@zakheath IT’S SO SHINY. Ib @inahtakeda #skincare #form #Beauty #fy
♬ Falling in Love Alone – Super Accelerated Version – Stacey Ryan
Confession time: I’m not a lip gloss fan. Despite having an overflowing stash, I rarely touch them in favor of a moisturizing lip balm or classic matte lipstick. One thing I’m always on board for is glow — even if I’m just going to the post office, I dab a touch of highlighter on my cheekbones. It nullifies fatigue in an instant, and who doesn’t need that? So when I saw people on TikTok using their lip gloss as eyeshadow and highlighter to boost the shine, I thought I could finally put my collection to good use.
Though the staple of the late ’90s and early ’00s has garnered over nine billion TikTok views under the hashtag #lipgloss, it’s only recently that I’ve seen it being used as an all-occasion makeup essential, exhibited by nature makeup -Connoisseur Zak Heath. Using Vieves Lip Dew Original ($23), Heath painted his lips, eyes, and, well, his entire face a golden, glossy hue. After a quick investigation, I found that #lipglosseyes alone has over a million views, with countless other TIktok users checking out the trend. Even celebrity makeup artists Katie Jane Hughes and Jaleesa Jaikaran are on board. Then it has to be party-tested?
Though I have dewy team skin year-round, the festive season is the perfect opportunity to pull out that extra sparkle for a spin — and at a family celebration on Saturday, I attempted to turn my face into tinsel. I started my routine as usual, applying my base, blush and brows before applying lip gloss as I normally would – on my lips. I followed suit and also used Vieve’s lip gloss; It seems like a safer option than a light pink gloss and has a subtle gold finish. So far, so good.
Next I went to the eyes. After doing some research, I saw other Tiktok users applying eyeshadow as a base for pigments. I used the burnt orange shade Ghost Town from my Urban Decay Naked Wild West palette ($25, originally $49). I then swiped on a layer of Lip Dew and used my fingers to smooth out any wrinkles. First thought? Sticky. It’s worth pulling your hair back all the way as the formula is a honey trap for unruly hair strands. It also feels a little heavy on the lids but enhances the eye shadow. The pigment underneath really pops – a handy trick when most of your palettes have matte shadows and you need a metallic color for celebrations. I’ve opted for an old eyeshadow brush in a few spots to avoid getting anything in my eye and would recommend anyone to be extra careful when applying the shine here and add mascara at the end.
Now for the cheekbones, chin, nose and forehead: I went over all these areas with the lip brush and dabbed it in with my fingers. Take this as your warning: it can get messy. Although formulas aren’t nearly as sticky as they were in the 2000s, it’s still a lot stickier than a traditional highlighter. It’s also a different kind of shine. While many highlighters add a solid glittery sheen, lip gloss adds a more glassy effect, coating areas with a thick, light-reflecting sheen. I found I was putting a lot more on it too, and yet I still didn’t get the gloss level that Heath presented (he must have used a whole bottle in the process).
For someone who’s pigeonholed lip gloss just for lips, I love the idea that a tiny bottle that doesn’t take up space in my mini party bag can now replace my lipstick, highlighter and eyeshadow palette for the night (trust me, I’ll take most of my make-up bag with me). It also seems wise to use my stash of glosses instead of buying more metallic shadows or a new highlighter when I run out – an inexpensive and sustainable approach to makeup.
While I will be doing this again over the holiday season (and beyond), my only concern is the slippery risk involved. I noticed that my eyeshadow quickly ended up just below my brow bone and it was high maintenance to pair it with loose hair. A few first-hand tips would be to set the shine with a setting spray and pair the look with a slicked-back bun to avoid it sticking to my hair. Apart from that, lip gloss has earned a new, indispensable place in my makeup bag.
Image Credit: POPSUGAR Photography / Siobhan O’Connor