4 Lip Oil + Lip Balm Hacks You Didn’t Know You Needed ’Til Now

via Giphy

If we could compile a list of reasons why we truly love makeup, its ‘versatility’ would hands down be in the top three. That’s the beauty of cosmetics — no product is restricted to its conventional role. Just think about all the multipurpose handbag tricks we learned as teens from our mamas and grandmas, like utilizing lipstick as a dewy cream blush or using mascara formula to draw out quickie feline flicks. Once you start experimenting with what you already have, you’ll encounter a myriad of time and money-saving tricks.

Two underrated gems in your beauty arsenal right now are lip oils and lip balms. Yes, the dewy ointments and elixirs that keep our pouts kissable and cushiony come along with a string of game-changing hacks that will elevate any and every makeup look. Here are four you’ll love!

Hack #1: A Two-Second Wet Eye Look

There’s something about a dewy eye makeup look that makes you look, 1. expenny as hell and 2. as if you just casually sashayed off a runway. If you Google ‘eye gloss’ right now, you’ll find a couple of brands offering this as a singular product, but as beauty hack pros, we’re here to tell you that a good old lip oil can achieve pretty much the same thing.

Revlon’s Crystal Aura Limited Edition Glow Lip Oil, $10, will leave your lids dripping in dew with a cute sugar-glass-like tint, and you also can’t go wrong with some Elizabeth Arden Fragrance-Free Eight Hour Cream, $27, for edgy and eye-popping shine.

Hack #2: Get The Dewiest Cheeks

Glowy flushed cheeks always add a youthful touch to a face beat. If you want to mimic that post-yoga cheek glow, once you’ve blended out some color on the apples of your cheeks, dab on a clear lip balm or ointment right after for a dewy topcoat layer that looks deliciously glazed.

The Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm, $3, in Quenched, is an inexpensive industry fave, but if you have some extra coins to blow, we 10/10 recommend the Lanolips The Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm, $17. 

Hack #3: TikTok’s Chapstick Eyeshadow Trend

For MUAs looking for a quick hack to build statement painted-eyes in an instant, your clear chapstick will do the trick. All you have to do is glide a clear lip balm over your chosen eyeshadow shade, and it will work like an adhesive, instantly picking up the pigments of your shadow, which once swiped across the lids will deliver a soft layer of color with a subtle shine.

@mahavsekupleno🤯🤯🤯♬ Sry miss Jackson – lexi

TikTok star @illumitatiana also showcased an alternative and more user-friendly method, using her fingertips instead to build her dewy eyeshadow look:

@illumitatiana #learnontiktok #tiktokpartner ♬ Coffee Music – Cafe Music BGM channel

Keep in mind that the lifespan of this eye look is pretty short-term, so this is essentially the type of trick you’d use to create brief editorial or runway looks when you’re seriously pressed for time.

Hack #4: Gather Unruly Brows

To end off, a classic hack that makeup pros stand by. If you’re not a fan of the laminated or soap brow effect and are looking for a more subtle brow grooming hack, a clear lip balm goes a long way. Simply rub a clean spoolie over your balm and brush any stray brow hairs in place. Not only will this create an easy shape, but it’ll add soft shine and nourish the skin beneath your brows, too.

In a piece by Allure, New York-based brow designer Azi Sacks shared her love for Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve, $7, as her secret weapon for ‘fluffy, full-looking eyebrows’. We’ll take three of them, thanks!

Which hack are you super excited to try out? Let us know in the comments below!

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