Lip gloss fell out of fashion around 2014. Lip oils brought it back in 2023 and search volume has now tripled three years running. The new generation does what old gloss never could — hydrate, plump, and stay non-sticky.
The shift was technical, not nostalgic. Old gloss was based on mineral oil and polybutene — sticky, dehydrating, often drying. Modern lip oils use jojoba, squalane, meadowfoam seed and avocado oils carried in a non-tacky silicone or sugar-derived base.
The result is the shine of gloss with the comfort of a balm and a low-key plumping effect from chili extract, peppermint or hyaluronic micro-spheres. The 2026 standouts: Dior Lip Glow Oil (the original viral hit, still hard to beat for everyday wear), Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment (long-wear with peptide bonus), Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (in oil-balm hybrid form), and the budget heroine Maybelline Sky High Lip Plumping Oil. For Gulf shoppers wanting something that survives 40°C summers, look for oils with a higher squalane percentage — they oxidize less under heat.
For Russian winter, look for the same brand's tinted version: subtle color disguises dryness lines better than clear. Apply over a moisturizing lip mask at night, on bare lips during the day, or as the final layer over a lip stain for a gloss-on-stain finish that lasts six hours. The renaissance happened because the chemistry caught up with the desire.
Gloss is back, but smarter.
