Lipstick and lip gloss are two of the most popular makeup products used to enhance the appearance of your lips. With so many options available, choosing between the two can be overwhelming. But here, we’ll give you a full overview on lip gloss vs lipstick difference and benefits.
How to Choose Between Lipstick or Lip Gloss: The Basics
Factors such as skin tone, occasion, and personal preferences can all influence the decision. When deciding between lipstick vs lip gloss, it's important to consider the desired look, level of maintenance, and overall comfort. By taking these factors into account, anyone can choose the perfect lip product to suit their needs and enhance their natural beauty. So, read on and find what’s best for you!
Top Benefits to Using Lipstick

1. Variety of shades
With a huge range of shades available, a lipstick allows you to experiment with different colours and textures, from classic reds to trendy purples and pinks. Lakmé 9 To 5 Primer + Matte Lip Color is available in 35 highly pigmented and work-ready shades that last up to 12 hours.
How to Use It
When choosing a lipstick shade, consider your skin tone, undertones, and the occasion you'll be wearing it for. We suggest you selecting a colour that flatters your natural complexion and complements your outfit.

2. Various lipstick textures
Lipstick offers a wide range of finishes, including matte, glossy, and satin, and a vast array of shades, from natural to bold, providing the freedom to customize your look and express your individual style.
How to Use It
Layering different lipstick shades, textures, and finishes is a fun way to experiment with different looks and create customized lip colours that reflect your personal style. Play around with ombre effects, mix shades, two toned glossy lips, or top with gloss for added dimension.

3. Easy to apply
Lipstick is a basic product every woman probably owns, because it’s affordable and easy to apply. You can quickly use your lipstick without the need for additional tools or expertise.
How to Use It
Lipstick can be also used as a versatile makeup product, applied to the cheeks as a blush or to the eyelids as an eyeshadow, offering a cost-effective way to experiment with new looks and maximise your makeup collection.

4. Long-lasting
Many lipsticks are designed to be long-lasting, so you don't have to worry about touch-ups throughout the day, even after eating or drinking. This benefit eliminates the need for frequent touch-ups and allowing you to go about your day with confidence.
How to Use It
To make your lipstick last longer, exfoliate lips, apply a lip primer or a base, choose long-lasting formulas, layer with lip liner, blot and reapply, and avoid touching or rubbing your lips.

5. Protects lips
In addition to providing colour and definition to your lips, some lipsticks are formulated with nourishing ingredients like vitamin E and SPF protection, helping to keep your lips moisturised, healthy, and protected.
How to Use It
To prepare your lips for a lipstick application, exfoliate with a lip scrub or a soft toothbrush to remove dead skin cells and follow up with a hydrating lip balm to keep them moisturised and prevent flaking.
Top Benefits to Using Lip Gloss

1. Volume
Lip gloss is a versatile beauty product that can add a beautiful shine to your lips, making them look fuller and more voluminous. For example, the Lakmé Absolute Spotlight Lip Gloss in 8 stunning shades provides a gorgeous gel-shine finish, that enhances your natural lip colour.
How to Use It
You can also use your lip gloss in lighter shades as a highlighter, just dab a small amount of clear lip gloss on your cheekbones or brow bones to create a subtle highlight that gives your face a natural glow.



2. Hydration
If you compare lip gloss vs matte lipstick, lip glosses contain moisturising ingredients that keep your lips soft and hydrated, preventing dryness and chapping. They help to lock in moisture, providing nourishment to your lips.
How to Use It
To moisturise your lips and apply lip gloss properly, prep your lips with a hydrating lip balm before application, so you will prevent dryness and chapping.

3. Comfortable wear
Unlike some lipsticks, lip glosses are lightweight and often non-sticky, making them comfortable and easy to wear. They provide a natural-looking finish without feeling heavy or cakey on your lips.
How to Use It
To make your lip gloss less sticky, try blotting your lips with a tissue after application. You can also mix a small amount of loose powder with the lip gloss to create a matte finish.

4. Easy application
Lip gloss is easy to apply and can be done quickly without the need for additional tools or expertise. Glosses often come with an applicator wand, making it a mess-free application process.
How to Use It
To apply lip gloss evenly, use the applicator wand to start from the centre of your lips and move outward towards the corners. This ensures that the colour is distributed evenly and prevents the product from clumping.

5. Natural looking
One of the benefits of wearing lip gloss is that it creates a natural-looking finish that enhances the own colour and texture of your lips, giving you a subtle yet polished look.
How to Use It
Add dimension to your lips by layering lip gloss over matte lipstick or lip liner. This technique can also help to extend the wear time of your lipstick.

Top Differences Between Lipstick and Lip Gloss
1. Texture
Lipstick typically offers a dense, creamy texture and full coverage, while lip gloss has a translucent, lustrous effect, that is weightless and less saturated in colour.
2. Wear time
Lipstick is generally longer-lasting than lip gloss, but may feel heavier on your lips. Lip gloss requires more frequent re-application, but is typically more comfortable to wear.
3. Finish
Lipstick offers a range of finishes, including matte, satin, and glossy, while lip gloss provides a high-shine, wet appearance. Lipstick can also be used to create more precise lip looks, while lip gloss is better for a more casual, effortless look.
FAQs about How to Choose Between Lipstick or Lip Gloss
Q1 What is the difference between lip gloss vs liquid lipstick?
The main liquid lipstick vs lip gloss difference is that lip gloss is a sheer, shiny product that adds a subtle tint to the lips and is usually not long-wearing. Liquid lipstick, on the other hand, provides intense colour and a long-lasting matte or satin finish.
Q2 Coloured lip gloss vs lipstick: is there a distinction?
Coloured lip gloss offers a sheer tint with a shiny finish, while lipstick provides more intense colour with a range of finishes, including matte, satin, and glossy, depending on the formulation.
Q3 Lipstick vs lip gloss vs lip stain: what is the difference?
Among such a variety of lip products, how to spot the difference between lipstick vs lip stain vs lip gloss? Lipstick usually has a creamy texture and provides opaque colour, lip stain offers long-lasting colour with a lightweight feel, and lip gloss adds shine with a sheer tint.
Now you know about lip gloss vs lipstick difference, and benefits of each product. Also check our full lipstick guide and a guide on lipsticks for brides.
Written by Team BB on 3rd Mar 2023