Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Gloss Makes Mouths Feel Shiny And New

Call me old-fashioned, but I tend to prefer lipsticks over lip glosses — the latter are usually packed with way more pigment, which is a huge factor in their appeal, plus they typically last longer, and their formulations tend to be creamier and hence feel more pleasant than the plethora of overly sticky glosses that feel like they’re gluing your top and bottom lip together. That, being said, the new Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Gloss range ($18 each at Sephora.com) is making me reconsider my stance.

Make Up For Ever never half steps, upping the ante with each and every single new product or collection released. The Lab Shine Lip Gloss range is no exception. Each of these glosses features camelina oil, which conditions, nourishes and protects lips from harmful free radicals thanks to its high omega-3, omega-6, and vitamin E content, and hyaluronic acid, which hydrates your pout and yields a more gel-like consistency that adheres to lips without feeling overly viscous and gummy. Minuscule mother-of-pearl particles, meanwhile, reflect light when it hits your lips for a dose of shimmer that’s bold but sophisticated.

The Lab Shine Lip Gloss collection incorporates 35 shades divided into three families: Diamond, Star and Metal. The 12 Diamond glosses focus on light, sheer tints that are saturated with sparkle (hence the diamond reference). The 14 Star glosses offer a bit more coverage and a pearlescent shimmer that’s fresh but not quite as flashy. And last, there’s the Metal collection, which includes heavily pigmented glosses with an all-over, chrome-like sheen.

I’m particularly fond of the Metal Collection offerings since these shades are way more robust than the tints you’d find in most traditional glosses, plus their mirrored finish feels classier and not quite as adolescent and glittery. There are 9 shades in this particular gloss family, and it’s definitely a “collect them all” situation!
Below, you’ll find swatches of the M6, D6, M12, and S6 shades. The M6 shade can best be described as a hazelnut-meets-caramel brown with a golden bronze finish. The D6, meanwhile, is a Jem-worthy, mid-tone, bubblegum pink with plenty of clear glitter particles. The M12 color, one of my faves,is the type of intense metallic red you’d find in a digital camera or mobile phone. Last, the S6 gloss is a semi-sheer, candy-like peach shade with a bit of sparkle.

Here’s another look at these four Lab Shine Lip gloss hues:

Below, you’ll find photos of me wearing the Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Gloss in M12. As you can tell from the photos below, this lip gloss is heavily pigmented — so much so that it looks like I’m wearing lipstick coated with clear gloss for a vinyl-like finish. Now, this is my type of gloss right here!