak, we're starting to see the reintroduction of matte looks, but with a twist.
This time, we're going for velvet and blurry finishes that highlight our best features and minimize imperfections. You can see the tide turning in the advent of Pearl Skin, a trend that swept up spring of this year.
“The last ten years or so have been very sparkly and reflective,” says MAC Cosmetics’ director of trends, Catt Quinn. “And pearl skin is actually refractive, so it takes that light and blurs it on your skin. The result is instead of having bright hot spots, your skin has a glow that wraps around your features.”
Think of the way velvet catches light, and you get the new matte: a romantic and subtle look.
“Wanting this kind of skin was part of the reason we invented Strobe Cream ($36),” Barber says. “The look is very much inspired be the McQueen shows of the late '90s where everyone had very highlighted skin that had a very romantic feel to it.”
Glossy + Matte
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Getting the best of both worlds is obviously the ideal goal of matte lip gloss, where the ease of application and high-moisture content keeps the matte finish looking luscious. This also makes it an excellent choice for more mature lips, which need the extra boost of moisture.
Celebrity makeup artist Lisa Aharon explains that “keeping mature lips hydrated with balm or gloss can create the illusion of volume that can be lost with age.” She adds that these products can also “help to smooth lips and fill fine lines."
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